I've known about many wild animals that [illegally] make very interesting pets. Dassies, or rock hyrax [ Procavia capensis ] and meercat [ Suricata suricata ] are two examples that - given good care - can be wonderful pets.

But yesterday one of my Danish friends asked: Do you know if springhare [ Pedetes capensis ] makes a good pet? I simply have no idea as I have never heard of one being kept as a pet. I "think" that as a vegetarian mammal it should be OK, but simply have never heard of one kept as a pet.

Does anyone have any personal or anecdotal knowledge to contribute?

Slightly off topic - I think a caracal would be he coolest of pets!

At least being a hare, if it got to be unwanted for any reason it could become table fare pretty quick n easy.
George

I seem to remember I knew someone in Botswana who had one as a pet many years ago and they kept it outside the house and going from memory, they're actually rodents so the normal hygiene and anti chewing precautions etc would need to be observed.

One of my sons kept a baboon spider and it hid under a rock for five years.

Still got the rock which makes for a better pet.

Andrew,
This and this might help.

Dunno about springhares... But I had my experience with a pet mongoose and will never, EVER again make that same mistake again

The Band and the Mongoose The band and the Mongoose

I've always really wanted an African wild cat. Mostly so I could toss it over the fence and let it sort out the neighbor's barking dogs. No offense to Saaid, but I generally don't think it's a good idea to keep wild animals as pets. Especially in a place where they don't exist naturally. Seems like they always get loose and we end up with boas in the Everglades and up to our hams in wild pigs.
kh

If they weren't so frightfully expensive I really would like a Savannah cat, which is basicaly a cross between your ordinary house cat and a Serval. Very pretty, and would look good wandering around a trophy room.

Indian Giant squirrel - world's largest squirrel along with 2 other similar species and the giant flying squirrel.

This was from 1987 when I got this young one from a Tea Planter in South India. The animal is only half grown & full size is about 10 lbs.

As a kid until the late 70s my dad had various animals as pets at different times - including a Wild cat, Small Civet, mongoose, Loris, various deer etc.

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Originally posted by Nakihunter:


Indian Giant squirrel - world's largest squirrel along with 2 other similar species and the giant flying squirrel.

This was from 1987 when I got this young one from a Tea Planter in South India. The animal is only half grown & full size is about 10 lbs.

As a kid until the late 70s my dad had various animals as pets at different times - including a Wild cat, Small Civet, mongoose, Loris, various deer etc.

When I was in Munnar you could hear them chattering a mile or more away. One of the managers had one as a pet

Just an opinion from having seen Many owners who had wild animals as pets. It usually ends up bad and usually for the pet but sometimes for the owner.
How about keeping wild animals wild and domesticated domestic? Just my 2 cents, legal or not keeping wild animals as pets is not ethically right. Wild animals are meant to be hunted that is what makes them wild.

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But I had my experience with a pet mongoose and will never, EVER again make that same mistake again

Ok, you are surely going to tell us the story???

quote:

Originally posted by Jason P:

quote:

But I had my experience with a pet mongoose and will never, EVER again make that same mistake again

Ok, you are surely going to tell us the story???

Click on the link he provided and be prepared to laugh -- and laugh hard!

Ha Ha.... What a story!

An African Wild cat, also known as the friendly cat makes a better house cat than the normal domestic tabby.

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An African Wild cat, also known as the friendly cat makes a better house cat than the normal domestic tabby.

Thanks for sharing that. I wasn't aware. I was just going by the name and wishing I could sic one on the neighbor's dogs. If you have one handy would you consider a trade for a pair of relatively normal but really pretty useless domestic tabbys?

quote:

Originally posted by kevin henderson:

quote:

An African Wild cat, also known as the friendly cat makes a better house cat than the normal domestic tabby.

Thanks for sharing that. I wasn't aware. I was just going by the name and wishing I could sic one on the neighbor's dogs. If you have one handy would you consider a trade for a pair of relatively normal but really pretty useless domestic tabbys?

An African Wildcat looks just like a housecat tabby. Saw one in Masailand and wondered what a housecat was doing out here, until I got educated.