Join our zoo community

Pets?

Discussion in 'Private Collections & Pets' started by Devonvm, 24 Jun 2008.

  1. Devonvm

    Devonvm Active Member

    Joined:
    2 Jun 2008
    Posts:
    26
    Location:
    Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
    Hey everyone,

    I thought I would start a thread on your own personal animal companions, if you have any! I apologize in advance if this has been done already!

    So, to start, what animals do you share your home with, and where did they come from?

    I'll start. My family runs a small domestic/exotic animal rescue so we have more animals in our care then the average individual, and more are kept in foster homes. Currently our permanent residents are...

    - 2.5 Budgies, all surrendered or rescued from various situations.
    - 0.0.1 Bare Eyed Cockatoo, Pity Purchase, not something I would do again but not something I regret.
    - 2.3 Pigeons, all rescued as strays or injured ferals
    - 0.1 Red Tailed Boa Constrictor, surrendered after her owner went to jail
    - 0.1 Ball Python, surrendered by her owner who could no longer care for her.
    - 1.1 Ferrets, surrendered by owner
    - 3.3 Mongolian Gerbils, bred by me years ago, when I bred gerbils. I stopped because I felt it was hypocritical of me (while running a rescue) and I wasn't comfortable with the vast majority of the people who wanted to buy them.
    - 0.1 Ivory Kingsnake, surrendered
    - 1.0 Crested Gecko, given to me by a friend
    - 0.1 Skinny Guinea Pig (hairless) surrendered by owner
    - 1.0 Guinea Pig, rescued from neglect
    - 2.1 Dogs, All Rescues (border collie, sheltie, boston terrier)
    - 0.1 Mitred Conure, completely naked (plucked) surrendered by owner a month ago.
    - 1.0 Degu, surrendered by owner
    - 1.0 Cat, surrendered by owner
    - 1.1 Albino African Clawed frog, purchased from friend who breeds them
    - 1.0 Rose Haired Tarantula, Surrendered By owner
    - 1.0 Salmon Pink Bird Eater Tarantula, purchased from breeder
    - 1.0 Osumbara Baboon Tarantula, purchased from breeder
    - 1.0 Blue Tailed Skink, surrendered by petstore, not willing to pay vet bills for it.


    In rescue, we have...

    -2.0 Guinea Pigs, rescued from neglect
    -2.1 Zebra Finches, surrendered by owner
    -1.0 African Pygmy Hedgehog, surrendered by owner
    -1.7 Rabbits, transferred from pound and surrendered by owner
    -1.0 Dwarf Hamster, surrendered by owner
    -0.1 Boa Constrictor, surrendered by owner, in extremely poor condition
    -1.0 Green Iguana, surrendered by person who rescued it from bad home.
    -4.4 Cats, rescued as strays ,surrendered by owners, etc.
    -0.2 Dogs, from Costa Rica Outreach Program, rescued as street dogs
    -1.1 Ringneck Doves, surrendered by owner
    -0.2 African Lovebirds, surrendered by owners
    -1.0 Maroon Bellied conure, surrendered by owner
    -1.0 Sulfur Crested Cockatoo, surrendered by owner


    As for the captive reptile/bird/exotic trade....

    I am against the sale of dangerous exotic mammals to the general public, against the sale of wildcaught reptiles and birds, and against the breeding and selling of many different species of reptiles that are extremely difficult to take care of appropriately in captivity. I am completely against the breeding and selling of birds for the pet trade as well, as I have seen far more neglected and unhappy birds then the opposite.

    So, your turn!
     
    Mickey likes this.
  2. Writhedhornbill

    Writhedhornbill Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    11 Apr 2007
    Posts:
    2,394
    Location:
    Oldham
    I have two guinea pigs!
     
  3. dragon(ele)nerd

    dragon(ele)nerd Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    2 Apr 2008
    Posts:
    2,496
    Location:
    Melbourne, Australia
    I have two budgies, wanted to get quite a bit more but my mother stays very close to Buddhism, and other pets she said are bad luck,
     
  4. CZJimmy

    CZJimmy Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    17 Oct 2007
    Posts:
    2,263
    Location:
    Uk
    I currently have a two-year old Labradoodle.

    Former:
    - a syrian hamsters
    - two rabbits
    - two goldfish.
     
  5. dragon(ele)nerd

    dragon(ele)nerd Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    2 Apr 2008
    Posts:
    2,496
    Location:
    Melbourne, Australia
    Can I ask you two how is the exotic pet range in Europe?
     
  6. Writhedhornbill

    Writhedhornbill Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    11 Apr 2007
    Posts:
    2,394
    Location:
    Oldham
    Could you start a new thread for that please Dragon(ele)nerd? It is a great question, but it would take over the thread!
     
  7. CZJimmy

    CZJimmy Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    17 Oct 2007
    Posts:
    2,263
    Location:
    Uk
    Unless you hold a particular license, the majority of exotic animals are illegal to keep in the UK. This is because they are classified as dangerous animals and an act was passed to prevent the keeping of these animals by people who can't keep them.

    New pet laws say yes to emu and no to dingo - Telegraph

    It is possible for people to get hold of smaller, safer exotics (bearded dragons, tortoises etc) via breeders, but the cost is quite high and the reputable breeders require several checks before someone can buy one. (This may not be totally correct, but it's what I gathered when investigating the possibility of buying a reptile.)
     
  8. Devonvm

    Devonvm Active Member

    Joined:
    2 Jun 2008
    Posts:
    26
    Location:
    Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
    I wish the laws here were stricter, as much as I love all of my animals and can see why people would want them in their homes, so many of them end up neglected more often than not, due to the detailed and very specific conditions they require to thrive.
     
  9. dragon(ele)nerd

    dragon(ele)nerd Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    2 Apr 2008
    Posts:
    2,496
    Location:
    Melbourne, Australia
    Hmm, that reminds me when three Chameleon were found in a near suburb called Ferntree Gully, 1 guy claim he had kept them and he had the choice of going to Jail for 3 months or pay a massive fine,

    Importing illegial animals are almost as bad as importing drugs,
     
  10. Blackduiker

    Blackduiker Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    4 Mar 2009
    Posts:
    1,686
    Location:
    Santa Clarita, CA, USA
    Blackduiker

    Even though there hasn't been much response to this thread lately, I'm new to ZooChat so these are my loving beasts.

    Border Collie
    2 Red-eared Sliders

    In past years these are some of my pets

    German Shepherd
    Several other Dogs
    Several Cats
    Southern Alligator Lizards
    Pidgeons
    Hamsters
    Goldfish
    Tropical Fish
    Budgies
    Western Toad

    I feel like a kid again!
     
  11. mstickmanp

    mstickmanp Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    9 Jun 2008
    Posts:
    2,092
    Location:
    California, USA
    I have 3 cats and 2 red-eared sliders.

    At one point I had 6 guinea pigs, 3 hamsters, 3 dogs, a lot of goldfish, 2 African Butterfly Fish, and 4 angel fish.
     
  12. hemsley

    hemsley Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    11 Dec 2008
    Posts:
    70
    Location:
    Kent, United Kingdom
    hey there!

    1.1 domestic cats
    1.1 Hieroglyphic River Cooters
    1.1 Butterfly Agamas
    1.1 Spur Thighed Tortoises
    0.1 Side Striped Chameleon
    4 unknown Barbados Neon millipedes

    Soon to include:
    2.0 Sugar Gliders
    1.1 Bell's Hingeback Tortoises
    0.2 Rough Green Snakes

    Currently, my female river cooter is pregnant and i suspect also that my butterfly agamas are as have witnessed matings.

    :D
     
  13. James27

    James27 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    19 Oct 2007
    Posts:
    2,123
    Location:
    UK
    I have a few, I like reptiles :)
    1.1 Bearded dragon (seen them mating recently, so hopefully more!)
    1.1 Tortoises. Not sure about their sexes or species as they're offspring from 2 from the 60's. And I assume they're male and female as they're mating all the time lol.
    0.0.1 Axolotl
    These also live in my house but are either my brothers/parents/family's:
    1.1 Guinie pigs
    0.1 German shepard
    0.1 Rabbit
    0.1 Syrian hamster

    And I think there should be some sort of permit for reptiles. So many people just buy one, unaware of the fact it even needs feeding :rolleyes:
    I was in a reptile shop and this bloke came in and said "can I have a chameleon? I saw one on life in cold blood and thought I'm having one of them". Idiot, although when he saw the set up price and after the owner tried to discourage him I think he left without one:)
     
  14. ZooMania

    ZooMania Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    3 Sep 2007
    Posts:
    1,021
    Location:
    North Wales
    West Highland Terrier
    Cat (2 Cats until a few weeks back when one got ran over)
    1.0 Rabbit
    0.2 Guinea Pigs
    1 Goldfish
    1 Hamster
    1.1 Peach Faced Lovebirds
    1.0 Masked Lovebird
     
  15. Zambar

    Zambar Well-Known Member 15+ year member 10+ year member 5+ year member

    Joined:
    4 Mar 2008
    Posts:
    1,612
    Location:
    Hampshire, United Kingdom
    1.0 Black Labrador - Benson, a soppy, bouncy and good-looking dog.
    1.0 Leopard Gecko - Jammy Dodger, JD for short. Unlike most leos, is quite a feisty little bleighter. :p

    Hoping to expand my herp keeping in the future, with Hermann's Tortoises, Giant Millipedes and Chameleons.
     
  16. James27

    James27 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    19 Oct 2007
    Posts:
    2,123
    Location:
    UK
    Do it, they make great pets :)
     
  17. LOU

    LOU Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    3 Feb 2009
    Posts:
    237
    Location:
    Victoria, Australia
    I live with 2 Cairn Terriers and have a small avairy of Australian birds.
     
  18. Jarkari

    Jarkari Well-Known Member 15+ year member

    Joined:
    24 Aug 2006
    Posts:
    1,510
    Location:
    Orange, NSW
    Currently - 9 horses
    1 Bull Arab/Bull Mastiff, Pitbull cross pure Border Collie (friendliest dog to)
    4 sheep at home, hand raised orphans, (had 40 but three were eaten for my last birthday and the rest were sold)
    1 Jersey Cow, handraised as well as her two calves and one of her calves calves
    7 chooks (four just born), no idea what they are just showed up in our shed one of them is a very evil rooster who has an appointment with a shovel or a rifle (before anyone has a go at me for that comment I have alot of toddler and children nieces and nephews visit and this rooster has a go at me so too dangerous to have around the kids. believe it or not I trust my dog alot more with a baby than that rooster.
    4 different scorpions
    1 Bird Eating Spider
    Silkworms
    Spiny Leaf Insect
    Rainforest Cockroach
    King Cricket

    I am also waiting on a miniature horse, Miniature cow and miniature donkey to arrive from tasmania and waiting on approval (or disapproval) of an application for an emu.

    Looking for a macaw. . . Steve?
     
  19. Allerlei

    Allerlei New Member

    Joined:
    21 Mar 2009
    Posts:
    4
    Location:
    Most, Czech republic
    I have only one hamster :rolleyes:
     
  20. Smeegs

    Smeegs Member

    Joined:
    31 Mar 2009
    Posts:
    14
    Location:
    Gainesville, Florida, United States
    Right now I have one dog and one rat. My dog is a german shepherd mutt, about 65lbs and 5 years old and likes to think people are her pillows.

    My roommates animals:
    0.2 dogs
    0.1.1 snakes