# Keeping Native Animals as Pets to Prevent Extinction



## Snowman (Oct 14, 2010)

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/10/14/3038560.htm?section=justin 

*Breeding quolls as pets could stop extinction*

Posted 1 hour 32 minutes ago 
New research has found breeding threatened native animals like quolls as pets could become a lucrative industry that would help prevent their extinction. 
A team of biodiversity researchers has released the study examining the feasibility of a breeding industry for native mammals, focusing on the eastern quoll and mitchell's hopping mouse. 
Like the northern quoll, which is threatened by the spread of cane toads, the eastern quoll has been all but eradicated on the mainland by predators such as foxes.
The study found that breeding native mammals as pets could lead to them replacing domestic cats, which threaten small native animals. 
A pet breeding program could also help build a greater understanding of the animals' needs.
The study recognises that a breeding industry would have to be regulated but as long as keepers are well trained, there should not be any major welfare issues.


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## pyrodarknessanny (Oct 14, 2010)

hey thats prity cool idea 
i woulden't mind a quoll or any other native critter for that matter


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## najanaja (Oct 14, 2010)

there are good points to this argument and bad points too....

this could get interesting, i might have to sit back and watch this thread for a while...


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## Snowman (Oct 14, 2010)

Keeping Australian Native Animals as Pets


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## Chris1 (Oct 14, 2010)

oh man theyre cute!
i want i want i want!!


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## Jay84 (Oct 14, 2010)

About time! They should be available to private keepers, im not sure without looking at my license paperwork but i think we are allowed to keep these in Vic anyways?

I think there should be work done in ensuring native animals enter the pet industry.


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## butters (Oct 14, 2010)

A friend has quolls and they are cute but they are not all that easy to keep and breed consistently. Given enough attention when young they can ge very friendly but if they don't feel like being sociable they have incredibly big teeth!

He also has wombats and while it is nice to wander around the yard with a wombat in tow, when they play, they play hard. Wombats are incredibly strong so care has to be taken when dealing with them. They often don't mean it but I have had numerous bruises from playing with wombats fun though it is.

In Queensland at least it will never happen as the parks people up here are totally against any native mammals being kept by the average person. In SA on the other hand you can keep many species but suprisingly few people keep them and many species that were in private hands have now been lost through lack of interest.

The down side with many native animals is that most have relatively short life spans particularly the Dasyurids. Quolls for example would be geriatric at 4 years of age. Few make it past 5.

I wish it would happen (I for one would love to keep some native mammals) and I agree with many of the statements in that article but it won't.


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## cris (Oct 15, 2010)

This has been talked about for ages, its a shame nothing ever happens (well not in Qld anyway). 

Other than idiots buying them not knowing anything(as happens with reptiles, dogs, birds, fish, cats and every other animal), i havnt heard any decent negative arguements. I would be very interested to hear them.

As for wombats causing bruises i always have an assortment of bruises from my rotti, he isnt trying to hurt me or it would be punture wounds torn flesh and broken bones :lol:


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## adderboy (Oct 15, 2010)

Here we go. It's "cruel"....

From ABC news site:

Rescuers rubbish native pet push
Updated 2 hours 20 minutes ago 


A study found that breeding native mammals as pets could lead to them replacing domestic cats. (ABC News: Fiona Blackwood)

Video: Pet quolls could stop extinction (7pm TV News NT) Related Story: Breeding quolls as pets could stop extinction Animal rescue organisation Wildcare has dismissed suggestions native animals could be kept as pets.

Researchers at the University of New South Wales have published a report that says it could be feasible to keep quolls and the mitchell's hopping mouse as household pets to promote conservation.

The study found that breeding native mammals as pets could lead to them replacing domestic cats, which threaten small native animals.

But Wildcare NT president Mignon McHendrie says native animals are very specialised and keeping them as pets would be cruel.

She says conservation is not a good enough reason to attempt their domestication.

"Having an animal in a habitat, that's not right, it's just inhumane," she said.

"The parks and the zoos... have to have adequate size aviaries for them and I don't think people could actually do that properly."

Ms McHendrie says wild animals do not tame easily and would-be pet owners often end up dumping them.

"At the moment they sell sugar gliders and squirrel gliders as pets and they're just being dumped," she said.

"People just get sick of them and we'll end up with them all at the RSPCA and end up causing more problems."


Source: Rescuers rubbish native pet push - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)


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## Chimera (Oct 15, 2010)

This is exactly why nothing happens, god damn bleeding heart misguided greenies who refuse to see the bigger picture. They anthropomorphize all animals and in doing so inflict a blight that has affected modern society where the rights of the individual outweigh the good of the collective. This is usually combined with state authorities too callow to stand up to any ridiculous group bearing an animal rights banner.

How about we all sit in the dark (god forbid a campfire) eat tofu, sing kumbaya and do nothing while our national fauno goes to %$#@!!!!


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## Snowman (Oct 15, 2010)

Well said Chimera.

I can't help but think that people like Mignon McHendrie are just protecting thier jobs. They want to be the only ones to work with native wildlife and have this ridiculous elitist mentality that they are the only ones capable of keeping them in captivity.
The fact of the matter is that there isn't enough funds to save our endangered wildlife. So what is the answer? Well the best one so far is tuning to the public to have them as pets. As reptile keepers we are well aware that our pets need certain conditions met. No doubt people keeping mammals would take on the needed requirements for the best interest of their animals.... 
No doubt that they also believe that only "zoo's have the adequate space" for a scrubby too!


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## REPTILIAN-KMAN (Oct 15, 2010)

sign me up i am in NSW we cant keep possums as pets like in VIC they can have CROC's too i call VIC ( THE LUCKY STATE ) you can own anything at all down there


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## wasgij (Oct 15, 2010)

far from it unfortunatly, VIC isn't that lucky. we're lucky in some ways but really not in others. there is heaps of species missing from the taxa that we can hold


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## Sdaji (Oct 15, 2010)

Goodness! People might put native animals into the Australian wild when they're sick of them! That would be so much worse than putting exotic animals into the Australian wild!

Goodness! People might end up handing them in to pounds! It's a good thing that never happens with traditional pets like cats and dogs!


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## Slickturtle (Oct 16, 2010)

*Native animals as pets*

Hi Guys

In case no one else has posted it, here is the link to the report written by Rosie Cooney and Rosalie Chapple amongst others. It is a good thing that the Federal Government is funding research into this topic. The report is mainly about quolls and Hopping Mice but there is a lot of useful info within which would encompass birds, reptiles, amphibs and fishes too.

Cheers

Slickturtle

View attachment australian native animals as pets.pdf


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## ANT22 (Oct 16, 2010)

i think it is a great idea, surely the positives out way the degatives??


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## wolfmonat (Jun 24, 2012)

I also belive this would be a great idea i would rather get to have a native pet as a pet then the generally known pets.
And it is true that this was been talked about for a long time. But i do not see this changing any time soon due to the ideas of the Govenment. Unless the govenment changes their view towards the keeping of the Native fauna as pets. We all know how hard it is to keep reptiles in Australia. The Report is from October 2010 if they were truly interested in allowing this report to go ahead they would have done something to make the changes towards allowing us to keep Australian Fauna as pets.


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## CaptainRatbag (Jun 24, 2012)

Great idea..... I wouldnt even mind breeding them for release.... I would be more than happy to do that  oh, and have a pet one too


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## MrSpike (Jun 24, 2012)

Half the people with native reptiles currently can't handle or maintain them correctly, can't wait to see them trying to play with a male Tiger Quoll lol.

In reality it's a horrible idea, for just anyone to be allowed to keep/breed animals like that. If there was a strict set of guidlines and a studbook for them to follow just like with a lot of zoo animals then it may work, as long as the people keeping them are qualified in one way or another. But realistically most people would probably just end up with stitches and an animal they can't maintain because they are fearful of it.


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## Darlyn (Jun 24, 2012)

The report is from 2010 because that's how old this thread is.
I saw something on TV 2 weeks ago where they had a native marsupial rat and they where
asking people to adopt them as pets to ensure they aren't eradicated by feral cats and foxes.
It was really cute too.


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## wolfmonat (Jun 24, 2012)

You can include me in that too. At one stage the eastern quoll was located in how area but now they are extremely rear. I would love to get into breeding of wildlife that is endangered, threathened in our area for release and for pets.


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## moussaka (Jun 24, 2012)

While I'm not entirely sure where I stand on this yet, and might potentially be in favour of it, there are a couple of problems that I can see.

Firstly, keeping natives as pets won't necessarily in itself result in better conservation of those in the wild. For instance, the Gouldian finch is very popular and common in captivity, but is still endangered in the wild, with little evidence that the captive stock have had any impact on lessening the problems experienced by those in the wild (though a potential benefit is the large captive stock can be used much more easily for research without having to remove animals from the wild). I can also imagine that being able to keep natives which are currently entirely off-limits could cause problems with poaching - we know how big a problem it is already with our reptiles!

Also, addressing the point brought up in the article linked to earlier of 'genetic diversity is always a good thing': simply put, it's not. Don't get me wrong, a lot of the time it is, but in lots of organisms local populations may be adapted for local conditions, with a particular set of genes which confer a very high level of fitness in that particular environment. Introducing new genes (e.g. from escaped native pets) can then introduce genes which are less advantageous, which can be a serious problem for an animal which already has a small population size.

Not saying that I think keeping native animals as pets is necessarily a bad thing, but there are definitely potential problems which should be addressed.

Oh, also this made me laugh:


> A media piece run by the ABC also made some strong arguments against native animals being kept as pets. The piece quoted _Dr Karen Viggers_ and _Dr David Lindenmayer,_ who were deemed to be experts because, like your average bushwalker, they had "experience in wildlife biology and conservation. (3)"


Oh..oh yes, of course, the average bushwalker has the same knowledge of and experience with biology and conservation as _David freaking Lindenmayer,_ who is only _Australia's foremost conservation biologist.

_EDIT: lol only just noticed how old this thread is!


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## SteveNT (Jun 24, 2012)

Sdaji said:


> Goodness! People might put native animals into the Australian wild when they're sick of them! That would be so much worse than putting exotic animals into the Australian wild!
> 
> Goodness! People might end up handing them in to pounds! It's a good thing that never happens with traditional pets like cats and dogs!



What if released quolls ate native animals! SHOCK! HORROR! IT'S THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT!


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## CaptainRatbag (Jun 24, 2012)

oops  I just saw the dat of the post too :lol:

I still think it would be an idea worth looking into..... as long as people who obtain the animals are licenced and educated on thier requirements etc


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## butters (Jun 24, 2012)

If it was legal I would have quolls tomorrow, or at least in a few months when they are out of the pouch. I wouldn't be having them as a house pet though. Custom built connecting enclosures. At least not once full grown.
juveniles can be cute and friendly, adult males......not so much, I have had a number of "friendly" bites on the ankle before whilst cleaning at a friends place and it doesn't tickle. You just have to see them yawn to realise if they wanted to they could really bring the pain. They almost have flip top heads they can open their jaws so wide! I am talking mostly about spot tail quolls.

Never been bitten by an eastern or northern ime they act tough but dont follow through but I am sure there are people who work with these on a more regular basis that have been.

Would have sugar gliders as well and if handled correctly from a young age they really can become almost like house pets. Many that I have worked with actually seem to enjoy human contact to a degree in that they actively seek it out at times.

Not going to happen. Heaven forbid for people to keep native mammals!! 


Pure stupidity. Quolls for example were once found in most of the inhabited areas of the east coast. What damage are they likely to do if some did escape? Far less than a cat or dog for one thing. They also are no longer found there for a reason which is still there. Us.


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## -Peter (Jun 24, 2012)

Pretty sad state of affairs when pet trade becomes the answer to saving a species. Last resort. Oh well,roll up the sleeves and get on with it I say.


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## SteveNT (Jun 24, 2012)

It was no pet but I had a female northern quoll who used to come in through the circular hole in the flywire that the black-footed tree rat had cut (his third and final one- I gave up trying to stop him). A V. panoptes used it too. One day the quoll (with clinger young) and the goanna met up in the hallway and the goanna snatched a baby and bolted. She got him halfway through the hole and shredded his rump, but he got away. 

All this while I watched from the couch. At the end of the day I try to put myself where "they" are rather than bring "them" to me.


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## Snowman (Jun 24, 2012)

Hey who dug up this old thread? 
save species or not I'd rather see feral natives then cats etc. We have kookaburra's in Perth that don't belong here. It's not as offensive as seeing a cat though.


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## Grogshla (Jun 24, 2012)

I would keep them for sure. I think they are great little animals and deserve protection


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## Darlyn (Jun 24, 2012)

Darlyn said:


> The report is from 2010 because that's how old this thread is.
> I saw something on TV 2 weeks ago where they had a native marsupial rat and they where
> asking people to adopt them as pets to ensure they aren't eradicated by feral cats and foxes.
> It was really cute too.



Pretty sure I stated earlier how old this thread is, just goes to show how much people read before they comment.
Or do they just not read my posts because I am so amazingly uninteresting?


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## SteveNT (Jun 24, 2012)

The issue is valid today, the start point is irrelevant.


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## Snowman (Jun 24, 2012)

not valid for WA. It illegal to own native mammals here.


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## james.5 (Jun 24, 2012)

I think that Australia has awesome animals and I would prefer to see natives as pets than cats, dogs and exotic species; however you can't compare cats to quolls as they are completely different animals. 

Quolls would be more elusive animals that wouldn't adapt well to being in houses, like cats; so if they could be kept they would have to be in an outdoor enclosure.


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## crocodile_dan (Jun 24, 2012)

I think butters touched on this issue in his post on page 1 but:

It is interesting to note those states which permit the private keeping of certain species (Quolls, koalas, wombats, raptors, macropods etc), that despite their relative simplistic husbandry requirements (comparatively) the keeping of such species is limited to a minute proportion of keepers even compared with our growing but still small reptile hobby. Thankfully permits for most of the more "iconic" species are specialist only, and therefore require a screening process. 

It raises the question that if such legislation were to come in permitting the private keeping of certain native species (in states which currently prohibit such) would it be successful/popular? Given that those currently able to do such are not doing so in significant numbers?


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## butters (Jun 24, 2012)

As stated how old the thread happens to be is irrelevant. The issue hasn't changed at all.

Its not that we didn't read your post it's more that we chose to ignore it as its still a relevant thread.


I would much rather have them come to me too but these critters are no longer in the wild where I live. Well sugar gliders are still around and I much rather see them in the trees out front of my house. 

If you are going to have a cute furry animal I would rather it be a native than a feral like a rat, ferret, cat etc

No they aren't in the same category as cats or dogs as far as companion pets but if you were to selectively breed them over generations it may be possible to get them there. They have a ridiculously short generation turnaround so it shouldn't take long for domesticated traits to start appearing such as changes in temperament etc. 

Once kept as pets they will never be used to restock natural populations. Not specifically anyway. They will be pets not sources for restocking. Escapees are still bound to happen but the threat should be less than current " traditional" pets.

I honestly doubt it would become hugely popular.

As you said Dan there are states that have allowed their keeping for a fair period of time and rather than become common many species have disappeared from private collections. Many of these same species have become rare or non existent in zoos and parks as well as they are not " iconic" enough to bring people in.

Zoos regularly stop breeding programs to concentrate on other species and once they do numbers get so low that the species is lost to the system. You need a fair number of facilities breeding them to keep genetic diversity up and many just aren't interested. Also if you do breed a few you have to find somewhere to dispose of surplus. If others zoos don't want them what do you do with them? at present they can't ( for various reasons- ARAZPA being one) be released to the public.

You stop the breeding program is what you do. Next thing you know they are gone.


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