what pets did you grow up with.

[rocky'smom]

since we are all lovers of birds, did you grow up with birds as kids? or cats and dogs? or rabbits and guinea pigs? snakes and turtles? fish?
before I was born, my parents had little blue budgie named Billy Boy, and huge Chesapeake Bay Retriever named Nicky. so I started out my life with pets. as I grew, I had rabbit that was half Flemish giant and half from good neighborhood named Gumdrop. we had a dutchie rabbit that I can't remember it's name, 2 golden retrievers both named Raggsy, two fish tanks, cats; Gully Cat from snoopy, Morris, Tigger, Elsa, at the lake home Mama cat & George. we had several other rabbits including very pregnant female named Sam. My brother had birds, budgies & finches that had gotten away from Woolworths into the Donald's store at Brookdale. Every year at Easter time each of kids would get a baby mallard duck that we would raise to be released on Rice creek where my god parents lived. the year I was senior in high school; our dog dug out nest of wild little bald cottontail babies. mom and us kids feed those little ugly funny looking babies every couple of hours until they were strong and healthy. they all names by the time we finished feeding them, old weird Harold, Fat Albert, spunky, chub-o, skipper, you get the picture. all we had to do was go the Great Uncle's farms for bigger critters; horses, cows, turkeys, chickens, sheep, pigs. so I grew up with huge love for animals. anybody else?

 

[MandaExotics]

I just always loved animals, used to say I wanted to be a vegetarian when I grew up (I meant veterinarian). Then I discovered I was allergic to dogs, farm animals, and such. My parents got a cat when I was a child but old enough to know not to hurt it, I remember when that cat walked through the door it was like kid magic. Also had a couple hermit crabs as a child and a few of the neon tetras. Nothing uncommon as it was parents taking care of them. I really annoyed everyone in my family with ant farms, especially when they all got loose once. Then it was caterpillars and worms. It wasn't until high school high that my plea for a reptile was answered. Never even considered tarantulas as pets until I seen one in a display by chance one day during high school. Also ended up with a couple hamsters in high school from someone who didn't want them. I never even touched a parrot until I started college that I can remember.

Edit: I have to admit, even as a kid, my favorite animal was a snake. I had no experience with them until I was much older, sometimes it works out that way.

 

[camelotshadow]

Mostly dogs & cats.
Mom had canaries.
We had at times, hamsters, gerbils, rabbits & fish.
Canaries just sang & were in the cage. Had a green parakeet once but it was not tame. It would get out & fly all around & it would be hard to get it back into the cage & I don;t remember having it for very long.
I was not impressed as a child with birds. Mom would find a injured wild one sometimes & care for it til it was well enough to fly off.
I wanted a horse as a child & we lived in the city. Mom went as far as looking into rules for getting a shetland pony but it was not allowed.
Nice of her for trying.

 

[Nerine]

I grew up with dogs, cats and aquariums; at one point we use to also have a number of hamsters and a couple of turtles.

I have always loved birds, but didn't get my first pair of finches until just a few years ago.

 

[Ankou]

When I was very young my family had a cat and a ferret. My parents rehomed them when we moved to Alaska, the ferret going to a great seemingly home and the cat to a complete loon acquaintance. My father really liked keeping aquariums too, we had three at one point, but like the furry pets they didn't come with us when we moved.

And then I got a baby Peanut lovebird when I was 13, after a year saving up all my money to pay for everything and tons of research. She was my first 'pet' who was wholly mine and my responsibility. I had no idea how much I would love her. Or I would be spending all my allowance on bird food and toys and be totally okay with that.
Peanut will be 17 in May.

We also got a pair of puppies when I was around 16, Buck and Shadow. Buck died shortly before I moved away from home and Shadow came with me.
Shadow passed last year, he was 14.


I've always loved animals, even though we didn't have many pets while I was growing up. I was raised near farm country though and almost all our friends and family had animals, lots of them. I also thought I wanted to be a vet growing up, or do something with animals. Reality kicked in at some point and I realized I could never deal with the negative aspects of being a vet, I'd have ended up heartbroken at all the loss or in jail after strangling some idiot owner.
It's hard to say what specifically drew me to birds though. My horrible cousins' family had birds that were very neglected. I can't imagine it was a positive experience for a child and as an adult thinking of those poor birds only makes me dislike their family even more than I already do. Vile people.
My other (better) cousins had chickens though, which I really liked. As an adult if I lived somewhere warmer I think I'd love to keep them too. Maybe that was it? Or maybe lovebirds are just really damn cute and I wanted one.
Their turkey did, however, chase me onto a parked car.

 

[Lady Jane]

My Mom would not allow any animals in the home I grew up in, however from time to time I would sneak stray cats into the basement but she always managed to find them. After I reached teen years I got a parakeet and that bird lived a long time. That is about it.

 

[DQTimnehs]

We had several cats and a couple of dogs growing up. 2 of the cats were sisters and kept having kittens. Instead of getting them fixed, my parents rehomed them without telling us first. We went on vacation and we thought we were getting them back when we returned. I thought it was pretty mean of them not to let us at least say goodbye but really they just should have been spayed. One of the dogs had puppies at least once or twice and she was spayed later. In high school I had a rat that I had to train for biology class. My mom disliked rodents so he was only allowed because of the project. I remember some fish when I was pretty young.

Since I've been on my own, I've had a few cats. The last couple of years are the only time I haven't had a cat. I also had a rabbit. And raised llamas and alpacas for awhile.

 

[CrazyBirdChick]

My family got a dog when I was 2. She was my best friend and the smartest dog ever. She lived till I was in highschool.

My family somehow became known as the people you should dump your unwanted dogs on. So we got 3 more dogs that way.

I loved animals so much all my life and would always dream up of what I wanted next. In my childhood years I had guinea pigs, 3 rabbits (at separate times) an iguana (that I didn't know how to care for properly so my dad gave it to his friend, who built it it's own room) I had a turtle, frogs, and a budgie.

I always wanted a parrot, since I could remember, but somehow my parents never bought that for me. (Specifically a quaker)

When I finally moved out I finally got my quaker and the rest is history. I will always have a parrot. They are my favorite animal.

I also had a dog and rabbit in my adult life. But losing my dog when she was almost 14 was too painful and I'm not ready to go through that again...yet. I will have another dog some day. But now...birds birds birds on the brain. I want atleast 1 more.

 

[Diesel13]

Golden retrievers are my family's breed of choice so growing up I remember there always being 1 or 2. Our most recent golden just passed away, so now the family is on the hunt for another one. When I was really young my dad had aquariums. My sister and I always had gerbils and then when we were older we got rats and I've been in love with them ever since. Once we moved to FL we acquired turtles and a cat.

I got introduced to birds in 2nd or 3rd grade when I partnered with MAARS, a Minnesota parrot rescue, for a presentation. But Diesel is the first bird I've ever truly owned.

Then of course in High school there were countless animals I fostered for the Animal Science program (birds, goats, hedgehogs, various reptiles).

 

[Chopper]

We had rabbits (not as pets), cats, dogs (always a dog), and fish. My mom said that birds were dirty and I couldn't have one.

 

[Mizzely]

Have had freshwater fishes of various sorts for probably 75% of my years on this earth. Grew up with a sheltie/border collie mix most of my childhood, finally convinced my dad to let me get a cat in high school, and my mom got a Pomeranian around the same time. Always wanted a cockatiel, rats, and a reptile, but never was allowed to have those!

Got rats shortly after moving to my own place.

Now I have 2 cats, 2 birds, and a gecko! Kinda think that if I had started with the gecko I would have a lot more reptiles!

 

[melissasparrots]

I had cockatiels and my parents had a cockatoo. I had your usual gerbils, hamsters, a couple kinds of geckos, dogs and cats, guinea pigs. Oh and fish. I had an oscar that traveled back and forth from college with me. I still miss my oscar.

 

[alicat]

Growing up my mom HATED anything alive. I didn't have any pets until we got a dog when I was a teenager. She claimed allergies to everything, even animals shed never seen before. The only thing I was allowed were hermit crabs coming home from the shore, and she didn't even like those. I was always promised when I got my own room I'd get a hamster and I never got one.
I was actually very afraid of birds growing up. A little bird fell in my driveway once and I tried to scoop it up not knowing what I was doing, and the mom bird ended up being nearby and trying to attack me! I ended up sneaking home a pair of gerbils when I was 19 and she didn't put up a fight, so I got lovebirds because someone I knew kept breeding them and wasn't a good owner. Then a cockatiel. Then I got a job at an animal shelter and got a kitten, and very recently a handicapped rat.

I always loved animals but recently it's blossomed into a bit of an obsession, since I've realized it can actually be a career choice. I wish I went to school earlier for either Zoology or Veterinary Technology, but hey better late than never.

 

[fidsmom]

My family always had dogs, our 1st 1, was an Americain Foxhound, named Bugller as when he howled, he sounded like a bugle. After Bugller, passed away, We always had beagles, Barney,, Dino, Shiloh. We also had Goldfish. After I moved out, I had budgies, then a few years later, I had lovebirds , and a beagle Sam ( he was such a sweet boy ) he lived till 13 years, got sick . then after that got Shiloh ( beagle) When my Dad was alive, he would babysit Shiloh, On the nites ,I worked , I would bring Shiloh to my Dads place, They were best buddies. Even on my nites off, My Dad would ask me to bring Shiloh over. When my Dad passed away, Shiloh took it quite hard , He just wasn't the same dog anymore, without his best buddy. I also had a hedgehog, for about 3 weeks, But gave back to my friend, as Shiloh kept trying to get him, even in his cage. Now i have 7 Quakers, 1 Senegal And 1 lovebird, and 2 Teckels dogs ( part of doxie family)

 

[MandaExotics]

I had cockatiels and my parents had a cockatoo. I had your usual gerbils, hamsters, a couple kinds of geckos, dogs and cats, guinea pigs. Oh and fish. I had an oscar that traveled back and forth from college with me. I still miss my oscar.

I hear oscars are amazing pet fish, got bit by one once. Hold no grudges. If I was into aquariums I'd consider oscars for personality that owners claim they have.

 

[alicat]

Got rats shortly after moving to my own place.

I recently got my first rat and WOW I'm in love! I might have them forever

 

[Mizzely]

I recently got my first rat and WOW I'm in love! I might have them forever

I looooove rats so much! Only downfall is the short lifespan

 

[Kolkri]

Dogs, fish. I was 14 before I got a couple finches.

 

[melissasparrots]

I hear oscars are amazing pet fish, got bit by one once. Hold no grudges. If I was into aquariums I'd consider oscars for personality that owners claim they have.

I have an aquarium sitting empty in my bedroom. I keep intending to get it set up and put an oscar in it. I'm lacking motivation because I also have a kestrel in my bedroom taking up a lot of space right now. Setting up a very large aquarium for the oscar might tip me over a little too far into the crazy than I want to go.

 

[alicat]

I looooove rats so much! Only downfall is the short lifespan

I knowwww. My girls already one and I'm already nervous about that.
Her names Ravioli