Animals that are not supposed to be pets

Content

• The CITES Agreement
• Animals that are not supposed to be pets
• Exotic Animals That Shouldn't Be Pets
• Dangerous animals that shouldn't be pets
• Other non-pet animals

THE biophilic hypothesis Edward O. Wilson suggests that humans have an innate tendency to relate to nature. It can be interpreted as "love for life" or for living beings. Perhaps that's why it's not surprising that so many people around the world want to live with domestic animals in their homes, like dogs and cats. However, there is a growing trend towards other species as well, such as parrots, guinea pigs, snakes and even exotic cockroaches.

However, can all animals be domestic pets? In this article by PeritoAnimal, we will talk about the ownership of certain non-pet animals, explaining why they shouldn't live in our homes, but in nature.

The CITES Agreement

O illegal and devastating trafficking of living beings occurs between the different countries of the world. Both animals and plants are extracted from their natural habitats, causing a ecosystem imbalance, in the economy and society of third world or developing countries. We must not only focus on the being who is deprived of their freedom, but on the consequences this entails for their countries of origin, where poaching and the consequent loss of human life are the order of the day.

To combat the trafficking of these animals and plants, the CITES agreement was born in the 1960s, whose acronym stands for Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna. This agreement, signed by the governments of several countries, aims to protect all species that are in danger of extinction or threatened due, among other reasons, to illegal trafficking. CITES comprises about 5,800 animal species and 30,000 plant species, about. Brazil signed the convention in 1975.

Discover 15 endangered animals in Brazil.

Animals that are not supposed to be pets

Before we talk about animals that should not be pets, it is important to highlight that wild animals, even if they come from the country where we live, should never be treated as pets. First, it is illegal to keep wild animals as pets unless you have authorization from the Brazilian Institute for the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA). Also, these animals are not domesticated and it is not possible to domesticate them.

The domestication of a species takes centuries to occur, it is not a process that can be carried out during the lifetime of a single specimen. On the other hand, we would against ethology species, we would not allow them to develop and perform all the natural behaviors they do in their natural habitat. We must also not forget that, by purchasing wild animals, we are promoting illegal hunting and the deprivation of their freedom.

We give as an example several species that we can find as pets, but that shouldn't be:

• Mediterranean Tortoise (leper Mauremys): this emblematic reptile of the rivers of the European Iberian Peninsula is in danger due to the proliferation of invasive species and their illegal capture. One of the biggest problems that comes with keeping them in captivity is that we feed them the wrong way and place them in terrariums that are not suitable for this species. Because of this, growth problems occur, mainly affecting the hoof, bones and eyes that, most of the time, they lose.
• Sardão (lepida): this is another reptile that we can find in the homes of many people in Europe, mainly, although the decline of its populations is due more to habitat destruction and its persecution for false beliefs, such as that they can hunt rabbits or birds. This animal does not adapt to life in captivity as it inhabits large territories, and imprisoning them in a terrarium is against its nature.
• terrestrial urchin (Erinaceus europaeus): like other species, terrestrial urchins are protected, so keeping them in captivity is illegal and carries considerable fines. If you find such an animal in the field and it is healthy, you should never catch it. Keeping it in captivity would mean the animal's death, as it can't even drink water from a drinking fountain. If he is injured or has health problems, you can notify the environmental agents or the IBAMA so they can take him to a center where he can recover and be released. Furthermore, because it is a mammal, we can contract numerous diseases and parasites from this animal.
• capuchin monkey (and any other species of monkey): although the monkey as a pet is allowed by IBAMA in Brazil, there are a series of restrictions and its ownership must be authorized. We emphasize that its ownership is not recommended mainly to protect the different species, not just the capuchin monkey. These mammals (especially those of unknown origin) can transmit diseases such as rabies, herpes, tuberculosis, candidiasis and hepatitis B, through bites or scratches.

Exotic Animals That Shouldn't Be Pets

The trafficking and possession of exotic animals is illegal in most cases. In addition to causing irreparable harm to animals, they can also cause serious public health problems, as they may be carriers of endemic diseases in their places of origin.

Many of the exotic animals we can buy come from the illegal traffic, since these species do not reproduce in captivity. During capture and transfer, over 90% of animals die. Parents are killed when the offspring are captured, and without their care, the offspring cannot survive. In addition, transport conditions are inhumane, crammed into plastic bottles, hidden in luggage and even tucked into the sleeves of jackets and coats.

As if that wasn't enough, if the animal survives until it reaches our home and, once here, we manage to make it survive, it can still escape and establish itself as an invasive species, eliminating native species and destroying the balance of the ecosystem.

Below, we show you some exotic animals that shouldn't be pets:

• red-eared turtle(Trachemys scripta elegans): this species is one of the main problems facing the fauna of the European Iberian Peninsula and it is illegal to keep it as a pet in Brazil, according to IBAMA. Its ownership as a pet began years ago, but naturally, these animals live for many years, eventually reach a considerable size, and most of the time people get bored with them and abandon them. That's how they arrived in the rivers and lakes of some countries, with such a voracious appetite that, in many cases, they managed to exterminate entire populations of autochthonous reptiles and amphibians. In addition, day after day, red-eared turtles arrive at veterinary clinics with health problems arising from captivity and poor nutrition.
• African pygmy hedgehog (Atelerix albiventris): with biological needs very similar to those of the terrestrial hedgehog, in captivity this species presents the same problems as the native species.
• parakeet (psittacula krameri): individuals of this species cause a lot of damage in urban areas, but the problem goes beyond that. This species is displacing many other fauna birds, they are aggressive animals and reproduce easily. This serious problem arose when someone who held them captive, either by mistake or knowingly, set them free across Europe. Like any other parrot, they suffer problems in captivity situations. Stress, pecking and health problems are some of the reasons that take these birds to the veterinarian and, most of the times, are due to inadequate handling and captivity.
• Red panda (ailurus fulgens): Native to the mountainous regions of the Himalayas and southern China, it is a solitary animal with a twilight and nocturnal habit. It is threatened with extinction due to the destruction of its habitat and also due to illegal hunting.

The fox as a pet? Can it? Check out this other PeritoAnimal article.

Dangerous animals that shouldn't be pets

In addition to their illegal possession, there are certain animals that are very dangerous for people, due to its size or its aggressiveness. Among them, we can find:

• coati (In your): if raised at home, it can never be released, due to its very destructive and aggressive personality, as it is a wild and non-domestic species.
• Snake (any species): It takes extra work to care for a snake as a pet. And that if you have authorization from Ibama, which only allows the possession of non-venomous species, such as the python, the corn snake, the boa constrictor, the Indian python and the royal python.

Other non-pet animals

In addition to the animals we have already mentioned, unfortunately many people insist on having an animal that should not be domesticated at home. Here are some of the most popular ones:

• Sloth (Folivora)
• Sugar nut (petaurus breviceps)
• Desert fox or fenugreek (vulpes zero)
• Capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris)
• Lemur (Lemuriforms)
• Tortoise (Chelonoidis carbonaria)

If you want to read more articles similar to Animals that are not supposed to be pets, we recommend that you enter our What You Need to Know section.