A questionnaire, sent to scientists and wildlife attendants/carers known to have extensive experience handling quolls Dasyurus spp., was designed to assess those attributes end requirements of quolls which may affect their suitability as pets. Twenty people contributed. Overall, it appeared that essential dietary components were readily available, housing was simple, quolls were rarely demanding on time, mostly healthy and rarely stressed. Specialist attention (e.g., veterinary) was only required occasionally and no adverse human health effects were observed. Responses varied greatly regarding ease of handling, aggression, odour, property damaging behaviour and fecundity. Management history of individual animals affected responses: quolls kept as house pets (rather than permanently caged) elicited the most positive responses on the suitability of quolls as pets.
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Research Article|
March 17 2014
A survey of the attributes and requirements of quolls that may affect their suitability as household pets
Meri Oakwood;
Meri Oakwood
1
Division of Botany and Zoology, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 0200
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Paul Hopwood
Paul Hopwood
2
Department of Veterinary Anatomy and Pathology, University of Sydney, New South Wales 2006
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Australian Zoologist (1999) 31 (2): 365–375.
Citation
Meri Oakwood, Paul Hopwood; A survey of the attributes and requirements of quolls that may affect their suitability as household pets. Australian Zoologist 1 September 1999; 31 (2): 365–375. doi: https://doi.org/10.7882/AZ.1999.038
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