How to properly grow nutria at home?

In order to keep and breed nutria at home, you need feed, water and a small plot of land. There should be no chlorine in the water, the best is a well. Water taken from reservoirs can contain pathogens that can cause various diseases.

There is no need to build housing for these animals in swampy areas and where there are drafts. To protect your wards from the scorching sun, the site needs to be planted with trees, preferably fruit trees.

If nutria are kept indoors, then it is better to keep them in mesh cages, houses are not needed in this case. In the cold season, bedding should be laid on the walks, and if the temperature drops too low, then they may need to be insulated. In the room that contains the nutria that feeds the babies, you need to maintain a positive temperature.

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Nutria content conditions

Nutria can do without a pool. If done correctly, it will not in any way affect the quality of the skins, the growth of the puppies, the fertility and weight gain of the animals.

At home, it is best to keep these cute rodents, in special buildings with a small house and open walking.

Comfortable housing with walking

Drinking water can be partially replaced by vegetables that contain a lot of juice. In summer, animals must be provided with clean water. In particular, it is needed by pregnant and lactating females.

An important condition for growing and breeding these animals is warmth. The fur of the nutria is thick, but only protects its body, and the legs and tail remain open. As a result, the nutria should have a thick litter in the dwelling. Babies in nutria appear wet, and can easily freeze in the first minutes of life, even if the temperature is about 0 C. As a result, the cells in which the female expectant babies are kept must be properly insulated.

To keep these animals, you need to prepare in advance and provide them with everything you need.

Nutria cells

Cells are essential for all nutrients. It is impossible to make each individual an individual dwelling, as a result of which they are kept in groups. Breeding individuals are kept in separate cages. Nutria, which is grown for slaughter and sold, is kept in large cages. At least ten to fifteen individuals should feel comfortable in them. Approximately one head should have 0.5 m2 of area.

Metal cages

The main room is a small house. In it, the animal can take refuge and retire. There may be several chambers, but the walls should be covered with a metal mesh so that the animals do not gnaw the walls. There must be a walk.

It is advisable to raise the house in which you intend to breed and raise these animals above the ground, this is necessary not only so that there are no drafts, but also for the convenience of cleaning. Also, to make it easier to care for the animals, you need to provide a folding roof.

For the winter, the dwelling nutria is transferred to the room and insulated with straw and other materials.

In the summer, so that the animals can hide from the heat, a canopy should be provided to create a shaded area.It is also desirable to have a container in which the nutria can swim. The water must be absolutely clean and changed 1-2 times a day. Nutria have a bad habit of dragging food leftovers into the water and defecating in it.

If the area does not allow, then at home you can arrange so that there is one pool for several cells. At the same time, animals enter it in turn from each cage.

These adorable animals feel great even when kept outdoors. The food is frolicking and rides with an excellent appetite.

Disinfection of houses

Nutria housing should be cleaned once a day and disinfected periodically. Metal cages in winter can be processed using a conventional blowtorch.

In warm weather, various preparations are used for disinfection:

• chlorine;
• lime;
• soda;
• formalin.

During processing, be sure to transfer the nutria to another room. And after completion, thoroughly ventilate.

Various rodents carry dangerous diseases. Therefore, where you keep your pets, they should not be.

Group content of nutria in cells

Nutria can be kept and bred at home, both individually and by families. Lactating and pregnant individuals are kept separately. It is correct to keep young growth in small groups.

If females are kept together with males, then it is necessary to observe that the males do not show aggression, if such behavior is detected, they should be immediately removed.

Young nutlets are weaned from their mother at about the age of two months. You can keep them in a group until slaughter.

Little entrails

Young females at home can be kept in a group of up to five heads. When they reach puberty, one adult male is added to them for mating. This method is good in that there is no need for separate keeping of females.

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The animals are kept in cages in small groups and recommendations for their care are provided.

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Nutria have long and very successfully grown in captivity. However, it is impossible to call the cultivation of nutria mass, such as, for example, the keeping of chickens or rabbits, although interest in these animals is gradually growing.

Unpretentious, easily getting used to various conditions of keeping and feeding, nutria are grown for the sake of tasty meat and valuable fur skins. Young growth of nutria for keeping at home is purchased at the age of 2-3 months. By this time, cute and rather friendly animals weigh a little less than one and a half kilograms, but by six months, with proper care and feeding, they grow up to 5-6 kg. By this time, nutria, usually living up to seven years, mature for reproduction.

To obtain offspring, there should be from 4 to 6 females per male. Moreover, in each litter, there are from 5 to 18 cubs. In nature, nutria cubs appear at positive air temperatures. At home, females consistently bring 6–8 animals, giving two litters a year, regardless of the season.

Despite the excellent adaptability and unpretentiousness of animals, it is necessary to create the proper conditions for the successful breeding of nutria. What environment is most suitable for these unusual pets? How to choose a habitat and diet for nutria?

These and other questions are sure to arise for those who are planning to breed nutria at home as a business or have purchased fluffy animals for personal needs.

Conditions for the cultivation of nutria

Until the time when new residents arrive at the farm, nutria need to prepare housing, stock up on balanced food, take care of water and an appropriate temperature.

If the animals are well cared for and live in proper conditions, already at 5-7 months they reach 75-85% of the maximum possible weight and have high-quality fur.

If you are going to start breeding and keeping nutria at home, the owner of a backyard farm must remember that the animals need:

• in a reservoir, the capacity of which is calculated from 70-80 liters per animal;
• in clean water, which must be changed in a reservoir at least once every two days;
• in spacious, durable cages, where there are no more than 2 animals per square meter;
• in maintaining a comfortable temperature of about 15-25 ° C:
• in a balanced feed with a predominance of juicy food and in fresh drink.

Protection from thick fur allows the animals to withstand frosts up to 30 ° C, but even novice breeders should not allow this when breeding nutria at home. In cold weather, the paws and tail of rodents are often frostbite. In the summer heat, animals feel better if they have constant access to a reservoir.

A video about nutria breeds, their breeding, maintenance and care of fluffy inhabitants of reservoirs will give a lot of informative information. The clearly presented material will help you navigate when organizing your own farm for growing these interesting animals.

Feeding nutria when kept at home

When bred at home, nutria show themselves to be extremely unassuming pets both in terms of conditions of detention and in nutrition. The animals are almost omnivorous. The diet of these large rodents in central Russia includes grain, fresh grasses and hay, compound feed and root crops.

With a lack of juicy forages, which are most preferable, nutria do not disdain waste from grain processing, remnants from the human table, weeds from the beds, young branches and other very simple food.

But to achieve the best growth and coat quality with a "casual" diet will not work.

In order for the animals to really develop well, reproduce and flaunt in beautiful fur coats, they need:

• the maximum amount of juicy, vitamin-rich feed;
• double meals with the main emphasis on morning feeding, during which nutria should receive up to 70% of the total daily feed;
• get a sufficient amount of vegetable and animal protein, providing a rapid increase in body weight and good quality wool;
• four times more fresh food than concentrated and dry food.

For those who are just mastering the cultivation of nutria at home, the novice owners of these large rodents will be interested to know that the animals treat food in the water with special appetite and interest. You can throw any root vegetables, vegetables, apples and grass into the pond used by pets.

Nutria Breeding Cages

It is not enough to have nutria on the farm, prepare enough feed for them and take care of acceptable living conditions. Often, novice owners of these rodents are not happy with new pets for long because of their own hindsight.

Nutria, like otters, muskrats and beavers, are not averse to trying not only the food offered to them, but also their own cells, if they are made of wood. In a matter of hours, gnawing at the racks or areas near the grates, the animals simply run away. Therefore, for this type of animal, it is better to equip reliable housing made of durable metal:

1. The cage walls and fences are made of mesh or fine mesh lattice, which provides good ventilation and helps to keep an eye on the animals.
2. The floors can be either solid or slatted. In the latter case, you need to accurately select the size of the cell so that the animals do not get hurt.

A place for cages and walking nutria when breeding them at home is chosen so that the pets are not disturbed by drafts, and curious animals do not have the opportunity to escape.

If, nevertheless, nutria were able to overcome all obstacles and left the cage, following instinct, they go to the nearest reservoir. Here they can be lured with juicy roots.And in some cases, accustomed to the place where they are fed, the animals themselves find their way to the farm.

A video about cultivating nutria at home tells in detail about all the nuances of caring for animals, about the features of arranging housing for rodents and choosing a diet.

Breeding nutria in aviaries and cages - video

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Nutria belong to the rodent family. These animals have been actively and for a long time raised by people to obtain fur and dietary tasty meat. The advantage of their skins is that they can be worn for a long time without harm to their appearance. Fur is stronger than the usual and widespread rabbit fur, and the meat is not a drop inferior in its qualities and properties. Breeding nutria at home can be considered a profitable, exciting and even creative activity.

Nutria farming can be a very profitable business.

To begin with, it is recommended to start finding a common language with these animals and only after that start breeding them. The animals are harmless, but their teeth can be intimidating if you are not prepared for this kind. They bite nutria solely for self-defense, but not attack. If you interact with them often, they will become tame and affectionate. Professional fur breeders recommend that you often be near nutria and feed them only from your hands.

Content rules

How to breed nutria? You need to start with thoughtful maintenance and care. These animals love warm rooms, so keeping them in an open and spacious cage during a cold period is simply destructive.

It is forbidden to lower the temperature below 15 degrees, which is dangerous for the health of nutria - you can cause the death of animals. In order for bright sunlight to enter the cells, some are made of mesh. The best version of the house is one that is divided into several parts:

1. A warm and well-enclosed space where each animal can bask and rest.
2. Compartment for daily walks in the fresh air.

In order to build the correct and comfortable conditions for the full existence of nutria, you can think of a small reservoir. By their true nature, animals love to swim, but they even stay under water for 10 minutes. If the rearing of animals is limited only by the "dry" method, this saves waste, but also entails excessive deposition of fat in the nutria - it affects the quality of the fur.

The room where the cages will be located must be built of modern materials that ensure complete dryness, the absence of drafts dangerous for animals.

Place the cells about a meter above the ground. Their size directly depends on the number of nutria that will live there.

Professional books will help you create quality premises and provide adequate care. Clean the room on a regular basis in order to remove the waste of the constant vital activity of the animals in time. Nutria are clean animals and prefer timely care from their owner.

Nutria is a clean animal, it even washes food before eating

Feeding

Nursing also includes constant balanced feeding, which is also described in the books. Nutria prefers to feed on plants, shellfish and various branches. In captivity, we need to provide food that is as close to natural as possible. In the summer, feed the nutria with reeds, grass, cattail, and in the winter, replace the feed with hay.

It is recommended to feed the domestic animals with compound feed. There are special formulas for nutria that are suitable for normal and nutritious nutrition. It is forbidden to give compound feed in dry form - it is soaked to the maximum with plain clean water.

Nutria are distinguished by their economical attitude to food, so they do not eat more than they should. Lack of food affects the natural condition of the skins, but well-chosen fresh products ensure the excellent quality of fur and meat. Hungry animals often show aggression towards their neighbors.

The basic rules of nutria nutrition, which are described in books and recommended by professionals:

• The grass should be young, because the animals will not eat old and coarse leaves, grass blades.
• Favorite treats include clover, lupine, common wild thistle, corn, and sunflowers.
• Plants that are harmful to the health of an animal can be caustic buttercup, celandine poisonous to the animal, and a common dream-herb.
• Of the root vegetables, potatoes, apples, cabbage and beets are useful for pets.
• Grain crops can be given to animals in a steamed or milled form.
• Nutria are also given the remains of your usual food, but they should only be fresh, otherwise they will harm the body of the animals.

It is better when the food is varied and balanced. A thoughtful diet is required only by those individuals that remain for reproduction. The correct weight of nutria is 5 kg - then both the meat and the skin are of high quality.

Nutria are unpretentious in nutrition, they can eat waste from the human table

Self-breeding rules

It is better to move the nutria into prepared cells before the animals reach several months. Time is chosen warm so that transportation is comfortable and stress-free. It is highly likely that you will acquire a breeding individual if you contact the official society of fur breeders. After acquiring a herd, you need to think about the right care and find good books. It is better if such books are written by practicing animal breeders. Such cultivation of nutria will be reasonable and effective.

Nutria breeding can be started as early as five months old. The female is able to conceive her offspring monthly. The hunt lasts for about several days, so you need to organize mating in time.

The planned mating of females begins no earlier than six months, and males - seven months. A couple of females should be kept in an organized flock from an early age. When the right time comes, a male is gently placed next to them. The cages should be spacious and comfortable. Constant care does not require large expenses - it is enough to monitor the condition of the animals, water and feed them on time. Breeding nutria is possible without the help of a book, if you follow simple guidelines.

Nutria should not be kept in cramped cages

Nutria with different fur colors

Breeding nutria at home is a whole art, so you have the opportunity to get animals with a wide variety of fur colors. Color options are valued much more than the usual shades. It is difficult to raise such an animal, but it is possible and interesting. The colors that can actually be obtained when breeding nutria:

• white;
• black;
• brown;
• fawn;
• golden;
• mother-of-pearl.

Why is this worth doing? The profit from such skins is higher, so you should pay attention to rare colors. It is important to study in detail the inheritance of coloring - books will help you figure it out. Several years of work and you will be able to occupy a demanded niche in the modern market. Such reproduction of nutria will bring high profits, because the sale of rare fur is not highly competitive.

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The business associated with raising and selling animals is distinguished by the lowest risks and high profitability - let's take a closer look at how nutria is breeding at home for beginners.

About the farm

The conditions for raising these animals is a factor that directly determines how promising their breeding will be as a business. The first step is to equip the farm. Nutria growers advise installing cages divided into two functional areas:

• a place for spending free time;
• area with a swimming pool and a feeding place.

Parameters of each house: 1.2 m (length), 0.6 m (width), 0.8 m (height).An average of 5 animals can live in one such structure (one animal needs about 0.3 square meters of area). From the inside, the house is closed with a fine metal mesh with a flat surface.

The cover of the area intended for walking animals is best made of concrete. The farm premises must maintain an optimal temperature of 18 degrees.

Breed selection and purchase

Before buying nutria, you need to choose the right breed: they differ from each other in cost, conditions of keeping, value of fur. Those who want to start breeding these animals for the first time should give preference to less exotic breeds: the classic brown nutria... Such an animal is affordable and does not require too complicated care.

Beautiful color in breeds such as Pearl, Golden or Black.

You should buy cubs in proven livestock nurseries or from private farmers. You can find a seller via the Internet .

An important nuance: the purer the breed and the more beautiful the color, the higher the price. Understated prices for animals of rare breeds should be avoided.

Growing conditions for nutria

Raising animals must comply with a number of rules, which are determined by their habits and needs. Key aspects:

1. Nutria do not tolerate cold and dampness. The animals should be kept in warm and dry conditions.
2. Animal cages should contain a minimum amount of wood elements (otherwise there is a risk that the animal will chew them).
3. The food should be stored in a separate place, clean and dry.
4. Regular examination of the animals by a veterinarian is important.
5. In winter and summer, the conditions for keeping animals differ significantly.

In more detail, in winter, it is important to provide a comfortable temperature for the life of rodents (at least 18 degrees)... For this, the farm must be heated or the houses must be insulated. In summer, on the contrary, it is necessary to provide shade and prevent overheating.

How to feed

Caring for nutria is, first of all, providing them with proper and high-quality nutrition. In the summertime, you need to include herbs in the diet. Quinoa, plantain, buckwheat, clover, willow tea, branches of grapes, currants or raspberries are perfect. It is important to ensure constant access to clean water for nutrias. - for this we place a bowl in the cages.

In winter the diet should include hay, milled cereals (corn, barley), compound feed, potatoes, vegetables (including waste from them). In general, animals are unpretentious in nutrition, which is another undoubted bonus on the way to the business of raising them.

Calculation of expenses and income

Before starting your own animal breeding business, you need to draw up a clear business plan - it will give an idea of ​​what expenses you need to be prepared for and what income to expect.

It is better to buy animals in pairs: one pair of a male with a female costs about $ 40, they will give the first offspring in 3 months (about 10 cubs). For a good profitability (average farm) we buy 20 pairs of nutria.

The costs will be: installation of cages and purchase of food (you can do it yourself) - about $ 270 + purchase of animals (20 * 40 = $ 800) = $ 1070. Nutria skins are in high demand - buyers can be found on the Internet (by placing ads) or by contacting fur factories directly. In most cases, advertising costs will not be required.

Income from the first batch of animals (after 3 months) will be 10 * 20 = 200 nutrias * 20 $ = 4000 $. Net profit = 4000-1070 = $ 2930. If we calculate the monthly net income, we get a figure of about $ 950.

Although growing nutria requires compliance with a number of rules, there is no particular difficulty in them. Due to the unpretentiousness and high fertility of these animals, you can get a stable average monthly income.

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