The exotic "Pets" are cute philosposphy is the reason why there is an international illegal trade in wildlife. Gliders are born to be free. They are not domesticated. I don't approve of caged birds either. Thousands of birds and small marsupials and reptiles die each year because they smuggled internationally in the hope that a few will survive and bring in $$$$$$$. Whether the pets are bred in captivity in another country is not relevant. The original breeding stock would have been illegal.
In further support of your argument, the "exotics" bred in captivity still add a demand "pull" for additional imports.
There is little logic with which to refute a firm position in opposition to having any wild animal treated as a "pet", although some might offer that the smaller critters seem to lead pretty carefree lives in the hands of caring owners. We also have the example of some basically wild animals reasonably domesticated - elephants and camels come to mind (of course I've never spoken with one to gather a first creature opinion).
There is as well the issue of the mistreatment of indigenous species rounded up and transported for the "exotic" trade. For their sake, the development (and promotion) of domestic breeding stocks that provide reasonably priced pet stock for responsible owners would actually cut down on the demand for smuggled imports. If we made U. S. born Gliders economically priced, there would be little incentive to smuggle them in from down-under.
The "rape is inevitable" school would suggest that since banning the wearing of fur products is unlikely, the development of ranch farming and humane "harvesting" of mink and fox is not such a bad idea.
Unfortunately for the Gliders, I suspect the outrage over Rhino Horn, Elephant Tusk, and Gorilla Hands will eclipse their casue for now.
der Brucer (who is content with his birds flocking to the feeder - outside)
