Like pet rodents, try owning the largest rodent species in the world!

Worlds largest rodent species now becoming a popular pet.

I wonder if they are more intelligent than other rodents? I've had a hamster before, they are super cute and you get attached so easily but they rarely interact with humans directly. They are mostly unaware of what goes on around them.

They look like a guinea pig; not a rat or mouse, and they are semi aquatic. They can learn to do tricks like pigs I guess.

Originally Posted by keith p

They look like a guinea pig; not a rat or mouse, and they are semi aquatic. They can learn to do tricks like pigs I guess.

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Yes, they do learn to do tricks. On Animal Planet there was one who learned to do "shake". They sure are cute. I also think all rodents are pretty smart anyway.

When I lived in Japan, we used to go to this zoo that had capybaras running loose, and you could pet them. They were pretty awesome. I wouldn't mind having one for a pet if I was able to provide the proper environment.

Of course, the top recorded weight for a capybara is 232 pounds......and I don't know if I want a rodent that size in my house! The females regularly get to 140 pounds. I hope they don't end up like Vietnamese potbelly pigs, with everyone buying a "miniature" pig, only to dump them when they get to be 150 pounds........

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

I actually saw one of these in the wild in Panama. They are very big!!