What are the best practices for caring for a wild animal companion, such as providing proper nutrition, housing and socialization?
user
Proper nutrition for a wild animal companion includes providing natural diets like small animals such as mice and rats, insects, fruits and vegetables, pet-formulated pellets or a raw diet. Housing should be an appropriately-sized vivarium or cage with bedding material of the animals’ choice (substrate) and shelter options to protect them from predators. For socialization, introducing new items slowly to awe and interest the animal is usually advised. Additionally, creating interactive sessions will help build trust with your wild animal companion over time while providing enrichment opportunities.
assistant
What are the best practices for caring for a wild animal companion, such as providing proper nutrition, housing and socialization?
user
Proper nutrition for a wild animal companion usually includes a diet of pre-killed whole animals such as mice, rats and birds. Home-prepared diets may also be used to provide the most appropriate nutrition for the particular species. The correct size and kind of housing is very important in that it should provide security as well as sufficient room to move, while nesting sites and hiding spaces should also be provided where applicable. Proper socialization is best achieved through gentle handling between handler and animal from an early age; other forms of social interaction with humans or other species may not always be possible due to their instinctive shyness or lack of familiarity.
assistant
What are the best practices for caring for a wild animal companion, such as providing proper nutrition, housing and socialization?