title: Nutrition, care, and behavior of captive prairie dogs.
abstract: Prairie dogs are burrowing mammals that inhabit the grasslands of western North America. This article discusses the black-tailed prairie dog, the most common species and the one most likely to be found in zoos and private homes. The authors discuss several topics related to having prairie dogs as pets, such as why they make good pets, types of housing, diet, diseases, and injuries. The article concludes with information about where to obtain prairie dogs as pets.
authors.affiliation: University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Appalachian Laboratory, 301 Braddock Road, Frostburg, MD, USA. hoogland@al.umces.edu
authors.forename: John L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Hoogland
authors.forename: Dianne A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: James
authors.forename: Lynda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Watson