Pet Shop Joys

Another illo for wHaggle.com! One of the many jobs that have been keeping me very busy of late. Here's a larger version.

How many kinds of pets have you had from this picture? Me, let's see.... I've had fish, turtles, hamsters, rats (yes, rats), guinea pigs, rabbits and cats. Never had a dog. I've love to own a pug, but the hubby says it's not fair to the cats, and besides, he doesn't like pugs. How can you not like pugs? They're so ugly, they're cute.

And regarding the whole rats as pets thing, trust me, they make amazing pets. One of the smartest, cleanest creatures out there. We had oodles of them when we were kids. My mom even wrote a little children's story for one of her library courses years ago, about how a family very similar to ours, decided to get rats as pets, because the youngest child (ahem, moi) had terrible allergies, so rats were the only viable option. My sister illustrated the book. It was called Ben, Rachel, Timothy and Piglet. Those were the actual names of the one family of rats we had. Cute, huh?

I seriously don't get this thing with women who are terrifief of rats and other little rodents. All this screaming and screeching and quivering and jumping up on chairs. Sheesh. But then again, I'm not a girly-girl, am I?

Comments

[Anne]

I am *dying* to own a pet rat someday. I gravitate to them in the pet store and on Petfinder.com.

However, for now we have a dog (nice mutt) and two parakeets. In the past I've had many red-eared sliders (turtles), a half-dozen dogs, 3 parakeets, a canary, and two cats. Oh, and fish, but honestly, they are a bit boring... soothing to watch, but boring because there's absolutely no interacting with them. If my husband didn't put the brakes on (adamantly), we'd have a menagerie for sure. I love me some animals.

Tell your husband that pugs are like cats; they just bark instead of meowing. I think they're lovely little critters.

[R J Keefe]

That is one knocked-out étagère! Did you just make it up, or have you had it around the house for a while?

[Roberto Bobrow]

I can see from this illo that your work turned out to be cleaner than before. Yet as funny as always. I'm sure your client went very pleased with it. Compliments!

About pets: Over the last years in Buenos Aires there is a noticieable trend to buy "pure breed" dogs. Reversely, there are a number of mongrels wandering the streets and some groups (and a very popular TV show) searching homes for them. Last week we found a big molossian (St Bernard alike) disoriented and exhausted. We fed him and now is with a friend of us, together with three other rescued. Named "Max", he showed himself as a giant, sweet lapdog.

[Cleo]

I'm by no means a girly girl either. I'm an ex-cop and worked with my father during his career as county coroner. BUT...we lived in a big, old house near a river and woods when I was growing up. When I was about 8, a mouse climbed up the inside back of my pajamas-while I was in them-and was sleeping. Shrieks of terror ensued that surely startled hibernating animals....My father rushed to the bedroom, ripped off my pajama top and beat the mouse to death with a ping pong paddle while it was still in my jammies-and in my bed. I am still petrified of anything remotely resembling a rodent. There's a story that goes along with my snake phobia as well, but I'll save that to accompany an illo for Reptiles magazine!

[hadas]

Hmmm, should I take this as a personal offence against chair hopping girly moi, you rat-lovin' freak? And haven't you read 1984? Guys are afraid of them too!! (Recommended tone to read this comment: a friendly reproach on the verge of hysterics).

[patricia]

Ha ha ha. I was waiting for you to comment, my dear! You are an enigma, because you're not a girly-girl, but yet you're deathly afraid of these cute little rodents.

'Tis true. I'm a rat-lovin' freak!

[Carmi]

I guess it all depends on one's perspective. If said rat comes from the pet store, no worries. I've always loved rodents as pets. They're darn adorable, and endlessly entertaining.

But if the rat comes from parts unknown and is otherwise an unwelcome addition to my family, I kinda worry about its presence in my house. Thankfully that hasn't been an issue yet, but I hardly think I'd want the thing cohabitating with my wife and kids. Or with me.

Hmm, now you've got me thinking: Maybe we'll get a gerbil.

[Stefanie]

My sister had a rat when we were kids. He was the best pet and the whole family was devastated when he died.

[Cipriano]

I've had many MANY cats. Joe, being the most famous.
JACK, current ruler of me!
A guinea pig. [Nameless. Lettuce-eater.]
A couple dogs: Bags, a beagle-daschund hybrid, Sandy, a chihuahau.
A turtle, [Oscar] that came to an untimely death in a shoebox. Very smelly. Very smelly before we discovered where he was!

[Bernita]

Never could understand the screeching-chair-hopping either.
Thought it was mostly phoney( barring the odd trauma), since they tended to do it only when guys were around.
Mice are little soft timid animals after all.

[Jen]

I love my ratties! I have 2 right now and they're great. Had a discussion last night too with some friends - half on "my side" agreeing that rats are great pets, half thinking they are disgusting.
Yet, I hate mice! After living in a couple houses with mice growing up, you really learn to hate them! (I haven't had them crawl in my PJs, just on top of me)

[malia]

I have had ,a mouse,3 cats,8 fish,1 horse, and a few catapillers[long story] but what i realley want is a Cavey or gueani pig!

signed ,Malia

[Pet Store]

I only want dogs as pets. Cats are ok. So as fish. :) Mouse, my mom hates them. :(