Lately, a friend of mine has been taking care of a baby squirrel in her home when the squirrel's own mother abandoned it. Some pictures can be seen here. Anyways, I've been thinking: why have strange exotic animals as pets? And when i say "exotic," I mean along the lines of lions, monkeys, tigers, etc. People would go to great lengths to smuggle them past Customs and into the USA, and this would put them into great danger of getting seriously hurt or even killed. I know that there are people out there who keep squirrels, chipmunks and possums as pets, but really? The people who can shelter them......it shouldn't be you, me, a neighbor or any average person. It should be a vet, a wildlife conservationist, a zoologist, a zookeeper, or people licensed to handle and treat wild animals or whatever.
I confess: I would love to own a squirrel as a pet, for the simple owning of one and the insanity that comes with the idea. (That's Rachel-logic leaking through. Sorry! Usually, nobody understands it......but anyways.....) It would be purely funny. And squirrels are cute........
But it doesn't mean that I can just take care of it all willy-nilly; I might do something wrong in the care and keeping of a squirrel. I mean, the one squirrel that my friend was taking care of died yesterday while in their care, which is really sad--no animals should have to die through the mistakes made through someone's good intentions.......
So, please leave the squirrel-keeping to the professionals and the truly insane.......
The question of why some feel the need to own an exotic animal is a valid one; is it for the reflection of exoticism that the pet brings to them? It is from a genuine attraction to the animal? If the person feels a true attraction, would they really want to confine them in a strange place?
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