The Poultry Keeper

summayah · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 4289 Location: luton

thank you

mojo · Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2006 5:41 pm Post subject:

after all the problems with foxes etc the local hunters club tell us there are coypoos in the local river.......and before you ask they are dog size guinea pigs from south america imported for fur then released when the fur trade collapsed

madslg · Joined: 16 Nov 2005 Posts: 298 Location: Farnham

Do they pose a risk to livestock? I have heard of escaped coypus living over here too and rapidly growing in numbers.

fenwoman · Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2006 8:27 pm Post subject:

Coypu pose no threat to poultry. They are vegetarian rodents. Here in East Anglia we have thriving populations of them. They cause massive amounts of damage to the drains and river banks which keep East Anglia dry since we are below sea level here.They eat roots, shoots and other vegetation.
Not only do they not pose a threat but their young are eaten by mink and foxes.

madslg · Joined: 16 Nov 2005 Posts: 298 Location: Farnham

Thanks Fenwoman. That makes sense - aren't they beaver related - or have i made that up completely?! Confused