Much of the information on this page  was obtained from reading               PRAIRIE DOG PETS BY PAT STORER
I highly recommend this book if you are seriously considering getting a pet prairie dog.  The book may be ordered from BORDERS  www.borders.com
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PRAIRIE DOG INFORMATION
Here you'll find some general information about these wonderful creatures.  First here is the scientific classification. 
CLASS: Mammals
ORDER: Scuridae
GENUS: Cynomys
SUB GENUE: Cynomys
SPECIES:  C. ludovicianus (Black-tailed prairie dog).  Found in the buffalo grasses of the western great plains of Mexico, Canada and the US. (Montana, North Dakatoda, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Colorado and Wyoming.  Discovered in 1815 by Ord.

SPECIES: C. ludovicianus arizonesis (Arizona prairie dog)  Formerly along the Mexican/ US border.  Thought to be extinct.

SPECIES: C. mexicanus (Mexican prairie dog)-ENDANGERED.  Found in Mexico in southern Coahuila and Northern San Luis Potosi.

SUB GENUS: Leucocrossurmys
SPECIES: C leucurus (white-tailed prairie dog)  Found in NW Colorado, S. Montana, W. Wyoming, NE Arizona and NE Utah.  Discovered in 1855 by Baird.

SPECIES: C. parvidens (Utah prairie dog) -ENDANGERED.  Found in S. Utah.  Discovered in 1905 By J. A. Allen

SPECIES: C. gunnisoni gunnisoni (Gunnison's prairie dog)  Found in four-corner area of Colorado, Arizona, Utah and New Mexico. 

Species: C. gunnisoni zuniensis (Zuni prairie dog)  Found in SW Colorado, SE. Utah and W. New Mexico


          The Importance of The Prairie Dog
The prairie dog is very important to the ecology.  They are a linchpin species.     Many species lives are entertwined and inter-dependant to varing degrees upon them.   Here is a listing of some of these creatures.  Prong Horn Antelope, skunks, Scaled Quail, spiders, Blackfooted Ferrets, coyotes, various hawks, rabbits, mice, American Bison, Tiger Salamanders, crickets, scorpions, Box Turtles, Horned Lizards, Prairie Rattlers, toads, Burrowing Owls, Medowlarks, Badgers and Bull Snakes.  All these creatures depend upon the prairie dog or their burrows.  Many of these are also endangered.  If the prairie dog should become extinct a lot of these others would also vanish.  That would be a very sad tradegy!
                                  Why Call Them Dogs

Prairie dogs were called 'dogs' by the first pioneers that crossed the prairies to the east side of the Rocky Mountains.  You can imagine their suprise when these little fat critters 'barked' as they approached the prairie dog towns.  Some of these early settlers affectionately called them 'sod poodles'.
                                A Bit of History
The name Cynomys comes from the Greek for 'mouse dog'.  No doubt because their bark  is similiar to that of a small dog.  Actually these rodents are squirrels and not mice at all.
                             A Gift
Explorers Lewis and Clark sent a 'prairy dog'  by freight to Thomas Jefferson in 1805 which they captured in the Louisiana Purchase land.  This prairie dog was of the black-tail variety.  Expeditions as early as the 16th century by Coronado gave accounts of " this interesting anamal that appears in infinite numbers" and naturalists that traveled the west found them interesting subjects for their reports.
                               Where They Live
Prairie dogs are found in many of the short grass prairies of the Western United States, Canada and Mexico as well as some of the western mountainous regions of the United States.  The black-tail and white-tail species only slightly overlap territories in the fringe areas of Montana, Wyoming, Colorado and New Mexico.  Prairie dogs are found in the wild in 12 of the United States.  Black-tails are found in Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Wyoming, Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arizona and Texas.
White-tails are found in Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and just across the borders of Montana and Idaho.
Prairie dogs prefer 'hard pan' flats into which they dig their burrows.  This has less danger of collapsing than loose soil.  They usually avoid areas of tall grass or brush.  These areas promote poor visiability for prairie dog lookouts.

                            Diet in the Wild
Prairie dogs are mainly herbivorous, which means they eat mostly plant materials.  They eat low-growing weeds and grasses, their seeds, goose foot, mustard, prickly pear and other plants.  They also eat cut worms, moths, flies and crickets.
The young require more protein than the adults.  Their parents will 'pull down' the young of the Prairie hen for them.
Although they eat grass they do not compete directly with the wild buffalo and other grazers.  Prairie dogs prefer the broad-leaf weeds that compete directly with the type of grass preferred by other grazers.  (I have found this to be true.  My girls much prefer the wide blades of grass to the thin ones.)
Some research indicates that the buffalo and the prairie dog had a symbotic relationship.  The buffalo compacted the soil which encouraged the growth  of broad-leaf vegetation, which the prairie dogs loved.  As they ate these, the growth of the buffalo's favorite grasses was  fostered.  The prairie dogs ate the weeds, the grasses grew  lush and in vast amounts.  The buffalo thrived.
                           Predators and Neighbors

Prairie dogs benefit by living in large colonies.  If any member suspects danger they quickly warn the rest of the colony.
Raptors, especially eagles and hawks, are the most common predators of prairie dogs.  The approach of a raptor will send the lookouts into a frenzie of barking.  Other predators include coyotes, badgers, snakes, bobcats, foxes, the blackfooted ferret and man.  All predators except snakes and ferrets approach from the air or above ground.  Both ferrets and snakes can follow them into their burrows.
Some burrowing owls, insects, reptiles, rabbits, squirrels, mice, porcupines, and chipmunks all use  abandoned tunnels for nesting and shelter.  Rattlesnakes often use prairie dog tunnels  for hibernating during the winter and shelter from the sun during the summer.  Prairie dogs will allow a predator to get quite close before diving into their holes.  When the alarm signal is given the whole colony reacts.  Each animal passes on the alarm in their dash for saftey,  They dive down their burrows head first with their legs spread apart to slow down the crash at the bottom.
Elk and deer frequent  prairie dog towns at night to graze upon the lush grass.  Antelope and buffalo are there during the day when the dogs are active.  Buffalos often make wallows in the craters of the prairie dog towns.  If a particular "wallow" becomes a favorite the prairie dogs abandon it.
The tender grasses attract insects which in turn, attract Kill-deers, Prairie Horned Larks, Meadowlarks, Sparrows, Plovers and other native birds.  Deer Mice, Kangroo Rats, and grasshopper mice are attracted to the region by the grasses and insects.  Burrowing owls which are dependant on abandoned prairie dog burrows may not be able to survive if the prairie dogs were to dissappear.  In all over 100 species of birds, 30 + mammals, 25 amphibians and reptiles coexist with  the prairie dog communities plus countless insects and plantlife.  All of which could dissappear FOREVER if the prairie dog were to become extinct.
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              PRAIRIE DOGS ON THE WEB


Toshikazu Takikawa's home page

R-Zu-2-U

Ronnie Dog

Mischief on the Internet
Much of the information on this page  was obtained from reading               PRAIRIE DOG PETS BY PAT STORER
I highly recommend this book if you are seriously considering getting a pet prairie dog.  The book may be ordered from BORDERS  www.borders.com
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This page was last updated on: January 23, 2003