Pets in space

[MircoMars]

if we start having pets in space and breed them in micro-g:

a. what pets would be best suited?

b. how would they evolve?

c. how could they be useful?

d. what would be a better title for this thread?

[smjjames]

The answer would be none because nothing on Earth is adapted for micro-g (though one could give an argument for aquatic species). The ability to adapt would vary from individual to individual and species to species.

Probably the best adapted would be monkeys, especially those with a prehensile tail.

[Camacha]

Probably the best adapted would be monkeys, especially those with a prehensile tail.

Are you sure? It seems anything large (and arguably more complex) would be more prone to all sorts of problems and errors. My gut tells me bugs and whatnot would be more suitable and would also adapt quicker, especially since some of them tend to walk up walls and on ceilings on Earth too.

[Kryten]

Evolution through natural selection isn't going to happen in domestic animals; the traits that predominate are the ones that we choose, regardless of how deleterious they would be in the wild.

[Jovus]

I'd guess dogs, because Kryten is right. The pets we'll have in space will be the ones we bring there, regardless of what would be 'best'.

[Camacha]

Evolution through natural selection isn't going to happen in domestic animals; the traits that predominate are the ones that we choose, regardless of how deleterious they would be in the wild.

That is partly true, but in relevant ways also not. If animals end up dying constantly, those that are more resilient will end up populating the gene pool. Since we can hardly force animals to exercise in space, I imagine the health of larger animals will quickly deteriorate.

Though humans interfere with the process in major ways, you can be sure that there are still forms of natural selection going on.

[Skyler4856]

I wonder how long it would take a bird to adapt to space...

[Nuke]

cats are equipped well for zero g, their tail is pretty much a cmg. claws can be used to connect to surfaces. i have a feeling once they are used to the situation they would soon become masters of the environment.

i think the hardest thing would be how to deal with animal waste. how do you litterbox in space? you might be able to train dogs to use weewee pads. but then how do they deal with unintended thrust. monkeys can just wear diapers, i suppose other pets as well, but those are expensive consumables. for cats and dogs pet hair would be a concern, clogging up life support equipment.

[smjjames]

cats are equipped well for zero g, their tail is pretty much a cmg. claws can be used to connect to surfaces. i have a feeling once they are used to the situation they would soon become masters of the environment.

i think the hardest thing would be how to deal with animal waste. how do you litterbox in space? you might be able to train dogs to use weewee pads. but then how do they deal with unintended thrust. monkeys can just wear diapers, i suppose other pets as well, but those are expensive consumables. for cats and dogs pet hair would be a concern, clogging up life support equipment.

cmg.?

And good luck trying to train birds to specifically poo somewhere. Okay, maybe some of the more intelligent birds, but that would be a time consuming task, and I have no idea if anybody has successfully 'potty-trained' a parrot or whatever.

Of course though, microgravity and all.

[Camacha]

cats are equipped well for zero g, their tail is pretty much a cmg. claws can be used to connect to surfaces. i have a feeling once they are used to the situation they would soon become masters of the environment.

I have a feeling cats would freak out in the most disastrous ways, only to disappear into some stowage area, never to be seen again. Oh, and they continuously want you to open the air lock, only to remain inside once you open it.

Edited March 6, 2015 by Camacha

[Kryten]

That is partly true, but in relevant ways also not. If animals end up dying constantly, those that are more resilient will end up populating the gene pool.

Yes, if the animals are allowed to mate freely. In practice, we pick which ones mate and neuter the rest-we even perpetuate breeds which can't naturally mate at all.

[Beowolf]

Some members of some species will be able to adapt. Those are the ones who'll survive to reproduce in free fall, so will determine the types of pets available. And they'll evolve like domestic animals always do; selective breeding under human control.

Birds and smaller primates might be the ones I'd try first. But that's just a guess. We won't know until we try them. Much depends on whether you want a "companion pet" or "working pet". Dogs and cats make great companion pets on Earth, but their muscles would be way overpowered in free fall. My 15-kilo Border Collie would become a deadly missile, innocently killing astronauts and destroying equipment. Free fall-adapted cats would obviously use their claws to decelerate, leaving bleeding parallel lines across everyone they encounter. How about a pet rat, like in The Abyss? Or a gecko? Geckos with adhesive feet sound like they'd do great in free fall. Set up a basking lamp in a safe corner, and the gecko can wander all over without having the mass or strength to affect knobs, switches and such. OTOH space stations are filled with nice warm electrical equipment, so maybe he wouldn't return to his basking lamp after all.

As for working pets, several types of service animal duties might be adaptable to, and useful in, free fall. Flying helper monkeys in that environment scare me, though. Can one be so reliably trained that you can trust her not to open both airlock doors while you're on the toilet? Curiosity killing the cat is one thing. Killing everyone in Sector B is another.

[Camacha]

Yes, if the animals are allowed to mate freely. In practice, we pick which ones mate and neuter the rest-we even perpetuate breeds which can't naturally mate at all.

Dead animals generally do not breed well. We can fiddle with them all we want, that is not going to happen. Them being sick would cause some impairment too, though that would leave some artificial options. Plus, of course, that animals that are not well will probably be less fertile.

Also, people would tend to select animals based on how well they cope with microgravity. Creatures that totally freak out would most likely be considered useless, though something just helplessly flopping about might be though of as cute. Time will tell.

[Scotius]

Responsible, loving and smart owners will not endanger their pets by taking them to such hazardous environment Unfortunately, such owners are rare I'm afraid higher animals won't fare well in microgravity. A squirrel, maybe even a flying squirrel would be better suited for it, but...what to do with droppings? As someone mentioned earlier aquatic species essentially already live in microgravity, so - goldfish for everyone

[Camacha]

Responsible, loving and smart owners will not endanger their pets by taking them to such hazardous environment

If our civilisation exists long enough to actually start living in space, bringing the comforts of home along is inevitable. Pets go on aircraft and live on boats, so going to space is a logical next step.

[PakledHostage]

Oh, and they continuously want you to open the air lock, only to remain inside once you open it.

Or, if it is anything like the cat I had growing up, decide that the weather conditions outside the front door suck and then meow at the back door until you open it too... Just in case it might be better out back.

But seriously, I suspect that cats would do better in space than a lot of animals. They generally handle living on boats quite well, and that isn't an easy environment to adjust to either. There has been a long tradition of ship's cats.

[Camacha]

the weather conditions outside the front door suck

That is a surprisingly accurate description of what a cat would find outside the airlock of a space station.

[jfull]

I'm gonna say that monkey's would be better adapted than any other large mammal we keep as pets. Cats may be agile, but they have a very specific response to being in freefall (when they twist themselves to re-orient), and I don't know if they could ever overcome that instinct.

Monkey's with prehensile tails have essentially 5 limbs with which to secure themselves, and the biggest thing is that they are probably intelligent enough to realize that things work differently in space and adapt to the way objects move in zero-g

[Kryten]

Monkeys tend not to make for great pets even down here.

[Bill Phil]

Or, if it is anything like the cat I had growing up, decide that the weather conditions outside the front door suck and then meow at the back door until you open it too... Just in case it might be better out back.

But seriously, I suspect that cats would do better in space than a lot of animals. They generally handle living on boats quite well, and that isn't an easy environment to adjust to either. There has been a long tradition of ship's cats.

Their sense of direction would get even more messed up in orbit. Poor things... And I'm more of a dog person.

[Camacha]

Monkeys tend not to make for great pets even down here.

Floating around in an cramped aluminium tube locked in with one of those sounds like fun. No, fun was not the word I was looking for... An absolute frighting poop filled nightmare, that was the one I was looking for.

Edited March 6, 2015 by Camacha

[RainDreamer]

Bacteria? Microbes?

....They can be considered pets, right?

They are very useful in space too, to break down waste and possibly recycle them into fuel. They can also be cultured into food if needed. Or they can be bioengineer to produce raw materials which then can be 3D printed to make stuff. They are also very resilient against radiation and micro-g hardly inconvenience them. They are possibly the best life form we can take with us to space.

Edited March 6, 2015 by RainDreamer

[Camacha]

They are very useful in space too, to break down waste and possibly recycle them into fuel. They can also be cultured into food if needed. Or they can be bioengineer to produce raw materials which then can be 3D printed to make stuff. They are also very resilient against radiation and micro-g hardly inconvenience them. They are possibly the best life form we can take with us to space.

Maybe this one is a bit too easy, but we already do. Every human is about 1,5 KG of bacteria and other organisms, a lot of them absolutely vital for our immediate survival. Digestion would be a disaster without them.

Those are fancy microbes too, costing several thousand dollars to launch.

[DerpenWolf]

Bring Fish

-If they die you don't really care that much and they are pretty disposable, They might make a nice snack actually.

-They breed faster than mammals so you can get a lot of them fast

-With a good tank setup they probually won't have any trouble in a zero-g environment as they already sort of lived in something like it and they probually have a better understanding of living in a 3d environment than most other creatures.

-They can function as part of a simple ecosystem by turning plant goo we won't eat into fish goo that plants eat

Basically what I'm getting at here is that fish are food and friends. My childhood has lied to me

Edited March 6, 2015 by DerpenWolf

[Camacha]

That actually makes me wonder how water pressure works in space. Does the water have pressure within the atmosphere of the ISS? Does it build up with mass?

Come to think of it, fish might be in trouble too. They often greatly rely on a swim bladder, which will probably not work in space.

Edited March 6, 2015 by Camacha