How do you define what animals are suitable to be kept as pets?

Based on a brief exchange in another thread, how on earth do you decide what animals are suitable to keep as pets and what aren't? What if, in the future, a pet that is a bit specialist now becomes as mainstream as our domesticated wolves?

Funny, I was thinking that same thing the other day when I read the story about that woman being badly attacked by a chimp. Gut feeling was that a chimp is a wild animal and should not be kept, but then I thought did people go through this during the domestication of dogs?

I suppose arguably there is no need to domesticate any further animals, particularly 'just' as a pet and I have to say (sorry to those that have them) that I haven't been particularly happy about the new 'fad' for mini hedgehogs - somehow that just seems wrong. Mind you, I'm not sure why I felt more uncomfortable about the hedgehogs than I do about people keeping snakes, hamsters, mice etc.

So, in short, no answer to your question from me!

if its specialist now, it should stay that way, its not like animals will evolve so quickly that they will become domesticated over night,

I often feel sorry for the mainstream animals already out there, god knows how many horses and dogs I have seen that have been totaly ruined due to lack of knowlage,

I don't think there is a 100% certain way to decide.

Part is safety of the people, but also the animal's happiness, as much as can be measured.

I don't think wolves should be mainstream, that said I think how they are they could be happy, safe pets, they'd just need a bit more specialised owner, more like even huskies and things can due to not being able to go offlead even. The downside is, any idiot would end up having them.

My rats seem happy, they do occasionally decide to "escape" when doors are open, but even my worst monkey will climb back in when she's explored enough. Just like Asher would come back if he ever got out, he views this as his home and is happy. That's a good start!

A chimp will value it's owner, but are always as I can tell more prone to being aggressive than other animals, they don't seem to do as well being "led" by a human.

The hedgehogs I'm unsure on, I have to admit I've not met 1, but they all seem happy to be handled and I've not heard of them showing any signs of minding their lives.

But a lot isn't about the animal, but about the owner - if you put my rats in a small cage, never talked to and handled them, didn't give them hammocks and such - then I'm guessing you'd not have happy rats. Likewise if people had wolves, they'd need 1 hell of a large safe area I imagine to give them room to roam, by that I mean a large garden and places they can go and not get to roads etc.

i think there has to be a danger element of this too

like i wouldnt keep a big cat as a pet as it could eat me..... and they have never been tamed as such (ok lion man being the exception but one of his staff got mauled this year too..)

a dog or small cat however are now over time been tamed and used to being as domestic pets. therefore less likely to do me damage (as well as training etc..)

thats my basic view hope it makes sense - i will be back to comment more as the thread develops

Simple. Keep domesticated pets in domestic situations, and keep wild animals in the wild.

IMHO, its wrong to keep wild animals locked in unnatural enviornments eating unnatural foods and stiffling their natural needs and desires, to hunt, to mate, to roam, etc.

I haven't come by this feeling lightly, I've worked in Vet medicine for 13 years now and have seen so many "exotic" pets come in just miserable from living the life they lead. Malnurished. Half crazed from boredom, birds plucking out their feathers and self mutilating because they just weren't meant to live like that.

An African Serval with two leg fractures from falling off the washing machine because he was locked in the laundry room, he had been declawed on all paws to prevent injury, and wasn't being fed a proper diet hence the weak bones.

An umbrella cockatoo called Pollo, because she is completely devoid of feathers. She pulls them out until she's bleeding. She screams and paces. She has to be medicated with Haldol to keep her from harming herself.

A Kangaroo, kept in a backyard in Texas, owners put a diaper on it to keep if from messing in the house. Same people have a ring tailed lemur that lives in a parrot cage. Neither get an appropriate diet and have nutrition related issues.

Snakes starving to death because they don't understand how to eat dead mice and the owners can't stand the thought of feeding live.

Iguana with four broken legs due to poor diet and lighting

The list goes on and on. I'm sickened by it daily. I used to have a pet gecko and some tree frogs that I rescued from the school science lab, but I wouldn't have purchased these as pets and I felt sorry for them every day of their lives.

Unless you are in the fight to save a species that would become extinct because of mans intervention in its enviroment, you shouldn't be keeping wild animals captive in anyway shape of form. Pets, zoos, circuses, whatever. Its sick and wrong.

I have snakes...but only ickle ones..Royal Pythons..Both are around 5-6ft and my female is a gentle girl but my boy had a bad start to life and has bitten once..most likely due to hunger..since he's been here he hasn't bitten once..both strike feed on defrosted prey..Both are captive bred and I think I "rescued" them both..and they are now looked after and fed properly etc..
I never bought them but I do love them to bits and they both go to schools and clubs with me to teach kids they are slimey and don't hiss!! Lily is always the hands on one and she has never shown any danger to anyone..

I also have a Bengal cat..again I adored them and when I was younger always thought they looked like mini leopards but would never buy one..just the same as I would never buy a wolf cross..but Chess came into our lives and we adore her..

Now if a wolf cross came into our lives and needed a home then I wouldn't turn it away (if all legal requirements were met and it was safe to have)