Man sporting rodent on his shoulder spotted at Central Mall ...

[Jingthing]

By rodent I mean one of those pets like ferrets. Squirrel like thing, not a ferret, not a monkey. I wanted to take a picture but it seemed rude (or charged 1000 baht if he was running a photo business scam). The white man (fair to assume not Thai) was just standing around as if nothing was odd, with a flat deadpan expression. I looked at him about five times hoping to get some idea of what his game was with the rodent, but there was no reaction. The rodent on the other hand had much more of a personality, clearly bonded with his host, was crawling around in a non-threatening manner. 

 

What is the policy of indoor malls here as for as people being inside there with non-caged rodents on their persons? 

 

Was I wrong not to seek out a mall cop to sort out the matter?

[tonray]

You might have done better by seeking out the mall chef.

[champers]

It's a rat trap baby,

And you've been caught.

[champers]

What is this filthy, disgusting creature...

said the rodent.

[Jingthing]

A goth girl I knew in high school had a rat as a pet. I felt it was because she thought it made her interesting. 

[swissie]

Maybe I can shed some light on this one.

My Thai neighbor always had a Thai-sqirrel on his shoulders. No matter what work he did on the farm, the sqirrel never fell off. Even when he went to town on his motorbike, the sqirrel went along, firmly sitting on his shoulders.
Was told, that the critter was adopted as an orphan at a very early age.
The Thais didn't find this outlandish: "They make for good pets and are smart, because to get fed by the "master" is easier than having to look for food themselves."
I also noticed, they have "claws", perfectly suited to hang on to any kind of clothing that the "master" may be wearing.

DISCLAIMER: In no form or shape do I suggest, that the concept of "getting fed by the master is easier than having to look for food themselves" is connected in any way to Farang/Thai relationships.
Cheers. 

[bendejo]

I've seen toupees that I'd swear were alive.

 

 

[oldhippy]

Praise the lord of your choice.

The 1970s have arrived to Thailand.

 

 

[jacko45k]

They seem to have no problem with me walking around hand in hand with a parasite!

[masuk]

It's a hamster Mr Fawlty!

[hobobo]

7 hours ago, bendejo said:

I've seen toupees that I'd swear were alive.

 

 

Not our Donny, I hope!

[metisdead]

A post in which the quoted content had been altered has been removed:

 

16) You will not make changes to quoted material from other members posts, except for purposes of shortening the quoted post. This cannot be done in such a manner that it alters the context of the original post.

[Andrew Dwyer]

They walk among us !!
( just some are more obvious than others )

[tolsti]

He had already taken it to the cinema. Now they were just relaxing in the aircon.

 

Mall Cop??? are you having a giraffe?.... 

[harrry]

Alvin and the Chipmunks was the movie and he had just wanted to show his friend what the chipmunks could do.

[Old Croc]

[williamgeorgeallen]

they have them running around many eateries in bangkok. i would not worry too much about it. if it does worry you then you are in the wrong country.

[elgordo38]

11 hours ago, swissie said:

Maybe I can shed some light on this one.

My Thai neighbor always had a Thai-sqirrel on his shoulders. No matter what work he did on the farm, the sqirrel never fell off. Even when he went to town on his motorbike, the sqirrel went along, firmly sitting on his shoulders.
Was told, that the critter was adopted as an orphan at a very early age.
The Thais didn't find this outlandish: "They make for good pets and are smart, because to get fed by the "master" is easier than having to look for food themselves."
I also noticed, they have "claws", perfectly suited to hang on to any kind of clothing that the "master" may be wearing.

DISCLAIMER: In no form or shape do I suggest, that the concept of "getting fed by the master is easier than having to look for food themselves" is connected in any way to Farang/Thai relationships.
Cheers. 

Hoping for a little fireworks on your post and then you had to add the disclaimer. Spoil sport

[KhunBENQ]

Was it a ferret?

Quite often seen in Germany as a "pet".

They come in a variety of colors.

[NoshowJones]

12 hours ago, tonray said:

You might have done better by seeking out the mall chef.

If there was no harm done then leave well alone.

[NoshowJones]

12 hours ago, Jingthing said:

A goth girl I knew in high school had a rat as a pet. I felt it was because she thought it made her interesting. 

I had rats as pets when I was young, lovely affectionate creatures.

[Jingthing]

14 minutes ago, KhunBENQ said:

Was it a ferret?

Quite often seen in Germany as a "pet".

They come in a variety of colors.

Not a ferret. Not a monkey. Some kind of squirrel. 

[Jingthing]

Just now, possum1931 said:

I had rats as pets when I was young, lovely affectionate creatures.

Yes, but where does it end? Snakes on a plane?

[Jingthing]

26 minutes ago, williamgeorgeallen said:

they have them running around many eateries in bangkok. i would not worry too much about it. if it does worry you then you are in the wrong country.

Maybe you're in the wrong thread. 

[rott]

I remember some sort of fad in the UK a while ago, when attention seeking gits would have something similar to what is described on their heads as a fashion accessory.

 

Deadpan look on the face was mandatory.

 

Never worked out how they were trained to sit so still.

[Jingthing]

At the "luxury" mall do you think the "security" staff at some of the entrances would have stopped the man with the rodent from entering?

[Jai Dee]

12 hours ago, swissie said:

My Thai neighbor always had a Thai-sqirrel on his shoulders. No matter what work he did on the farm, the sqirrel never fell off. Even when he went to town on his motorbike, the sqirrel went along, firmly sitting on his shoulders.
Was told, that the critter was adopted as an orphan at a very early age.
The Thais didn't find this outlandish: "They make for good pets and are smart, because to get fed by the "master" is easier than having to look for food themselves."
I also noticed, they have "claws", perfectly suited to hang on to any kind of clothing that the "master" may be wearing.

They are called "garok".

You can buy them as pets at Chatujak market in Bangkok.

[Jingthing]

It was likely a sugar glider.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugar_glider

[NoshowJones]

19 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Yes, but where does it end? Snakes on a plane?

I don't think you can compare a pet rodent, rat, hamster etc with a reptile, snake.

I would be happy to stroke a pet rat, hamster etc, but a snake??

[lopburi3]

Central Festival Eastville in Bangkok has outdoor park area for dogs to exercise and push carts for take them around the mall.  So it is becoming a bit more common to see pets in malls.  Have seen in local supermarket carts a few times recently also.