will you get a SKUNK for a PET?
By mskzalameda
@mskzalameda (4023)
Philippines
May 18, 2007 10:58pm CST
skunks are mammals commonly with white and black stripes fur on their body. Their nature of defense is to attack their enemies by secreting a very bad odor from their anal scent glands. Just like the scorpion, they only defense themselves from their enemies.
I thought of this thing while watching a cartoon named "rascal". The boy in the story takes care of four little skunks and take them to his home. When he is away for a while, a dog barked and barked at the skunks and so caused them to give off their mighty weapon haha! the townsmen really get mad to it and so in the end, the boy who took care of the skunks eventually freed them in the forest where food can be find everywhere for the skunks to live.
now, will you do the same thing, take care of the skunks as one of your regular pets? think again. :)
11 people like this
26 responses
@raijin (10345)
• Philippines
19 May 07
As far as I know, I've never heard of anyone in favor of having a skunk as a pet. I guess it would be better to learn on how their behaviour, their nature and activity, before deciding if they are well-off in houses as pets or human companions. So for me, I won't go for a skunk to have as a pet or a companion..
For some reasons, I've been wondering on what to choose between these other two animals that got my attention. Between the Tasmainian Devil and the Honeybadger, of what would be more appropriate to have as a house pet..!;)
2 people like this
@mskzalameda (4023)
• Philippines
19 May 07
yes before choosing a pet, you must now his behaviors, nature and activities for you to be able to do your job well in taking good care of them. Hey I think the tasmanian devil is cool.. :)
@raijin (10345)
• Philippines
19 May 07
Good background knowledge about a certain animal helps us understand more of what they do, that may help in handling and taking care of them.
Yep! Tasmanian Devils can be cool, and annoying at times too. Honeybadgers are also of that type, but have a very high appetite, eats almost everytime to provide energy on their everyday activity. And as I knew, Honeybadgers are also immune on some types of venom, which made me interested on that animal too!;)
2 people like this
@mskzalameda (4023)
• Philippines
19 May 07
yep I agree raijin. But if ever given the chance, I will choose skunks for they are cool and I think nice to be with. They just really needs attention. ;)
1 person likes this
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
19 May 07
i think they can make great pets, but I have 4 cats and that is enough for me at this time.
2 people like this
@mskzalameda (4023)
• Philippines
19 May 07
yep they are cute and how I wish nobody will ever attempt to hurt them or else they'll stink all of us ha ha! :)
1 person likes this
@mskzalameda (4023)
• Philippines
19 May 07
ah! so that's why.. people may tend to seek what is not present in their sight and people often ignore things already on their sight.. ;)
1 person likes this
@mskzalameda (4023)
• Philippines
19 May 07
ha ha ha! ok ok.. I get it.. I really haven't seen one that's why I am like this but many responders said that it's just ok to have one. we don't know the real thing unless we try it by ourselves. :)
1 person likes this
@byfaithonly (10698)
• United States
19 May 07
Years ago a friend of my mother's had a pet skunk. It was really neat - the skunk was litter box trained like a cat and was one of the most beautiful animals I've ever seen. It had it's stink glands removed so it couldn't spray.
If I had the opportunity to have one like that, I would.
@mskzalameda (4023)
• Philippines
19 May 07
wow! now we have a proof that skunks are really great pets. If given proper care, they will give you good deeds too right? cute! I wanna have one he he! :)
1 person likes this
@mskzalameda (4023)
• Philippines
19 May 07
If ever, I want to have one just like this! he he!
1 person likes this
@scarlet_woman (23463)
• United States
19 May 07
a wild,still scented skunk?
no way.with my 5 cats,he'd be going off all the time LOL
they're just too nosy,the bunch of 'em.
i did hear they were good pets,outside of that though.
@scarlet_woman (23463)
• United States
19 May 07
um..if he was descented,i'd consider it.they are kind of cute.but i don't know how the cats would react.they might still run away LOL
1 person likes this
@mskzalameda (4023)
• Philippines
19 May 07
no not a wild still scented skunk, what about a descented skunk.. will you get one if ever? ;) me, yes. ;) they're cool haha!
1 person likes this
@tina12679 (1126)
• United States
19 May 07
my great aunt acually had one for a pet. i dont remember too much about it becasue i was so little but she had it to the vet and had the scent glands removed as to keep it from spraying anything that it felt threatened by and it pretty much acted like a cat. she would ride it around in her basket she had on the front of her bike i need to get my mom to get me the picture so i can put it on here. I dont think i would personally even think about it if i were to find orphaned ones i would tell humane society or animal rescue about it so i know they would be taken care of.
@mskzalameda (4023)
• Philippines
19 May 07
wow great! another testimony that skunks are fun loving creatures too! if someone takes care of them, then worry no more for that bad odor to spill for there will be no more left since it was taken to the vet. oh I wish you can put the picture here. ;)
@tina12679 (1126)
• United States
19 May 07
I am calling my mom in the morning to see if she can find the picture or tell me who in the family might have any of the pictures.
1 person likes this
@koikoikoi (1246)
• United States
20 May 07
What!? That's crazy. Hell no. How about if you're playing a game with it and it thinks you're attacking it. He'll spray you right in the face. How about if it's a little kid who wants to play with it? That's crazy talk, I would just get some fish or a dog. I like sea life.
1 person likes this
@TerryZ (22076)
• United States
20 May 07
Actually they make very good pets. You just have to have them decented. I use to have some in my back yard every night they would come out and eat the bird seed off the ground. And sometimes I would put pop corn out there for them. They really were cute.
1 person likes this
@mskzalameda (4023)
• Philippines
20 May 07
I wish we had those in our backyard too ha ha! but that's impossible. :)
@emeraldisle (13139)
• United States
20 May 07
Although I have never owned one I have known several who have. They do make wonderful pets so long as they are descented. I have petted them and they can be very beautiful especially the champagne ones. They are more of a grey with a white stripe. Very pretty.
@mskzalameda (4023)
• Philippines
20 May 07
ooh yes they look like hamster in you picture.. very cute and cuddly.. :)
@revdauphinee (5703)
• United States
19 May 07
a vet can remove the gland that causes the awfull smell and scunks actualy make quite good pets !
@mskzalameda (4023)
• Philippines
20 May 07
yes and I believe that they can be man's best friend too.. :) if only right care and patience are given to them
@lillake (1630)
• United States
20 May 07
When I was a small child a skunk came up into my yard. I don't remember where I got it from but I had green paint that I painted the poor skunk's stripe with. She stayed around in the yard for many years and I fed her scraps. She even had a litter of skunks in my garage. She left shortly after the little ones were big enough to move on their own.
1 person likes this
@LilyoftheThorns (12918)
• United States
20 May 07
I would get a pet skunk because they can be de-stink-a-tized, lol. And they are just like cats, fuzzy and cute! And they probably can make good pets, especially if they are used to people.
@mskzalameda (4023)
• Philippines
20 May 07
I strongly agree with you lilyofthorns.. thy are cuddly too ha ha!
1 person likes this
@nicmichiole (151)
• Philippines
19 May 07
skunks are cute but i don't think i'm getting one. but considering their smelly selves, they make a great self-defense pet. if ever i'm getting one, i want to train it so that it would just stink when it's suppose to stink.
1 person likes this
@mskzalameda (4023)
• Philippines
20 May 07
yes training it will be the best way to have one as a pet instead of thinking of the negative things it may cause.. :)
@mskzalameda (4023)
• Philippines
20 May 07
potential problems? ha ha.. ok if that's what you think my friend.. :)
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
19 May 07
We don't have skunks in Australia, except in zoos.
I believe the smell would be very off putting, so I wouldn't like one as pet.
Plus, my dogs would probably attack a skunk.
I started a discussion on a Mother cat who took on orphaned skunks the other day.
@mskzalameda (4023)
• Philippines
19 May 07
yes I saw that discussion. Those skunk's bad odor can be removed, other responders in this discussion said they know someone who have skunks as pets and they took their skunks to the vet and let them take off the glands that secretes that bad odor. although it is not removed 100percent, it still has been removed a big percentage of that. :) me, I want one for I think they are cute and just need patience and care. :)
@DuoMaxwell (953)
• United States
19 May 07
WHAT?! You gotta be kidding me! I'd NEVER, EVER get a skunk for a pet! They are known to stink up the place with their bad odor! That's like having a bloodthirsty lion as a pet, and i'm not even getting that either! Skunks are outside animals who belong in the forest, not in homes. You don't want a baby playing with a skunk only to have him/her smell bad in the end! It'll be a very bad embarrassing situation if your baby or your kids smelling like something from the outdoors, especially to neighbors!
1 person likes this
@mskzalameda (4023)
• Philippines
19 May 07
yes I know skunks gives off bad smell to enemies but I will not be their enemies right? and if ever, i will get my skunk descented first before bringing it home. :)
@SKLC_PT (1234)
•
19 May 07
A lot of people actually keep skunks, and they can be real clean animals as pets and there are some varieties that are extremely beautiful... You can do a procedure that removed the stink glands.
Here's some links on the subject:
Info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pet_skunk
http://www.skunkhaven.net/PetSkunks.htm
http://chrisinorl.home.att.net/want_skunk.html
Photos:
http://home.hiwaay.net/~remills/SAP_ALA/pictures.htm
http://www.skunk-info.org/photos/photos.htm
http://chrisinorl.home.att.net/
Helpful info:
http://www.skunksaspets.com/skunkstuff.htm
I wouldn't mind having one...
@mskzalameda (4023)
• Philippines
19 May 07
wow.. its nice of you to give those infos.. thanks.. and way to go! we can out up a club for skunk lovers ha ha! xp
@shakeroo (3986)
• Malaysia
19 May 07
I would get one of there is no license requirements to keep one at my home. a skunk can be a good anti thief system since with one spray, a thief would run for miles and he can be caught since the smell would be on him for sometimes... ha ha ha.
1 person likes this
@mskzalameda (4023)
• Philippines
19 May 07
what a wonderful idea ha ha! I didn't think of that.. great! ;)
@laiyongjun (1336)
• China
19 May 07
no i don't want to have a skunk as a pet. because i don't know how to feed it.
@mskzalameda (4023)
• Philippines
19 May 07
oh so plain answer. ok. but if you wanna learn, there are many resources.. :) but if you really don't want to have one, then ok. :)
