When I was a young boy I had a pet mouse and of cause I named it "Jerry" and so far in my life time that has been the only pet animal I have knowingly kept.

What has been your past and current pets?

In the past, a dog named Lily, who was part smooth collie, and also Hobbes, a Shetland Sheepdog. Various others, but these were my favorite.

I had gerbils in 1988.

I had mice in the past but my cat ate them.  I still remember the very last remaining mouse I left in my room one day (in a cage, of course).  I left the room for a short time, shutting the door behind me to insure that the cat doesn't get in.  Not knowing the little devil cat was hiding in my closet.  >:(

I have had guinea pigs, rabbits (dwarf and regular sized), chickens, a hermit crab, cats, dogs, many fish and birds.

I currently have a dog, a sun conure, cockatiel, lovebird, parakeet, turtle and fish. 

The first pet I ever had was a black and white cat named Sam in the mid 80s.  We loved her so much, and only had her for a few months until that one tragic day when our neighbour brought us bad news.  Apparently she had apparently climed into the bottom of his car, and unknowing that she was there, he started the car and ended her life.  We cried for weeks over that :\'(

My dad had two cats that I considered my own.  He found them abandoned in his chicken coop in 1987, so he took them in.  They both lived great lives out in the country, and are now sadly no longer with is, but they lived longer lives than the average cat does.  I actually just watched the movie 'Marley & Me' and the end really made me think about how much it hurts when you lose a pet.  It's just like losing a member of the family and even though they are gone, the memories of when they were alive will always be there.

Oh my...where to begin?

The first pet I remember was a dog, it was a black poodle named Sugar.  He was stolen.  :( I was probably 5 or 6 then.

Then we had a dauchund (weenie dog) named Candy.  She was mean and went to live on a farm... ::)

Then we got Dottie.  She was a Golden retriever.  But she was reddish like an Irish Setter.  She was full blooded Golden, though.  So sweet and funny.  She was my first long term pet.  She was 8 years old when one night she ran out to the highway to chase a dog out of HER yard and got hit by a car.  :\'(  She was the best dog ever-and the reason why......

We ended up getting another Golden retriever.  I swore I would never warm up to him, but I did.  His name was Prince. He was too cute to hate-great personality!  We got him a girlfriend, another Golden, and her name was Lady. 2 years later, they had 8 puppies.  They were all registered with papers and my parents sold all but one. We had given them all names and they all had great personalities, and the last one left was Baby.  So Prince, Lady, and Baby were a happy little family for about 13 years.  then one by one, they got old and died.  First was Prince-his hips degenerated and he basically just died a happy old pup. A few years later was Baby, I don't know what she was sick from because I had moved out of my parents house and out of state by then.  My Mom kept Lady with her until she got sick and passed on.  Golden Retrievers are the best dogs ever.  If I ever get another dog, it will be a Golden.

I got a cat for the first time when I was about 22. Her name was Sophie and she was the coolest cat.  She would talk, she loved peanut butter and would chase flashlights all over the floor.  She would also get into my shoes and scoot around the house in them.  When she got Feline Leukemia and passed away I couldn't even be there when the Vet put her to sleep.  My Mom had to stay with her for me.  I said I'd never get another cat, but.....

Matthew and I now have an indoor cat, an outdoor cat, and the gopher turtle that wandered into our backyard back in March is still here too.

I've had fish tanks, but they never seem to work out for long.  I remember when I found out I was expecting Matthew, I said  "I can't even keep fish alive! How am I gonna raise a KID?"  ;D  So far so good...



Honorable mention:
Also, when I was a teenager and we had Dottie, we also had to hatch and raise a nest of Mallard ducklings.  My Dad accidentally ran into the nest with the lawn mower and the mother freaked out and would not return. So we got an incubator and cared for the 4 eggs til they hatched. When they got old enough, my Dad got them a kiddie swimming pool so they could learn to swim.  then we actually taught them to fly-my Dad built a ramp for them to walk off of and it was over the pool in case they fell.  When the time came, they all flew off.  It was so cool that they thought my Dad was their Mama!  ;) We would have Dottie "babysit" the ducks and it was cute, because you could tell she wanted to eat them, but knew her job was to protect them.  We also had 3 bunnies for awhile.  Lawn mower again.  That time it was me.  Same deal, raise them til they were big enough to go off on their own..they actually stayed around close to home, though.

We now have squirrel on our balcony, not really pets, but we have still named them.

We now have squirrel on our balcony, not really pets, but we have still named them.


When do they come by?

We now have squirrel on our balcony, not really pets, but we have still named them.


I have some of those that encroach on my garden and have been known to dig holes in my lawn (I'm wondering if they're part-mole...)

I call 'em 'bastards'... :D

I have some of those that encroach on my garden and have been known to dig holes in my lawn (I'm wondering if they're part-mole...)

I call 'em 'bastards'... :D
...vermin?

I cannot live without dogs.  The first dog I had was a Cockerspaniel/Daschund cross:  Huggy Bear.  He protected me from the boogey man, kept all my teenage secrets, and went on many many adventures in the front basket of my bike.  He went to doggy heaven at 14, I was 17.  I was heartbroken and didn't have another dog until I was 19.  Sandy was a yellow lab, she went to doggy heaven when she was 10, she did a good job of protecting my kids from the boogey man and also enjoyed many adventures.  Shortly after her passing I found Taco a heinz 57, at a garage sale.  It was the best $20.00 I ever spent.  Taco was a good dog, she was small enough to ride in a bike basket but like Huggy Bear and I, she was still rugged enough to go on many adventures with my kids.  She went to doggie heaven at 15 years of age, 2 years ago.

My current dogs are Jeffrey (5), a mutt and Lulu (2), a purebred, champion bred Chinese Crested.  I am so in love with the breed that all my future dogs will be Chinese Cresteds. 

I have some of those that encroach on my garden and have been known to dig holes in my lawn (I'm wondering if they're part-mole...)

I call 'em 'bastards'... :D


They're probably squirrels.

I've had 4 hooded rats within the past few years.  Spunky, Spazzette (Spazzy), Zombie and Creampuff.  I also had a cat named Splat.

My first pet was a little black/white kitty cat named Holly (we got her around christmas). I was about 5 years old..I loved that cat!

Over the years my parents had numerous dogs and cats.

When I was out on my own....I had Kit-Kat (my current and favorite cat), Anna (who sadly passed away a few years ago), Oliver moonboots (I have him now), and I have my sister's cat, Peppermint, till August. :)

When I was Younger...I had a Duck,named Penny.......A Half Moon Conure Parrot named Pepe...........A Poodle named Mitzi.
When I got married I had a miniature Doberman ......My,now ex,ran Her over in the driveway.At the time I believed it was an accident....now I'm not so sure..{it happened when I wasn't home & was upset with Her over lying to Me}..I got a Bassett Hound.....When We split,I told Her I was looking for a place that I could have the Dog.....the Dog disappeared.My Daughter...5 yrs. old at the time,told Me the Dog went to the Vet & died......I called the Vet I always took the Dog to & He knew nothing about it. I called other local Vets who either never saw the Dog or a few told Me {like some Dr. / Patient confidentiality} they couldn't tell Me....12 yrs. later....I still don't know what She did with My Dog.
Now My Daughter & I have Rats {16} , a Rabbit , a Guinea Pig & 3 Sugar Gliders.
(at one point We had 32 rats & 3 Rabbits at the same time}




That is so sad!  I don't know how people can do cruel things to animals just because they're mad at someone.  I may be out of line saying this, but it sounds like you and your Daughter are lucky to be away from all that.  It definitely sounds like she is with the better parent.

I have a Miniature Pinscher named Niko.  He is the cutest, sweetest, most spoiled rotten little dog on planet earth and I love him with all of my heart.   http://www.inthe00s.com/smile/05/herz.gif

When I was little I had a Maltese named Puppa.  He was very good and easy going.  I always remember trying to ride him and trying to make him talk.  When I was in 3rd grade my sister's boyfriend gave her a Bischon Frise puppy.  She named him Teddy Bear, but my other sister always called him Buckwheat, and that's the name that stuck.  He was very cute and funny and full of personality.  I also had two parakeets, Messy Feathers, and Budgie.  And we had several goldfish through the years too.

No...You are not "out of line"....Intelligent...Yes  :) ..Out of line...no.....
It took a lot of Shrinks,Judges & money to get to where We are today.
There's a thread named Shrinks that I posted My experience on I'll put it below {for ease}
And....thanks for the kind words.....It's much appreciated.....

Hey!  :)  I'm sorry I didn't see this til today! (I had to condense to reply because my reply got too long) It sounds like you have been to Hell and back-but it's all worth it, I know. You've done a lot to turn your daughter around and any judge with common sense probably could have seen that you didn't really need to go through all that at the time.  Family Law is so messed up.  They make you jump through all these hoops when all you want to do is take care of your child.
I was given a Mediator in my divorce/custody suit, and it was pointless as well.  But I have my son and we haven't seen his Dad in almost 4 years.  Some people might think that's sad, but believe me, he's a better child for it!  He gets only A's and occasional B's in school, is loving and sweet, and above all, he knows he's SAFE and loved.  It's the most important thing we can give them as parents, right?  :)

I think Courts see People at their worst , so often  and hear lies so often,it's difficult for them to recognize sincerity sometimes...... :-\\
Yeah it was tough....and yeah,I still hold some resentment toward the Court,the Psychologists & My ex for putting My Daughter through it....I'm a big Boy,I can take it.....But what My Daughter had to endure from age 5-13 was itself,criminal.....
But that's ancient history !..... ...........I got Her report card in the mail yesterday....She made First Honors.......
Again...thanks for Your kind,encouraging words......

Hey!  :)  I'm sorry I didn't see this til today! (I had to condense to reply because my reply got too long) It sounds like you have been to Hell and back-but it's all worth it, I know. You've done a lot to turn your daughter around and any judge with common sense probably could have seen that you didn't really need to go through all that at the time.  Family Law is so messed up.  They make you jump through all these hoops when all you want to do is take care of your child.
I was given a Mediator in my divorce/custody suit, and it was pointless as well.  But I have my son and we haven't seen his Dad in almost 4 years.  Some people might think that's sad, but believe me, he's a better child for it!  He gets only A's and occasional B's in school, is loving and sweet, and above all, he knows he's SAFE and loved.  It's the most important thing we can give them as parents, right?  :)