The ROUS Foundation

Caplin Rous 2007/07/10 – 2011/01/04

Capybaras are delicate animals, much more so than you would expect from such large creatures, especially given that they are rodents. Continue reading to find out how you can help keep them healthy and happy in captivity.

Garibaldi Rous – 03/11/2010 – 03/2014

I have had two capybaras die at young ages: Caplin Rous died of liver failure due to unknown cause at 3.5 years old. Garibaldi Rous died of kidney failure after an infection in his jaw spread to his kidneys. These loses were, and are, devastating and tragic. While we will never know what happened to Caplin, Gari’s death was completely avoidable. His infection was ultimately due to chronic scurvy when he was young. After Caplin’s death, I founded the ROUS Foundation for Capybara Veterinary Medicine in conjunction the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine. The RF helps pay for medical care for sick or injured capybaras as well as providing free necropsies. The information we gain from these capybaras has already greatly improved our understanding of capybara health. If you would like to make a tax deductible donation, please follow this link to the ROUS Foundation Fund at A&M. To learn more about the ROUS Foundation, please visit our website.