I feel like bears is the most obvious answer. In this scenario it would have started thousands of years ago. We’d have dozens/hundreds of breeds with different shapes,sizes and characteristics. What do you think would be the most interesting/cool?

  • Squirrelsdrivemenuts@lemmy.world
    461·
    19 days ago

    I would love having a squirrel as pet. Unfortunately most squirrel types don’t do well in captivity because they are too anxious. I nursed a baby squirrel once as a volunteer and it would just sleep in my shirt pocket or bra and be the cutest little thing until it was old enough to start learning to be a wild squirrel.

    • anon6789@lemmy.world
      8·
      19 days ago

      I think I’m going to side with you on this one. They start out calm enough, simple feeding and housing requirements, they can’t hurt you as much as some of these larger animals, and most don’t seem to get too bad an attitude even as adults unless they’re cornered. Honestly my biggest problem would be them going to the bathroom everywhere and in places not readily accessible to clean. Eww.

  • BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today
    18·
    19 days ago

    For me, it’s Racoons, Squirrels, or Crows.

    I used to have a Robin friend, who would keep me company while I gardened, so he could grab a juicy worm from the ground I was turning. I’m currently friends with a pair of Sand Hill Cranes who spend every night in front of my house. I talk them nearly every night. They know me well, I stand right next to them, they aren’t afraid of me at all.

    • Wolf314159@startrek.website
      4·
      19 days ago

      While I envy your ability to get close to wildlife, loosing their fear of humans is really very dangerous for Sand Hill Cranes especially.

      • BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today
        6·
        19 days ago

        Sand Hills aren’t very afraid of humans anyway. I’ve just gotten to know these two well, because they sleep in front of my house every night, for the last several years.

        The only time we don’t see them, is when they have an egg at wherever they have their day time spot. For the last few days, only George has been showing up, which means Martha is probably on the egg somewhere. Soon, he’ll stay with her, and we won’t see them for a couple of months, until their new babies are old enough to fly to our house, their normal nighttime spot.

        The first time they returned with two babies, my mom opened the door, and there was George, most of the way up the driveway, which he had never done before, with Martha and their two babies at the end of the driveway. George wanted to introduce me to his new family!

        So I said “George! Welcome back! Are these your new babies? They’re beautiful!” And I walked up to the babies and stood right near them. They got nervous, but Martha and George were fine, so the babies settled down.

        They don’t always show back up with babies, which is sad. They laid one in front of our house one year, but it disappeared after a few weeks. We think a coyote took it. George was very sad, and when I approached him after it disappeared, he lifted his head and called loudly. He was sharing his grief with me.

        I know who all the animals around my house are, every bird and mammal, and even a couple of gators, but we don’t have relationships. George and I are true friends.

        • Wolf314159@startrek.website
          13·
          19 days ago

          Sand Hills aren’t very afraid of humans anyway.

          Yes, that is the vulnerability that you are exploiting and making worse for an entire family of cranes.

          I’ve seen this story before. It usually ends in tragedy for the cranes. You’ve likely already seen the results with the loss of their chick. You blame it on a wild animal without proof, but it’s just as likely that the reduction of their fear response to humans (as a direct result of your “kindness”) led to their death.

          • BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today
            3·
            19 days ago

            Like it or not, we have to share the world with them, so being kind to them isn’t being abusive or exploitive. I don’t feed them, chase them, bother them. But they are there in my environment, and I’m in theirs, and we are aware of each other, and get along. That’s all.

  • chunes@lemmy.world
    83·
    19 days ago

    Hmm, if I could choose, I would much rather imbue cat behavior onto an animal than dog behavior. Cats rule, dogs drool.

    • YappyMonotheist@lemmy.world
      4·
      19 days ago

      I love my cat but she’s basically useless and untrainable, the only thing she has going for her is that she’s fluffy and occasionally cuddly (which is enough for me, ofc!). Dogs are actually useful, cats are just nice to look at and cuddle with. 🤷

      • starman2112@sh.itjust.works
        1·
        18 days ago

        I like to think that jumping spiders could easily kill us with their bites, but they’re simply too sweet to even think about attacking us

        This applies to my hypothetical giant spider puppies

  • dkppunk@piefed.socialEnglish
    1·
    19 days ago

    Jack rabbits

    I already have bunnies and they make wonderful pets with proper care. But having a giant wild and wise looking Jack rabbit would be so awesome! They have ears and thumpers for days!! 😍