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Curious Critters: The [Pet] Thread [NSF56k/Those Without Souls]
Mvrck
Dwarven MountainhomeRegistered User regular
Dwarven MountainhomeRegistered User regular
This is a thread to talk about our animal companions in all their different shapes, sizes and temperaments. We don't care if they have fur, fins or flippers, if you have pet, they are welcome here!
For example, let's talk about...
Dogs
Dogs are the best pet! Dogs are the most popular pets in the world, and for good reason! They are lovable, and loyal throughout their lives. They have been by our sides for thousands of years, through the rise and falls of civilizations, through the darkest and brightest moments in human history. They come in all different sizes and colors, with many specialized breeds.
Here are some fun facts you may not know about dogs!
But enough about dogs! Let's take a look at...
Cats
Cats are the best pet! Cats are cuddly, silent and full of claws. They are the basically fuzzy ninjas. A common theme among cat owners is they are like Pringles, you can't have just one! They are equally likely to snuggle up at your feet to keep them warm through the night, or bite the ever loving shit out of them because your toes moved beneath the covers and that means it's time to play. And by play the cat means introduce you to the meat grinder that is it's mouth. Much like dogs, cats will loyally stay by your side until your dying breath. They just might eat your face after you die.
Here are some fun facts you may not know about cats!
But lets move on from cats. There are other awesome pets out there! Such as...
Birds
Birds are the best pet! They fly! They can turn their heads in crazy funny angles. And some species are ridiculously, amazingly intelligent. They can mimic speech, and some can even carry on actual conversations. I personally have grown to love Conures (pictured above) who are incredibly playful, and will probably not take your finger off if they get upset.
Here are some fun facts you may not know about birds!
But lets move on before our feathery friends poop on us. Instead, lets talk about...
Lizards
Lizards are the best pet! They don't make (much) noise. They don't (usually) need walks. They are content to sit around and look fucking awesome all day long. You can get teeny tiny ones, such as pygmy chameleons, which some people keep in potted trees in the middle of their living rooms. Others get huge, such as iguanas, who contrary to what I just said, can totally go for a walk with you! Some are even fashion divas, changing their color to get dates!
Here are some fun facts you may not know about lizards!
But while we've been so busy focusing on the reptiles that crawl, we've completely forgotten about...
Snakes
Snakes are the best pet! They are super fun to watch eat (if you're not squeemish), and unlike lizards, generally easier to handle! I actually don't know all that much about snakes as pets, so if someone wants to contribute more information, I'll add it to the post!
Here are some (a) fun fact(s) you may not know about snakes!
But that's enough about snakes. Lets talk about my personal favorite...
Fresh Water Aquariums
Having an aquarium is the best way to have pets. Because you don't need to have just one. Or two, or four. You can have dozens of pets, and they can be hilariously, and wildly different all living together. You can have turtles, fish, frogs, shrimp, salamanders, snails, crabs, crawfish - the list goes on. I'm probably forgetting something. There are so many options and choices, and a healthy, happy aquarium will almost certainly have highly active fish. If you think fish are boring, you've probably only seen sick or distressed ones.
Now, that is not to say you should just throw whatever you want in together and everything will be fine. A lot of thought and planning goes into an aquarium, but when done right, they can be works of art as much as a pet.
Here are some fun facts you may not know about aquariums!
Okay guys, there are your pet primers! Lets talk about them! And if anyone has information on saltwater tanks, and tortoises, as well as oddball mammals (ferrets, hedgehogs, etc), I'd love to get some brief overviews of those as well.
For example, let's talk about...
Dogs
Dogs are the best pet! Dogs are the most popular pets in the world, and for good reason! They are lovable, and loyal throughout their lives. They have been by our sides for thousands of years, through the rise and falls of civilizations, through the darkest and brightest moments in human history. They come in all different sizes and colors, with many specialized breeds.
Here are some fun facts you may not know about dogs!
- Domesticated breeds are the only canines that bark throughout their lives. Other canines give up that behavior past their "puppy" years.
- Many of the "dangerous" breeds are among the most gentle and loving when raised properly. Much like in humans, abusive and violent behavior is a learned trait.
- The above picture is a Husky and Corgi mix. While absolutely adorable, try not to think too hard about how that one happened.
But enough about dogs! Let's take a look at...
Cats
Cats are the best pet! Cats are cuddly, silent and full of claws. They are the basically fuzzy ninjas. A common theme among cat owners is they are like Pringles, you can't have just one! They are equally likely to snuggle up at your feet to keep them warm through the night, or bite the ever loving shit out of them because your toes moved beneath the covers and that means it's time to play. And by play the cat means introduce you to the meat grinder that is it's mouth. Much like dogs, cats will loyally stay by your side until your dying breath. They just might eat your face after you die.
Here are some fun facts you may not know about cats!
- It is believed that cats domesticated themselves (or us), growing accustomed to being around humans while hunting rodents that propagated near human settlements. Like that weird uncle who lost his job, they came over to stay one night and never left.
- Much like dogs, adult cats do not "meow" except to humans. it is learned behavior that they have found can manipulate us into doing what they want.
- Cats (and felines in general I believe) have evolved to absorb most of their hydration from the food they eat. This is why it is generally recommended to feed your cat wet food and why stray cats won't take to dry food right away.
But lets move on from cats. There are other awesome pets out there! Such as...
Birds
Birds are the best pet! They fly! They can turn their heads in crazy funny angles. And some species are ridiculously, amazingly intelligent. They can mimic speech, and some can even carry on actual conversations. I personally have grown to love Conures (pictured above) who are incredibly playful, and will probably not take your finger off if they get upset.
Here are some fun facts you may not know about birds!
- For many tropical birds, they can actually handle a variety of temperatures quite well. However they are very susceptible to drafts and breezes.
- Most parrots are ridiculously social and need a ton of attention. 4-6 hours a day in some cases. Ever seen a crazy angry parrot that wouldn't shut up and bit at anything that came near his cage? That's the bird equivalent to cabin fever, and he's probably been highly neglected.
- Conures that feel especially safe and secure will sleep on their backs!
But lets move on before our feathery friends poop on us. Instead, lets talk about...
Lizards
Lizards are the best pet! They don't make (much) noise. They don't (usually) need walks. They are content to sit around and look fucking awesome all day long. You can get teeny tiny ones, such as pygmy chameleons, which some people keep in potted trees in the middle of their living rooms. Others get huge, such as iguanas, who contrary to what I just said, can totally go for a walk with you! Some are even fashion divas, changing their color to get dates!
Here are some fun facts you may not know about lizards!
- Many species of lizards are actually really active, you just have to know when to watch them.
- Despite what most people think, iguanas are strict herbivores. They do not eat meat or insects at all!
- Chameleons can be very territorial. Larger chameleons can and will readily bite humans if they feel threatened. And it hurts.
But while we've been so busy focusing on the reptiles that crawl, we've completely forgotten about...
Snakes
Snakes are the best pet! They are super fun to watch eat (if you're not squeemish), and unlike lizards, generally easier to handle! I actually don't know all that much about snakes as pets, so if someone wants to contribute more information, I'll add it to the post!
Here are some (a) fun fact(s) you may not know about snakes!
- Snakes are goddamned escape artists. Make sure your cage/tank for them is properly secured, or they will get out.
But that's enough about snakes. Lets talk about my personal favorite...
Fresh Water Aquariums
Having an aquarium is the best way to have pets. Because you don't need to have just one. Or two, or four. You can have dozens of pets, and they can be hilariously, and wildly different all living together. You can have turtles, fish, frogs, shrimp, salamanders, snails, crabs, crawfish - the list goes on. I'm probably forgetting something. There are so many options and choices, and a healthy, happy aquarium will almost certainly have highly active fish. If you think fish are boring, you've probably only seen sick or distressed ones.
Now, that is not to say you should just throw whatever you want in together and everything will be fine. A lot of thought and planning goes into an aquarium, but when done right, they can be works of art as much as a pet.
Here are some fun facts you may not know about aquariums!
- Freshwater tanks with plants are actually really easy to start, and they are a lot healthier for a lot of types of fish.
- Some common aquarium fish have died out in their natural habitats, either due to destruction or overfishing. The aquarium hobby is the only thing keeping these species going.
- Never, ever, ever flush a fish down the toilet, or release it into the wild. This honestly goes for any and all pets, but is especially true for fish. If you must dispose of a fish, put it in a plastic bag full of water, and stick it in the freezer until frozen. Then throw it in the garbage. It is safe and won't cause the fish any pain.
Okay guys, there are your pet primers! Lets talk about them! And if anyone has information on saltwater tanks, and tortoises, as well as oddball mammals (ferrets, hedgehogs, etc), I'd love to get some brief overviews of those as well.
Mvrck on
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Bob gives no fucks. Bob is a cherry shrimp, and he was left over in the tank when I broke it down and moved it to my new apartment. I had thought the tank was empty, and was just running for a while like that, keeping the filter going to save the bacteria if at all possible. I had pretty much completely drained the tank to the gravel, sat it in my car for the better part of an hour while I did a water change on a 100 gallon tank, drove it home, waited another hour or so, then filled it up.
I then went out and got some of the Killis and the three dwarf puffers the next day. Now, dwarf shrimp and dwarf puffers generally don't mix well. Puffers love invertebrates. As food. So imagine my surprise when I'm watching my fish exploring their new tank, and out of no where swims Bob. My first thought is "oh no." Bob was unimpressed with his new tank mates though. He proceeded to swim right into the middle of all three dwarf puffers, and when one approached him, he calmly reached out a claw and bopped the puffer on the nose. The puffers took the message and went about their way.
One of the other puffers got up some courage later, and wanted to test his mettle.
Do not fuck with Bob.
Humorous shrimp shenanigans aside, moving the tank really messed up the substrate, and the layout isn't all that great for the fish I have in there The dwarf puffers prefer more top cover, and mostly just hide under the log all day right now. I also set this tank up on my desk, which is causing it to bow a bit. And rather than drain, rescape, and move the tank, I said to hell with it and just grabbed a second 10 gallon from the store. I'm also trying something new - painting the back of it.
The branch that is in my current tank will get mounted on the hill, and extend out providing a lot of top cover to make the fish more comfortable. Hopefully that brings them out and about more. It also means I should roughly get a net gain in plantable ground space to spread things out a little. I've also got a mini cannister filter on the way, so I can remove the internal filter I have right now (swimming space isn't a huge deal in a shrimp tank, and saving on the external space was really nice). I'm going to get the new table for the tank tomorrow, and make the switch on Sunday when the filter should be arriving.
I'll post pictures when I get the hardscape all set up.
P.S. - For those curious, painting the tank turned out to be super easy. Black interior semi-gloss on the outside of the back panel. You have to kind of really slop it on, since any real pressure swipes it off the glass, but the benefit is that you never see the messy back paint job, and the glass side is guaranteed to be smooth and nice looking. I think it will really make the plants pop compared to the transparent version.
Bertie
She's a very solitary animal, though for whatever reason she has this belief my lap is hers to sit whenever she wants. Last year she had a rough patch where she couldn't breathe very well and we were preparing for the inevitable day where we woke up and she was gone, but luckily, she pulled through and is still glowering at the rest of the household. She's almost completely lost the ability to meow and instead just mimes the motion, though whenever one of the other cats tries to get her to play, she's more than capable of voicing her objections.
For whatever reason, there was a long running tradition of somebody sleeping in the dog's bed. I believe Bertie kicked it off. Bertie enjoys laying on things. Constantly. If we lose the remote, step 1 is to locate the old cat and pick her up. Nine times out of ten, the search is over.
Amy
She also had issues with getting stuck in things.
The youngest son continues the tradition, but Amy was largely okay with it.
For a stretch I was working 50+ hour weeks crammed into five days, so I was gone for almost half a day during the week, and sleeping large chunks of the weekend. So, when I was home, Amy spent most of her time getting as close to me as she could.
Sadly, she took a turn for the worse in early '14. She'd always had a large bump on her back. It hadn't ever caused her any discomfort, and no vet had told us to worry about it. Unfortunately, it became infected, swelling and finally bursting. She recovered from that but something was wrong with her skin, her fur was just falling on and she was covered in almost like a giant scab. She smelled like death and spent the last few months of her life as a hermit.
She passed about two months ago. A short life, shade under three years, but I'm glad it wasn't spent at that household being neglected.
Bartleby
Bart immediately inserted himself into the family tradition
He instantly found himself enamored with Amy's toys. She wasn't a real fan of this, but good ol' Bart managed to find another chewtoy, to the dog's dismay.
Amy and Bart spent a lot of time chasing each other around. She wore out long before he ever did. Bart hung close a while after they finished, probably to see if she was going to get up and play again.
If she didn't, he'd find his own way to entertain himself. You'll note Bertie making sure she was at least touching the hanger on the floor.
Bart falls asleep wherever he likes.
This cat, let me tell you, this cat has some swag.
Bertie was originally very apprehensive about him, but soon enough became largely indifferent to his presence.
Bart had a habit of darting outside the moment the door was open. It was a pain trying to get him back in the house, but he'd sit either right by the shed, or in the bushes next to the house and just watch the world, so it wasn't too big of a deal. Whenever he felt like coming back inside, he'd sit inside the shed until he heard the door open then come running up. A few months ago, he darted out, but apparently nobody noticed, because my wife woke me up late that night to say she couldn't find Bart. We spent the next day driving around and looking for him. Couldn't find him. We had set some food out on the back porch, in hopes he'd come back to eat it. Late that night I opened the door to see if any of it had been eaten, when the bugger came darting out of the shed. No idea where he went for his day off, but he doesn't run outside anymore (Most of the time, when he finally goes outside now, which is very rarely, he doesn't run away when you approach him. I assume he's making sure you know you can totally bring him back inside and please oh please don't lock me out anymore).
Tilly
The last animal to join the family before Amy passed, she was small enough for Amy to sleep in the bed with her.
Potatoes might be her favorite toy.
Step 1 was to give her a bath. Bart took an instant liking to her and they've been inseparable ever since.
Rufus
Again, a bath was step one, because holy crap I don't think he or his brothers had ever been cleaned at that kennel, even with a damp rag.
Sadly, he passed last week. We have no idea what happened, and couldn't find a reason why. This has made me beyond apprehensive about getting another dog
Yes, you are! You're a fat baby, Bertie! You're so fat! I'm gonna tickle your fat tummy! Yep! Tickle tickle tickle! Ow! You're such a sharp fat baby!
the "no true scotch man" fallacy.
I showed you a rough idea of what I wanted to do with the hardscape in my other post. I scrapped that and changed it up, after I realized I wouldn't be able to see into the tank well with that setup from my desk (I sit to the left of the tank). I'm using a lot of seiryu stone to form the retaining walls, and the "gravel" is actual kiln fired clay. I had a 40lb bag of the "aquarium" version of the stuff that I got at a shop's going out of business sale, but for all intents and purposes, the stuff is just Safe T Sorb you can get at tractor supply or where ever. It has a fairly neat look to it, and is great for planted tanks because it holds nutrients very well. I also used a few root tabs placed throughout the gravel to help spread those nutrients. These tabs slowly break down over time feeding the plants.
An important thing you can't see in any of my pictures - I cut out an egg crate base to set on the bottom of my tank before I do anything else. This keeps rocks from scratching or cracking the tank bottom.
So, the redone hardscape:
I basically flipped the side, and used the extra stone to make a mini-ledge back on the left. This is where my Java Fern Windelov will go, to help hide the intake to the filter. Once I got the hills set up, it was time to re-do the driftwood. The Anubias I had growing on it was getting a bit too large, so I split it up into two different pieces. I also took apart the moss ball, that I had made into a tiny "tree" and spread it along the length of the wood. I used normal sewing thread to attach these until they root.
The green thread I was using. The water bottle is to spray on the plants as I work to keep them from drying out. Tho moss is in a clump in the top right. There's a lot more there than first meets the eye.
After splitting the Anubias (they are ryzome plants, which means I could have realistically split that into a half dozen chunks if I wanted), I tied it slightly farther up the branch.
Now I place the moss and massively loop the thread around the length of the wood, anchoring it. In the water, the string is all but invisible.
And placed in the tank, along with the Widelov. I put another stone on top of the branch to hold it in place.
So with all the hard stuff done, it was just a matter of transfering the other plants. I'm using Micro Chain Sword as my ground cover. Over the next few months, these should spread out and cover most of the bottom of the tank. They spread via runners, so the big stones should help keep them corralled some as well. I also planted about 1/3 of the java fern I had in the back center to provide a nice backdrop to the tank.
From there, it was just a matter of filling the tank. I used the top of a plastic tuperware container to act as a water baffle to keep things from being moved around too much. The first 4 gallons I more or less poured by hand using a cup. After that I very carefully poured straight from the bucket into the tank. The nice thing about the lid, is that if floated up with the water, so I always had a consistent place to pour to dampen the force of the water.
The tank is fairly cloudy, but honestly, it's not that bad. I wound up doing pretty much the best job I ever had in terms of keeping it clean. Only one of the chain swords got uprooted as I filled the tank, and it could have been much worse. Because the substrate I'm using is clay, it's useless to actually clean it before hand. You just have to kind of suffer through the cloudiness for a day or two. Everyone is now in and swimming around. I'll post a few more pictures when it clears up in a day or so.
So far, I feel like this has been a complete success. The Lampeyes have been schooling around the two java ferns, the Splendids have been darting everywhere, and my puffers have taken up residence front and center. There are 11 total shrimp in there and I can't find a single damn one, but I'm not really concerned at all. Shrimp are very good at not being seen when they don't want to be. They are the aquarium version of "there are 17 ninjas in this photo."
you need a section for ferrets they are meat slinkies¬!
PUPPY!
Write one up and I'll add it. I know next to nothing about ferrets. :?
How is an animal that you can't pet a pet?
I've never quite gotten that. Pretty to look at sure, but fish and pretty tanks are more like changing furniture/sculpture to me than pets. I'm not trying to troll or shame love of aquatics, it's just something I don't get.
Of course, I kinda feel the same way about birds, but some people have very affectionate, personable, pettable birds. So maybe I'm just a bad person with a heart 3 sizes too small.
It's about a year and a half old, but come on, when will I ever get my cats to pose that nicely again? The one on the left is Socks, who's almost 12. The big kitty in the window is Chester, a stray my parents started to feed/care for and then guilted me into adopting a couple of years ago.
It depends on the type of fish you get. I've had gouramis and a sunfish that totally would come up and be petted. The gouramis were also super cool, because they have little "whisker" front fins, and they check out new things by reaching out and feeling with them. So you can train them to give you a high five whenever you put your finger into the tank.
Most fish are reasonably intelligent. Cichlids for example, have extremely noticeable personalities. You see it less with schooling fish, because the innate desire to not stand out tends to override their conditioning most of the time. Even then, after a while you can break that if you make them feel comfortable and safe enough. My puffers who I've had for about a month already recognize me and come to the front of the tank if I sit down in front of it to beg for food.
If your definition of a pet is "can I handle it whenever I want" then yeah, most tanks and fish probably won't qualify. But then again, I've had both dogs and cats that wouldn't fit under that definition.
She's an awesome cat but oh my god I wanted to smack her this morning. She just would not let me sleep in. Usually she only bugs me after I wake up but not today! Normally, though, she's super friendly to everyone and loves belly rubs. But only by someone she trusts.
This is Cerberus!
He's an 8 year old Charcoal corn snake. He is totally the mellowest pet, although the last time I picked him up he wasn't a happy camper and drew blood. Bites are pretty superficial, though, like pinpricks, but his teeth are so sharp breaking the skin is a given, even in a mock strike should he open his mouth. He is super easy to care for and only eats once every 2 weeks!
I have the cutest picture of him when he was younger:
And I used to have a 55 gallon aquarium with red bellied piranhas! They are the best fish but they are such babies. Totally frightened of everything. I never worried about cleaning their aquarium because my hand was the scariest thing ever to them.
EDIT: Images spoilered by request.
Haven't had a pet since I moved out of my parents' (I'm in and out too much for it to be fair) except for a short stint where I had a chinchilla.
Gurgi was such a great little guy. It's a pity I didn't get more time with him, but ah well
Chinchillas have the softest fur oh my God you have no idea.
He likes to get in touch with nature.
Enjoys re-enacting The Princess and the Pea.
Wonders why our hands do things other than pet him.
And will, when cold, snuggle into whatever he can find.
I just realized these are all older pictures of him. Gotta find some more-recent pics...
Yeah, chinchillas are a ton of fun - they can jump HIGH and love bouncing around on things. Super fast, too.
Their fur is so dense they can't get wet or else they get hypothermia (you have to keep the temp in your place a little cold, which is unfortunate for me since I prefer it warm, but whatever). So to clean, they actually roll around in this dust powder to clean themselves.
How friendly is your chinchilla? I've heard they don't really interact with people, and that you have to remain quiet and still to get them to come near you. What's your take on their sociability?
And here is a baby guppy hanging out with some baby shrimp, in my fish crib.
These guys eventually learned to balance themselves.
Freshwater shrimp are kinda fun.
i hereby request that we keep all snake pictures under spoilers to keep me from getting the shivers
here is a picture of kevin
kevin is a good cat
here is a picture of Louie
Louis is awesome
lets add one more picture of kevin
Arch,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_goGR39m2k
I'm willing so long as it applies to all pets someone may reasonably have a phobia about.
Which is all of them.
Not albino. He was light brown. The lighting / camera are not ideal.
He did have huge fore claws. I have not seen any others come close to that size. The guy at the pet store speculated that he was a breeding male who was mistakenly put in the shipment.
How about a mutual agreement that if someone says '[animal type] freaks me out, can we spoil those?' we just agree to respect each other and do so?
Is that a Lavender? And a Normal?
One of my earliest memories is a golden retriever holding me down and biting my face. I can show you the scar if you're ever in LA.
I'll spoil my animals, though.
Lavender and two normals (you can't see the other one's head since it's under that envelope). I also have an Anerythristic corn. I'll dig up a photo.
I unfortunately didn't have him very long. He was pretty skittish around new people but was starting to warm up to me.
Chinchillas are social animals and form "bonded pairs," among other social dynamics - I was spending hours a day with him to get him to warm up to me. Unfortunately, it didn't last too long - he was young, and we were in the process of transitioning him to some heavier food. The breeder suggested something which I don't think he was ready for, and something went wrong on the inside - will never know exactly what without an autopsy, which I didn't get.
I'm not sure I'll ever get a second, but I'd like to get a tree python or ball python some day.
The place I was living in at the time was a total shithole and there were all kinds of spaces in the floorboards so I was at a loss as to how to find him. Then a few days later I notice his head peeking out from one of the spaces between the floorboards and the wall. I lured him out with a freshly thawed mouse and got him back!
I secured the tank long enough with duct tape (Not a good solution!) until he was too big to fit through the gap. It didn't take long, he grew super fast when he was a baby.
This makes me wish I still had the ambition to run an aquarium but I absolutely don't
Still, totally jealous, that is a bitchin' tank