PRINTColumbia's menagerie
May 7, 2009 | 12:00 a.m. CST
Although cats and dogs account for most of the pet population (70 percent of households own one or both, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association), some pet owners prefer unconventional animals. The thought of owning anything with eight legs might make you cringe, but some find the fuzzy creatures fascinating. Unusual pets can make for great pals, too. Many are low-maintenance and don’t require the same hefty pet deposits or pet rent our feline and canine friends do. So if you’re thinking about owning a less common pet, pay attention. If these don’t pique your interest, well, you can always opt for a pet rock instead.
- Fenced in
- Animal house
- A pet by any other name
- Rabbit tricks
- Doggy OCD
- Confessions of a Paranoid Cat Owner
- 5 things not to feed your pets
- Vox's cutest pet winners
- What a pet wants
- Family resemblance
- The real cost of pets
- Mythbusters
- Working like a dog
- Small deaths kill me
- Scratches, Tiger and Toby
- Love knows no lease
- The pet from hell
- The parakeet Cold War
- Of pug and Pam
- Mourning Jack
- All aboard
- Confessions of a Paranoid Cat Owner
- Vet school: a closer look
- Menu: Pets unleashed!
- CoMo celebrities
Quaker parrot
Isabel the Quaker parrot perches on the open door of her cage. Owner Kate Tripp jokingly refers to Isabel as a “devil parrot” due to her sassy and demanding personality. Tripp says the parrot’s best phrase is, “Do you feel lucky, punk?” similar to the line in Dirty Harry.
Crested gecko
Kate Tripp holds Muthoni, a New Caledonian crested gecko, which is one of 22 she owns. “Animals are great teachers of responsiblity and respect, and to this end I donate juvenile cresteds as available to approved teachers in the area for classroom pets,” Tripp says.
Chinchilla
Chester the chinchilla rests in his cage after a dust bath. Owner Matt Turner has had Chester for six years. Chinchillas do not bathe in water because of their thick, dense fur, so the dust cleans their coats by getting rid of excess oil and moisture.
Pygmy hedgehog
Kate Tripp holds her 1-year-old African pygmy hedgehog, Clementine. Tripp visits local schools with Clementine and some of her other exotic pets in order to raise awareness about saving the habitats of exotic animals.
Birdeater tarantula
Goliath, Sean Torgoley’s juvenile goliath birdeater tarantula, approaches the side of its tank in Torgoley’s living room. The birdeater is considered the largest arachnid in the world, and Goliath measures 6 inches long with its legs fully extended.
Hognose snake & Parrotlet
Sean Torgoley holds his female Western hognose snake while his female Pacific parrotlet Ju-Ju uses him as a perch. “Ju-Ju loves rap music,” Torgoley says. “She can mimic the noises with peeps and squeaks.”
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