Anybody ever had a wild animal as a pet?

[raccoon]

Share your experience with us.


edited for typo.

[XemaSab]

1. Had a crow

We got her as an adult and she was completely wild... not as in destructive but as in scared of us.

We gave her away because we knew she would never be comfortable in our house. :(

[Taverner]

2. Funny you should mention that - I had a wild lizard as a friend in Thailand

I wouldn't say pet, because he came and went as he pleased. But he spent most of his days in my house, munching on the occasional cockroach that came by. This was quite often.

[Connonym]

3. other than my 11 year old daughter? I guess she doesn't count though

because we consider her more of a daughter than a pet

[Name removed]

4. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

5. "Pet" might be too strong a word...

but I've shared my house with many wild critters that came and went as they pleased. I've had a feral cat family live in my backyard -- I was able to socialize the kittens but never the Mom. I've also had a racoon take up residence in my basement after I saved him from a neighbor's rottie. He later brought his whole family to stay -- having baby racoons around the house was a joy! He finally packed up around 6 months later. I rehabed a family of cotton tails and kept one bunny who was unreleasable -- he was the closest to a pet -- he would play with me and sit in my lap. I've also kept feral pigeons I've rescued as house pets.

With all that said, wild things are wild things, and it is never recommended to take something from the wild with the intent to make a pet of it.

[RebelOne]

6. If you want to call them wild or exotic, I once had 2 boa constrictors.

They make great pets. You only have to feed them every couple of weeks or so. They don't bark, bite or mess on the carpet.

[raccoon]

7. Might be a deterrent to burglars as well. nt

[EstimatedProphet]

8. I had a pet blue whale for a while

But I couldn't afford the plankton.

[IndianaJones]

11. you must have a big pool. nt.

[Richard Steele]

9. Not as a "pet", but several of the raccoons and possums in the neighborhood are comfortable with me.

One of the raccoons is a small female I call "Banditte";
she'll actually take food from my hand. A few others will
come up and eat from the cat-food bowl on the porch when
I'm standing 2 feet away.



Oh, and THIS big fluffy thing was actually born feral:



She was one of a litter of stray kittens that lived in the woods
next to my old apartment. Back then, she was wild as could be.
She was NOT happy about being trapped and transported to our house,
but she's adjusted pretty well.

[raccoon]

17. She looks somewhat like my feline daughter. nt

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

10. I did until recently, then I divorced.

And I shall say no more about the subject. :yoiks:

[Omphaloskepsis]

12. I have two ducks..

I don't let them in the house but I would still consider them pets..

[Dora]

13. horny toad

I loved me my toad. I had to release him.

[Blue-Jay]

14. A few snakes and a bunny when I was a kid.

[Blue Diadem]

15. not me but my daughter and her ex had a raccoon for a while.

His name was Gizmo..cute little guy. They were more like foster parents because they never wanted him to be comfy with people and they wanted to let him go when he got big enough.

He was found when he was just a bitty thing. He was with a dead sibling in the middle of a pasture and no parent came to claim him. As he got bigger, they would put fish in a 5 gallon bucket so he'd be able to "fish" for his food. It was instinct..he automatically knew what to do. Once he got bigger, ex-sil took him to a remote area and let him go.

[BarenakedLady]

16. No, wild animals should remain in the wild

Unless being rehabilitated.

[bif]

18. I had a boar once

Man, what an experience.