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Pets
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The picture at right is of my cage setup (well, how
it looked until spring 2004, when I got rid of the large enclosure
and the carpeted stand--now I have no place for my
patches!).
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| To call a captive reptile a
"pet," in the strictest sense of the word, is a
misnomer, in my opinion. Although some reptiles will
tolerate being handled, and some actually seem to enjoy it, they
usually don't get lonely and chew up your carpet like other
"pets" might (dogs, for example). I consider
reptiles to be more along the lines of fish in an aquarium--fun to
observe, but not quite on the same level as an avian or mammalian
pet. That's not to say I don't become attached to my
captives, though!
I do support the keeping of reptiles (and other animals) as
pets. Some people don't, preferring to stick to
"mainstream" pets like cats and dogs. Some
extremists want to ban all pet ownership (pet owners, PLEASE
do not donate money to PeTA or HSUS! You'll never see
their agenda on their website, though, because they'd wither away
without gullible pet owners' dollars. ). Conversely, I
think the presence of a more exotic pet such as a reptile
increases awareness of the natural world around us, and may help
fuel an interest in environmental studies which will benefit us
all.
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| I find reptiles interesting to both
observe in the wild and to keep as pets. It's not that I have
anything against "normal" pets, but I've just had more
exposure to small scaly animals than dogs and cats throughout my
life. Also, over the past few years I've become allergic to
dog/cat hair, and though I'm told it's possible, I've never known
anyone to be allergic to reptiles! In addition, my reptiles never
wake me up in the middle of the night barking (though some species
can)! |
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| When I was younger, I felt compelled
to capture every lizard I came across to keep as a pet. My mom
wouldn't let me have a snake, so I satisfied my curiosity with
lizards and turtles (as well as newts and toads here and there,
but they're not reptiles, so I don't include them here). I
also bought several from local pet shops. For a look at my
past reptilian pets, click the link below. |
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Currently, I keep two turtles, four lizards, and
two snakes. Their links are below. |
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Past Pets | Lizards
| Snake | Turtles |
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