What pets live at your house?

[Dadamen]

I have one big goldfish for 5 years.

 

[Luca]

Three Dogo Argentino dogs and one Rat Terrier/Chihuahua/Corgi/Shiba Inu mix (we think, lol). All of my dogs are female, which I know is typically not recommended but all of mine get along. That's a digital painting of me with one of my dogs as my avatar. Dogo Argentino have a really bad reputation but I have found them to be amazing family dogs and mine are super outgoing and personable. Never had an issue with temperament with any of them and I've had this breed for a while now. My small dog is the one that has issues lol. Thinks she's a big dog...
My dogs are obsessed with kids and also have to greet every single person and dog they come across!
My oldest currently is Linda, the mixed breed (6 years) and my Dogos are Kodi (3 years), Chesca (1 year) and Hex (4 months). I love my dogs and they show me unconditional love in return!!

 

[Yeshuasdaughter]

The staple diet for mine are frozen/thawed mice (one every 10 days or so), but might occasionally add some variety with other feeder animals (such as chicks or other rodents - also frozen/thawed). I'd absolutely recommend against live feeding, it's not necessary. I also occasionally dust their meal with a little bit of Arkvits vitamin powder. Although its not common practice to dust snake food, I still like to give them a little nutritional boost. Sadly there isn't really a viable alternative to whole prey (I have a soft spot for rodents myself), so the next best alternative is to purchase frozen. I drummed up a bit of a care sheet some years ago that might be useful... Corn Snake Care Sheet

Is it true that you have to feed them in a separate enclosure so that they don't associate your hand with food? I was told that at a pet store.

 

[unperson]

Had two dogs, both gone now. So many birds in this area, you don't need to keep one. Have the local green parrot (they call them 28s here, cos of the call), in a hole in a dead tree in the empty place next door. Started putting some bread and seed out - tentatively well received. They're nesting at the moment.

 

[watersprite]

Cat is settling in, finally. He realized that chasing me across the house & biting my ankle will not make me open the back door.

 

[Gerald Wilgus]

Right now we just have a cranky cat (his name is Sir Sniffles), but up until recently we had a betta and a parakeet. I was too sick to care for the parakeet, and so we rehomed him to a couple that has an aviary. Our betta got old and died.

We've also had guinea pigs, hamsters, a bunny, a couple dogs, more cats than I can count, and other fish.

I would like more pets again though. My daughter is asking for a snake. I love snakes. They are some of my favorite animals. I just don't like the idea of little mousies getting swallowed alive though. I'd want to keep the mice as pets. I think I'd trash talk the snake to his face after he did the deed. lol.

I really want hermit crabs. They seem like they'd be fun. Also I used to love catching tarantulas when I was a little kid in the desert, and I'd like to keep one as a pet.

Last I saw a tarantula in the wild was 4 years ago in the basin and range near Delta, UT. Then, I've seen Tarantula Hawk Moths, in Desolation Canyon, and caught a Faded Pygmy Rattlesnake there also. Those huge wasps scared me more than the rattler.

 

[tree]

Cat is settling in, finally. He realized that chasing me across the house & biting my ankle will not make me open the back door.

What will?

Is there something he can do, if his goal is to go out?

 

[watersprite]

@tree
We have a pattern set up. After I do my chores etc., he gets to go out in the morning. (Unless I have other errands to run)

I (human) get to decide when he goes outside. If he bites, door does not open.

He can go out anytime as long as he doesn’t bite, except night-time. Too many predators around here, & Halloween season is not a time to allow black cats to be out at night. Unfortunate consequences are possible and I have promised to protect him.

 

[Catherine Read]

Is it true that you have to feed them in a separate enclosure so that they don't associate your hand with food? I was told that at a pet store.

Not exactly, it can happen but it largely depends on the snakes personality. I usually feed all of mine in their own enclosures. Typically though I have them associate dinner with a tapping on their enclosure, getting them to respond to this tapping also helps with checking on them and getting them to come to the front of the enclosure willingly.

When it comes to picking them up you just need to learn what state of mind they’re in. If they’re excitable, lots of movement and tongue flicking, they’re probably anticipating food so wouldn’t be smart to put your hand near its face at this time, but if the snake is calm, they’re completely safe. If my snake is excitable I communicate it’s not feeding time yet by petting the snake with a snake hook, a few strokes then I pick up initially with the hook then hand without issue. I only really have to do this for one snake in particular as she’s extremely food driven, the others are sensible lol, they couldn’t even be provoked into biting. Using hand sanitiser can also give your hands a distinctive smell so they know it's definitely not food.

There's a woman on youtube called Lori Torrini who posts videos on how to target train snakes, this can be useful for both feeding and building a good rapport with the snake, helping to make them friendlier and therefore less likely to bite.

 

[Luca]

I've been working with a professional trainer to have my 3-year-old trained as a multipurpose service dog. I've been told by a lot of doctors that I need a service dog, and I've realized that it's probably a good idea (this has been going on for a while now but we've just started the actual training).
If anyone else here has a service dog and has any advice on how to deal with discrimination (I'm already faced with enough of that on a daily basis ) and how to deal with people either trying to claim that it's a fake service dog or complaining about the dog in general and trying to get the dog and handler thrown out of places... I would appreciate the advice. I've had dogs all my life but I'm new to this.
I think having a service dog will really help me in ways that traditional treatments have not been able to. I'm nervous about some things but looking forward to having better quality of life.

 

[Luca]

 

[Luca]

Just curious, is there anyone else here who shows their dogs in traditional Conformation shows, or is active in dog sports?? (Agility, Obedience, Flyball, Dock Diving, Rally, Tracking, Lure Coursing, Field Trials, Schutzhund, Barn Hunt, Earthdog, Frisbee/Disc Dog, Canine Freestyle, Herding, etc... sorry if I forgot any, I have Working Breed dogs and a Terrier mix (Agility and Flyball dog) so I'm not too familiar with the hunting sports or herding trials lol).
My "Special Interest" is dog training and dog sports. I'm trying to title my four dogs in pretty much everything (well, everything that their breeds are eligible to compete in). Three out of my four dogs are Canine Good Citizens and one is training to be a medical service dog.
I like myself and my dogs to be challenged and stimulated both physically and intellectually. Was wondering if anyone else on here is interested in this stuff and would like to chat about competitions and shows, and the training that goes into them. I have a few friends who are dog breeders and/or handlers that I travel with periodically for shows and competitions but would love to network with other handlers! I'm in Greater Boston and I'm partially handicapped and not in great shape (can walk but not at serious length, and can do short bursts of speed for Agility trials lol) so the furthest I'd be willing to travel for a show is Pennsylvania... so probably the National Dog Show, which is coming up soon. I've been to Westminster a few times, and the National Dog Show, as well as all the smaller local shows and Breed Specialties... (didn't get to Westminster the past two years because my current dogs didn't qualify for any of the events and Dogo Argentinos were not eligible to compete in the Working Group until 2020 But I was at Westminster 2019 as a spectator and had VIP access with my tickets) Would definitely be interested to talk with people who compete or share this interest. Didn't want to make a separate thread for this and take up space because it's probably not a common Special Interest on here... or anywhere lol.
For anyone in Europe I'm very knowledgeable about Crufts and the World Dog Show, and other FCI events and titles. I have a European-bred dog whose parents were FCI registered. My Dogos are all AKC.
I'll thank anyone who read this for putting up with my nonsense Lol