Exotic Pets: Cheetahs

Cheetah - Photo: Wikipedia

Cheetah is one of the exotic animals which are kept as pets since five thousand years and can be dated back to Ancient Egyptian civilization. Initially, they were used for hunting. Scientifically known as Acinonyx Jubatus, they are fastest of the wild cats and also amongst the animals but aren’t good at climbing trees like other cats. They are capable of reaching a speed of seventy miles per hour and within merely three seconds they can accelerate from zero mph to seventy mph. The length of the cheetah’s body ranges from forty-five to fifty-five inches and the weight ranges from ninety to one hundred and forty pounds.  

They originated from Africa and can be found in other parts of the world such as Central Asia and Iran. They have an elongated body with a small head and narrow waist, which facilitates aerodynamics. Cheetahs have semi-retractable blunt claws which help them to get a good grip during fast pursuits. The color of its coarse fur is tan and has small black spots.  A rare kind of cheetah known as King Cheetah is larger in size with big merging spots. Its Thirty-three-inch long tail is encircled with five to six black circles and it helps in taking sharp turns as it acts like a rudder. Black lines which start from its eyes and run along the sides of the nose towards the mouth are called tear marks. These lines enable them to see long distances and minimize the glare of the sun.  

Cheetahs can be trained very easily and also they are very caring animals. They make noises such as chirp, yowl, yip, growl and hiss and their purr is very deafening. But they do not have the ability to roar like other big cats and also are diurnal, whereas others are nocturnal. They are carnivorous animals and hunt for small mammals and young ones of larger mammals. Cheetahs hunt when it isn’t hot, like at dawn and dusk. They also do not go after animals which they cannot get hold of easily and they hunt not by smell but by vision. Nearly fifty percent of attempts end in failure as they give up fast. One of the reasons can be the immense heat which is generated while running, which can be serious for the animal. They rest for at least half hour after the intense chase.  They also have the ability to make sounds of some birds, in order to catch them. 

Cheetahs always eye for the animal which is distant from its herd. It chases the animal and then trips it. After the animal falls, it suffocates the animal by biting underneath the throat as it does not have the strength to break the neck. For some reason, they do not hunt weak and old animals. During high-speed chases, cheetahs can get adequate oxygen with the help of big nostrils. They also have an enlarged heart and lungs which utilize the oxygen to the maximum by increasing the respiratory rate while running. 

Cheetahs also fall under the category of endangered species. Many organizations and acts have been implemented to conserve them. One of the reasons for their endangerment is that they are environmentally sensitive and are the most vulnerable. When held in captivity, they should be provided with their natural habitat. Studies have proven that there is a lack of genetic diversity in cheetahs which are held in captivity. They don’t reproduce regularly like other felines and find it difficult to breed. Also, their lifespan decreases and the rate of survival are low. In residential areas, they have been killed by poachers on large scale for protecting cattle. Such farmers are now being provided with dogs that can guard the livestock and scare away the wild cheetah. It has also being hunted for its fur with a beautiful pattern. 

To obtain a permit to keep cheetahs as pets are not only a big problem for individual owners but also for big zoos. People who have a passion for cheetahs and haven’t got the permission to own them can donate generously to conserve the species.

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Exotic Pets: Capuchin Monkey

Capuchin Monkey - Photo: Pixabay

Capuchin monkeys had their name derived from the Franciscan Capuchin whose cowl is similar to the coloration of the monkeys. They belong to the Cebinae family and Cebus genus. These monkeys are found in Central America and South America. Also known as sapajou, these species of monkeys are considered to be the most intelligent of all present species of monkeys. 

The face, neck, and chest of capuchins are white colored whereas the rest of the body is either brown or black colored. Their body grows up to twelve to twenty-two inches in height and their hairy tails are also usually the same length as the body. Their average body weight is two pounds. The males weigh more than the females. When they are held in captivity, they can live up to forty-five years, but in the wild habitat, they can live only for fifteen to twenty-five years. They stay awake during the day and sleep at night except for the midday nap they take. During the day, they spend most of the time looking for food and at night, they sleep on the branches of the trees. 

Capuchins are very social and live in a group of eight to forty males, females and their children. The area where the whole group lives together is marked by the smell of urine and intruders are not welcomed. A strong male controls the whole group and mates with the rest of the females in the group to produce offspring. Male and female capuchins smell each other to know whether the other is sexually mature or not. A female capuchin monkey has the capability of reproducing after every two years. Their pregnancy period lasts from five to six months.

The offspring clings to the chest of the mother and when they grow big enough, they shift to their back. They expect their mothers to babysit till they are three months old. Male capuchins have no participation in the upbringing of their offspring. But if people want to keep them as pets, before keeping them as pets, they can be neutered.  The whole group finds solace in grooming, which they also use as a means of expressing their feelings.  They even reduce millipedes to pieces so as to rub that on their body to repel insects and mosquitoes.  

Capuchins are very intelligent mammals and have been known to use various tools which assist them in their daily life. They drink the juice of palm nut fruits from the tip and then let them dry. After they dry, they will collect them and break them with the help of a big boulder collected from the rivers. They have the ability to walk on their feet with food and tools in their hands. They are also clever enough to find food on the ground as well as on trees. Unlike other monkeys, they are omnivorous. Along with eating food like seeds, nuts, fruits, flowers they also feed on eggs of birds, small birds, insects, spiders, reptiles, bats and even small mammals. Some of them who live near water bodies also feed on shellfishes and crabs, which they crack open with the help of stones.  

They aren’t fussy about their environment; hence it is easy to maintain them as pets. People also favor to keep them as pets because they are good organ grinders and also as service animals. They are also kept as pets to help quadriplegics (people whose all four limbs are paralyzed) around the house. They are trained for this purpose by many organizations. They have the capability to open bottles, microwave food and even wash the face of the patient. They are also safe around kids in the house as they are very gentle in nature. They can also be taught tricks and some have even starred in movies. Capuchins are also the most oppressed among the pet animals. They also become troublesome when they reach sexual maturity, which often confuses the owner. 

  

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