Topic Author's Original Post - Jan 19, 2012 - 12:07pm PT
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Not really off-topic, since squirrels and monkeys, for example, are far better climbers than humans will ever be.
Relativity is at play...the squirrels' tiny claws (and monkeys' tiny fingertips) make what appear to be microscopic "handholds" become beefy jugs and mailslots. Witness the squirrel as he quickly climbs his tree.
I'm pondering a mail-order Squirrel Business, an exotic new business line. At issue are city codes and such that prohibit harboring "wild animals" ...but the plan is to semi-domesticate the common tree squirrel, which are plentiful in my backyard. Sending live animals thru the US Mail is also quite common.
Sound stupid? Not really! There's nothing new under the Sun, so entrepreneurship these days must lay squarely on the lunatic fringe (like Chessler). The pet market is saturated, current revenue streams have become diverse. It's all hit or miss. Also, as the Recession continues and society becomes more dysfunctional, people become more neurotically fixated, obsessive about their pets--and people have become bored with just cats and dogs.
When I was a kid you could still buy a monkey in a pet shop, a Rhesus or a Macaque. I'm looking into this too...not sure you can send a live monkey thru the US Mail though.
There used to be a rock climber who owned a rock climbing monkey. Seriously, the monkey could free solo just about any 5.11 face...if it got truly gripped the monkey would sh#t little spheroid turds that would dribble down the rock face. I think the guy was training his monkey to clip the first or second bolts on sport routes.
Anyway, I'm trying to gauge general interest in this, one of about half a dozen business ventures of mine.
Can I put you down for a squirrel?
I'm also thinking about capturing the noisy parrots that live around my house and putting them in a box and sending them to people. Parrots in a pet store cost about $500 apiece!
I had a pet squirrel I saved as a baby, so I can give you the scoop.
Baby squirrels are pretty cute and cuddly and mine was tame when he was little. As he got bigger he got more dangerous. Every vertical object (including humans) = TREE to them. They are fast and have long claws. My arms neck and face were covered in bloody scratches for months and he destroyed the house. I'm lucky I still have both eyes. The minute he hit puberty he went totally feral and couldn't be handled at all, so no... they do not make good pets.
I just turned mine loose in the yard and let him go free.
A squirrel is a good first project for a beginning student taxidermist. Not much skin to treat with alum; easy wire frame mount. Remember to buy some nice beady glass eyes before you begin the project. Change out the old blade in your scalpel too.
i once had a golden mantle squirrel for a pet.. The dood just couldnt help but nip me when hand feeding him snacks! It was like he was perfectly at home for a few nibbles, then he would sneak in a little nibble off my hand or fingers! Never did get used to that.
I have a neighbor who rehabs squirrels in our area- they get slaughtered on the roads regularly around here. She's been doing it for many years, and the local community knows this well, so she has dealt with dozens and dozens of them over the years.
There have been a few who wound up as longer term 'pets' due to the extent of their injuries (one in particular had damaged their spine in a fall from a tree when their bugkilled pinetree home was cut down), but they don't stick around any longer than necessary. Eventually, they wind up being set free for the reasons jtm describes above.
i once had a golden mantle squirrel for a pet.. The dood just couldnt help but nip me when hand feeding him snacks! It was like he was perfectly at home for a few nibbles, then he would sneak in a little nibble off my hand or fingers! Never did get used to that.
Uh, I have some squirrels in my hood who don't think highly of cages...
Credit: Reilly
As for those damn noisy parrots let's talk. A few years ago I had a pair
of Cockatoos hanging out in my pecan tree for like a month! They woulda
been worth $3-4 grand! Maybe more to Crimpie in Colorado. I think the
resident Great Horned Owl got 'em - they were kinds hurtin' in the camo department.
Let us know!