From Hunter-Trader-Trapper (1902):
I am very much interested in the domestication and cultivation of the’ opossum and skunk, especially the latter. Mankind is rapidly pre-empting the inhabited territory of the world and the domain of wild animals have rapidly become extinct and many more are rapidly disappearing from the face of the earth. Hunters and trappers are penetrating the wildest and most forbidding parts of the earth in quest of furs, while farmers and boys all over the country are robbing the skunk and opossum of their furry coats that “our fair lady” may have warm neckwear. Very few people have any idea of the immense amount of this “second hand” clothing there is worn thruout the world. It is my opinion that furs in the future will rapidly become scarcer and therefore higher. Carnivorous animals have a natural antipathy for man and can rarely be domesticated. The skunk and opossum are carnivorous to a certain extent but will eat a great variety of foods. The opossum is a great vegetarian and will eat all kinds of fruit. The skunk is a dear lover of sweet corn, sweet potatoes, bread, melons, etc. The fact is these animals are easily kept and are also easily tamed, especially the skunk. The skunk is as easily cared for as the ferret, and there is a ready market lor his fur, while to sell the ferret you must advertise for a buyer. The skunk is one of the three animals of the world that furnishes a naturally black fur. The black house-cat and the black bear are the other two [LOL, Great naturalist there!]. This is one secret of the great value set on the fur of the black skunk. I do not think the cultivation of skunks will ever be overdone. I would very much like to read the experience of others who have tried or who are trying the project of raising these animals. I made my third shipment of furs for this season Feb. 7, 1903. It consisted of 15 skunk, 15 muskrat, 17 opossum, 3 mink and 2 house-cats. My check for above was a beautiful little piece of paper worth $31.45. This puts me near the $100 mark for this year. I have on hand about $15 worth of furs since I shipped. I expect to make about two more shipments this year.
Lee S. Dick
I’d like to know where he got the info on black fur. Um, in case you didn’t know, it’s bit wrong.
But apparently at one time, there was a great market for cat fur!
I don’t know what became of this domestication attempt. I know that striped skunks can breed in captivity, and they come in several fur farm color morphs. Some states that allow pet skunks require that one be of one of these morphs, just so that the authorities know for certain that any pet skunk is captive-bred.
I don’t think opossums have ever been propagated in this fashion. I’ve never heard of an opossum fur farm– probably because the fur itself never was all that valuable.
My guess is Mr. Dick’s venture didn’t go very far. Even if skunks are easy to breed in captivity, they have to be descented, which is a cost that exists across an entire breeding operation. I know that ferrets normally are, but I don’t think descented ferrets necessarily had to make up the bulk of the early domesticated population. With striped skunks, one would have to descent them. It’s just too much of a hazard to deal with an animal that squirt nastiness into your eyes every time it gets a little miffed.
LOL! Here in Florida, I actually had a math teacher in High School that had 2 (yes TWO!) domesticated skunks for pets. They had their spray glands removed(I know that is not the scientific term but my Googler is broken). She tried the entire year to convince us they are much better pets than cats or dogs. I don’t think anyone was convinced.
Keeping pet skunks goes all the way back the Native Americans.
I don’t think they are that hard to keep, and from what I’ve read, like to follow people around just like a dog!
Ernest Thompson Seton had one named Meph that would take walks with him but would get angry if he walked too far ahead!
http://books.google.com/books?id=6bXwAAAAMAAJ&lpg=PA982&ots=iKjvPHc0xK&dq=ernest%20thompson%20seton%20meph&pg=PA982#v=onepage&q&f=false
Meph was named for Mephitis, the genus for striped and hooded skunks.
For much of their history, skunks have been classified with the weasel, otter, mink, ferret, marten, and wolverine family (Mustelidae), but analysis of mtDNA found that skunks are actually in an entirely different family (Mephitidae).
Now that is some awesome information! And kudos to Mr.Ernest Thompson Seton on the coy name. I’m laughing right now imagine a grown man walking a skunk, but I’m sure Meph was a fantastic companion. Any idea what the purpose of Native American domestication of them? Was it for companion purposes, hunting purposes or maybe a belly/foot warmer in the harsh cold (like my AHT)?
Just as pets. Virtually all people throughout history have kept wildlife as pets. That’s how we got all of these domestic animals we have today– some of those wild animals do really well in captivity and are easily selectively bred for our purposes!
Ah! I figured that much=) Human soul has such a strong drive to find a constant companion; big or small, with fur or feather and sometimes scales… if we can love it and it will have us, we will.
“If all the beasts were gone, men would die from a great loneliness of spirit” ~Chief Seattle of the Suquamish Tribe in a letter to President Franklin Pierce
I’ve also heard how ‘naturally tame’ skunks are, and easy to keep. Goes from not having to worry about much in the wild, I guess.
omg it’s sooo cute!!!!!
I imagine that if it weren’t for the stink glands (most people I talk to don’t realize they even can be removed, and it’s actually illegal to remove them in the UK) and the fact that they’re illegal in most of the united states, skunks would probably be more popular as pets.