Canadutch
I have a problem. I am completely and utterly addicted to animals… Turtles especially. I can’t get enough of them, every one I see I fall in love with and want to take it home.
This is all my pets and they are all awesome. I really love caring for them and making cool enclosures for them like Harley’s Bachelor Pad, the above tank basking area for the turtles and even finding great deals like Sherman’s new terrarium.
I can’t help it, it’s what I love. I’m not a woman who collects 50 pairs of shoes. In fact, I have 2 pairs of summer shoes and 1 pair of winter shoes and that’s it. I’m quite low maintenance in that regard.
Hell, I’m still wearing sweatshirts I wore in high school and I’m 31 years old! Sure I buy new clothes every now and then but I’m not a clothes horse who needs two closets in every room just to accommodate my wardrobe.
I don’t do drugs, I rarely drink and I don’t gamble. I don’t have any interest in expensive jewelry, I don’t blow endless wads of cash out socializing and partying and I don’t spend monthly fees to sit in front of online games anymore (yeah I gave the WoW thing a go again for a week and totally wasn’t into it and quit again).
So what I don’t understand is, why is my love of animals so bad? Why do people I know tell me I don’t need anymore pets, poke fun of me because of my ‘zoo’ and encourage me not to bring any more animals into my house?
I take good care of them, they are all healthy and happy. None of my pets are cramped into unfit situations. Quite the contrary really, compared to the average enclosures for animals of their kind, they have palaces.
Ok so it makes it difficult for us to go away or travel because we need to arrange care for them, but don’t children stop people from doing a lot of things too? We may not be able to take off to Spain for a week without making arrangements for them, but at least we can go to a movie or out to dinner in peace whenever we want. Something many parents I know can’t.
I almost feel ashamed when I mention a new addition I’d like to make to our home because people seem to find it unimaginable why I’d want to. For example there is a beautiful turtle hatchling at our local pet store, an Eastern Painted Turtle who looks a lot like the hatchling in this photo only about 1/4 the size… but I feel like if I did take him home I wouldn’t want to tell anyone because they’d just sigh and laugh and make their usual jabs.
When one of my girlfriends buys her 56th pair of shoes or her 14th pair of jeans, I don’t tell her she doesn’t need them. Sure, I don’t really understand the need for that many pairs of shoes since I manage to do just fine with the 2-3 pairs I own… but I don’t judge. If it’s what makes them happy then whatever.
I wish the people I know were able to do that as well because it’s so irritating when they poke fun or try to tell me why I don’t need more animals. Of course I don’t NEED them, but that doesn’t mean I don’t love to have them.
I can think of a lot more disgusting and harmful ‘addiction’ than the love of animals… so why do I feel so weird about it lately?
I am behind in reading your posts. So I am catching up. Perhaps it is a Canadian girl thing. I am not much for jewelry, or lots of clothes, and well shoes. I am 44 this year and I still have shoes from when I was 17.
I could care less for diamonds. But pets. Oh boy!yep pets…love em. We are low in the animal dept right now. I am holding back all urges to get a cute Yorkshire Terrier. My mother-in-law could end up living with us and she does not treat dogs well, so I will wait until I am certain that she won’t live with us before I get another dog. Now we have two dwarf hamsters and fish. And my Son has a kitten I spoil.
Hey! I just wanted to tell you how much I’ve enjoyed reading your stuff tonight! I was actually Googling “bandana collars” to see what I could find, & your “spats” page popped up. You are too funny! And your animals are cool too. Anyway, just wanted to say thanks for the interesting read & beautiful pics! =) Amanda Balladares
What?? No bearded dragon? ;)
I am the same way with bunnies as you are with turtles…
For some reason people think it’s weird when other people own a lot of pets (unless you’re a breeder etc) and they wonder why you’d put yourself through that expense, effort and time. It’s kind of like kids making fun of lonely old ladies b/c they have a bunch of cats. ;)
I am not much of a petlover anymore.
I hate the noises, the mess, the smell, the hair, the possibility of fleas, ticks etc..
I don’t think you should feel weird about it, at all. I believe the way people treat animals is a reflection of how they treat other people. I see nothing wrong with having many of them, as long as they are well taken care of and your animals look absolutely gorgeous so I am sure they all have great care, and great homes, too!!!
I recently got a kitten and people keep telling me that I have a zoo. All I have is a pond full of turtles (7) and a turtle indoors in my room, two dogs and now, the kitten. I am far from a zoo!!! lol
I say do what makes you happy and forget what others think! Animals are rewarding, not like 50 pair of shoes and 14 pair of jeans, eh! (I am much like you, I get by with two or three pair of shoes and I have never gone out specifically to shop for clothes, no big brand names in my closet, either, unless they were a gift).
I *Totally* understand the whole pet love addiction. I only have 2 cats, 1 dog (Pug), 1 hedgehog, 1 leopard gecko and 2 guinea pigs and 6 containers of meal worms that I breed for gecko food and people assume I am crazy too. If I can’t have kids then I am going to love what I do have! You can’t measure the amount of joy pets bring and some people will just never understand. Don’t hide or feel ashamed if you want or get a new pet. Mothers with a family of 8 don’t ever hide baby #9 and neither should we. Be proud that we are able to have happy healthy large families with mainly four legs ;)
You shouldn’t feel so weird about it. I think it’s totally natural to love animals. You take good care of them, and honestly, it’s no ones place to judge you for taking in more.
Animals are cool. They will never judge you for keeping so many of them.
OMG! I just got the kid two rats and I need serious assistance in raising them (the rats) and getting them to like me… *sigh*
If I didn’t know you, I might make a rash judgement about having this many animals…but I do know how you are with them. I really think you have a gift with animals. You’re like Snow White with all of the creatures of the woodlands circling around you. :)
WoW, Cute animals!!! Its a mini Zoo… How do you get time to take care of all this???
Yuri and I love your animals, buy as many as you want :)
I’m all for you just buying one and not telling anyone. Or rather, just speak about him/her as if you’ve always had them. People who jibe at your pets would clearly not know the difference between 3 and 4 turtles ;) Your pets are gorgeous!