英國人流行養臭鼬 稱比養貓狗更乾淨
There are those pet-lovers for whom a cat is too conventional and a mutt simply too it appears they wouldn’t turn up their nose at a skunk.
對於那些標新立異的寵物愛好者來說，養貓養狗可能已經過於平淡無奇，早過時了。對他們來說，哪怕是臭鼬所放出的臭氣也並非忍無可忍。
Breeders estimate that there are around 2,000 kept as domestic pets, and demand is increasing.
據相關人士估計，目前在英國約有2000左右的臭鼬被當成家養寵物，而且這樣的需求還一直在增長之中。
Katie Sleightholme, 30, allows her skunk, Busby, the run of her home. She paid ￡375 for her pet, who is 17in long, and weighs 10lb, but skunks can cost up to ￡1,500 in a shop.
現年30歲的Katie Sleightholme放任她的寵物臭鼬Busby在家中橫衝直撞。當初，她花了375英鎊買下了這隻17英寸長重10磅的小傢伙，而現如今，寵物店裏臭鼬的標價已經飆升到了1500英鎊。
The mother-of three, who already has two dogs, 13 guinea pigs, three rabbits and two hamsters, says her children Ella, eight, Alfie, five, and 19-month-old Maisie dote on their new pet.
Katie現在是三個孩子的母親，他們家已經養有兩隻狗，十三隻幾內亞豬，三隻兔子以及兩隻倉鼠，據她表示，八歲的Ella、五歲的Alfie和十九個月大的Maisie都非常喜愛這隻新寵物。
She said: ‘Most nights he will crawl up and sleep on my shoulder and snuggle into my neck.
她說：“常常在晚上，他會爬上來，趴在我肩頭睡着，就依偎在我的脖子旁。”
‘He’s incredibly affectionate and sociable. He follows the kids around when they are playing and even sleeps with the two dogs.
“他與人非常的親密，也很懂得交流，他會跟着三個孩子一起玩耍，甚至會和兩條狗兒睡在一起。”
‘We are trying to train him to walk with a lead and harness so we can walk him with the dogs.’
“我們正嘗試着訓練他有方向的行走，如此一來我們在遛狗的時候也可以順便帶他散步。”
Skunks are omnivores with a natural diet including insects, fruits, nuts, mice and other small mammals. Mrs Sleightholme, from the Wirral, feeds Busby chicken, which she tops up with fruit and vegetables.
臭鼬是一個自然派的飲食者，它們的食物包括有昆蟲，水果，堅果，鼠和其他小型哺乳動物雜食動物。Katie爲Busby準備的飼料則有雞肉水果和蔬菜。
But he will dig into the dog’s dry food if left to his own devices,’ she said.
“但如果離狗兒很近的話，他更喜歡分狗兒的乾糧吃，”她說。
