Keeping Australian native wildlife as pets can be a most rewarding experience. Wildlife can enrich ones life in many varied and unimagined ways, these wonderful animals come with their own unique traits and husbandry requirements. Australians have a poor understanding of our unique animals this has meant until now only a privileged few have known the joy of keeping an Australian native mammal as a pet. Kangaroos. Wallaroos. Wallabies. Pademelons. Quokkas. Bettongs. Possums. Sugar Gliders and Bandicoots are just some of many different species available to the public to keep now.

Although limited in availability and restricted numbers. Information on how to care for your native mammal/pet can be obtained by joining the Marsupial Society.  The keeping of native mammals is only possible in Australia’s more enlightened states Victoria.  South Australia and the Northern Territory.  If you reside in any other State your choices are severely restricted. A licence is required in all states to keep wildlife these can be obtained from your State Government Environment department. NO wildlife may be taken from the wild in any State, it must be obtained from a legal source a wildlife breeder, wildlife park or zoo. Once you learn the basics in keeping and the extent of their needs, you will find native mammals are no more difficult to care for than a dog or cat. Just as with the usual fair of domestic pets, not all are suitable for the suburban backyard or unit. So do your homework to ensure you get the right native mammal for you. Avoid an impulse purchase in a shop and be patient in acquiring the animal you decide on.

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Marsupial and native mammal housing comes in many forms.  An aviary for possums, gliders and bettongs, a vivarium for dunnarts and rodents, a small fenced yard for wallabies and other small macropods, up to large sized fenced paddock for kangaroos and wallaroos. Wombats require extra consideration for housing and to maintain their overall well being. 

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