11/16/2013
Paca goes by the name ‘Joe’ in Mâncio Lima. Docile animal was adopted by the family a year ago.

Paca farmer holds his pet on his lap (Photo: Genival Moura / G1)

An animal that asks for food, plays with the dogs and goes by the name of Joe, these are characteristics of a paca that the family of a farmer in the municipality of Mâncio Lima, in the western region of Acre, adopted a year ago, as an unusual animal pet.

Paca is a common rodent in the Amazon, but in the forest is hard to see, being very fast and having nocturnal habits.But the animal raised domestically became docile and relaxes when it is held in the lap of the farmer and his family. The rodent eats cassava and fruits such as Buriti, watermelon, and papaya.

“I have a friend who lives in an isolated community where subsistence hunting is allowed. He killed the adult paca and realized it had this male puppy, so not to leave him an orphan, gave him to us as a gift. Today this animal is the center of attention of everyone here at home,” says the farmer.

Paca was adopted a year ago by the family (Photo: Genival Moura / G1)

During the day, the paca usually sleeps in a burrow that he built into a small bush in the backyard. When he returns and starts hitting his head on the legs of one who is at home, it means he is asking for food. After feeding, he sometimes returns to play or sleeps right here under the bed,” he says.

The unusual resident has earned the respect of even the dogs that the family has. The dogs have become accustomed to this paca like a puppy that still plays games and answers,” said the student Aglaidisson Costa Ferreira, son of farmer. Just call by the name of Joe, the paca appears briefly. During the night, according to the family, the animal gets nervous and runs from side to side inside the yard.

According to biologist Paulo Sérgio Bernarde, the Federal University of Acre (UFAC), this happens because the paca is an animal that has nocturnal habits, even when living in their natural habitat they take refuge even in moonlit nights. In nature the Paca is a skittish animal, and tries to escape when a person sees it. But being a mammal, it is relatively easy to tame, as in the case of this one that was kept as a puppy,” he explains.

Here is the original (unmangled) article in Portuguese:

G1 – Agricultor adota paca como animal de estimação no Acre – notícias em Acre.