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If I were going to have a wild animal as a pet I'd prefer a raccoon.
Of course, I would never have a wild animal as a pet in the first place.
I'll stick to cats.
While I think raccoons are more engaging than opossums
They are really more likely to do damage and get rabies
Plus they are as smart as a 4 yr old...that is very smart in the animal kingdom
And not too bad in human one
I like them too
But had lunch with friend yesterday who can’t stand them but hates dogs even more—
So let her grandson who lives with her keep a cat...
Why are people so hung up on rabies? You do know, if you are keeping something other than a dog or cat, you can still get it vaccinated. Its not like your pet raccoon is going to e-vite all his unvaccinated friends over. There is no Tinder for raccoons.
Why are people so hung up on rabies? You do know, if you are keeping something other than a dog or cat, you can still get it vaccinated. Its not like your pet raccoon is going to e-vite all his unvaccinated friends over. There is no Tinder for raccoons.
One important thing to consider when thinking about an exotic animal pet; intelligence. The smarter the animal the more likely it will be frustrated, bored, and miserable in captivity. Opossums have tiny brains and are emotionally a lot less complex. It is much harder to keep a 'coon occupied and satisfied than it is to keep an opossum occupied. Very different energy and exercise requirements. I helped raise a pet 'coon. Never again. Bad idea. Lightning fast, powerful and aggressive especially once sexually mature. Opossums may not be very social, but they are not plotting your demise either.
You do know, if you are keeping something other than a dog or cat, you can still get it vaccinated.
Not necessarily. The rabies vaccines proven effective for dogs or cats aren't necessarily safe or predictably effective for other animals. You have to check into it for the specific species. Then of course there's the other more important problem...finding a vet who will even see or treat your odd pet. Most will not.
People in my local NextDoor feed are talking about how opossums can be domesticated
Couple of them found baby possums and raised them
No problems they said
That creeps me out
Opossums have 50 teeth—-
And while their body temp is supposedly too low to cultivate rabies infections and thus aren’t as common a source of rabies
I couldn’t believe that anyone would want one inside the house...
Am I nuts
They were quoting passages about how they eat grubs and shoots and only fight back if threatened—
Well you could say a rattlesnake only fights back if it is threatened—
But I wouldn’t try to make a pet out of one
Uhmmmmm....they come up on my deck and are the ugliest things! Long coarse gray hair...long ugly thick rat tail...big and fat overall. And like you say, 50 teeth and also weird "paws" that look like 4 pink hands. Yuck! Just like pet pigs that are a tiny bit cute until they get too big - then what do you do with them?
I think they are kinda cute to look at, & are the only American marsupial. However, I believe in keeping wildlife wild. I have more than enough problems with my naughty cats no need for anything else.
Last year I had one that would come up on my porch when I would go out there (see pic of her). She would hang out in the evergreen by my front door and when she saw me she would come down from the tree and walk up the front porch steps and hang out with me on the porch. I was so hoping she was a girl and that I would see babies at some point on her back. Sadly one day she was not in her "spot". I assume either a car or a coyote finally got her :-( We also saw another one hit by a car in the street months later (not her since she had very distinctive markings on her ears). We searched her pouch and she had babies in there but unfortunately it was too late to save them!
Personally I think they get a bad rap. I would never have one as a pet or indoors but they are always welcome in my yard.
Ditto on the horse/EPM danger.
Ditto on the "keep wild things wild".
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no need for anything else.
