Why Are Capybaras So Friendly?

Capybaras are social animals and are known to build relationships with other animals. Their friendly, playful nature has made them cool companions to many people and animals.

If you are considering getting a pet capybara, you may be pleased to hear that these rodents are highly friendly and interactive. Although Capybaras are calm and friendly, they can be quite aggressive, especially during the mating season or when they feel threatened.

Capybaras live in groups, and they are peaceful with each other. Many photos on the internet depict the friendliness of this rodent. This creature that appears just like a rat-pig hybrid attracts every animal, and it’s no doubt that those animals love being around Capybaras.

In this article, we will see why capybaras are so friendly. If you’re still reading, stay glued to your screen as I dissect the question in tiny fragments and answer every bit of it.

Before we get started, let’s see the history of capybaras.

A Brief Overview and History of Capybaras

According to Wikipedia, the capybara — also known as Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris — is a giant cavy rodent native to South America. It’s known to be the largest existing rodent in the world. These rodents are semi-aquatic and co-exist in large groups. They feed mainly on fruits, grass, and aquatic plants.

In Brazil, it’s called Capivara; in Venezuela and Columbia, it’s called Fercho, Chigüire or Chigüiro; in Paraguay, Argentina, and Uruguay, it’s called Carpincho, and it’s known as Ronsoco in Peru.

It’s seen as a full member of the genus Hydrochoerus. The genus Hydrochoerus family contains the Capybara and the lesser Capybara (also known as Hydrochoerus Isthmius).

In case you are wondering, what is this genus Hydrochoerus?

The genus Hydrochoerus contains two extinct and two living capybara species from South America, the Caribbean island of Grenada, and Panama. Without a doubt, Capybaras are the world’s biggest rodents that exist today.

Capybaras are social animals, and they interact with people as well as their fellow animals. They can whistle, bark, or make some noises when they get excited. Capybaras may be shy when they get in a new environment, but as soon as they develop a close bond with the owner.

Why Do So Many Animals Like Capybaras?

Do you know that one can have a capybara as a pet? Yes, you actually can. The capybara, which is classified as the largest rodent in the world, seems to have zero difficulties in having friends.

You may have noticed that other animals try to get close to capybaras. That’s because they are social and incredibly friendly. Perhaps, they possess something special that stands as a magnet, attracting other animals to themselves.

One of the features that endear capybaras to many animals is their vigilance. Capybaras are incredibly smart, intelligent, and highly sensitive. Their body senses (ears, eyes, and noses) are quick to pick out noises from predators far away.

Their ears are super sharp and can detect danger from far away. Their eyes are positioned on both sides of their head, giving them improved peripheral vision. Their large, flat teeth are great for chewing grasses and other vegetation, and their long legs aid them in escaping danger quickly.

Once capybaras notice danger, they quickly alarm other animals in time to make them find cover.

However, Capybaras can help provide food to other animals, not just predators. It is common to find other animals, like monkeys and birds, riding on the back of a capybara. The reason is that they comb the capybara’s coat for lice and ticks to eat.

Since Capybaras do not threaten these animals, it makes sense to move with capybaras and, hopefully, get a free ride. The capybara dwells amidst large groups in the wild. During the dry season, the capybaras move in groups containing as many as 100.

Every pack of capybaras is controlled by a dominant male, typically the largest. Also, each pack has a dominant female that is the oldest. Other members of the pack make up the family, as they are usually related to one another.

Naturally, capybaras are friendly to their species but can also form relationships with other animals for various reasons. One of the commonest reasons why capybaras bond with other animals is for protection.

You may find them around cats, horses, and dogs. Since they are social, they have no problem dealing with these animals.

MUST SEE: How Do Capybaras Relate With Other Animals & Humans?

Are Pet Capybaras Dangerous?

Capybaras can be wild, as they are less tolerant of tumble and rough games, unlike cats and dogs. This has made it not advisable for families of kids below 12, as the capybara can attack following even a slight roughhousing.

Is it in cuteness? Their cuteness is off the hook. As for people who easily voice out “awwn” when a cute animal is in sight, this animal will definitely squeeze out that word from you. They have a large nose, cuddly faces, expressive eyes, and long teeth.

Capybaras are, according to research, very much related to guinea pigs — but a medium-sized dog depicts the size of a capybara because the capybara has about that size.

People who have taken in capybaras as pets have discovered that they are extra. Also, they are attached to whoever owns them. Furthermore, it’s advisable that if you want to punish a capybara, you should inquire about how to go about it because they are highly sensitive to being scolded, left alone, or punished.

In recent times, the increase in the interest and popularity of these animals has, however, made it a necessity for people to do research to know if a capybara can serve as a domestic pet.

If you are looking for a pet to serve as a companion, consider getting a capybara. Capybaras are affectionate and emotional towards their owners. Their friendly nature makes them a great source of companionship to any potential pet owner.

If you take good care of your capybara pet, it can last up to 10 years under your custody.

Why Don’t Animals Attack Capybaras?

Although Capybaras are friendly to many animals, they do have their enemies. Animals such as Snakes, jaguars, and some kinds of birds, are threats to capybaras.

Although it is common to see pictures of capybaras and capybaras sharing the same space on the river bank peacefully, these caimans, alligators, and crocodiles may not be hungry or show no sign of attacking. Still, they are potential predators and could strike at any time.

However, capybaras are incredibly smart and fast. They pay rapt attention to the body language of a potential predator and can tell when the animal wants to attack them.

Physiological and Environment Adaptations

The Capy is regarded as a pack animal. Why? That’s because it loves being in the midst of its kind — a group of its kind. Aside from this animal being in the company of its kind, it also finds solace around its owners (humans) and even other animals — but they find it preferable to be around their kind.

Experts recommend that if you intend to adopt a Capybara, you should consider adopting two. It’s necessary so they both can feel each other’s company and provide the much-needed moral and emotional support that is pivotal to their well-being.

Although it’s advised that one adopts two capybaras, one must also avoid adopting and keeping two males together. Don’t attempt this even if these two males are fixed. They can barely tolerate each other, and their battles will be mostly about who would gain dominance.

Regarding being sensitive and intelligent, the capybara has its place among sensitive and intelligent creatures. Unlike other animals, it’s difficult for the capybaras to withstand being away from the ones they love for a long time. This is simply because staying away from their pack is not part of their characteristics. A pet Capy, most of the time, needs the complete company of someone.

One amazing thing about capybaras is they observe and show sensitivity to the needs of their owners — and just like trained dogs, they respond to commands very quickly. These capybaras need consistent, firm owners who will become their ideal pack leaders. A weak owner creates a dominant rodent, which is often uncontrollable.

FIND OUT: How Can Capybaras Survive?

Do Capybaras Like To Cuddle?

Capybaras enjoy physical contact as much as cats, dogs, and humans do. You may find them hugging their kind and can cuddle humans too.
Your capybara enjoys it when you cuddle it. If you own a capybara, you should treat it respectfully and create physical contact with it.

Rodents of different species come together to snuggle, and it’s so beautiful to watch. This cuddle is always enough to go around; the capybara also snuggles other animals.

Capybaras do not like staying in isolation. If you own one, ensure you get another to keep company. No matter how much attention you give your capybara, it will be unhappy if it can’t find its kind. If you must keep a capybara in your home, make sure you adopt at least two of them, as a single capybara can likely get depressed if it doesn’t have any friends.

RECOMMENDED: Can You Keep A Pet Capybara In Your Apartment?

Are Capybaras Friendly To Humans?

Capybaras are friendly toward humans. If you treat them respectfully and remain nice, they will be friendly toward you. Keep in mind that capybaras have large, sharp teeth, which will leave you with an injury should they bite you.

Many humans have gotten injured after getting bitten by capybaras. Naturally, capybaras are not dangerous but can be good pets. Ensure you treat them with care and respect, just the way you would do to a friend or family member.

Are Capybaras Dangerous To Humans?

Truthfully, Capybaras are really not dangerous. Their behavior is dependent on how their owners raised them. It is advisable to keep your kids away from capybaras as these animals do not like rough, violent play and can be triggered to attack when such happens.

Leave the scene whenever your capybara shows any signs of violence or aggression. These animals don’t have house intervention, so they are not like our regular pets – cats and dogs.

As the owner of this animal, you need to put their needs in front — because, just as other animals such as dogs, cats, etc., they are likely to be far from understandable.

In other words, these animals are not as understanding as the others. There’ll be a big problem if their normal routine treat is disturbed. Capybaras feed themselves with their own Cecotropes — which can also be called night stools.

4-8 hours after a meal, these Cecotropes are excreted from the Capybaras. These night stools — Cecotropes — serve as a great source of nutrients for many rodents. I am informing you of what you are likely to experience when you finally get a Capybara, so you wouldn’t be surprised when it starts eating its waste.

Do Capybaras Carry Diseases?

The Capybara’s expansion doesn’t only connote more direct contact with livestock; it also means more contact with humans. There’s a class of disease known as zoonotic diseases — these are infectious diseases that are most likely to be transferred from animals to humans.

It stands as the most important tick-borne disease in the whole of Brazil. The increase in the emergency cases of this disease is greatly associated with Capybaras’ invasion of urban areas and their rapidly growing numbers.

Aside from the tick-borne disease, the Capybara is also prone to hosting other parasites — including one called Toxoplasma Gondii. It’s not advisable for humans to eat improperly cooked Capybara meat because they could risk being infected with the parasite — Toxoplasma.

Toxoplasma Gondii is known worldwide as one of the most essential food-borne diseases. Capybara will sometimes lie down, expose their bellies, or even showcase their nostrils.

What Is The Safest Wild Animal On Earth?

Capybaras are one of the safest wild animals out there. Capybaras are the largest rodents in the world, clocking in at about 150+ pounds. The level of their size alone can create interest from the non-exotic pet experienced crowd.

Conclusion

Capybaras don’t love being on their own; they are social and are looking to build relationships. These adventurous pets love being in the company of either their owners, other animals, or even their kind. The Capybaras are not dangerous, with proper upbringing.

Remember to get at least two of them if you intend to adopt a pet capybara. Also, it shouldn’t be two males; you can mix them up.