# Look what I found! (new picture 8/8)



## exoticsdr

Went out to put the young tortoises, check on the bigger ones and make sure the roos were ready for bed...well, my oldster Leopard tort, Tortolini was digging to lay and my young female red kangaroo came up to say hello, well...look what I found in her pouch.


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## jaizei

*RE: Look what I found!*

Wow


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## Balboa

*RE: Look what I found!*

aaawwwww!!!

Now THAT is too cool Doc.


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## african cake queen

*RE: Look what I found!*

hi, thats so cool! lindy


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## dmarcus

*RE: Look what I found!*

Wow that is awesome..


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## exoticsdr

*RE: Look what I found!*

For those wondering, the baby is about 1 1/2" long and I'm going to try to get a picture once a week and update his/her growth until we pull her for handfeeding in about 5 months.


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## Laura

*RE: Look what I found!*

does she have other joeys? or is this her first?


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## terryo

*RE: Look what I found!*

How did you find that itty bitty thing in there? How amazing! I hope you can keep posting pictures so we can watch her/him grow.


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## exoticsdr

*RE: Look what I found!*

This is her first and mine....I raised mama (Ginger Roogers) from about 4 months old.


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## Fernando

*RE: Look what I found!*

Amazing!!!


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## DesertGrandma

*RE: Look what I found!*

I have never seen anything like this and am absolutely amazed!! How did you know it was there? I always thought they just stayed in there hidden until they were ready to come out. Please tell us more....


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## GeoTerraTestudo

*RE: Look what I found!*

You have a kangaroo?! Nice!! How big? How many? Do you own both the dam and the sire, or did you borrow the sire from someone else?


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## coreyc

*RE: Look what I found!*

Awesome  You should have your own TV show Dr Todd's Wild Kingdom


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## exoticsdr

*RE: Look what I found!*

I have both the boomer (male) and the flyer (female) and I bottle raised both in my house and spent countless hours handfeeding and nurturing them both. Females tend to stay sweet throughout their life and males...well, boys can be boys and they can be very dangerous, especially if they have no fear. My male, Teddy Roooosevelt, is no exception and though sweet most of the time, he like to try to fight with me when he gets the chance. I discourage confrontations by walking away....or jogging,...or running, depending on how he is acting..and he's only a youngster. The joey can easily be felt in the pouch by gently placing your hand on the outside of the pouch and when I felt that tell-tale bump, my heart started racing.
A little about kangaroo reproduction: In the male, the testicles are located at about the heighth of the belly button (umbilicus) on other animals.....always makes me think of that classic line in "There's Something About Mary" when the stepfather yells, "Well how the hell did he get the beans above the frank in the first place?!" The female, after breeding, gets pregnant with twins, now that's not unusual, but she has two separate uteruses with separate cervices. About 21 days, after fertilization, one of the embryos (about the size of a peanut) is "born" and crawls up and into the pouch via a path that momma licks from the vagina to the pouch. The second baby goes into "suspended animation" or diapause and ceases to grow. This baby crawling to the pouch has no eyes, no nothing other than a mouth and two almost microscopic arm buds...talk about will to live. Once inside the pouch, the baby has two nipples to choose from...one is about 1/4 the size of the baby and the other is about 3x the size the baby. The baby hooks up to the smaller nipple and remains attached to it until it "outgrows" it at which time it lets go and attaches to the the other. During the first three to four months, the baby remains permanently attached to these nipples...never letting go. Now for some important "roo milk facts", the smallest nipple produces a very specific milk to help the baby quadruple it's grown in the very first week or two of like and continues until approximately 40% of the joey's pouch life has gone by then it changes it's milk composition until the joey reaches about 60% of it's pouch life. At that time, it disconnects from the first nippe and move the longer nipple that is making a totally different recipe of milk and continues until the baby reaches a point at about 70% of it's pouch life and the milk changes again to it's final formula. When the baby leaves the pouch for good at about 9 months and start spending more and more time out of the pouch, but is still actively nursing....the second baby is born and follows the same saliva path to the short nipple, which is now producing the original recipe of milk. Talk about multi-tasking, two nipples and two totally different formulas of milk...it amazes me everytime I think about it. Following this scheme, a flyer will have 3 babies every two years. Hope you all enjoyed the info. Doc


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## wrmitchell22

*RE: Look what I found!*

so tiny and adorable! I didn't kno kangaroos came from texas, lol!


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## Turtle Guru

*RE: Look what I found!*

wow never seen that lol  and you can keep pet kangaroos ???


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## Yvonne G

*RE: Look what I found!*

AW, so, so cute!


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## Turtulas-Len

*RE: Look what I found!*

Thanks for the class, very educational. I think it's neat that she lets you look, and photograph.


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## dmmj

*RE: Look what I found!*

Wow simply amazing


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## DocNezzy

*RE: Look what I found!*

Did not know that about kangaroo reproduction. Very interesting!


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## River14

*RE: Look what I found!*



dalano73 said:


> Wow that is awesome..


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## pierced_pixie

*RE: Look what I found!*

Whoa! That is really cool!


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## Angi

*RE: Look what I found!*

Wow I am just blown away. What an amazing animal. I had no clue.


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## N2TORTS

*RE: Look what I found!*

A<MAAAZZZINNNGG! WOW.... now that was cool! 

JD~


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## DesertGrandma

*RE: Look what I found!*

Two questions. Why is it necessary to hand feed the first one? And, when the tiny baby makes its way via the saliva trail, is it inside the pouch or outside the pouch? Love this thread.


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## exoticsdr

*RE: Look what I found!*



DesertGrandma said:


> Two questions. Why is it necessary to hand feed the first one? And, when the tiny baby makes its way via the saliva trail, is it inside the pouch or outside the pouch? Love this thread.



I pull all the babies at about 5 months of age to handfeed in order to keep them friendly. When pulled at that time, we generally have about 5 months of so of handfeeding to do before it is totally independant, during the handfeeding process she is introduced to the other members of the mob and it allows momma to have her other baby sooner than if she were to raise the first until is was ready to leave the pouch. Males sell for around $1800 and females for $3500.

The baby crawls up momma's stomach, on the outside of the body, and into pouch.

Another fun fact, in most animals...momma produces colostrum for the baby's first feeding in order to boost their immune system, which is completely functional but weak. In kangaroos, the baby's immune system is almost non-existent and momma produces colostrum throughout the entire nursing phase of the baby's life.


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## RV's mom

*RE: Look what I found!*

wow. great info and spectacular pic! Learn something new and wondrous here every time I come to look!

thanks Doc


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## Tortoise

*RE: Look what I found!*

Wow thanks for sharing the photo and interesting information.
That is really interesting-I'm going to show my children, they will love the photo especially.
Look forward to the updates
Congratulations on your baby


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## ALDABRAMAN

*RE: Look what I found!*

Congrats, that is great!


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## Candy

*RE: Look what I found!*

This thread is awesome! I absolutely love hearing about animals like this. She's in good hands with you. Congratulations on the baby and we'll love to see those updated pictures every week.  Now this is what I consider educating people on animals.


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## TortieLuver

*RE: Look what I found!*

Okay...so I thought I have read and seen everything...I was wrong Wow can't say I've had the pleasure of knowing someone who has raised kangaroos until now. Any pics of them? That must be such an awesome experience. Who knew their babies were so small.


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## Maggie Cummings

*RE: Look what I found!*

Absolutely fascinating...thanks so much for sharing that with all of us...


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## DeanS

*RE: Look what I found!*

Congrats Doc! I am really looking forward to following its progress! 

BTW! Love to see some shots of the mob!


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## exoticsdr

*RE: Look what I found! **UPDATED PIC!"*



exoticsdr said:


> Went out to put the young tortoises, check on the bigger ones and make sure the roos were ready for bed...well, my oldster Leopard tort, Tortolini was digging to lay and my young female red kangaroo came up to say hello, well...look what I found in her pouch.



two weeks later. Anybody want to guess the sex? You have a 50:50 chance....give a reason for your guess, why did you pick the sex you chose?


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## Candy

*RE: Look what I found!*

I think that it's a male because it doesn't have a pouch.  Did she mate right after birth of this baby? Does she have another one waiting?


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## ChiKat

*RE: Look what I found!*

That is truly fascinating...I had no idea!!


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## exoticsdr

*RE: Look what I found!*



Candy said:


> I think that it's a male because it doesn't have a pouch.  Did she mate right after birth of this baby? Does she have another one waiting?



No, she doesn't have to...she conceives twins and they are "born" about 9 months apart, so yes there is another baby waiting. Answer to your guess will come later.


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## DesertGrandma

*RE: Look what I found!*

I can't make a guess but am wondering what that bubble is next to it's (urethra?)


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## exoticsdr

*RE: Look what I found!*

A little roo anatomy....the bottom "bulge" is a shared urogenital/rectal opening (not a true shared "facility" as birds and reptiles have but very similar.


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## Jacqui

*RE: Look what I found!*

I just find this so interesting.


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## DesertGrandma

Then I guess female. I am guessing the "bubble" is the beginning of a pouch.


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## Tortoise

*RE: Look what I found! **UPDATED PIC!"*



exoticsdr said:


> exoticsdr said:
> 
> 
> 
> Went out to put the young tortoises, check on the bigger ones and make sure the roos were ready for bed...well, my oldster Leopard tort, Tortolini was digging to lay and my young female red kangaroo came up to say hello, well...look what I found in her pouch.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> two weeks later. Anybody want to guess the sex? You have a 50:50 chance....give a reason for your guess, why did you pick the sex you chose?
Click to expand...


The photo bucket image is not viewable to me. I see the original photo above it though.


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## Nay

Desert Grandma,
I say male, for the same reasons!! Looks like little kittens when they are very young.,,
Doc, what's the market for them? Exotics are always such a draw, but wondered how many folks get them, then like so many others have no clue what they are getting into. 
We always see the cats(large) that get bought for a thrill, then they end up on the news. Does this happen very often with roos?
If you have the time, as you were so sweet to write up that wonderful description, what's the basic requirements to have a pet like that? I have horses and honestly, if I wanted to just feed and water them and left them alone for a year, I could go back to them and they would be right where I left them. (Talking behavior wise, and no of course I would never have a pet I didn't make time for, just curious what these guys are like..)
( By the way how's Nougat?)
Nay


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## DixieParadise

Wow, what an interesting post. Great news....you are right. What a surprise!!!


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## Robert

My guess is male. Looks like I see an anus and a scrotum. 

I remember reading once that female kangaroos can control the sex of their offspring, any truth to that?


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## exoticsdr

*RE: Look what I found! **UPDATED PIC!"*



exoticsdr said:


> exoticsdr said:
> 
> 
> 
> Went out to put the young tortoises, check on the bigger ones and make sure the roos were ready for bed...well, my oldster Leopard tort, Tortolini was digging to lay and my young female red kangaroo came up to say hello, well...look what I found in her pouch.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> two weeks later. Anybody want to guess the sex? You have a 50:50 chance....give a reason for your guess, why did you pick the sex you chose?
Click to expand...




Tortoise said:


> exoticsdr said:
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> exoticsdr said:
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> 
> Went out to put the young tortoises, check on the bigger ones and make sure the roos were ready for bed...well, my oldster Leopard tort, Tortolini was digging to lay and my young female red kangaroo came up to say hello, well...look what I found in her pouch.
> 
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> 
> 
> 
> two weeks later. Anybody want to guess the sex? You have a 50:50 chance....give a reason for your guess, why did you pick the sex you chose?
> 
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> Click to expand...
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> The photo bucket image is not viewable to me. I see the original photo above it though.
Click to expand...

. 

OK, hopefully this will work. For all those wondering, it is a little boy...the bubble is his scrotum.."beans above the frank" for all you "Something About Mary" fans....he is growing fast, about 3 or 3 1-2 inches long. I'm going to let a TFO member name him (until he goes to his new home, provided everything goes well with his pouch gestation), will post a name the roo thread to solicit names.






Nay said:


> Desert Grandma,
> I say male, for the same reasons!! Looks like little kittens when they are very young.,,
> Doc, what's the market for them? Exotics are always such a draw, but wondered how many folks get them, then like so many others have no clue what they are getting into.
> We always see the cats(large) that get bought for a thrill, then they end up on the news. Does this happen very often with roos?
> If you have the time, as you were so sweet to write up that wonderful description, what's the basic requirements to have a pet like that? I have horses and honestly, if I wanted to just feed and water them and left them alone for a year, I could go back to them and they would be right where I left them. (Talking behavior wise, and no of course I would never have a pet I didn't make time for, just curious what these guys are like..)
> ( By the way how's Nougat?)
> Nay



First, Nougat is doing great, soaking up the Texas sun and humidity, eating spring mix, Mazuri, weeds and lots of hibiscus flowers and leaves.

The roos are pretty low maintenance but tend to panic easily if confronted with something they have never seen or heard before and if kept in a too small enclosure will bash into the fences and though I have never experienced it (because all the roos I deal with are messed with constantly) I would imagine that they would "go wild" and get used to not being messed with and become harder to handle. Males generally sell for $1800-2000 and females in the $3500 range.


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## Jacqui

!! A name the roo contest maybe, YEAH!!!


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## DesertGrandma

and i guessed female because i thought male was too obvious, haha. or that's my story and im sticking to it


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## Fernando

Amazing!


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## Bubba30

How OMG amazing. Very lucky and great find. Thanks for sharing


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