Obese skunk put on vegetarian diet to battle bacon addiction

[n2doc]

A pet skunk in the U.K. weighs double his ideal weight after years of enjoying an unhealthy diet of bacon sandwiches.
By Stephanie Rogers
Wed, Sep 30 2009 at 11:36 AM EST



Mr. Bumble the skunk loves his bacon sandwiches, but his new owners have put him on a vegetarian diet to help shed the extra weight they’ve added to his frame.

At 14 pounds, Mr. Bumble is twice his ideal weight. His previous owners, who indulged his love for pork, gave him to the RSPCA and he now lives at Tropiquaria animal park near near Watchet, Somerset, where he’s fed fruit and vegetables.

His new healthy diet, along with a daily exercise regimen, should help him shed the extra 7 pounds that have made his naturally sleek body so rotund. Skunks’ natural diet in the wild is made up of insects, mice, greenery and dead animals.

Skunks have become popular as household pets in the U.K., but abandonment rates are up as a new law prevents the removal of their scent glands. Tropiquaria park owner Chris Noisier says that they’re not sure whether Mr. Bumble has been de-scented.

more:
http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/wilderness-resources/stories/obese-skunk-put-on-vegetarian-diet-to-battle-bacon

[JuniperLea]

1. Someone put a parson's coat on that guy and name him Elvis!

Shame on his "people" for feeding him the wrong dead animal.

[Cirque du So-What]

14. You read my mind!

'Elvis' was the name that came to mind when I saw his picture; the bacon sammich reference clinched it.

On edit: I'd give his owners a piece of my mind too. Shame on them!

[YOY]

2. well that just stinks.

n.t.

[tabasco]

3. Well, there's a headline. n/t

[PDJane]

4. I've actually had pet skunks.........

we didn't de-scent them.

Their mother was shot by a damn fool neighbour; we took in the skunks and raised them, fed them, housed them, and loved them; they are cleaner than a cat and are very affectionate. We fed them lettuce and corn and bits.......and let them forage for insects.

[Kceres]

12. My eccentric Aunt Jayne had a pet skunk.

As I recall, "Jezebel" slept in Jayne's lingerie drawer and would steal Hershey's Kisses out of the candy dish.

[Mojorabbit]

20. They are omnivores

and eat a lot of bugs and protein in the wild. I can see putting it on a diet but it looks like they have it on a vegetarian diet. Weird.

[Omnibus]

23. I hope Mr Bumble gets enough protein on his new diet.

And the right mix of amino acids. Otherwise, he might die of some deficiency. Maybe he should be on a bugs + veggies diet.

[flvegan]

5. Oh, sure. The vegetarian agenda strikes again!

Fascists!

[Systematic Chaos]

10. Fuckin' A, dude!

:toast:

[Warpy]

6. I think he's a total cutie

I've known a couple of pet skunks in my life, both named for an owner's previous boyfriend. They really do make nice, affectionate pets, although they need to be confined in a cage when unsupervised. Check out those claws to figure out why.

Both had an unfortunate habit of nibbling toes, so I quickly learned sandals were out when I was visiting the owners.

If Mr. Bumble hadn't been descented, they would know by now. Really.

[CreekDog]

9. "I've known a couple of pet skunks in my life, both named for an owner's previous boyfriend. "

Best post ever!

:rofl: :bounce: :rofl: :bounce:

[CreekDog]

7. What what???

:wtf:

[Gwendolyn]

8. "He is getting to meet lots of new people so there's lots going on in his life..."

If they can love match him with the right Ms. Bumble, the pounds will melt off. :)

[ddeclue]

11. Skunk goes cold turkey to fight bacon addiction!

:rofl:

Actually wouldn't the problem simply be solved by NOT feeding the skunk bacon. I don't think he can go through the Wendy's drive through and order a bacon burger on his own or anything....

Just sayin'...

:eyes:

[Schema Thing]

13. !

[SmileyRose]

15. That lazy skunk should get up off his fat ass and grab his bootstraps

Mr Bumble needs to stand up before the world and admit his fat ass is his own weak fault. He should have turned his nose up at the easy bacon sammiches put in front of him and went out in search of organic seaweed and arugula nestled between extra thin slices of organic 27 grain bread.

[bleever]

16. I thought this was a Limbaugh post.

This guy is much cuter.

[Dogmudgeon]

17. "Healthy", unless skunks require dietary Taurine

In which case, the diet could kill him -- I don't think most plants have enough Taurine to make a real dietary contribution.

Such is the case with cats and a couple of other small mammals. Human-designed diets, vegetarian or otherwise, were killing them until the Taurine requirement was discovered and the diets were supplemented.

--d!

[imdjh]

19. I remember that- dumbassed cat owners killing their cats in the 80's with health food.

[Codeine]

21. Presumably the folks at the animal park

are smart enough to figure that out.

[Arctic Dave]

18. OMG! How could you not rec this post. LOL!!

[Omnibus]

22. Poor Mr. Bumble!

I know just how you feel, I love my bacon sandwiches too.

[badgerpup]

24. "...not sure whether Mr. Bumbe has been descented."

Piss him off or scare him and one way or t'other, you'll find out for sure. :yoiks:

Poor chubby little skunk...