[somebody]

Aren't prairie dogs wild animals?

How terrible to keep them in captivity. I had no idea people bought and sold and kept prairie dogs in cages.

That's really sad.

 

[VanillaRat]

Yep,apparently they are being bred/sold as exotic pets.
I don't believe there are any members here right now who have them though.

 

[Jess]

I thought they were illeagle for a while?

 

[VanillaRat]

I thought they were illeagle for a while?

I have no idea...you would have to check state laws I suppose. I don't believe they are legal here on my island though.

 

[Jennicat]

They were federally illegal for several years (banned with pouched rats) but somewhat recently because legal federally (although some states/cities/counties may ban them individually).

 

[Animal_Lover]

Very sad and should never be kept in captivity. So very sad and selfish!

 

[DipityDane]

In 2003 a ban was placed on Gambian pouched rats and prairie dogs both because of monkey pox...the Prairie dogs did not bring the monkey pox rather the rats did....but in a petstore some PD's contracted the disease thus getting the ban also. In 2008 in most state the ban was lifted on the PD...there are some states that never allowed and still do not allow pet PD's for environmental reasons and has nothing to do with the Monkey pox virus. I have had two...both rescues taken in from owners who had no idea what they were getting in to...the first a classroom pet who was demanding and attention starved, the other an infant bought on a whim at a petstore. I think most get them thinking it's like a hamster or similar rodent that lives in a cage but they aren't and should be regarded more as a dog or cat that a caged pet. Both of mine have a dog bed in the corner of the room...they are litter trained...and have a large cage which is their safe place when I am not home but otherwise they are free to roam and hang with the cats and dogs...they see all of us, cats,dogs, and rabbits included, as their "Family". I have to say they are the most devoted and affectionate critter I've known. That said, it's a terrible shame, the plight of the pet prairie dog...Just as with large parrots, there is only a tiny percentage of people out there who can and are willing to give the PD what he needs and because of this as much as I love my PD's and parrots both,even if it meant me no longer having them myself as pets, I agree that neither should be readily available as an impulse purchase as a petstore.

 

[MrMatt]

I have one, they are an outstanding pet to keep if done correctly.

 

[Ratchilla]

It is interesting to see different individuals take on wild life in cages and how humans as a whole do things. I don't mean it in a bad way in the least mind you. But how does one decide what animals should be domesticated and tamed and which ones should not? Where do you think any pet you have now came from?


All animals at one time or another were wild and people took them from their original place of origin, moved them somewhere else and proceeded to keep them as pets. I'm not just talking about dogs, cats, horses (which technically were never meant to be 'rode'), cows and pigs, but every exotic you see now. From the more simple ones of rats, hamsters and mice, to the more exotic of chinchillas, degus, sugar gliders, parrots/birds, snakes, lizards even up to whales, etc.


Especially in the case where some of these are taken from the big open wild and put in fish tanks (albeit some are large but still you can't compare it to what they once had). That goes for the same whether it pertains to a lizard or a whale. That is, in essence, what the domestication of an animal is. We take, breed, choose, breed and repeat until we have what we want in an animal (usually tame and good genetics is what breeders attempt to achieve) and then people work to continually ‘better’ the species through breeding.


IMO it is no different than what we have done for 1000s of years.

 

[VanillaRat]

Tame/domestic animals are animals that have been domesticated for many,many,many years and that have been living alongside humans for years. The first pet rats existed in the 1800's. And then look at dogs and cats,they have also been around for YEARS.

I am not against keeping some animals (reptiles and the like),but things like monkeys and apes and tigers and fixes,those are NOT pets. Keeping reptiles is generally a newer "hobby" compared to dogs and cats.

 

[Ratchilla]

I agree. They have been around for hundreds of years. My only point was that it started somewhere. Just because we (ourselves) were not alive at that point doesn't make it any different.


I own chinchillas and would be horrified if someone said that they were shocked I owned one and that I shouldn't cage them, I'm terrible for doing so, etc. As I'm sure thousands upon thousands of chins owners would feel the same across the U.S. They only came to the United States in 1923 for fur farming. They didn't even hit their popularity as pets until almost the 1960s. To me, that is still extremely new as are a lot of other pets. Chinchillas are only an example.


Monkeys, apes, tigers, bears, are not pets? Well to some they are. I don't want one, nor would I ever. Personally, I do not want to get eaten and their wild instincts are still ingrained really well. They are way bigger than me and the potential to getting eaten or killed is high. Heck even dogs can kill people. But a prairie dog isn't any of those things and it is indeed a rodent. It is also native in the U.S. so it isn't even like we took it from somewhere else like so many of our domesticated animals.


That was my only point. Domestication has to start somewhere.

 

[Blacksheep]

Because snakes, horses, rats, birds, chinchillas, mice, guinea pigs, lizards, fish, sugar gliders, rabbits and so on just came wrapped up in a little domesticated package right?

And because dogs and cats started out as domesticated pets right?

If they make great pets, why not? Even if not, if you have a license and can properly care for the animal, whats the problem? My ex teacher owns a red tail hawk. One that is greatly cared for and that he hunts with.

 

[Blacksheep]

I agree. They have been around for hundreds of years. My only point was that it started somewhere. Just because we (ourselves) were not alive at that point doesn't make it any different.

Well said. Truth be told...most pets aren't domestic at all. Many reptiles, rodents, small mammals, and birds still exist in the wild today and haven't changed at all. When I was breeding rats, a guy came into a rat forum with his pet rat that he actually found in the wild. The difference was his parents were wild. He actually looked very similar to one of my gals which was born from show rats. There are actually quite a few wild native snakes in my area that are kept as pets.

 

[VanillaRat]

I keep a pet that has not been domesticated...a scorpion.

There are differences between wild animals and domestic animals though...wolves and dogs are not the same. Even wolf hybrids can act quite different then domestic dogs.

 

[Blacksheep]

I keep a pet that has not been domesticated...a scorpion.

bahahahaha much braver than I. I see them at the zoo a lot and you can touch them. I'm always too scared :binkie:

There are differences between wild animals and domestic animals though...wolves and dogs are not the same. Even wolf hybrids can act quite different then domestic dogs.

Thats what I'm trying to say though. Many wild animals are kept as pets. Few are actually domestic so to say. Tame is the word. There are some wild domestic animals and tame wild animals in today's world.

 

[VanillaRat]

Haha,I can't handle her. She is an emperor and some people can handle theirs,but mine is overly aggressive and defensive...so I don't bother trying.

Ah,I know what your saying. Heck,hamsters and gerbils are not even fully domesticated...yet they are one of the most popular pets.

 

[Blacksheep]

Ya know I was looking up some cheap koi the other day an apparently you can buy wild caught koi or something crazy.

 

[Ratchilla]

Vanilla, I hope you're up for a friendly debate.

I am not against keeping some animals (reptiles and the like),but things like monkeys and apes and tigers and foxes,those are NOT pets.

I keep a pet that has not been domesticated...a scorpion.

This is a complete contradiction. You state that certain things are not pets but then admit to keeping one that blatantly isn't.

Are crocodiles, alligators or komodo dragons okay to keep as pets? They are reptiles after all. Who is to say what can and cannot be kept? The government, right? They control it by only allowing certain species to be kept by permit and others can only do so if it is a rescue of some sort. If they say it is okay to keep a prairie dog, then isn't it that persons right?

There are differences between wild animals and domestic animals though...wolves and dogs are not the same. Even wolf hybrids can act quite different then domestic dogs.

I never said they weren't different. Wolves are not dogs, but where do dogs originate? Closest ancestors ever found have been wolves. Does this make them wolves? No, because over the centuries they have been fashioned into the domestic dog. But does that stop them from being able to kill and tear something to shreds just as fast? Animals are animals, you really never know what they will do. Even bunnies attack. I also do not think prairie dogs are currently domesticated. All I said was the domestication process starts somewhere. That occurs by taking in something that was wild and through time (whether years or centuries) taming it to eventually reach domestication.

 

[Blacksheep]

Ok hope both of you don't shoot me but its much easier to curb stomp a loose scorpion than a fox or a tiger lol.

I think anything with a venom or poison should be permit only. But thats just my opinion.

 

[Blacksheep]

btw shouldn't this be in animal welfare?