Oregon Teen Discovers Mystery Rodent Size Of Baby Deer

[conlor]

What at first glance could also look like a baby deer is actually a Patagonian cavey, a large rodent native to central and southern Argentina.


Nicco Phillips, 17, said he found the animal while driving to school with his girlfriend.


"I was coming down the street and he was just in the middle of the road," Phillips said. "I just kept driving and I was like, 'What is that?' It's like a big guinea pig, I guess, which kinda bums me out because I was hoping it was like a kangaroo or something."


The cavey is believed to be someone's pet. It's legal to own a cavy in Oregon and Washington state.

Phillips and his girlfriend took the animal to Phillips' house after luring it into a cardboard box with an apple. The high school students said they let the cavey venture around the front yard on a leash.

"It's very cuddly with me. It's snuggles like a rabbit," Phillips said.

An owner has not been found, but Phillip's mother said her son would be glad to keep the curious cavey.

Oregon Teen Discovers Mystery Rodent Size Of Baby Deer - News Story - KNTV | San Francisco

[Woodmonkey]

I wonder if there are any natural enemies for it or do we have a potential opposum on our hands where they run riot. They are all over the Portland, Oregon yards and parks and splatted on the roads.

[conlor]

Last year there was a terrible odor in our office area. Finally the A/C-Furnace guys checked the air-handling unit outside and found a dead possum. It had gotten in and couldn't get back out.

[Woodmonkey]

Ewww, that must have been awful.

[redtanker]

interesting thanx