The Red Kangaroo

Here at Castleberry Safari Ltd. we have discovered that the kangaroo is probably the most docile and loveable pet ever. We acquired our first, Miss Roo, at six months of age and kept her in the house (diapered) until she was a year of age at which time we slowly introduced her to the outside world by letting her spend time in the back yard with our other animals. She soon became adjusted to being outside and at night we would put her in a cabana with the young coatimundi’s and their friends, the cats.

Being all grown up and adapted to the outside world, she still enjoys an occasional visit in the house and remembers her favorite places……a nap on the bed or lying in front of the fireplace. 

The kangaroos have their outside pasture with access to the backyard and come to the back yard each morning for their treats - apple slices, wheat bread, and mini marshmallows. We also have continued feeding them a small amount of the milk replacer on occasions along with the other treats and they still remain affectionate and loveable. This makes it convenient as they don’t mind us looking in their pouches when they’re carrying babies and even petting the babies as they get old enough to start sticking their little heads out of the pouch.

You can see the baby in Roo’s pouch just prior to us pulling him and putting him in his new pouch. This is where he will be taking his naps until he gets a little older.The babies, when pulled, are checked by our Vet for health issues and the males neutered so they will make good pets. It is necessary to neuter the males if they are to be kept as pets, as bottle raised males tend to be aggressive when they reach maturity. We prefer to keep the newly pulled baby with us for a short time before placing it in a new home, until they have adjusted to taking the bottle.

We pull the baby late in the evening and by the next morning it’s hungry and easier to get to nurse. The first few feedings we have to assist getting the bottle in its mouth but in a short period of time the baby takes right to the bottle. In addition to the milk, we keep available for the babies the Mazuri Kangaroo Wallaby Diet (pellets) sold by Purina.

The baby Roos, once pulled from their mother and bottle fed, adapt very quickly to their new surroundings and become one of the family. The nice part is they adapt to “your” schedule. On the days I go into our office, the babies go with me and they just settle into their “home away from home.

The babies eventually graduate from the pouches we provide them to the bed to sleep with us at night and in the daytime to the couch in the garden room office for their naps. They love to explore the office to check out their "siblings" the Coatimundi, Genet, and Lemur babies. If you’re looking for a unique pet that will "turn heads" you’ll definitely want to consider the Roo.