When Squirrels Were One of America’s Most Popular Pets (2017)

Post by mynameishere » Tue, Dec 15, 2020, 3:17 AM UTC

Post by every » Tue, Dec 15, 2020, 3:42 AM UTC

mynameishere wrote: post #2

Well, people keep rats. Rats have some downsides compared to squirrels: Their ugly tails, the black death, etc.

Post by bonniemuffin » Tue, Dec 15, 2020, 3:57 AM UTC

every wrote: post #4

mynameishere wrote: post #2

Well, people keep rats. Rats have some downsides compared to squirrels: Their ugly tails, the black death, etc.

I often refer to squirrels as cute, fluffy-tailed arboreal rats...

Post by sooheon » Tue, Dec 15, 2020, 4:08 AM UTC

zikzak wrote: post #7

nine_k wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Rats are apparently also smarter.

A friend of mine kept them as pets. I was there once and watched one eat a piece of spaghetti. It held the noodle with both paws, sitting on its hind legs, and took bites while feeding it into its mouth "hand over hand". I have never really forgotten that. There was something so deliberate and skilled about this. No dumb beast, this, face down in a pile of food. This was an intelligent, fastidious creature enjoying a…

Post by Judgmentality » Tue, Dec 15, 2020, 4:21 AM UTC

sooheon wrote: post #8

zikzak wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A friend of mine kept them as pets. I was there once and watched one eat a piece of spaghetti. It held the noodle with both paws, sitting on its hind legs, and took bites while feeding it into its mouth "hand over hand". I have never really forgotten that. There was something so deliberate and skilled about this. No dumb beast, this, face down in a pile of food. This was an intelligent, fastidious creature enjoying a…

Thanks for that image