# Every canid & felid on Earth dies. What other species could we domesticate? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 2, 2009, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-canid-felid-on-earth-dies-what-other-species-could-we-domesticate/488071 "2009-03-02T23:07:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Civil\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d78d45/32.png) [@Civil\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Civil_Guy)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2009, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-canid-felid-on-earth-dies-what-other-species-could-we-domesticate/488071/21 "2009-03-03T04:35:13Z")
Pigs. Porpoises. Geese are decent guard animals, no? Not so much on fearsome, but they do raise the alarm properly, no? ---
**Author:** ![BaneSidhe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c5a1d2/32.png) [@BaneSidhe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BaneSidhe)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2009, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-canid-felid-on-earth-dies-what-other-species-could-we-domesticate/488071/22 "2009-03-03T05:30:03Z")
> [@BrassyPhrase](#): > > I have always thought elephants bred to miniature size would be great pets. Bred to miniature, they aren’t wild animals. (I’m talking down to about Great Dane size). They are herding animals, so understand a pack/family mentality. Plus the trunk?? How perfect for an assistant animal for a differently abled person. They’re PERFECT! But dont’cha know? Pig and elephant DNA just don’t mix 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2009, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-canid-felid-on-earth-dies-what-other-species-could-we-domesticate/488071/23 "2009-03-03T05:48:51Z")
Let’s breed bears. Little ones. They’re closest to dogs and cats evolutionarily, aren’t they? ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2009, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-canid-felid-on-earth-dies-what-other-species-could-we-domesticate/488071/24 "2009-03-03T05:54:32Z")
Rats. Not only are rats personable and easily trainable, they’re already domesticated. We didn’t really _mean_ to domesticate them, but I’ve read opinions that they should count as domesticated anyway. Plus they can [save lives](http://www.herorat.org/). ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2009, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-canid-felid-on-earth-dies-what-other-species-could-we-domesticate/488071/25 "2009-03-03T07:43:33Z")
> [@devilsknew](#): > > Bears!!! Not such a great idea. Bears are nowhere near the fearsome aggressive creatures they are commonly portrayed, and for non-pack animals they have an amazing tolerance for benevolent interaction with other species (including humans) but they are not particularly amenable to domestication or extended social behavior. _Procyon_ (the common raccoon and Ring-tailed “Cat”) are likely substitutes, as are many rodents (especially the brown rat, _Rattus norvegicus_) and the various sub-breeds of domestic pig, which in fact already make good pets. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2009, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-canid-felid-on-earth-dies-what-other-species-could-we-domesticate/488071/26 "2009-03-03T08:13:55Z")
I’ve always thought skunks, especially baby skunks, are cute. Of course they’d have to be descented. But on the other hand, anyone who DIDN’T descent his skunk would pay for it. And we could pass laws that require vets to desex skunks when they descent them, unless the skunk owner has a breeding permit. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2009, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-canid-felid-on-earth-dies-what-other-species-could-we-domesticate/488071/27 "2009-03-03T12:31:48Z")
[Bushbabies](http://images.google.com/images?oe=UTF-8&sourceid=navclient&gfns=1&q=bushbaby&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wi). Miniature Pigs ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2009, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-canid-felid-on-earth-dies-what-other-species-could-we-domesticate/488071/28 "2009-03-03T12:47:50Z")
Yeah, skunks can actually make pretty good pets. My mom owned a pet shop when I was a kid, and I had the opportunity to get to know animals of all kinds. Mustelids are another likely candidate, plus maybe raccoons. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2009, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-canid-felid-on-earth-dies-what-other-species-could-we-domesticate/488071/29 "2009-03-03T13:08:55Z")
Cockroaches. The only problem is that, although they are plentiful, they are very shy and run away at first sight of a human. But maybe if we don’t have a pest spray can in our hand??? ---
**Author:** ![Snickers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2009, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-canid-felid-on-earth-dies-what-other-species-could-we-domesticate/488071/30 "2009-03-03T14:25:12Z")
I’ve always wanted a pet squirrel. Always. They’re cute as hell (if obnoxious). I know nothing of squirrel behaviours, though - perhaps they wouldn’t make good pets. There’s a rodent critter in Tanzania called the Rock Hyrax that I’d make into a pet in a second. Again, cute as all hell. But again, no idea about their temperament. ---
**Author:** ![CutterJohn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/91b2a8/32.png) [@CutterJohn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CutterJohn)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2009, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-canid-felid-on-earth-dies-what-other-species-could-we-domesticate/488071/31 "2009-03-03T14:30:48Z")
I had a friend that had a raccoon as a pet years ago… Found a starving cub and raised it. From his descriptions, it was a very loving creature, and quite playful. It was much more prone to biting than a dog, but I bet a few dozen generations of selective breeding would clear most of that up. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2009, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-canid-felid-on-earth-dies-what-other-species-could-we-domesticate/488071/32 "2009-03-03T15:20:46Z")
> [@Snickers](#): > > I’ve always wanted a pet squirrel. Always. They’re cute as hell (if obnoxious). I know nothing of squirrel behaviours, though - perhaps they wouldn’t make good pets. > > There’s a rodent critter in Tanzania called the Rock Hyrax that I’d make into a pet in a second. Again, cute as all hell. But again, no idea about their temperament. One of my daughter’s friends had a “pet” squirrel. I put that in quotation marks because the squirrel was in no way domesticated. It was kept in a nice large cage, with hidey holes and toys. However, the squirrel was a very nervous critter, and would startle and shy from humans. I don’t know if they got it as an adult, or if it had been treated badly by humans, or what. But this squirrel was not a good pet. It was cute, though. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2009, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-canid-felid-on-earth-dies-what-other-species-could-we-domesticate/488071/33 "2009-03-03T15:20:49Z")
> [@devilsknew](#): > > But those are in the canine order, or genus, or something… do bears and big cats get eliminated in your hypothetical? > > I’d domesticate an Otter otherwise. Family Canidae & Family Felidae are the only creatures who die. Bears are family Ursidae. ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2009, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-canid-felid-on-earth-dies-what-other-species-could-we-domesticate/488071/34 "2009-03-03T15:56:12Z")
> [@Terrifel](#): > > Which kind of raises the question of why, since the other thing \*Planet of the Apes \*taught us is that apes are damn dirty and have stinking paws For the reason below… > [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > I think so long as we’re going to replace our domestic animals, go for bipedalism and hands. I want my pet to be able to take out the trash and do the dishes. If they turn on you with your own guns, just remember that Eddie Izzard warned you not to teach them to kick in your doors. ---
**Author:** ![schnuckiputzi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecb155/32.png) [@schnuckiputzi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/schnuckiputzi)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2009, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-canid-felid-on-earth-dies-what-other-species-could-we-domesticate/488071/35 "2009-03-03T17:21:43Z")
I have had rats, and they are intelligent, playful, and loving. Birds are also great pets…the bigger ones, not the pea-brained finch types. Crows have a nasty sense of humor, and love to play tricks. Hedgehogs are great, as are rabbits and guinea pigs. Why, yes, my husband has outlawed any more animals in the house. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2009, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-canid-felid-on-earth-dies-what-other-species-could-we-domesticate/488071/36 "2009-03-03T17:28:25Z")
> [@Terrifel](#): > > I vote lemurs. If worst comes to worst, I think I could take a lemur. Oh, a tough guy. You got something you wanna say, tough guy? Huh? Well, I’m right here if you wanna say something, tough guy. In other suggestions: _Bassariscus astutas_: [Shaw Communications](http://members.shaw.ca/petitepaws/ringtailpix.html) _Suricata suricata_: [Meerkat Photos, Meerkat Images, Nature Wildlife Pictures | NaturePhoto](http://www.naturephoto-cz.com/meerkat:suricata-suricatta-photo-4217.html) _Genetta genetta_: [http://www.juliesjungle.com/genet.php](http://www.juliesjungle.com/genet.php) _Lutra canadensis_: [File:River Otter at the National Zoo.jpg - Wikimedia Commons](http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:River_Otter_at_the_National_Zoo.jpg) _Chlamyphorus truncatus_: [Pink Fairy Armadillo - It's Nature](http://www.itsnature.org/ground/mammals-land/pink-fairy-armadillo/) ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2009, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-canid-felid-on-earth-dies-what-other-species-could-we-domesticate/488071/37 "2009-03-03T17:37:58Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > Not such a great idea. Bears are nowhere near the fearsome aggressive creatures they are commonly portrayed, and for non-pack animals they have an amazing tolerance for benevolent interaction with other species (including humans) … Tell that to [Timothy Treadwell.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grizzly_Man) ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2009, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-canid-felid-on-earth-dies-what-other-species-could-we-domesticate/488071/38 "2009-03-03T17:42:20Z")
Furries 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2009, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-canid-felid-on-earth-dies-what-other-species-could-we-domesticate/488071/39 "2009-03-03T17:55:20Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > One of my daughter’s friends had a “pet” squirrel. I put that in quotation marks because the squirrel was in no way domesticated. It was kept in a nice large cage, with hidey holes and toys. However, the squirrel was a very nervous critter, and would startle and shy from humans. I don’t know if they got it as an adult, or if it had been treated badly by humans, or what. But this squirrel was not a good pet. It was cute, though. I also had a “pet” squirrel some years back, but it was wild. I started leaving food on the window sill and later tempted it inside. Eventually it would run up to me outside, when I was coming or going from home, climb right up my leg, and root around for food in my shirt pocket. I impresed many neighbors and friends. ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2009, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-canid-felid-on-earth-dies-what-other-species-could-we-domesticate/488071/40 "2009-03-03T19:50:43Z")
> [@CutterJohn](#): > > I had a friend that had a raccoon as a pet years ago.. Found a starving cub and raised it. From his descriptions, it was a very loving creature, and quite playful. It was much more prone to biting than a dog, but I bet a few dozen generations of selective breeding would clear most of that up. My friend raised a couple of raccoons. They were adorable for the first year, but then they turned wild… started getting nasty and eventually wandered off. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-canid-felid-on-earth-dies-what-other-species-could-we-domesticate/488071.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-canid-felid-on-earth-dies-what-other-species-could-we-domesticate/488071.md?page=3)