by Aurora Anne Taylor

Created on: August 17, 2010

Prairie dogs are not that difficult to keep as pets if you know their particular needs, but they cannot just be treated like giant hamsters, thrown in a cage and forgotten about either.  Here are a few tips to make sure your prairie dog is healthy, happy and safe:

Cage

Prairie dogs are diggers.  They live in burrows in the wild and thus need some material into which to dig and hide.  Typical pine shaving bedding from your pet store is fine, but because of the amount of bedding needed to allow your dog to feel as if he is adequately covered, you will need a sizable cage, preferably with a deep tray on the bottom to contain the mess.  Don't use cedar bedding, as this is toxic.  Prairie dogs love to climb as well, so a cage with shelves, ladders  and horizontal bars is ideal.  A wooden or cardboard box can be used to provide a hiding place as well.  Your dog will also chew, as his teeth grow continuously and need to be worn down, so he should be given some hard, non toxic wood in which to indulge. A litter box should also be provided.  Dogs can and will use an over sized wheel in their cage.  These are available at your local pet store, or pet supplier online. 

Food

Prairie dogs are herbivores in the wild, eating grasses, certain succulents, roots and nuts.  Their main staple in captivity should be timothy hay.  They are prone to obesity in captivity and should not be fed high protein foods such as alfalfa hay.  This should be supplemented by a good commercial prairie dog food.  Vegetables and even small amounts of fruit and nuts may also be fed in moderation.  Never feed junk food to your dog as this will cause unhealthy weight gain and can overload his little organs.

Dog proofing your home

This is like kid proofing - times 10!  Prairie dogs are, first and foremost, wild squirrels.  As such, their instinct to dig, burrow and chew is extreme.  Anything under which they can hide, into which they can dig or that they can chew is fair game.  Cords and blind strings should be secured up and out of reach.  Low outlets should have childproof covers.  Loose items that are important to you should be secured, as, like ferrets, prairie dogs love to collect trinkets to take back to their hiding places. 

At least one litter box should be available outside of the cage if you are training your dog to use one. Prairie dogs can and will destroy your good furniture

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