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Manadatory Credit: Photo by Melanie Typaldos / Rex Features (1109335o)
Caplin Rous the capybara at his Texas home
Melanie Typaldos and her capybara Caplin Rous, Buda, Texas, America - Feb 2010
FULL FEATURE LINK (includes youtube link):
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Is it a cat? Is it a dog? Is it a hamster? These are just some of the questions Melanie Typaldos has to answer when walking her pet.
In fact, 'Caplin Rous' is a capybara, the largest species of rodent in the world and closely related to the guinea pig.
But although they are usually found in the forests of South America, Caplin is quite happy pottering around his spacious home in Buda, Texas.
Cuddly Caplin has a busy daily schedule - and that means his owner is busy too. It begins early morning with a call for yoghurt.
"He has various ways of making this known," says Melanie. "The most subtle wake up is one where he sits on the floor or lies on the bed and eeps periodically."
MORE WORDS AVAILABLE HERE:
http://www.rexfeatures.com/nanolink/5jyx