There are some very good commercial diets designed specifically for Prairie Dogs. It is suggested that one of these diets be used as the main food source. If the commercial diet is unavailable in your area some breeders recommend using Timothy Hay. Some Black Tailed Prairie Dogs drink more than others. They should have their water freshened once a week.
Black Tailed Prairie dogs can be territorial and aggressively defend their turf.
They don t like it when strangers invade their space, so it is best to keep them caged when visitors come over. In the wild the Black Tailed Prairie Dog is very social. They live in groups, which form towns that can range from one acre to areas over 1,000 acres. A Black Prairie dog reaching 25,000 square acres was recorded in Texas. They build and live in burrows, which contain bathrooms, bedrooms and security rooms.