I totally agree!!! As someone who is saving up for exotics I am researching EVERY aspect of the species biology/behavior/life cycle before I'm gong to make a final decision. I was very much planning on getting a baboon in the future, but the fact that they can't be potty trained is the major factor as to why I've dropped the idea for the time being (yes the teeth don't scare me and I would get a neutered baby) and monkeys wearing diapers 24/7 looks so unnatural so I've moved onto other species for a choice in the future. But yes....... it is SO IMPORTANT TO DO YOUR RESEARCH. It will pay off big time in the long run!
Yes! I wish there were more responsible pet owners out there. Our pets deserve the best!
Well is the animal is confined by an individual or the family of the said individual then it is a pet. And an animal being a pet does not mean that is will be treated like a dog, cat or any other conventional house pet. The only differences that most private animal educators have from a pet owner is a piece of paper, a visit from a stranger once every while, and other people pay them to see their pets.
Unless if it is owned by a municipality, an organization, or any other commune that consists of strangers (which I assume most big zoos today are) then yes, I believe that zoo animals are pets. Besides there are some successful places that stepped into the animal industry as pet owners.
I'm with Thylo on this one. I have about a hundred birds here, none of which are pets. My dog is a pet. The difference is that the dog is socialised to people, and lives in the house. The birds have their own living space and are encouraged to behave as naturally as possible.
The very idea of a pet baboon is IMHO irresponsible. There is no way it could ever be allowed to have the same complex social life in human society that it would have in baboon society, even if surgically mutilated in an attempt to fix this. It would not behave appropriately in human society, which could never replace a baboon troop. Rant over.
In this case the baboon I used to want would be classified as number 3.
What if you had a baboon and you treated it like a zoo would have treated it?
They do cost a lot, some can be up to 100K. If I had the money, I would have a baboon, because I don't think about any animals being like humans genetically but I don't want to argue about that.
Exactly! Unlike the "monkey moms" who try to make their pet primates human children, I would have a naturalistic habitat where the baboons could live in a secure environment and If they wanted to socialize with me, I'd go into their enclosure and let them initiate the contact. Like elephants who can choose to participate in training sessions or not it'd be the exact same way with the baboons. I'm not gonna lie, I would spoil them rotten with lots of enrichment and fun activities to keep them healthy and very happy!
I like baboons because like us they live in a large group and are smart enough that they won't instantly attack you like the smaller cercopithecines (vervets/guenons/etc...). They are very smart and often give you several warnings before they choose to full on attack. There was a famous Chacma baboon named Jack who helped a railway worker in South Africa with being a signalman with the Port Elizabeth Mainline Railroad. In this clip, the owner of "Typhoon" the baboon who starred in the 1990 film Shakma with Roddy McDowell discusses his experience of working with this amazing animal. Overall I think baboons are severely misunderstood primates and I feel most people see the massive canines and think its a bloodthirsty beast. Often times, the most incredible animals are the ones that are relegated to the sidelines of public interest or conservation concern.
