'They now crave human affection': 5 Unlikely wild animals that are already on their way to living in our homes

But when are we going to get a pet bear?

Who knows what the future holds, but according to some people, the future is furry and bright for our pet options. This creator below hypothesizes that in the next 100 years, we're going to have a much larger pool of pets to choose from. From raccoons to wild cats, we might have some new cute creatures living in our homes within our lifetime.

A lot of this video talks about the theory of domestication, which is where an animal goes through physical, emotional, and instinctual changes to allow it to adjust more to living with humans and to also be more appealing to humans. For example, domesticated animals have a reduced "fight or flight" instinct, simply because they don't have to deal with survival as a base need anymore. An extreme fight or flight instinct could be dangerous for an animal living in a home, as they could potentially attack their owners as a reflex (which would not make them good pets at all).

Now, all of these predictions are merely hypotheses, but we would be lying if we didn't wish that they would come true. Could you imagine snuggling with your pet capybara? Hand-feeding a baby raccoon? Or even trimming the nails of your house ocelot? It sounds crazy, but it just might be pawssible.

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Raccoons

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He theorizes that raccoons are actually self-domesticating, meaning that, like cats, they're choosing to be around humans more and more. They're slowly evolving floppier ears and shorter snouts, all of which are aesthetically pleasing to the human eye. They've also been showing less fear towards humans, meaning that they are more willing to interact with them instead of just running away.
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Certain breeds of foxes

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Foxes are already going through domestication in some parts of Russia. Some foxes are even showing a craving for human affection! That's literally the best news we could ask for. However, before getting a fox, you should know that they are very smart and can be very destructive. And also, they scream. Yes, they quite literally scream. So if you're not a fan of loud noises, a fox is not the pet for you.
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Capybaras

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Capybaras, also known as “everyone's friend,” are prime candidates for entering our homes due to their friendly and easygoing nature. They get along with nearly every animal and are relatively easy to care for. The only downside is their dense, coarse fur, but he hypothesizes that if we find a way to make them fluffier, they'll definitely be mainstream pets in the next 100 years.
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Skunks

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Skunks are already pets on rare occasions. You can buy de-scented skunks, which have their scent glands removed so they can't spray in defense. People who have skunks talk about their loving and silly nature, often highlighting their desire to socialize when handled properly. Sounds pretty cute to us!
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Certain wild cats

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Some breeds of wild cats, like ocelots, might be pets in the future. Some of them have easygoing temperaments and can be trained (not quite as well as dogs, they are cats, after all). Just think about those big, fluffy paws. It sounds like heaven!
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Mini pigs

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Mini pigs are already pets, but they need more years of selective breeding to consistently keep them under 40 lbs. to make them more mainstream. If we're being honest, we would totally have a pet pig. They are supposed to be very clean, smarter than dogs, and very friendly. 100% would adopt a tiny pig!
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