[rockin_amigo14]

My family was talking and the topic of pets was brought up. Apparently the monkey type found in Ace Ventura and Pirates of the Carribean can be bought and domesticated, albeit at a rather large premium.

My brother took trumpet lessons in middle school, and his teacher had a pet prairie dog.

Anyway, does anyone have atypical pets?

 

[kansei]

I have a strange cat, does that count?

 

[britishbane]

My roommate in college had a spider-a Gargantuan Bird Eating spider to be exact. This thing was the size of a dinner plate and ate live rats and mice. I was totally terrified of it. It had fangs as thick as pencils and even had hairs that it could shoot out prick you with. My worst fear was that it would escape and I'd wake up with it on my face. I was happily surprised when it died one day.

Here's a picture approximating what this thing looked like.

 

[Computerpro3]

Quote:

Originally Posted by britishbane /img/forum/go_quote.gif My roommate in college had a spider-a Gargantuan Bird Eating spider to be exact. This thing was the size of a dinner plate and ate live rats and mice. I was totally terrified of it. It had fangs as thick as pencils and even had hairs that it could shoot out prick you with. My worst fear was that it would escape and I'd wake up with it on my face. I was happily surprised when it died one day.

That would NOT be allowed to sleep in the same room as me. If he refused to take it out of the room, it might have an "accident" one day. I'm not afraid of most spiders, but then again, most spiders are smaller than my head.

 

[Sherwood]

I had a pet alligator for about a week...

I was so shocked to see one for sale at a Turkish pet store that I bought it. I later took stock of my life and returned it.

It was cool staring down a small alligator every morning for a week, though.

 

[Uncle Erik]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kansei /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have a strange cat, does that count?

Yes. I've got one of those, too.

And I miss the shoe-sniffing cat I had for 16 years. She would stick her head into freshly worn shoes for a minute or two. Not just a nose in the opening, but complete head insertion. She got upset and gave dirty looks (seriously) if you laughed or tried to take a picture. She had lots of other quirks and fetishes, too. Cancer got her two years ago. Too bad, she was either doing something odd or demanding your lap.

 

[kansei]

My cat will carry her toys to you and demand that you play with her.

 

[jackBnimble3556]

I have a Leopard Gecko, not all that exotic really. Simplest pet I've every owned. Keeping the cricket alive is the hard part.

 

[Tridacnid]

I have a friend that I call my pet. He growls and foams at the mouth when I stroke his head. Kirosia wouldn't get along well with him.

 

[appophylite]

I have a dog who thinks he's a cat and acts like it. I don't think that qualifies though....

We used to have a GT teacher who had a tarantula. That's probably the weirdest pet I've been around, but those have become common now.

 

[MoodySteve]

My girlfriend had a boa constrictor. I used to take it out and let it wrap itself around me and just chill. I liked it, but most people were very afraid of it.

 

[amphead]

A little off-topic, but I used to work for Bob Myers, the director of the Rattlesnake Museum. I had a special locked room in the house that housed my collection of venomous reptiles. I had a special permit to keep them, which allowed the Albuquerque police dept. to inspect the room for safe practices. These were not "pets". In my collection I had a 12 foot King Cobra, 4 foot Black Mamba(raised from an egg), Tiger Snake, Taipan, Egyptian Cobra, Ringkhals(spitting Cobra), Albino Monocled Cobra(pink eyes), Spectacled Cobra(snake charmer type), Gaboon Viper, Olmec Viper and a few more that I can't remember off hand. I used to give the King Cobra (King Tut) a bath in my shower/bath enclosure until he got too long and could climb over the top of the glass shower door by pulling up over the shower head. The bath helped the skin to shed more easily, because they molt about 4 times a year. That was years ago and I no longer have any snakes at all, but did really enjoy those times. If you are ever in Albuquerque NM, just tell Bob that Ron sent you, for a discount. I have to say that I thoroughly discourage the keeping of venomous reptiles. Just too risky. I once was awake all night because I couldn't find the Egyptian Cobra, which had done a Houdini and escaped it's enclosure. I found it behind the refrigerator 36 hours later, after looking everywhere, and got it back where it belonged in an even tighter enclosure. Longest 36 hours of my life.

American International Rattlesnake Museum - Albuquerque, New Mexico

 

[-=Germania=-]

Amphead,

I have always wondered what compels people to have these sorts of creatures in their possession. The pet snake doesn't love its owner or play with it. Guess it is more of a fascination?

Personally, I would much rather see them at the zoo.

My odd pet would have to be my virtual fish on my iPod Touch "Fish Tycoon". Seriously love that game because my school won't even let you have a beta fish anymore thanks to the antics of some frat boys who decided to keep piranhas.

I really wish I could keep a toy sized dog; cats just get into and on top of too many things for my taste.

 

[colonelkernel8]

I hope to get a Praying Mantis or a small tarantula (likely a mexican red-kneed or chilean rose tarantula) this spring sometime.

 

[ZephyrSapphire]

My friend has a Chihuahua. Strange pet indeed.