It all started because Jack loved me best. Jack was supposed to be the family dog. Perhaps, because he was five when we re-homed him. We found out he’d rather spend his doggie affection following me (the main supplier of his food, treats, and belly rubs) around the house. Can you really blame him?
So the desire for a pet of their own went unfulfilled.
My daughter, the keeper of a gazillion stuffed animals and furry beasts, wanted her own dog. Something she could stroke, hug way too tight and smother with her nine-year-old affection. She thought a Toy Poodle or a Bichon Frise fit the bill.
My twelve-year-old son, a lover of the odd and unique, wanted a bearded dragon or an iguana. Something, not every child had, something he could pick up and perhaps, scare his sister and her friends with at times.
I was fine with our current pet situation. I didn’t think we needed to add more living beings, a.k. a. responsibility to the household. Jack and Spot, the surviving goldfish living out its sole existence swimming circles in my daughter’s room were enough for me. My husband, who had all sorts of strange and exotic pets as a child, like newts, rabbits, a guinea pig, and a lizard, disagreed.
“Pets teach responsibility. Pets are great for children to have.”
I hesitated. Maybe, I was being unreasonable? If I said yes, what was I saying yes to…another dog?
“No.” This was the response to my daughter’s pleas to another dog. Thankfully, my husband and I were on the same page. No one had time to potty train a puppy.
The search began for the perfect soft, furry pet for my daughter that wasn’t a dog.
Cat- A big “No.” Allergies run in my family. My eyes, nose, and throat started itching even at the thought.
Guinea Pig- “NO.”, This from my husband. “They bite.” He said. He hadn’t enjoyed the one his family had when he was a child.
Rabbit: -“No.” This from my husband again. “They poop all the time.”
Hamster? Hedgehog? Chinchilla?
Each was ruled out…until we came back to hamsters. My husband did a bit of research. “How about gerbils?” He said. I knew nothing about gerbils. “They’re desert animals, they don’t pee as much, they like to be held, and they only live two years.” Win, win, win and win. I loved the short lifespan. “Okay, let’s do gerbils.”
Next, came finding a pet for my son.
Bearded dragon was top on his list. A diet of live crickets and a ten-year lifespan made me hesitate.
Live crickets…”No.”
I am just not that nice.
Okay…how about the iguana? More research…a lifespan of ten to twenty years in captivity, fully grown they required a six-foot-wide cage and humidified air. First, let’s do the Math. My son…12. College in his future, leaving home in six years. Six foot in diameter cage.
“No. Not happening.”
After the disappointing research about the bearded dragon and the iguana, when my husband found a three-year-old corn snake for sale on Craig’s list, it sounded like a dream come true. Reptile wise. Lifespan six to eight years (it was already three. Yeah.) Eats once a week. Needs warmth, but the heat lamp came with the purchase of the twenty-gallon tank along with the snake. Wait. What does it eat?
“Mice.” My son said.
“Like live mice?”
“No, they can be dead.” He replied.
“Where do we GET the mice?”
“The pet store, they come in packs of six.” My son and husband replied.
“Wait, wait…so you just walk up and say, ‘I’ll take a six-pack of mice?'”
“Yep.” They chimed in together.
“Ew.”
Rule number one: “I won’t ever feed the snake. Like ever. You go away to camp. Snake eats before you leave. You go on a trip for school or sports. You feed the snake before.” I said.
“Okay.” He said.
Shortly after, Shadow, a very long (like over three feet long, I wasn’t expecting it to be that long) tan scaly snake with black patterns, joined our family. He lives in the corner of my son’s bedroom. A six-pack of little frozen white mice gets stored in the back of the freezer away from any other food. I try not to think about it. Except, I keep coming across this box and thinking, “What’s this?” I pull it out. Then I drop it. Seriously, I’ve done it like five or six times. You’d think I’d learn.
Around the same time, Arrow and Ashe, two crazy little gerbils joined our family. I’ll admit. They are really fun to watch, despite the fact they have long tails. Yeah. Mice-like tails. They run like wild on their metal wheel, they push their bedding around and dig tunnels hiding their food. They taunt, Jack, who is intrigued by these little rodents. My husband nicknamed them, Pinkie and The Brain. Recently, a luxury apartment was added to the top of their tank. They are living the good life.
Both, my children seem to like their pets and more importantly they are able to care for them independently. Or so I thought until I heard the words, “Mom, I just found the snake in my LEGO box.”
Wait!!!! What!!!
“NO. just, no!”
