Capybaras

So this is the Cavy Castle but I felt that capybaras fit well enough to be deserving of a spot. They are my second favourite animal after all. And they're still rodents! Closely related to guinea pigs, too. So here they shall stay.

Capybaras, as most know, are the world's largest living species of rodent. They're from South and Central America, mostly found in countries such as Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Peru as well as Paraguay, Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay. They've also become very popular in Japan. Ya can see them in plenty of zoos, keeping warm in onsen in the winter. Very cute!

Capybaras are simple creatures, spending most of their time in and around areas with standing freshwater. They're also very fond of mud, it's pretty common for them to be found rolling around in the stuff. They're one of the chunkier members of the rodent family, with "barrel-shaped" bodies and rectangular heads. They've got proportionally pretty thin legs and short, rough fur that dries very quickly, keeping the capy dry and comfy when on land.

Male capybaras are called boars, females are called sows, and babies are called pups, the same as guinea pigs. Boars have a gland on the bridge of their nose which they use to scent mark their territory. Capybaras live in groups of about 20 animals, with one boar and several sows and pups.

Capys are strong swimmers, and are able to hold their breath for five minutes at a time. Their eyes, ears and nostrils are situated on top of their head so that they can hide mostly submerged in water without having to hold their breath while also still being able to see and hear clearly.

While on land, capybaras are still quite the force to be reckoned with, able to run at about 30mph and with teeth long enough to bite through your hand. Though, luckily, they're mostly docile. Their main aim is to avoid conflict and get into the safety of the water as quickly as possible.

(Unless a boar thinks you're trying to steal his 20 girlfriends, then he will attempt to murder you.)