something to talk about but no fights

[adamntitch]

ok av been thinking how come people moan and say dont keep monkeys on there own but then most people keep dogs on there own and there a pack animal most people keep descented skunks but then does that mean they agree with removing large cats teeth to stop them biteing and snakes fangs to stop them invenomating when its the same its there devense people keep one cockateil budgie or parrot when there flock animals so whats so diffrent and i know people will say o but the people become the parrots flock and the owners are the dogs pack but then i hand reared monkey would think of the people as its troop so come on whats so diffrent

[Pouchie]

1) I don't think it is a case of a monkey bonding with a human and thinking he/ she is its troop, I think it is a case of humans not being able to socialise with a primate and fulfill its social needs eg grooming, scent marking, playing, 'talking' etc. Personally though, I don't think a human can replace a same species companion for any social animal.

2) Skunks do not need their scent in captivity. They are thought to rarely use this defense in the wild. It is a last resort defense mechanism that they would not need in captivity because hopefully, they would not be presented with a life or death situation!

[georgieabc123]

i think its because dogs hhave been domesticated over hundreds oof years but monkey have not

[adamntitch]

Originally Posted by Pouchie

1) I don't think it is a case of a monkey bonding with a human and thinking he/ she is its troop, I think it is a case of humans not being able to socialise with a primate and fulfill its social needs eg grooming, scent marking, playing, 'talking' etc. Personally though, I don't think a human can replace a same species companion for any social animal.

2) Skunks do not need their scent in captivity. They are thought to rarely use this defense in the wild. It is a last resort defense mechanism that they would not need in captivity because hopefully, they would not be presented with a life or death situation!

ok but then what about parrots no one says o you cant have only 1 altho most parrots that pluck scream what ever due to not having a flock so to speak and be coming stressed and then if skunks do not need there scent why remove it how many skunks prolapse and ad bet most are descented skunks if you agree with descenting skunks you must agree with big cats being de clawed and fanged (as you said they wont need them in captivaty like skunks dont need theres) then defanging snakes as well also surpose they dont need theres ether ??????

[Emmaj]

well i can say nerh nerh nah nerh nerh i keep a pack of dogs an not a dog on its own

[xXFooFooLaFluffXx]

my word adam talk about throwin the cat among the pigions! you brave brave boy

[adamntitch]

not brave lol just want to understand

[Art_Gecko101]

Here's my opinion...

The difference between descenting a skunk and defanging or declawing a snake or cat is because skunks dont use their scent to feed. Without its claws or teeth, a cat couldnt feed, and likewise a venomous snake couldnt digest its food without its venom. There's the difference, in captivity, the cat and venomous snake still need the things you mentioned to eat... therefore survive. whereas a skunk, given a safe captive environment should not need to defend itself with the spray. ergo, the skunks defense mechanism becomes redundant in captivity where it doesnt need to defend itself

I wouldnt keep a bird as a pet full stop, not that i have anything against anyone who does keep them, i just prefer to see them flying around free rather than in a cage or someones house.

As for the point on monkeys, i think its because primates are so much more intelligent and complex than the majority of animals we keep as companion pets. Therefore the psychological damage that is done by not having interaction with other members of its species is far greater. It's the same with most, if not all species which actively suffer brain damage and self harm without conspecific interaction, like rats and degus for examples. Its not just a matter of the animal being unhappy without playmates, its that in some species (monkeys included) it does actual harm to their health. A domesticated dog may indeed be happier with other dogs to interact with, but so long as its fed and exercised it wont suffer health wise due to the lack of conspecifics.

[Pouchie]

Originally Posted by adamntitch

ok but then what about parrots no one says o you cant have only 1 altho most parrots that pluck scream what ever due to not having a flock so to speak and be coming stressed and then if skunks do not need there scent why remove it how many skunks prolapse and ad bet most are descented skunks if you agree with descenting skunks you must agree with big cats being de clawed and fanged (as you said they wont need them in captivaty like skunks dont need theres) then defanging snakes as well also surpose they dont need theres ether ??????

I think Art Gecko pretty much nailed it. I believe a sugar glider will self mutilate and chew its own leg off if kept alone (due to stress) and animals this highly sociable suffer mentally. That is not to say that dogs don't suffer from no interaction with other dogs because we cannot perform the subtle ear movements, body postures and make the same noises another dog would but some would argue their dog gets that fulfilment at the park or when out walking.

The domestication was a good point too. If primates were domesticated over 10,000 years like dogs, maybe they would adapt too. I think a single wolf kept as a pet would be miserable.

I agree with descenting skunks because I can't see how such a small and inobtrusive op causes such fuss anyway. If done correctly by a vet with experience, it should not cause prolapsing. Besides theres is no proof that descenting IS the cause of prolapsing. Lots of descented skunks have never prolapsed and some fully loaded have.

It is not comparable to declawing a cat or defanging a snake for the reasons Art Gecko covered. I dont believe my descented skunk KNOWS she cannot spray anyway! She behaves exactly the same as my fully loaded and turns her raised tail towards me, threatening to spray, just the same as the loaded does. This warning is as far as it gets. Unless they felt their life was threatened they would not spray anyway.

So 1) You could say what is the point in descenting anyway? and 2) You could say you may as well descent as it is a simple op and it would put the owners mind at rest whilst not affecting the skunk which in effect would improve the skunk's quality of life.

For example, I have a toddler. Koko is allowed in the sitting room when my little boy is up but Bear is not 'just incase'. Even though it is highly unlikely that Bear, a well socialised skunk, would spray my toddler and temporarily blind him, I don't take the risk. A simple op when Bear was a few weeks old would mean he had free run of the house ALL the time and not shut out of the sitting room when my toddler is in it.

So you can see how being loaded does not really benefit a pet skunk. In fact being descented is a benefit in some households. If I did not have a toddler, it wouldnt make any odds to how I keep mine.

[adamntitch]

aww ok i see now but why did they make it illegal if its not cruil and does them no harm