The capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) is the largest rodent in the world, followed by the beaver, porcupine, and mara. Its closest relatives are agouti, chinchillas, coypu, and guinea pigs. Native to South America, the capybara inhabits savannas and dense forests and lives near bodies of water. It is a highly social species and can be found in groups as large as 100 individuals, but usually lives in groups of 10–20 individuals. The capybara is not a threatened species, though it is hunted for its meat and hide and also for a grease from its thick fatty skin which is used in the pharmaceutical trade.
Ms Typaldos adopted the capybara from an owner who was no longer able to care for him, and said the cuddly eight-stone creature quickly became a part of the family.
The 57-year-old even claims to have taught Gary to perform tricks.
'He learns tricks very quickly - faster than your typical dog would,' she said.
'He knows how to shake, how to turn in a circle, how to stand up on his hind legs and how to jump up on things on command.'
She said: 'Most people don't know what a capybara is but as soon as they see him, they want to come pet him and feed him treats.
'He loves the attention,' she added.
Despite her affection for her pet, Ms Typaldos warned that capybaras were not your standard domestic pet.
'Capybaras can be quite aggressive sometimes and their teeth are very, very sharp,' she said.
'Gary is not at all aggressive, but a capybara bite can be pretty serious.'
But she added of Gary: 'He gives you that same sort of companionship and affection that other animals do - I can't imagine life without him.'
its a capybara or something like that. Just because something is a rodent doesnt mean its a dirty little rat, which is what you are trying to make it seem like. A chimpanzee is an ape, like a human, but theyre not exactly the same are they?
its a capybara or something like that. Just because something is a rodent doesnt mean its a dirty little rat, which is what you are trying to make it seem like. A chimpanzee is an ape, like a human, but theyre not exactly the same are they?
If you had actually read the whooping half a page text you would have realized that I opened the OP with the wikipedia entry of what a Capybara is, and the word 'rat' had not been anywhere in this thread until you brought it up
So so cute
