I have been here a while but never noticed this part of the forum, so figured I better step in and tell you about my experience with animals.
While growing up in western Pa, we always had dogs. It did not seem natural not to have a dog as a pet. During high school I purchased my first horse, I lived summer's on my uncles farm and so was surrounded and involoved in the care of cows and hogs, horses and chickens, cats and dogs. All of which I made at least one or two, of each, into pets.
After I was married, (1st time) I owned another horse and many dogs.
My (2nd) marriage took me in a whole other direction as I now lived in Florida, on a wildlife farm. Some of the wild animals were treated like pets and others were part of the farm operations. We had cougars and leopords, pet servals and bobcats, baby bear and deer, pet baby pigs and otters, fox and wolf, turkeys and pheasents, and snakes, plus house cats, over the course of many years.
I was involved in the care and raising of babies and feeding of the animals. We did wildlife shows and lectures at fairs and the Indian Reservations.
I was a attendent that tried to keep people from getting harmed or harming the animals, or letting them loose. My husband had pythons for pets that he would show. I often held them as well as, other non-poisenous snakes like rat snakes and king snakes.
So the pets I had the most experience with, in Fl., were the wild ones. But now I just have a housecat.
Hello 4sweed!
Wow, I envy you for having had so many pets. I only had a cat when I was a kid, and now I have a dog, but I'd like to have more pets. My parents are not a animal loving person, but my mother has changed that attitude since we have this dog, because she says it's great company. And working in a wildlife farm, that really seems interesting and hardworking, but I am not a big fan of snakes.
alfpt,
Hi there. I was not fond of snakes at all to begin with, but they were my husband's pets so I got used to having them around. The wildlife farm was a lot of fun and hard work. Cages needed to be cleaned out everyday and animals needed to be fed. The cougars and leopards, were fun to talk to and the babies we raised were delightful.
My husband's parents did the biggest share of the work, but we all pitched in and did our part. We had a baby bear there one time and I got my picture taken with it. And we had a baby tiger, that grew up on the farm and made the funniest noise deep in his throat. It was endearing to hear it. The bobcats were generally mean, but the servals adults that we raised were gentle as housecats. The babies were light as a feather when I held them in my arms. It was a very enjoyable experience.
Hello 
