Capybara
Capybaras occur in South America east of the Andes, from the northern edge of the continent down to as far south as the northern part of Argentina. The capybara lives among the dense vegetation surrounding lakes, rivers, swamps, marshes, and ponds. It may use the water for shelter from danger, but it rests on dry ground. It moves from the water’s edge to open grassy areas to graze
Capybara
The capybara is the largest rodent in the world. Capybara may weigh over 100 lbs; the largest on record was over 150 lbs. Head and body length is 100 to 130 cm, and shoulder height is up to 50 cm. Females are larger than males. Capybaras have no tail, and their fur is long and coarse. They are reddish brown to greyish and are usually yellowish brown on the underside. The limbs are short, the ears are short and rounded, and the muzzle is heavy. The digits are webbed and have strong claws. The male has an enlarged scent gland on the top of the snout.
Reproduction
Capybaras can breed throughout the year, but they do so most frequently at the onset of the rainy season. Gestation requires 150 days, and generally a female has only one litter per year. Litter average four young, which are born out in the open rather than in a nest or other cover. Newborns weigh about 1.5 kg and are precocial — their eyes are open, they are fully furred and have complete dentition, and they can follow their mother and eat grass shortly after birth. In adition to eating grass, they nurse until the age of about 4 months. Sexual maturity is reached at 15 months, and maximum life expectancy is about 10 years (in the wild).
Behavior
Capybaras are social, living in groups of about 20 animals. These units consist of a dominant male, several adult females (among whom there is also a dominance hierarchy), their offspring, and subordinate males at the periphery of the group. Males who do not have their own family group may live solitarily. Group sizes tend to be larger in more arid areas, and during drought several hundred individuals may aggregate around the remaining water holes. Capybaras communicate with soft whimpers or clicking noises. They are most active in the morning and evening. During the hottest part of the day they wallow in shaded wet areas.
If startled or pursued on land a capybara will run like a horse and will seek shelter in water if possible. Semiaquatic, they are excellent swimmers. They can swim either with their eyes, ears, and nostrils just above the surface of the water (due to the shape of their head), or they can swim while totally submerged. They also may take cover by hiding among aquatic vegetation with only their nostrils above water.
Food Habits
These giant rodents are grazing herbivores. They selectively choose forage plants with high protein content, and they use their incisors to clip the grasses off at ground level. They enhance their nutrient intake from food by increasing the efficiency of their digestion, which involves extensive mastication and hindgut fermentation. In captivity they should be offered a complete diet of rodent lab blocks, and rat or mouse mix, with bits of fruit or veggies regularly.
Cheerios or wheat bread are great treats, in small quantities. Do NOT feed chocolate, fried foods, salted foods, candy or junk food! They may enjoy crickets and mealworms if they are captive bred, never feed wild insects as they may carry parasites. Vitamins, like Nutri-Cal are a good addition to their diet, and added calcium during nursing and growth due to demands on their systems at those times, but take care not to overdo it. Water bottles should be used to proved constant, clean water. Ceramic or stoneware food dishes work well for keeping seeds or fresh foods off the floor, and a wire mesh hopper that allows them to eat the lab blocks through without extra waste.
