"Capybara sits in the old gum tree...merry merry king of the bushes he...." I had no @!$%#ing clue what the heck a capybara was when they had us sing this song in elementary school!! I'd be scare as hell to go to sleep with that giant rat roaming nearby.It looks like manbearpig but it's missing the man portion. I'll call it bearpig...look at those hooves!!

I'm not sure a capybara could climb a gum tree. The song is Kookaburra, which is an Australian bird (a type of kingfisher).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kookaburra

My guess is this rodent doesn't worry about cats.

I just love this story. I also happen to love animals. What fun. I wish they were my neighbors.

Maybe not, but anacondas love em.

I am impressed and happy for the owners.....good for them

I'd love to pet one! They're adorable! Large but friendly & adorable!

Wow, what an unusual pet. I wonder how the breeder manages to have so many of them at one time until she can adopt all of them out, must have a large house! The breeder must be the only on in the U.S., I wonder how much these rodents go for? I must admit he looks rather cute even though I don't like rodents..

Once in a while something good to hear. Nice story. I believe squirrel's are also rodents, I had a pet squirrel as a child and enjoyed its company, stayed until it mated, and even then would still set out side the door next to me from time to time.

http://exoticpetco.com/mammals-lg.html

The first time I saw one of these was when I went to Grant's Farm in St. Louis. At first I thought it was a pig and then I saw its face. It kind of freaked me out because it does look like a giant hamster. I don't know that I'd want one for a pet though. I'm not a rodent fan at all.

cool story and animal

It does look cool and and seems like a pretty cool animal, but it makes me think of Night of the Lepus with guinea pigs. I do believe I'd crap myself if I saw one of these walking down the sidewalk.

As a owner of four adorable ferrets, I think this animal ROCKS.

Would HATE THE VET BILL.....Ew.

Adorable!! I want one!!

I think Caplin Rous is a really cute critter.

There's a real cute albino capybara, born this past Christmas, pictured here:

http://www.zooborns.com/zooborns/2010/01/baby-capybara-albino-at-mbopicua-bolivia.html

In many areas, people eat capybaras.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/unleashed/2009/12/capybara-jerky.html says capybara meat

is considered such a delicacy in Venezuela that hunters have greatly depleted the country's capybara population...communities in Bolivia are planning to capitalize on Venezuela's hunger for the giant rodents by exporting dried capybara meat there, to the tune of 200 to 500 animals annually.

This is the first time I'd heard of them being used as pets. I had heard they were fairly docile animals that taste like pork, so I thought a domesticated line might be useful for a family farm in place of mischievous pigs - which, in my experience raising pigs has shown, managed to get out of fences every time the garden sweet peas were ready to pick.

However, today I ran across an article that said they have a fishy flavor. The article (http://www.hawaiireporter.com/story.aspx?95d4518e-8bd4-4a04-b3ce-a73deda54d10) also noted that they are not killed just for the meat.

Their skins are exported to Colombia, where they are used to make wallets and bags, while capybara oil is used by the local cosmetics industry.

It added that some Catholics eat capybara on Good Friday, when eating meat is frowned upon by the Church.

The demand for capybara meat is greatest at Easter, because the Vatican ruled more than 200 years ago the semi-aquatic mammal is a fish and could therefore be eaten by Catholics on Good Friday.

When I read the headline I thought someone else got stuck with my ex-husband...LOL! This type of rodent is adorable (actually, I don't mind rodents at all, even rats are cute.). I am always concerned about people who keep exotic pets. They are wild animals, after all, and can be expected to act like wild animals; biting, attacking and even killing. In Florida we have a Boa Constrictor problem because ex-ownwers have let them loose in the Everglades. Pets and even some children have been killed by these beautiful, but dangerous snakes. Remember the woman who had her face literally ripped off by her neighbor's pet Chimp? Iguanas have taken over Boca Grande and are killing vegetation and native insects, all important to our eco-system. I have mixed emotions about those who keep exotic pets. Is it fair to the animal? Communities? I am not sure, but this Cappy is one cute and cuddly pet. I wish them well! I still have nightmares about Nigel, the Vietnamese Pot Bellied Pig that HATED me. I still have scars from his bites...Nigel was not a very good judge of character, I love animals, but for some reason he did not see that in me.

Fun Seed! Thanks,

PJ

I think it's kind of cute, and I almost want one, but I think in the end I'll stick with my 10-pound cat.

But, you know what they say...everything's bigger in Texas.

I have seen a six picture slide show of Caplin Rous --elsewhere, but I really wanted to see a video. Iwant to see and hear him waggle arould the house. I hope one surfaces soon!

Wow, a whole discussion and no wingnut comments. Great pet. I hope the wild populations are protected.

Does it eat cheese?

"Speak!"

http://wwwuser.csse.rose-hulman.edu/~stinerkt/tickdocs/shspea.html