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Nutrians have long and very successfully grown in captivity. However, it is impossible to name the breeding of nutrients as large as, for example, the content of chickens or rabbits, although interest in these animals is gradually growing.
The unpretentious, easily accustomed to various conditions of keeping and feeding of nutria are grown for tasty meat and valuable furskins. Young children of nutrients for maintenance at home are purchased at the age of 2-3 months. By this time, pretty and fairly friendly little animals weigh a little less than a half kilogram, but by the time they are properly nursed and fed, they have grown to 5-6 kg by the time they are properly nourished. By the same time, nutria, usually living before the age of seven, ripen for reproduction.
To obtain offspring per male, there must be 4 to 6 females. At the same time in each litter there are from 5 to 18 cubs. In nature, calves of nutria appear at positive air temperatures. At home, females consistently bring in 6-8 animals, giving two litters per year, regardless of the season.
Despite the excellent adaptability and unpretentiousness of animals for the successful breeding of nutrients, it is necessary to create the proper conditions. What kind of environment is most suitable for these, not the most common domestic animals? How to choose a nutria and a diet?
These and other questions necessarily arise from those who plan to breed nutria at home as a business or have acquired fluffy animals for personal use.
Conditions for breeding nutria
Until the time when new residents come to the farm, the nutria must prepare the housing, stock up on balanced food, take care of water and proper temperature.
If the animals get good care and live in the proper conditions, in 5-7 months they reach 75-85% of the maximum possible weight and have high-quality fur.
When intending to cultivate and keep nutrients at home, the owner of a household farm should remember that animals need:
- in a reservoir, the capacity of which is calculated from 70-80 liters per animal;
- in clean water, which in a pond must be changed at least once every two days;
- in spacious strong cells, where there are no more than 2 animals per square meter;
- in maintaining a comfortable temperature of about 15-25 ° C:
- in a balanced diet with a predominance of juicy food and fresh drink.
Protection from dense fur allows animals to withstand frosts up to 30 ° C, but it is not worthwhile to admit this even when starting cattle breeding at home. In cold weather, the paws and tail of rodents are often subjected to frostbite. In the summer heat, the animals feel better if they have constant access to the reservoir.
Video about the breeds of nutria, their breeding, maintenance and care for fluffy inhabitants of reservoirs will give a lot of cognitive information. The material clearly outlined will help you orient yourself in organizing your own farm to grow these interesting animals.
Feeding the nutria at home
With breeding at home, nutrias show themselves to be extremely unpretentious pets both in terms of conditions of detention and in nutrition. Animals are almost omnivorous. In the diet of these large rodents in the central zone of Russia include grain, fresh grass and hay, mixed fodder and root crops.
With a lack of succulent fodders, which are most preferable, nutria are not disdain by waste from processing grains, remains from the human table, weed vegetation from beds, young branches and other very simple food.
But to achieve the best growth and quality of wool with the help of a "random" diet will not work.
To animals really developed well, multiply and flaunt themselves in beautiful fur coats, they need:
- the maximum number of juicy, vitamin-rich feeds;
- double meals with the main emphasis on morning feeding, during which nutria should receive up to 70% of the total daily feed;
- to receive a sufficient amount of vegetable and animal protein, providing a rapid increase in body weight and good quality of wool;
- four times more fresh food than concentrated and dry food.
For those who only master the cultivation of nutria at home, the beginning owners of these large rodents will be interested to know that with a special appetite and interest animals refer to food that is in water. In the pond used by pets, you can throw any root vegetables, apples and grass.
Cells for breeding nutria
It is not enough to get food on the farm, prepare enough for them and take care of acceptable conditions of detention. Often, the novice owners of these rodents are not happy with new pets for their short-sightedness.
Nutrians, like otters, muskrats and beavers, are not averse to trying not only the feeds offered to them, but also their own cells, if they are made of wood. In a matter of hours peregryzaya racks or sites near the lattices, the animals just run away. Therefore, for this type of animals it is better to equip a reliable housing made of strong metal:
- Cell walls and fences are made from a grid or a fine mesh grating that provides good ventilation and helps to look after animals.
- Floors can be either solid or latticed. In the latter case, you need to accurately select the size of the cell so that the animals are not injured.
The place for the cells and foraging the nutria when they are diluted at home is chosen so that the pets are not disturbed by drafts, and the curious animals had no way to escape.
If still the nutria could overcome all obstacles and left the cage, following the instinct, they go to the nearest pond. Here they can be lured with succulent roots. And in some cases, accustomed to the place where they are fed, the animals themselves find their way to the farm.
The video about the breeding of nutria at home explains in detail all the nuances of caring for animals, the peculiarities of housing arrangement for rodents and the choice of diet.
