They're both stinky and can be de-glanded.
2006-07-05 09:19:09 · 22 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
Friends of mine had a skunk as a pet for three years. He had been descented. Toward the end of the third year they noticed that he was beginning to act quite odd. He was more aggressive and he began to bite. Being concerned with the skunk's aggression the father took the animal to the vet. She told him that she was quite sure that the skunk had contracted rabies. They had the animal put down and the tests showed positive for a latent form of rabies. Apparently rabies can lie dormant in the system of skunks and show up much later in their lives. It was a painful lesson for them. All six ended having to go in for the series shots, which fortunately, are no longer administered through the belly fat.
Here is the proof if you want to see it.
http://www.rdwarf.com/pipermail/skunks/1997-September/001213.html
2006-07-06 05:29:46 · answer #1 · answered by The Y!ABut 6 · 7⤊ 2⤋
Actually, I do know some folks with a pet skunk. Some of it is social stigma and in some states/cities there are laws against having a skunk as a pet. I think they make better pets than ferrets.
2006-07-05 09:22:52 · answer #2 · answered by cyanne2ak 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They just aren't as popular as ferrets. I don't really know. This is just what I assume. Some states make you go through a messy bunch of permit stuff to keep skunks as pets. In some states it maybe completely illegal like in how its illegal to own a ferret in California. But I know some people do have them as pets. In fact - I wouldn't mind owning a de-gland skunk myself. I bet it's hard to find one though.
2006-07-05 09:26:03 · answer #3 · answered by anda 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I know a couple of people that have skunks as pets. They have two that is de-glanded and one that is not. But the one that isn't is from the wild and comes and goes as it wishes but is friendly.
2006-07-05 09:23:41 · answer #4 · answered by evrythnnxs 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Skunks are nocturnal. My Mom tells me stories of when they had a pet skunk when they were newly married(the 60s in LA). She said it was up all night and slept all day. Doesn't sound like much fun. They are quite adorable though.
2006-07-05 09:42:27 · answer #5 · answered by prillville 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Skunks are much harder to house than ferrets. They need a lot more space, and they love to dig. They can do a number on your furniture and floors if you try to keep them indoors. They also have much more complex dietary requirements than ferrets. They are omnivores, so a dry chow can't provide all their nutritional requirements.
Skunks are also illegal to keep as pets in many states.
2006-07-05 12:15:28 · answer #6 · answered by Spooky Wan 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have known some people to have skunks as pets. In general though, ferrets are more playful and we know more about what they need to survive. (i.e. nutrition, shelters, disease prevetion) Not to mention, socially speaking, it's probably more acceptable to have a ferret as opposed to a skunk.
2006-07-05 09:43:46 · answer #7 · answered by puppyraiser8 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They prefer the long, round weasel look to the fat smooshed cat look. And they realize that no pet skunk will ever be half as good-looking as Pepe Le Pew. Also, they learn that flesh and blood skunks don't hop as cute as Pepe does either.
2006-07-05 09:39:48 · answer #8 · answered by Lily Iris 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm not sure I have had both as pets (both de-scented) and would pick a skunk any day I even named one of my dogs skunk!
2006-07-05 09:29:51 · answer #9 · answered by dogsrwork 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There are a lot of people who have skunks as pets.
2006-07-05 09:26:18 · answer #10 · answered by jdc591 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋