The kangaroo is a marsupial from the family Macropodidae (macropods, meaning "large foot"). Wallabies are native to Australia so they are definitely not as common a pet as the ferret, rabbit, or even other smaller marsupials like the sugar glider.There are 11 species of wallabies in the wild, and they all have extremely powerful hind legs that are used for jumping to great heights and far distances. Tiny short-nosed rat-kangaroos or bettongs live in burrows in arid scrubland. Kangaroo and wallaby look very similar and often belong to same genera. In common use the term is used to describe the largest species from this family, especially those of the genus Macropus: the red kangaroo, antilopine kangaroo, eastern grey kangaroo, and western grey kangaroo. Kangaroo and wallaby both are macropods, but kangaroos are large and have large hind legs, whereas wallaby is small kangaroo with short legs. The smallest species is the Parma Wallaby, which weighs as little as seven pounds and stands just a foot and a half tall. There are a handful of different subspecies of both wallaby and kangaroo, but the major differences can be applied across the subspecies. The pet wallaby is truly an exotic pet. Red kangaroos, a subspecies of kangaroo, is the world’s largest marsupial. Kangaroos are much, much larger than wallabies. Kangaroos vs Wallabies. They are mostly active at night. The main difference between kangaroo and wallaby is their size; the term wallaby is just a non-scientific term often used for smaller size kangaroos. These are relatively small creatures, and researchers consider any kangaroo-like animal smaller than a kangaroo and a wallaroo a “Wallaby.”. A wallaby (/ ˈ w ɒ l ə b i /) is a small or middle-sized macropod native to Australia and New Guinea, with introduced populations in New Zealand, Hawaii, the United Kingdom and other countries. Aimie Carlson is an English language enthusiast who loves writing and has a master degree in English literature. Have to have a habitat: Red kangaroos and gray kangaroos are found in Australia’s savannas and open woodlands. Aimie Carlson. They belong to the same taxonomic family as kangaroos and sometimes the same genus, but kangaroos are specifically categorised into the four largest species of the family. Rock wallabies live on almost vertical rock walls in the southern desert. Both kangaroos and wallabies are herbivores, feeding on grass and roots. Kangaroo. Matschie's tree kangaroo. Wallabies have large pointed ears which can swivel independently of each other through 180°. Because the he wallaby feeds mostly on leaves, and doesn't need to nip off grass like a kangaroo, the wallaby's front incisors are much smaller than those of a kangaroo. PERU, Ill. (WLS) -- A wallaroo broke free from its owner and led police on a wild chase near Peru, Illinois. 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