How different would the world be if most animals had hands?

...How different would it be if most animals had developed articulated limbs and hands, including opposable thumbs (all of a usable/practical proportion) ?

Would dogs try to strangle cats?

Would cats use swear gestures at each other?

Would hamsters pick their noses?

On a more serious note, would the use of hands, and the generations of experience with them eventually lead to an increase in animals learning, maybe leading to more species using "tools" ?

Would we be less of an apex-predator? Would the entire food chain be disrupted/re-arranged?

Often had this discussion.

If they could type it could only be a positive addition to the forum. Though I don't reckon opposable thumbs is a very common feature around here

mabe cats would use flannelsand wash like that instead of licking themselves that would be well funny

just think no more hairballs

This would be a reality http://www.freewebs.com/shamik-das-3/Pictures/Dogs_playing_pool.jpg

Be no different, you need opposable thumbs to make a precision grip, that's why humans did well.

Course you need that coupled with intelligence, without both the world would be the same.

Obviously this is discounting the butterfly effect theory which says the tiniest change makes a massive difference but for the purposes of this argument, it would be the same.

I mean, a dog could do lots of stuff with even its paws but they don't cause they're too stupid. They could open the cupboard and rip open the dog chews with just they paws and teeth but they don't.

Hands on animals are nothing without intelligence.

Be no different, you need opposable thumbs to make a precision grip, that's why humans did well.

 

Course you need that coupled with intelligence, without both the world would be the same.

 

Obviously this is discounting the butterfly effect theory which says the tiniest change makes a massive difference but for the purposes of this argument, it would be the same.

 

I mean, a dog could do lots of stuff with even its paws but they don't cause they're too stupid. They could open the cupboard and rip open the dog chews with just they paws and teeth but they don't.

 

Hands on animals are nothing without intelligence.

That was part of the OP, some animals ARE intelligent, would generations of experience of hthe use of hands help to develop intelligence more, through discovery? There's already animals that use "tools".

Oh and I mentioned in the OP that they WOULD have opposable thumbs.

That was part of the OP, some animals ARE intelligent, would generations of experience of hthe use of hands help to develop intelligence more, through discovery? There's already animals that use "tools".

Oh and I mentioned in the OP that they WOULD have opposable thumbs.

I've got visions of a dolphin using a fishing rod now!...and those in a sealife centre giving their trainer the 'bird' when they want something difficult doing. Allegedly, they are intelligent enough!

...How different would it be if most animals had developed articulated limbs and hands, including opposable thumbs (all of a usable/practical proportion) ?

 

Would dogs try to strangle cats?

Would cats use swear gestures at each other?

Would hamsters pick their noses?

 

On a more serious note, would the use of hands, and the generations of experience with them eventually lead to an increase in animals learning, maybe leading to more species using "tools" ?

 

Would we be less of an apex-predator? Would the entire food chain be disrupted/re-arranged?

I don't think we would be anywhere near the top of the food chain, there are so many examples of animals problem solving and making and using tools. Everything would be totally different. A mammoth or bear using a spear would be a lot more dangerous than a tiny little human!

See my signature:D

Dogs wiping their own butts.No more dog crap..Hurrah!

They could open the cupboard and rip open the dog chews with just they paws and teeth but they don't.

Opens draws (puts paw on knob and drag) and cupboard doors (puts nose against door edge and push/drag to open).

Not trained by us to do that at all (in fact, heavily chastised of course, and I've had to put 'baby-proof' plastic latches on several doors), but I must assume that a long-term rescue centre stay makes thieves of all of them over time, at least to an extent.

I used to have another dog, decades ago, which was equally 'devious' and scarily 'capable' with doors/draws/cupboards (spring-loaded french windows, as well!) and which was also a rescue. Re. french windows, it would take a run, bang against one of the two doors, swiftly shove its nose in the crack between the doors (opened as a result of the banging against one of the doors) and push to overcome the spring bias of the ball in the latch and thus open the other door. Took us a long time to suss out how it was managing to open these doors, until we actually witnessed it doing it. Jaw-dropping isn't quite the expression!

I'd not "humanise" a pet or animal, to a silly extent or otherwise, but noone should assume that pets/animals are entirely devoid of intelligence/problem-solving skills, or underestimate their capabilities in that respect.

As a matter of fact, many blind/help/support dogs are trained to exactly all of the above, so their physical aptitude (with or without opposable thumnbs ) isn't in question, the only variable is their self-learning/problem-solving capacity absent any specific training. Well, per the above, I'd say that in at least some cases, demonstrably it's there in spades!