Went to one of the larger pet stores this weekend, hadn't been there in a while, to buy some aquarium supplies. Well they also sell pets there too so I went to check out the little guys cause I love to look at cute little critters. They had some new stuff in there that surprised me. First they had TONS of hairless guinea pigs. OK they are kinda cute but some are a bit scruffy LOL, not completely hairless, tufts and strings of hair here and there. It IS funny though, cause they really do resemble pigs LOL [img]graemlins/hehe.gif[/img]

Then I saw a prairie dog. Had no idea those could be kept as pets. Wonder how you take care of them (a big sandbox comes to mind LOL).

Then I saw a Hedgehog! Oh it was adorable, and had two tiny little babies in a nest. Again had no idea those could be kept as pets, they didn't really look like an animal that you could pet though, but I could be wrong, maybe they are soft in a prickly kind of way LOL.

Anybody had any of these pets before? Do they sell them in pet stores where you live?

So the people in your street will soon be seeing you walking with a little piggy on a leash ? ROFL I'd love to see that. SIT PORKY..... SIT !!! :D

There's a petstore near my home where you can buy a big hairy Tarantula, how's that for a pet ? They also have those things that look like walking twigs, what's the fun in that ? Might just as well buy a cactus, that's just as exciting. :D

Hmmm...they do sell hedgehog at my local pet store, my friend owns one. It's pretty cool that every time the hedgehog loses a needle on it, my friend makes them in to necklaces. Same goes for the hairless guinea pig, though sadly the one I saw was dead...lets have our moment of silence people...anyways back to the topic, I don't think prarie dog can be kept as pets...it's illegal at where I live to capture prarie dogs and keep it as pets.

LOL Johnny! Well it's just a guinea pig mind you, not a pot bellied pig, which I have heard are pets for some as well, although I never have seen one YET at our local petstore LOL.

I agree re the tarantula, not something I'd want as a pet LOL, might as well try to sell me a hissing cockroach LOL [img]graemlins/hehe.gif[/img]

Walking twigs? Is that the insect? The ones that look like little branches?

Yes, i didn't know how you call em in English. Overhere they're called "wandelende tak", which literally means "walking twig". I've been observing them for a little while in the petstore, and it's kinda like watching the grass grow. That must be one of the most useless pets one could ever buy. :D

LOL, OK. Yeah I've never seen one of those before, cept for on TV. They don't have them in our pet stores here. I always thought them a really neat bug, but yea, I guess that thought would probably wear off in about 2 minutes, especially if they mostly just sit there pretending to be a stick LOL [img]graemlins/hehe.gif[/img]

My grandmother's neighbors had a pot belly pig..that thing was HUGE and ate all the crab apples that fell from her tree. Mind you, she didn't care if it ate the crab apples,but the thing used to come up on her while she was in the garden and nearly knock her over. She was a wee bit scared of it...don't blame her, Penelope the Pig was not the most lovely of critters up close and personal!

Stick insects - they are definitely not my cup of tea. I have what can probably be classed as a phobia, the sight of them makes me feel physically unwell.

Some years ago, I went with my then bf to stay for the weekend at his dad's place. We were put up in his little sister's room, and she had a huge pet stick insect. I couldn't sleep, I swear I could hear it rustling in the tank. *shudder*

Are the guinea pigs meant to be hairless? Skin diseases are pretty common in guinea pigs, and those big pet stores do not have a good reputation for keeping their animals healthy.

Those are called walking sticks in English, Johnny... or at least, in American [img]smile.gif[/img]

We just got an exotic pet on Sunday... four hermit crabs (one for each of us). There's Buzz Lightyear, Angel/Ariel (my daughter can't make up her mind), Aquata, and Stumpy. Mine's Stumpy. :D

It's been... interesting, so far. Stumpy is the most active, although Aquata pulled a new one on me today. She climbed up the plant in their glass house and was hanging on the metalwork on the top. When we opened the top, she got a better grip... and nearly became a hermit crabcake a little later on when I tried to close it. Honest -- I didn't see her!

Fortunately, she made it through okay. [img]graemlins/thumbsup.gif[/img]

First pet for me in a long, long time... and for the kids, first one ever. We'll see how well it goes... [img]smile.gif[/img]

Aren't Prairie Dogs partially responsible for spreading monkey pox?
I'm surprised they're still being sold, not to mention I dislike seeing wild animals un-wilded. [img]tongue.gif[/img]