enrichment Ideas for Porcupine

[mrcriss]

The animals sure wouldn't be just as happy without that valuable enrichment.

What's the problem with non-toxic paints? They are non-toxic after all - if the individual animal doesn't mind, what's the issue? Same question for walks.

How is taking a porcupine for a walk different from taking a dog for a walk? I hope you aren't claiming that people who walk their dogs are commiting animal abuse.

So how are they quantifying the benefits of this enrichment? And in answering, please let's try stay away from the anthropomorphism.

I think what irks me is that these animals are being treated as pets. But we need to remember that they're not pets, but wild animals.

 

[birdsandbats]

So how are they quantifying the benefits of this enrichment? And in answering, please let's try stay away from the anthropomorphism.

I think what irks me is that these animals are being treated as pets. But we need to remember that they're not pets, but wild animals.

They are captive animals, so they are not wild.

Oxford Dictionary defines pet as "a domestic or tamed animal kept for companionship or pleasure." These animals are, by definition, pets.

 

[Aardwolf]

For any enrichment opportunity, including walks, I ask, "Is this going to increase the amount of time that the animal has the option to change its activity budget closer to that of an animal in the wild state and engage in a wider variety of natural behaviors, in a manner that allows the animal to exercise choice and control?"

If a zoo director who felt the way that you did about this told me, "Aardwolf, you can take the porcupine for a walk for enrichment purposes. But you can only do it when the zoo is closed, you can't take any pictures or video of it, and you can never, ever tell anyone outside of the zoo that you're doing it, so no one gets the impression that the animal is a pet," would I still do it? Absolutely. Because I feel strongly that it would be the best welfare for the animal in terms of exercise and enrichment.

 

[mrcriss]

They are captive animals, so they are not wild.

Oxford Dictionary defines pet as "a domestic or tamed animal kept for companionship or pleasure." These animals are, by definition, pets.

So in your considered opinion, all zoo animals are pets?

 

[birdsandbats]

So in your considered opinion, all zoo animals are pets?

Depends on the animal (from an individual and species level standpoint). In most cases, I would say they aren't pets, but they are also NOT wild animals (and it should not be pretended that they are).

 

[mrcriss]

Depends on the animal (from an individual and species level standpoint). In most cases, I would say they aren't pets, but they are also NOT wild animals (and it should not be pretended that they are).

Well the animals I work with are pretty damn wild!

But then we don't put them on leads or make them take part in playschool activities.

I'm at a complete loss for words that you view zoo animals as domesticated. Apart from anything else, that negates the skill and hard work that we zoo staff put into working in dangerous situations.

 

[equidae]

Well the animals I work with are pretty damn wild!

But then we don't put them on leads or make them take part in playschool activities.

I'm at a complete loss for words that you view zoo animals as domesticated. Apart from anything else, that negates the skill and hard work that we zoo staff put into working in dangerous situations.

Zoo animals are considerably more desensitised to human presence than wild animals. They're captive, not wild. Look at what HWP did with their Takhis. They're not as tame as domestic horses, but you could never act like that around a wild Takhi.

That's not to say zoo animals should be treated like pets or made to take part in 'playschool activities'. But they also shouldn't be thinking of people in the same way as wild animals. Unless the animal is going to be released to the wild, not making them 'tame' to some extent is a disservice to them, making any procedures done on them more stressful.

Besides, there are people working with domestic animals that are put into equally if not more dangerous situations than your average zookeeper - dog and horse trainers, dog walkers, horse riders have all been killed by their charges on numerous counts. Dangerous doesn't equal wild.

 

[Great Argus]

Well the animals I work with are pretty damn wild!

But then we don't put them on leads or make them take part in playschool activities.

I'm at a complete loss for words that you view zoo animals as domesticated. Apart from anything else, that negates the skill and hard work that we zoo staff put into working in dangerous situations.

He did not say he considers zoo animals as domesticated - though he is bearing in mind that several domestic species are not uncommon in zoos.

If an animal can safely be brought outside of its exhibit to exercise or explore, why on earth not? Many animals love having that opportunity, whether on a harness or not. You seem to be of the opinion that the majority of zoo animals are dangerous and wild creatures that should stay in their exhibits, and that seeing them as anything otherwise underscores the risky job you have as a keeper. It feels very akin to the zoo idea of 100 years ago, not the zoos of today. Many species must be treated with respect and appropriate caution for sure - but so should many domestics, so why draw the line like you have?