Best beginner small exotic mammal?

I'm not interested in guinea pigs,rabbits,hamster,or mice, but I am looking into getting some kind of exotic mammal.Something that isn't too expensive and that can be kept outside during fall/spring/summer. I was think about sugar gliders and hedgies but unfortunately in Pennsylvania they are illegal.I was thinking about some kind of squirrel or a ferret.What is the best kind of squirrel that I can get for around 100 dollars or less?

 

A dead one. Squirrels are no "beginner" animals.

Outdoor husbandry is not only inappropriate for some of the species you mentioned, but can be also quite expensive, if properly undertaken.

Small exotic rodent species as the African Pygmy Mouse (Mus minutoides) or African dormice (Graphiurus sp.) could be apt choices.
Otherwise, the African Pygmy Hedgehog (Atelerix albiventris)["illegal"], the Lesser Hedgehog Tenrec (Echinops telfairi) or more "common", but nevertheless attractive species such as Chinchillas, degus etc. can be good pets if properly housed and cared for. However, I wouldn't recommend an outdoor husbandry for most of them, especially not in Pennsylvania.

Before buying, inform yourself correctly-and keep in mind that the acquisition costs are only one part of the final costs you will have to pay (i.e. the money that has to be spent on the enclosure, food, accessories, the vet etc. is not included).

 

I would have to agee with Sun Wukong.

If you have to worry about keeping your purchase price to under $100, can you really afford the upkeep of an animal? Should your new acquisition need medical treatment at any stage your vet bill will very likely come to way more than that.

As a zoo owner, I regularly am asked to accept donations of animals that have proved too expensive for owners to keep.

As you live in a "house full of animals" why not spend your money on enriching their lives?

Just a suggestion.

 

I have some ideas but like Sun Wokong said keeping them outside would be very expensive. Any mammal under $100 would be quite small. Patagonian Cavies are little bit more than $100 but also require quite a bit of space. Short Tailed Opposums are priced at $100 but have to be housed in doors.

 

Do Siberian Chipmunks still count as 'exotics'? Great fun, and very cold hardy.

 

Yeah, and quite easily stressed...

 

Best beginner small exotic mammal

Are you suggesting Siberian Chipmunks are a bad idea?

 

Yes, I am.

 

Best beginner exotic small mammal

Re Sun Wukong's comment on Siberian Chipmunks, they are the only 'exotic' mammal I have owned. I have to say that I did not find them particularly 'stressy'. My pair lived in a small outdoor aviary, and would both come to the wire for a proffered mealworm. They reared three litters in the two years I had them, before being re-homed as the aviary was needed for birds. The only recognisable 'stress' behaviour was observed for a day or two before a litter was born, where the female would perform stereotyped loops between the top of the nest box and the aviary roof. This ceased as soon as the young were born, and would probably not have happened in a larger place. I would never suggest such animals being treated as 'pets' [handled etc], or kept in a small cage as one would a hamster.
Speaking of hamsters, if one must have a pet indoors, I don't think you can beat a well-handled Syrian Hamster, with adequate living accommodation and plenty of 'out-of-the-cage' time.

 

@FBBird: Siberian chipmunks can be easily (chronically) stressed, even if it might not be obvious. One example: the (for us humans inaudible) buzzing of a TV, even when switched off, can put them under significant stress, occassionally even leading to the death of the animal.

 

Best beginner exotic

Sun Wukong -- as I said, I would not recommend them for the living room. However, I still think they are ideal subjects for an outdoor aviary-style enclosure. Can you suggest anything better suited?

 

I already did-see my initial post.

 

Best beginner exotic

Sun Wukong -- so you did, Chinchillas being the only one on your list suited to outdoor life. Maybe it's a matter of opinion, but [and I've not kept them] but my impression is that they may be slightly les 'easy' than my suggested species. Perhaps we can agree to differ.

 

@FBBird - Yes, you are right. Chinchillas are also very expensive not just themselves but all of there needs too. I have no experience with Siberian Chipmunks what so ever but I do know that outdoor husbandry can be very hard to maintain. I year or two ago I bought a Mini Rex Rabbit. A beautiful sweet tri colored female. She would play with my dogs, she was litter boxed trained, and would roam around the house freely at times. When it got closer to summer I decided to put her out door cage outside and leave a cage for indoors. I made a huge mistake because almost instantly , even though treated, she got a serious case of ear mites. After taking her to the vet multiple times I got a healthy happy bunny and an empty wallet. I now know that even though the vet tolled that this was a rare case and it is to cold for mites to live up here...... I have always been on my toes about keeping smaller animals outside. My rabbit was just to delicate.

 

Best beginner exotic small mammal

Thanks for the support Fossa Dude. The original question specifically excluded domestics. However, rabbits in general seem to be more delicate than when I was a kid. This may be because then, most pet rabbits were of no particular breed, so had no exaggerated characteristics and a low level of inbreeding. If one wants an interesting mammal in an outside enclosure, a group of neutered bunnies can provide a lot of interest; as long as one isn't put off by theiur domestic status.

 

I didn't state that Chinchillas are "the only one on [the] list suited to outdoor life". In fact, I wrote: "However, I wouldn't recommend an outdoor husbandry for most of them, especially not in Pennsylvania." That would include Chinchillas under most conditions. For a good outdoor exhibit, degus or Mocós might-to a certain extent-be the better choice among the Caviomorpha.

And no, it's not a "matter of opinion": Siberian chipmunks are not only prone to chronic stress as previously mentioned, but require a very diverse and balanced diet, a lot of room and are prone to infectious diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, if fed inappropriately. Additionally, they can harbor quite a bunch of "nice" zoonotic diseases (like Listeria monocytogenes, Yersinia pseudotuberculosis, Francisella tularensis etc etc). The latter is also true for other species mentioned, but the tendency of Siberian chipmunks to bite and claw quite severely when feeling provoked increases the danger of transmission. All in all, I wouldn't label them as "perfect beginner animals"-a term which is too often misused, imo.

However, as Steve Robinson correctly pointed out: if LizardInsanity has such a limited budget for obtaining the animal alone, how to pay for a roomy, secure and well structured outdoor aviary needed for Siberian chipmunks, degus or whatever else? Maybe your Syrian hamster advice is the best one, next to Steve Robinson's hint to spend the money on the "house full of animals" instead.

 

Best beginner small exotic mammal

Sun Wukong -- I think it was me, rather than you who suggested that the only species on your list suited to outdoor life was the chinchilla. This reflects my ignorance of degus [all I know about them is that there appear to be too many of them in 'pet' situations] and of the North American climate. Fair comment about zoonoses. My chipmunks kept in robust health on a basic seed diet, with occasional raw shelled eggs [dove or quail], the odd insect, and limited fruit or greenfood most days. I honestly don't think they are much more 'difficult' than rats, apart from not being handleable 'cuddly pets' and needing aviary accommodation. Let's get back to our agreed 'ideal' species, the Syrian Hamster, which took the world by storm when first introduced, and is still a thoroughly worthwhile & fascinating creature, AS LONG AS YOU HAVE THE RESOURCES [which applies to getting any animal, or indeed having a baby].

 

@ FBBird - have you ever kept button quail?

 

Best beginner exotic small mammal

Fossa Dude -- Yes, but we call them Chinese Painted Quail over here; the term 'button quail' is usually reserved for hemipodes, which are quite different. Have you got some?

 

Sadly I don't have any. I have looked up there care but would like to hear from someone who has had personal experience with them. Could you tell me a little bit about how you would care for them FBBird.

Thank you

Fossa dude