Animals that Do Not Make Good Pets

As humans, many of us have an affinity for animals. We seek companions in pets, but there are quite a number of animals that do not make good pets. Some of them are obvious, like very poisonous spiders and snakes, but some are not quite so obvious. Below are just a few of the animals that should not be kept as pets:

Scorpions - These animals do not require a great amount of care, but are not an ideal pet. Handling a scorpion is not a good idea - Besides the risk of its sting, scorpions become very stressed when handled, a health risk to the creature itself.

Deer – In many areas, it is illegal to keep deer captive, as pets or otherwise, and for good reason. Deer may carry CWD (Chronic Wasting Disease) and the risk of spreading it increases drastically within a herd of captive deer. Captive deer may also spread disease to their human hosts.

Snapping turtles – These turtles require a very large tank of water as they grow to very large sizes, up to 60 pounds! They can also be aggressive, so they definitely don’t make good pets for children. Great care and consideration must be taken before making the decision to own a snapping turtle as a pet.

Chimpanzees – These animals may seem irresistible as a cute and cuddly companion, but they are not an ideal pet! Chimpanzees grow quite fast and by the time they are five years old, they are stronger than most human adults. They can become destructive and will bite. These animals were meant to live in the wild and not as domesticated pets. Zoos generally refuse to accept pet chimpanzees because they usually do not fit into established chimp groups in a zoo environment. Most often, the animals end up in medical research laboratories.

Bats – Bats are protected by laws against owning them as pets, and in most areas, it is illegal to keep them captive, for very good reason. It is extremely harmful to the animal to be kept as a pet. In the wild, bats live over 25 years, yet in captivity as a pet, they rarely survive more than a year. To keep a bat in captivity, a person must be USDA licensed and have the necessary permits.

Just a few other animals that don’t make good pets: crocodiles, wolves, coyotes, lions, tigers, ocelots, foxes, kangaroos, raccoons, skunks, squirrels, and bears.

It is generally in the best interest for you and your pet if you do a bit of research before you decide on which animal would make the best companion for you. There are plenty of “exotic” animals that do make good pets, as well as plenty that do not.

This article has been submitted in affiliation with http://www.PetLovers.Com/ which is a site for Pet Forums.

Tonia Jordan is a freelance Journalist, editor of Word of Mouth Magazine, and an author at http://www.Writing.Com