Wild Animal Pets

[tigergrrrl]

Some people have wild animals, such as one person said- they had a squirrel? And some other people other places say they have:

Tamed Wild Cats
Wolf/another dog breed
WOLF

And that is only a couple..... Why do people take these animals out of the wild, where they were meant to be?

[IRescue452]

Well the squirrel is a rescue and rehab critter that will probably be released. I don't know about the others though. I hope to rescue a shelter skunk a some point in my life. By that I mean one thats been a pet and dumped for some reason and can't be returned to the wild. I don't know why some people do what they do.

[Karen]

Many people here do animal rescue, or are the type to rescue an injured or orphaned critter rather than just watch them die. Some animals will heal and do fine when re-released, some just become to accustomed to people to be safe as a "wild" animal.

[BitsyNaceyDog]

I have a dove that I raised 4 years ago and kept due to him being totally imprinted by humans (by me mostly). I've raised several other orphaned or injured animals which have either been able to be released or have gone onto a wildlife center.

[wolfie]

I love wolves. I think it'd be amazing to live with a wolf. But I never would have one as a pet, because I don't think it'd be fair to the wolf. They are beautiful, wild, free animals. There is no way that a wolf in captivity is as happy as a wild wolf.

I even get sad about some animals in the zoo. Do you notice how big cats in the zoo pace. It's an obsessive thing, because they are going crazy. I feel bad for them.

[Uabassoon]

I know that someone on the boards has a wolf hybrid (a wolf mixed with another dog). However they did not breed or purchase him, he was adopted from a shelter. I don't agree with breeding wolf hybrids, but if you are properly able to care for one then I don't see anything wrong with adopting one from the shelter and saving it's life. The hybrid that I know from here is very well cared for and properly exercised. You can tell that he is very happy in his home, which in my opinion is much better than him being put down at a shelter simply for being a hybrid which many shelters often do.

[jesse_3]

I do not agree with having them as pets, but I am plannig to do a wolf and wolf hybrid rescue sanctuary. It is not fair to a lot of animals to be kept as pets though, they need to be out in the wild.

Steph, Jes, and Splinter

[Suki Wingy]

Irescue, me too! I want a champagne skunk. I also want a Giant African Pouched Rat in the future, they are trained faster than dogs to detect land mines and light enough to step on one and not detinate it. I don't agree with keeping most wild animals as pets, and yes, Barnaby is a rescue.

[luckies4me]

As a fellow rescuer/exotic animal keeper I feel that *most* exotics require too much of an extensive diet, husbandry needs, and general know all required for most people to keep successfully. I currently have a hedgehog, ferret, lemmings, short tailed possums, exotic insects, and plan on adding more small exotics to my family soon. One day I hope to own another small wild cat such as a Savannah cat or Jungle Cat. Jungle cats as some people know is how they got a LOT of our domestic cat breeds. I currently have Bengals and I love them dearly. As long as the person can make certain they can care for the pet in all ways possible then I see no problem with it. I don't agree with keeping larger cats such as cougars, lions, tigers etc.

Almost ALL of my animals are rescues except the possum and lemmings. Lemmings though are just like dwarf hamsters except a bit nippier and honestly if the owner knows how to care for them they definitely have a better life in captivity. In fact, most of the exotics would be extinct unless made into pets. So that's something to think about.

[luckies4me]

Originally posted by tigergrrrl


And that is only a couple..... Why do people take these animals out of the wild, where they were meant to be?

Also, a lot of these animals are not taken from the wild. They were bred in captivity and have been bred in captivity for some time. Wolves and coyotes have been kept as pets for ages. Do a little research on American Indian Dogs and other dog breeds. I would never own an animal taken from the wild unless it was a rescue/rehome situation or the animal is unable to be released into the wild.

[Suki Wingy]

I wonder if there are any foxes left from direct breeding at that fur farm in the 1960s. If there are, I wounldn't mind having one ! They were bred for several generations and became strangley piebald and their ears went floppy and tails curled. They were as tame as a puppy, and well on their way to domestication. As for skunks and chinchillas, they also were domesticated for fur. Cavies were domesticated for food.

[king2005]

I have a snapping turtle. If I would have left him where I found him, he would have been dead in a few mins. If he happend to survive the waterfall, the rocks & the 4 foot carp, then his illness would have killed him anyways.

Darn thing couldn't swim
He also needs more calcium then most turtles just to keep his bones strong.

I had to care for him over the winter & well then it was too late to put him back, & if I did, he would have died anyways.

I'd rather keep him as a pet, then knowing let him die in the wild.

My dollar sized snapper is now 5yrs old & 20 pounds. He seems very happy, as hes non agressive towards me & I can take him for walks in the front yard & give him nose kisses.