Interview with Larry Munchrath

Do they have scent glands or an offensive smell?
No, they do not have any specific odor. Their fur is very soft, and they are clean animals. I keep diapers on my house animals and change them 3-4 times a day depending upon the age. The baby diapers with Velcro strips are the ones I use for the young joeys. I don't like the ones with the tape tabs because the tape pulls the hair out. Pull-ups are easy to use for the older ones. I always pad the diaper with a folded wad of toilet tissue to help absorb the moisture. That is the only 'smell' you will encounter.

What is their average lifespan?
Average lifespan is 15 years.

Do they enjoy interaction?
I have one in the house that thinks it is a human. When she was a baby she would tug at my shirt when she wanted to be picked up, or fed. They hate to be left alone; they will just be happy to sit in your lap, or on the couch, or get in bed and lay beside you at night. The one I have has to be laying against me somewhere before she is content. Sometimes she will put her head on my arm. They love to go for rides if they are accustomed to that. I teach school and mine became the unofficial school mascot. She seemed to look forward to going to school each day and loved the attention she received from the kids, who are 4th graders. In fact, if the alarm did not go off, she was sure to wake me at the usual time.

What is their general personality, disposition, and attitude?
I have already touched on that. But in addition they are curious, and have separate personalities. They can play, and also get mad at you. Mine will nip me on the arm when she is mad, then turn and tear out for the other room. She will also play tug-of-war with a towel or sheet. I have to shut the bedroom door when making the bed because she thinks I am playing and will try to attack the sheets if I am shaking them onto the bed. It is a big game to her. They also understand NO, and can be trained fairly easily. The ones outside are also calm, curious, and petable. They are not as affectionate as the one inside, but still are no trouble to catch. They love to eat sweet potatoes from your hand. Of course, these are the bottle fed ones. The Dama and Bennet wallabies that I have that were not bottle fed are not approachable, nor petable. But they are used to the routine and will stay just far enough away as to be cautious, and not catchable.

Are they sweet and petable, or mischievous and playful?
All the above. But they respond to how you raise them, and you should never hit them. A loud voice or stern voice is enough to teach them to mind, or what is a no-no. I heard that the wallabies can be box trained, but cannot speak to that. I don't know how it was done, or how you would keep the litter from going out everywhere when they were to jump in or out of the litter box. A doggy door out to a secure yard is also an option, which has worked forsome.

How destructive are they for an average household?
They are not destructive, unless you have breakable items on places that they can jump up on, and they will. The bathroom sink area with the mirror is one of their favorite places. Glass bottles are not a good idea there. Mine has also jumped into thebathtub. They also love paper and paper products! Mine especially loves the wallpaper I had in the bathroom. I have to replace it, and keep the door shut. I have had bills disappear, book covers be half eaten, and toilet paper rolls all over the house where they grabbed it and ran. They are apt to carry a whole phone book down the hallway trying to get away from you before you can catch them. They are just like a dog with its bone when it comes to paper products, such as books. Don't keep your office door open if you have stacks of papers and bills on the desk. First of all, they will jump right in the middle of the desk, and if you yell, their attempt to exit the desktop will scatter all of the items on the desk all over the floor! If you are not there, they may eat the thousand dollar bonus check you had out for deposit and you will just wonder where you put it. Recycled paper is not easy to detect in the diaper of wallaroo. It all looks the same.

Do they climb or tear up furniture?
No, they jump up on it. But they CAN be taught NO, if you spend the time and are consistent. That is most important.

Are there any problems associated with their claws?
They use them to groom and pick up and hold things. Anyone thinking of declawing them should have their own fingers removed and see how they function! I would NEVER, ever sell one to anyone who thinks that declawing is an option. It is cruel and unnecessary!

How messy are their droppings?
They are like sheep or rabbit pellets, unless they eat something that causes soft stool. But I use a diaper anyway, so there is no problem.

Can they be trained?
Yes, with consistency. You can harness train them to walk, but beware of dogs. They will have a heart attack if a dog happens to get after them.

How are they with other pets, larger and smaller?
If they grow up with them, they are fine. My wallaroo will chase the cats and small dogs away if she wants me all to herself. She is not aggressive, but gets the point across. Larger animals they stay away from.

What size cage do they need?
They should not be in a cage of any size. They need large pens, or backyards that have plenty of grass. They will eat the shrubs, so if you have a landscaped yard, you don't want a roo for a pet unless you have a large pen, or are able to fence it off. Otherwise keeping them in the house is fine.

What do you feed them?
You can get wallaroo food from Purina, or Happy Hopper wallaby food from the distributor, and some feed horse pellets such as Purina Pure Pride, or another horse pellet called Strategy. It needs to be supplemented with Selenium and vitamin E. I put that on wheat bread. That is also how I worm or medicate them as adults. They also need clean, Bermuda grass hay, and green grass during the year. In the winter we give ours rye grass, and in the spring they get Bermuda. They graze like horses, and will do some browsing and eat hedged and low growth vegetation. Grass is a must due to the fiber needs they have. I have hay as a free choice available at all times for them here in the winter. They also love vegetables, such as sweet potatoes, apples, carrots, dark lettuce, clean alfalfa leaves and other vegetables. Just try to see what they will take. Some say also add a good rabbit pellet, but others do not. I also give my roos grains. Poor nutrition is very dangerous. Of course, fresh water is a must. Old, or dirty water harbors bacteria and will kill them easily.

What vaccinations/vet care do they require?
None, but some give tetanus shots. I occasionally will give a selenium/vitamin E shot. Vet care is needed when they are ill. They are sensitive to some antibiotics, so be sure to get a vet who will ask another vet who is knowledgeable if they are not sure. They will need to know what and how much wormer to give, and how to neuter the males if you want to keep them as pets. They can also get protozoans, round and tapeworms, and trematodes. Ringworm is treatable, and lumpyjaw (necrobacillosis) is another disease that needs vet attention. Coccidiosis is another treatable problem which caused one of my animals to die.

At what age would it be best to get one?
I recommend getting a joey after it has been pulled and is on the bottle. Bottle fed joeys bond to the owners and having one of the little guys is a wonderful experience, if you have the nurturing instinct in you. They must be bottle fed several times a day with a special formula, and diapers changed, and made to go to the bathroom by stimulating the bottom area. Those who don't want to take that much time should not get one. They are just like having a baby. The more you put into them the more you will get out of them as far as being healthy and developing good, loving personalities.

Other Consideration for owners of Wallaroos?
You need space, time, commitment, and love.