On Sat, 08 Oct 2005 00:09:43 GMT, Diane
wrote:

In article , "Lumpy"
wrote:

"Diane" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Charlie Wilkes wrote:

Trap and cage it. Check with the zoo, but I don't think gray
squirrels resist captivity one bit if they are well fed and cared for.

The zoo people are going to tell you wild animals belong in the wild.
--

But .. would the zoo people at least feel hypocritical if indeed
they did?

No, the zoo people generally don't take animals out of the wild (and
haven't for years) unless there is an urgent conservation need and it's
approved by a governing body. They also have expertise in the nutrition,
management, husbandry, and enrichment of animals. Most people who take
in perfectly happy wild (and common animals) end up wondering why their
"pet" became aggressive or died. There's quite a bit of difference.

Well, Diane, that is why I suggested that Brian contact the zoo and
talk to an expert. Are you an expert? I don't think so. There's a
difference between a know-it-all and a real expert, and it's not that
hard to spot.

I'm not an expert either, but I had a reason for making the suggestion
I did. I have had a lot of interaction with biologists who
rehabilitate wild animals at Wolf Hollow Wildlife Rehabilitation
Center in Friday Harbor WA. Baby seals get swept up in the current
and separated from their mothers at a tender age, and it is unpleasant
to watch them slowly dehydrate and starve so I take them in.

These people stress the importance of not taming any wild animals. An
animal trained to accept food from human hands is thereby rendered
less likely to survive in the wild.

Squirrels tend to be unwelcome at bird-feeders, and plenty of folks
have a pellet gun to deal with them. Brian cares about this squirrel,
but he has trained it to be suicidal in its quest for human handouts.

That is why I suggested he capture it.

Gray squirrels are charming and friendly as pets but highly
destructive if given a chance. This I have seen first-hand.

However, it may be unlawful in the state of Minnesota to capture any
wild animal for the purpose of making a pet out of it.

Charlie