Inside/Outside Pet

i don't think a deer would be very comfortable living inside a house. i have also known many people who by some unfortunate cirumstance ended up caring for baby raccoons. the raccoons always end up taking over the house and or biting people. dh's mom brought a few stranded babies in once and after 2 months they took over her laundry room and hissed and snarled at anyone who came near, they had to tranquilize them just to get them out.

while i agree we could be treating alot more animals humanely by giving them a nice indoor home, i do not feel wild animals have any reason to be brought indoors, and no one has the right to make pets of them.
 
ETA: just because an animal can be domesticated, does not mean it needs to/should be.

gaylemarie-true racoons can be that why but I know of a friend myself that had one and grew very fond of it. It was a housepet and it didn't bite. It got in the road and got ran over. Dogs are want they come to be today from way back when they were wild, like horses.
Racoon link
[linkhttp://www.mnsi.net/~remocoon/remofaq.htm--racoon]http://www.mnsi.net/~remocoon/remofaq.htm[/link]

Sorry that one didn't work--try agian-Racoon link--
[linkhttp://www.mnsi.net/~remocoon/index2.htm]http://www.mnsi.net/~remocoon/index2.htm[/link]

thanks for fixing that, they are all so very cute, its easy to forget they are *wild animals*

I don't think horses SHOULD be inside pets. They need to keep moving, not stand still in one place, and I suspect many older houses are not up to continual movement of a 1200 pound animal on their floors. Ditto with cows. And I think it's cruel to make a pet of something only to eat it later, so most chickens probably *shouldn't* be pets- plus, unless you've got a totally chickenproofed house and very, very easy-to-wash floors, should be outside- they need more space than you can provide in a bird cage. If your chickens are getting eaten, you need to provide them with a more secure coop. Ditto with pigs.

Ferrets SHOULD be housed indoors in the US- they handle heat poorly and our climate isn't suited for them being indoor/outdoor animals. In the UK, where un-descented ferrets (and intact males) are more common, it's common practice to keep them in sturdy runs outside of the house and only people who keep just one or two as pets (and hence have them fixed) keep them indoors. In some ways, I think this is better- obviously, it wouldn't do for a lone ferret, but to have lots of space to run and play and dirt to dig in and another ferret or two to play with and a person who spends lots of time with them in that environment really might be better for the ferret than sitting in a cage except for 3-4 hours a day when they're let out to play. My ferrets free-range whenever I'm home.

Raccoons are not pets, they are wild animals. Although some people KEEP them as pets, it's really not a good idea- they're not domesticated.

Some of the animals you listed should be outside, and it would be cruel to keep them indoors. Especially horses and deer in my opinion....they need to be outdoors and be able to run around some. Why in the world would you want to keep animals like those in the house? Or cows either.....with certian animals it is unhealthy for them not to be outdoors.

And with dogs, I also think it's a much better life for a dog if they get plenty of exercise outside, an active dog could go crazy being inside a lot if they're not properly exercised.

My dog Cassidy likes to spend her days outside ( we live on a farm), and usually someone is out there with her. She plays with the kids, is always watching/guarding our woods for intruders ( such as squirells []), and helps guard gates and herd cattle too. She loves it out there, and unless it is raining, she spends the day outside and comes in to relax with us in the evening, and she sleeps inside on my bed. I think she's got a pretty good life!

It's true that there are dangers of living outdoors, but for the non-domesticated animals like deer, raccoons and skunks, I think they would prefer a life in the wild, even though there are dangers, than a life being inside of a house. What kind of adventures are there to be had inside? It's not a natural life for animals like these.

If someone could help me out here? I'm very confused..
 
I want to laugh, but at the same time I think you are all being serious..
 
I laugh because I try and imagine a racoon, horse, cow, and skunk living INSIDE your house, sleeping beside your bed...*holding back laughter*
 
That's why I think I missed the point of the thread...could someone please clarify what you mean for me???

[] wca-  Surely I didn't come across as saying a Clydesdale can be a housepet, you would have to live in a castle. There is shetland ponys, the timor that can easliy work out. The shetland pony has been used as a therapy animal, leading the blind. I don't think anyone would call their chickens or pigs pets if they planned to eat them. I don't have a shetland pony link with me as I seen it on Animal Planet., but I do have a pig link  --- [linkhttp://www.royaldandie.com/]http://www.royaldandie.com/[/link]  There is mini cows as well. You wouldn't put a high energy, strict hunting blood lined Black and Tan Coonhound in a apartment all day as well as placing a Chinese Crested in the hot summer sun to defend for its self.
LoveMyDogCassidy- I feel like with any animal you need to understand what they need. How much outside and inside they can have to be.
Dulce Pit Bull- It has been done and knowing the needs of these animals it can be safe. here's a link on skunks-- [linkhttp://www.skunkhaven.net/]http://www.skunkhaven.net/[/link]  - there is actually "skunk breeders". I was just saying any animal you domesticate or try to tame needs you and will not be fully ready to know what to do in the wild as would they would if they were not taken in and given all the food they needed.

Eclipse- you do realize that 'mini' cows are still well over 500 pounds- usually around 700 pounds- and based on my experience with cattle, I suspect they're not house-break-able....

Shetlands and minis (mini horses have been folded into the Shetland Pony registry for some bizaare reason) have JUST as much need to mvoe as larger horses. The guide pony (not therapy- therapy animals are VERY different from service animals) has appeared on animal planet but has run into problems as several groups have tried to implement it more widely (largely due to flooring and space issues- horses can't curl up like dogs can in crowded places, the fact that horses are prey animals with a strong flight response, and manage stairs very, very poorly.)

Deer, skunks, and raccoons *aren't* pets. Yes, some people keep them as pets, but it's really not a good idea or a fair thing to do.

Regardless, the most important thing for any animal is to have species-appropriate housing- whether it's a crate in the house or a secure paddock and loafing shed.

I am sure you are not speaking with any knowledge of having these animals as pets.  Have you ever seen a horse that is constantly stalled?  My horses love human companionship but they are a herd animal and want to return to the herd too.

Preditors that can kill a rabbit or a chicken can easily maul or kill your little dogs or pups... Just as with any animal that you have taken on the responsiblity of providing care for, you need to house chickens, rabbits etc to provide them a safe shelter.  All domestic animals do not require nor seek human attention like the dog does. 
 
Wildlife it called wildlife for a reason ... very pretty to look at but should be left alone.  Have you seen a deer penned up?  Have you seen one in the wild?  I prefer to see my deer standing in a grove of trees, grazing on the new grass.  I live where I see lots of wildlife, turkeys, bison, deer, and even an occassional mountain lion.  They are a beautiful sight to behold.  Wildlife has instincts that have been bred into them for hundreds of years... their mom reinforces that when they are born. 
 

so your freind's coon was not a true test.. it didn't live long enough to revert.  a friend of mine had a coon for 3 years when it turned on her.  would take centuries to breed a coon into a natural pet

ORIGINAL: Eclipse
[] wca-  Surely I didn't come across as saying a Clydesdale can be a housepet, you would have to live in a castle.

lol of all the horses my son's family and my family have the clydesdale would probably be most apt to want to be a housepet.  she is my 4yr old granddaughter's horse and i think she would love to try and share ali's twin bed []

Pwca-I wasn't talking about the mini cow in the Gulliver's Travels book. There is ponys for therapy and leading the blind(guide). You are right not everyone can have one. There is alot to consider but it is not impossible.
heidandseek- oh no I have never had any and do not plan on it, as I do not have the patientance to do such taming. I also love seeing nature all around us. I like it better that way and sometimes put out corn or seeds for the wildlife. You are right they were raised up by their wild mother's insticts, but if by humans I dout it has that great of a chance to survive without human help. I'm sure dogs aren't constantly penned up in the house all day. About the racoon thing I listed a link and that lady explains about the biting insticts and how to deal with it.

lol that's cute, love the pictures! I love riding horses, something about it is so fun and exciting.