# Pets You Bought That You Regret Soon After?



## sweetmisery (Oct 16, 2007)

Either cuz it died early or too expensive then not your type or whatever reasons... what pets made you feel bad about the purchase?

For me, its the emilia that died last week. Bought it for $28 and it died on me!


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## RoachGirlRen (Oct 16, 2007)

I've never regretted an animal I've deliberately purchased or adopted really, since I usually do plenty of research and know what I'm getting into. However, I got misleading info on common goldfish when I first started fishkeeping; I didn't realize that most of the care sheets out there are about housing requirements for _fancy_ goldfish. Needless to say, I wasn't happy about buying a 75g tank for two ten cent feeder fish who turned into 10" monsters, knowing full well I'd have to upgrade to a good 200-500+g bin or pond in another couple of years.  
I also regret one of my current rescues somewhat. I found a three legged young bullfrog emaciated and weak on the side of the road, and because he can't jump well, he's not releasable. Which means I'm going to spend many years with a large, foul-smelling, vocal, nervous creature that needs a good 75+g home. Ack. I thankfully have the 75g tank left over from my goldfish fiasco (one died due to egg binding, so I now have a 100g with the surviving male), so it isn't too much of a burden on the pocket book. But I'm not looking fowards to WC's!


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## cacoseraph (Oct 16, 2007)

hermit crabs

all WC and currently unbreedable in captivity

i bought a crab for $5 and then read up on it and ended up buying some companions and dropping something like $50 on the little jerks.  had two crawl out of their shells and die so i gave it up as a bad business and gave the survivors and the cage and all their stupid crap to a coworker


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## moose35 (Oct 16, 2007)

those madagascar giant pillbugs.....errrr( yea they eat crushed peas)



           moose


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## cacoseraph (Oct 16, 2007)

moose35 said:


> those madagascar giant pillbugs.....errrr( yea they eat crushed peas)
> 
> 
> 
> moose


lol. oh yeah. them too.


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## Marcel_h (Oct 16, 2007)

My pair of Phrynomantis bifasciatus the only time i saw them was when i put them in the tank. Since then never saw then again i asume they stil live because the crickets disapear.


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## beetleman (Oct 16, 2007)

cacoseraph said:


> hermit crabs
> 
> all WC and currently unbreedable in captivity
> 
> i bought a crab for $5 and then read up on it and ended up buying some companions and dropping something like $50 on the little jerks.  had two crawl out of their shells and die so i gave it up as a bad business and gave the survivors and the cage and all their stupid crap to a coworker


oh yeah, and MAN!! do they smell when they  die


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## ZooRex (Oct 16, 2007)

I felt bad when two years in a row I bought WC white-lipped tree frogs form Reptile depot and they both died within two weeks. The first time it happened I thought it was my mistake, but by the second time I learned my leason: no more Reptile depot and no more WC animals. 

I'm also happy to anounce that I've added a Long term captive XL white lip from Sandfire Dragon Ranch to my collection. She is apsolutly amazing and I couldn't be happier. ~ Rex


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## Tim Benzedrine (Oct 16, 2007)

In hindsight, I would not haven taken on a green iguana. Mine lived for seven years, which I imagine is longer than many make it, but still it's lifespan was abbreviated, probably by a factor of at least one-half.  Part of my mistake was my misconception that all iguanas were laid back, friendly lizards and as such, simple to administer care to. As I am all too aware of now, that is not always the case.
 In my defense, exotics were much harder to research back in those days, and I did the best I could with the limited knowledge base I had to fall upon. That's still a pretty poor excuse, I realize.


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## GailC (Oct 16, 2007)

Leopard geckos and emperor scorpions. Both were very boring and difficult feeders. I finally sold the leo and gave the scorpions away.


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## mrbonzai211 (Oct 17, 2007)

cacoseraph said:


> hermit crabs
> 
> all WC and currently unbreedable in captivity
> 
> i bought a crab for $5 and then read up on it and ended up buying some companions and dropping something like $50 on the little jerks.  had two crawl out of their shells and die so i gave it up as a bad business and gave the survivors and the cage and all their stupid crap to a coworker


Dude, that's totally because you were misled on how to care for them. Hermit crabs, depending on what species you buy, is actually one of the harder pets to take care of which is why they always end up dead. Hermit crabs breath through modified gills which means they need humidity to breath. Anything less than 70% (75-80% ideal) and their gills slowly dehydrate over days or months depending on the conditions and they slowly suffocate and die. Going naked, like you described with your crabs, is the ultimate sign of a sick crab. Crabs will NEVER willingly leave their shells unless they are switching for a new one or the only other reason would be as a precursor to death after being exposed to unfit conditions. They also need at least 6 inches of EE or playsand (calcisand smells bad when wet) so they can burrow down and destress. Stress is probably the #1 killer of crabs. They will usually spend a couple weeks to a few months burrowed down in the substrate after you bring them home from the store. As a general rule: a stressed crab is a dead crab. They also need the deep substrate to be able to burrow down and molt. Crabs need to molt to grow and they also need calcium supplements to be able to molt and regrow their exos. In addition, their ability to release the hormones necessary to molt are greatly inhibited when their bodies sense light. If a crab is forced to surface molt there's a good chance he wont make it through it. Molting is made even more difficult because they remain soft for a long period of time after they molt. The whole molting process usually takes one month but my largest crab took 5 months from start to finish. The last, and often overlooked issue with crabs, is their diet. The commercial foods out on the market are fully of preservatives. As we all know with our T's, even the slightest chemicals are deadly. Anyways, these chemicals build up in the crabs system causing molting complications later in life. Crabs should be fed fresh or freeze dried fruits, nuts, freeze dried shrimp, and any other produce items or sources of protein (freeze dried krill and shrimp are great because they provide protein and calcium... protein and calcium deficient crabs often turn cannibalistic).

The basic thing I want to say here is that crabs are not the toy pets people think they are. Out of all the reptiles, inverts, and amphibians I've owned in my lifetime, these guys are my biggest challenge. While I do care for more exotic breeds like the C. perlatus (known as the strawberry crab, is the most beautiful of all, and is EXTREMELY sensitive and are a challenge even for experts... also is on the endangered species list in Australia), C. rugosus (my personal favorite), C. brevimanus (the indo crab), and of course the C. clypeatus which is captured in Florida. 


Also, they are incapable of carrying salmonella so don't believe the crap they tell you at the store!!!!!!!! (washing your hands before and after handling is still preferred though)

Here's a pic of my pink ruggie






Apollo my jumbo PP






My baby strawberry during his salt water bath I give them all before introducing them to the tank






Dr. Zoidburg ( large straw )






And Aries my black ruggie


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## Choobaine (Oct 17, 2007)

Yeah the pet store near me has some knowledge of herps but seem to mistreat the less sold animals. I got a diamond dove (first alarm call it isn't plural) for about a fifth of the price and the thing lived for a while but died not long after. One tanzanian red leg millipeded was kept in dry soil without food for weeks. I took it home (for half price, I'd bought her sister a few months earlier) and it dropped dead within the month. My first lizard was a bosc monitor. I said again and again the animal was sick. No one beleived me, I gave it in for observation for a weekend away and once I returned it was dead. To be fair they did give me a bearded dragon in return worth double the price and he's big and healthty now. Oh and the mantis with the injured leg, I took it home, noticed and told them. My first mantis too. They didn't take it back, even on day one. (outrage) When it had finally shed into adulthood it had affected her and she died too. So yeah... they have more animals they can keep. They look after their tarantulas but the stranger bugs don't have a chance. I still love that store to bits but oh well.


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## RoachGirlRen (Oct 17, 2007)

Why ever do you keep shopping there if they continually sell you sickly and injured animals? Seems like it not only is a lot of grief for you, but supporting the sort of irresponsible vendors that give the exotics hobby a bad name!


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## cacoseraph (Oct 17, 2007)

mrbonzai211 said:


> The commercial foods out on the market are fully of preservatives. As we all know with our T's, even the slightest chemicals are deadly. Anyways, these chemicals build up in the crabs system causing molting complications later in life.
> 
> 
> Also, they are incapable of carrying salmonella so don't believe the crap they tell you at the store!!!!!!!! (washing your hands before and after handling is still preferred though)




well, it's obvious you went to a lot of trouble and what not for you crabs, which is very cool... i just wanted to touch on two things here


the chemicals thing... unless you have been reading a HELL of a lot of stuff i just plain don't have access to we don't actually know all that much about tarnatula like, chemobiology. compared to more economically significant species we basically know no hard facts specifically about tarantulas and must infer from other animals.  and... water is a chemical.  it might seem like nitpicking but when we are dealing with animal health i think being as accurate as reasonably possible is probably the way to go.   and in point of fact my bugs have seemed to be reasonably resistant to what one would assume to be *deletorious* chemicals. i used to water them with California, San Bernardino County, Rialto tap water.... which is famours for being hideous stuff.  i produce get with the best of them, on a percentage of success basis 


and salmonella.... how can hermies not carry salmonella?  to my thinking that would basically mean they have some antibiotic property that prevents the sammy bacteria from growing.  afaik, just about any animal with a damp enough cage can carry salmonella.


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## arachnocat (Oct 17, 2007)

I regret buying a WC T. Blondi last year. She was never very healthy but she started eating a lot and doing better. Then this week she got sick again. I was never able to get her abdomen up to normal blondi size and she passed away this morning.  
Learned my lesson about WC T's. The next blondi I buy will either be CB or LTC and I'll make sure to get a pic of it first so I know it's not a poor scraggly thing.


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## REAL (Oct 17, 2007)

To mrbonzai211

All I gotta say is true that. 

Like keeping aquatic shrimps. Some of them are so sensitive to whats in the water that even a tiny mistake can mean a disaster. They make caring for most fish seem like a piece of cake. I tried over and over again, this is my 6th time buying them!!! And guys, they're not too cheap, I can't even afford them from the petstore ($5 for one tiny shrimp wtf?) so I got to buy it from friends online. Basically I spent well over $140. 

Even though it might seem hopeless at first and it pissed me off, each time I learned more and now have successfully kept them and find them rather easy to keep now!

Whats worse however is that the shrimps I'm keeping are considered one of the hardiest hahaha. So even with all my experiences I've only really managed to keep the hardiest one so far  . So yeah, if you fail, try try again.

You can't always expect instant success with everything you keep, many things take time, different things live in different areas and they live in different ways and require different things. I've also kept hermit crabs before and they're pretty nice (don't expect them to be any kind of dog though!). So just because they're a failure at first doesn't mean it's complete trash or anything, just means you have lots more to learn about them!

However, breeding them is difficult, so I'm not going to wonder in to that area as I'm not THAT experienced lol.

Now I got to go change all the substrates of all my centipedes, yikes...


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## mrbonzai211 (Oct 17, 2007)

cacoseraph said:


> well, it's obvious you went to a lot of trouble and what not for you crabs, which is very cool... i just wanted to touch on two things here
> 
> 
> the chemicals thing... unless you have been reading a HELL of a lot of stuff i just plain don't have access to we don't actually know all that much about tarnatula like, chemobiology. compared to more economically significant species we basically know no hard facts specifically about tarantulas and must infer from other animals.  and... water is a chemical.  it might seem like nitpicking but when we are dealing with animal health i think being as accurate as reasonably possible is probably the way to go.   and in point of fact my bugs have seemed to be reasonably resistant to what one would assume to be *deletorious* chemicals. i used to water them with California, San Bernardino County, Rialto tap water.... which is famours for being hideous stuff.  i produce get with the best of them, on a percentage of success basis
> ...


Specifically, commercial foods contain sulphates as preservatives which hermit crabs cannot process naturally. The chemical builds up in the system and causes illness and eventual death. I lost three myself to an unknown preservative in some of the freeze dried fruits I bought them several months back. And as for salmonella, all current studies have shown no correlation of hermit crabs being a vector for salmonella. Biologists attribute it to a germ barrier created by their exo and a few other physical structures I can't seem to recall at the moment. If you need anything I stated to be backed up you can do your own research on the forum I've been a member of for the past year:
http://hermitcrabassociation.com/phpBB/index.php
or you can consult this website which provides the best care sheets and care information on the internet:
http://www.crabstreetjournal.com/
Here's another link to the lady who has come the closest to rearing the first captive bred hermit crabs. She's still working on the marine reef environment, but I think history is about to made within the next few years:
www.thecrabbagepatch.com


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## Choobaine (Oct 17, 2007)

RoachGirlRen said:


> Why ever do you keep shopping there if they continually sell you sickly and injured animals? Seems like it not only is a lot of grief for you, but supporting the sort of irresponsible vendors that give the exotics hobby a bad name!


Bah there's no greif for me  There's no point in caring. Life comes and goes does it not? But yeah - it's Northern Ireland, if I want a *SLIGHTLY* better store I'd have to travel for over an hour and it isn't really worth going that distance just to go back and not to mention carrying such delicate things. As I stated earlier - probably safer than ordering in.


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## mrbonzai211 (Oct 17, 2007)

REAL said:


> To mrbonzai211
> 
> All I gotta say is true that.
> 
> ...


Wow, I'm sorry for all the difficulty you've had, but like all things it just takes time and dedication. 
My first hermit crabs lived in a Coors Light beach bucket with no sand and no heat. Crabs need 75% humidity and 75 degrees to live. Luckily, when I found out that the setup was evil I transfered them to a 20L and it took me about 4 months to get everything perfect. Luckily one of my original 2 is still alive even though I was such an ignorant and negligent owner.
If you ever get into marine Hermit Crabs though, we just added a new section to the forum
http://hermitcrabassociation.com/phpBB/viewforum.php?f=55&sid=76235aeea5b44fff59464f897d8d5f62


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## cacoseraph (Oct 17, 2007)

mrbonzai211 said:


> Specifically, commercial foods contain sulphates as preservatives which hermit crabs cannot process naturally. The chemical builds up in the system and causes illness and eventual death. I lost three myself to an unknown preservative in some of the freeze dried fruits I bought them several months back. And as for salmonella, all current studies have shown no correlation of hermit crabs being a vector for salmonella. Biologists attribute it to a germ barrier created by their exo and a few other physical structures I can't seem to recall at the moment. If you need anything I stated to be backed up you can do your own research on the forum I've been a member of for the past year:
> http://hermitcrabassociation.com/phpBB/index.php
> or you can consult this website which provides the best care sheets and care information on the internet:
> http://www.crabstreetjournal.com/
> ...




that germ barrier thing sounds cool if there is something legitmate there. makes me wish i had an exo even more than i already did hehehe

but you are still inferring crab data onto tarantulas... that was really me only quibble.  it's all well and good to do, as long as you know you are doing it and that not everything that applies to crabs applies to taras.  no external gills in taras, for one big thing.


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## Lorgakor (Oct 17, 2007)

Chinese Dwarf Hamster and Iguana. The first was an evil hamster from hell, and the second I just wasn't old enough to care for properly. It was back in the day when everyone was told they only need to eat lettuce, and it was a while before I got a book that explained otherwise. He was an awesome pet, just a big responsibility. He died of pneumonia, it was most likely my fault.


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## sweetmisery (Oct 17, 2007)

arachnocat said:


> I regret buying a WC T. Blondi last year. She was never very healthy but she started eating a lot and doing better. Then this week she got sick again. I was never able to get her abdomen up to normal blondi size and she passed away this morning.
> Learned my lesson about WC T's. The next blondi I buy will either be CB or LTC and I'll make sure to get a pic of it first so I know it's not a poor scraggly thing.


Im sorry to hear that man. Its always hard to lose a pet, esp. something that you spent a lot of time, effort, resources and love with.


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## mrbonzai211 (Oct 17, 2007)

cacoseraph said:


> that germ barrier thing sounds cool if there is something legitmate there. makes me wish i had an exo even more than i already did hehehe
> 
> but you are still inferring crab data onto tarantulas... that was really me only quibble.  it's all well and good to do, as long as you know you are doing it and that not everything that applies to crabs applies to taras.  no external gills in taras, for one big thing.


I've already had discussion on this subject several months back (use your search function if necessary), but you would be surprised how similar hermit crabs and tarantulas actually are. They aren't in the same phylum by coincidence


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## Thoth (Oct 17, 2007)

Sand Boa hatchling from reptile show. I was assured it had fed and was eating f/t pinkies.  The thing only ate once despite trying every known trick and eventully passed away.

Pueblan Milksnake more so because in coming back from the the store I got into an accident cause $800 of front end damage I could ill afford. Not to mention it went missing after some people had come to do maintence in my apt.

My ball python just becasue it is such a fussy eater.

Well, I didn't pay for it but also my H.lividum.


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## Scorpendra (Oct 17, 2007)

Cane Toad. i dunno, it just lost its appeal really, really quickly.


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## mrbonzai211 (Oct 17, 2007)

Thoth said:


> Sand Boa hatchling from reptile show. I was assured it had fed and was eating f/t pinkies.  The thing only ate once despite trying every known trick and eventully passed away.
> 
> Pueblan Milksnake more so because in coming back from the the store I got into an accident cause $800 of front end damage I could ill afford. Not to mention it went missing after some people had come to do maintence in my apt.
> 
> ...


That sucks so bad someone snatched your milk snake! I'm not a big snake guy, but I dream about getting one of those! I wish my girlfriend didn't have a "no snake policy" or else I would have one of them in my tank instead of my demon spawn tokay gecko.


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## sweetmisery (Oct 17, 2007)

Molitor said:


> Cane Toad. i dunno, it just lost its appeal really, really quickly.


LOL! God I hope that wont happen to any of my pets from now til forever.


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## Jackie (Oct 17, 2007)

Salt water tank.. it's only 12 gallons but it's such a pain in the ass. I also got one of those iguanas from Atlantic City as a baby and it committed suicide right after I spent all the money on a great set up. I ended up getting a bearded dragon who was amazing, but the iguana was heart breaking. Everything else I can't really regret. Maybe the brother and sister hamsters who had babies and the babies ate the parents and then when there was only 3 left they all randomly died one day. Very strange.


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## Cirith Ungol (Oct 17, 2007)

Jackie said:


> only 12 gallons


That's probably the problem right there! The smaller the aquarium the harder it is to take care of the water. 120 gal, now there is something a little easier to play with  . The problem with aquariums is, the less water you have in it, the more do you impact the water quality with every little thing you do (absolutely including feeding).


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## BadBikaDamo (Oct 17, 2007)

Cirith Ungol said:


> That's probably the problem right there! The smaller the aquarium the harder it is to take care of the water. 120 gal, now there is something a little easier to play with  . The problem with aquariums is, the less water you have in it, the more do you impact the water quality with every little thing you do (absolutely including feeding).


So true. My wife went to different store from our usual and saw some Red Eared Sliders. 

Wife and Petshopguy

Oh they are so cute, how big do they grow?
Not very big, about 4inches
Are their tanks easy to maintain?
Oh yes, real easy.
What size tank would I need for 3?
I have a 20gal that would be perfect
Will that last till adult?
Oh yes
I'll just call my Husband and ask him if I should.
Well we're just about to close, if you take them now I'll throw in a weeks suply of food free.
OK, I'll buy them.

Anyone who knows about turtles will know the situation we are now in. In my wifes defence, there is a common misconception in the UK that terrapins are very small turtles. They are all doing well, but we have to do a complete tank clean every 2 days. They are so cool though. Currently looking for a MUCH bigger tank 

Damo


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## jenniferinny (Oct 17, 2007)

I once got a Great Dane/ lab mix free out of the newspaper. It was back when I was living at home and my parents thought paying an adoption fee at a shelter was a rip-off.. I could have adopted a fully vetted dog neutered and everything for $50. Instead, I got this ginormous full grown monster that needed three different eye surgeries, still needed to be neutered, ended up with a bizarre plethora of benign tumors that had to be removed as they grew inside his mouth and nostrils. I spent thousands on that dog, it took me almost a year to train him into a decent companion. Then, my parents insisted on leaving him outside when we went on vacation with someone stopping by once a day to feed him. 
The first day we were gone, someone poisoned him and dumped him about 5 miles from our home. 
I should never have gotten a dog while living at home.


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## Jackie (Oct 17, 2007)

Cirith Ungol said:


> 120 gal, now there is something a little easier to play with  .


That's what I'm told, but if I only had the space... Plus it was supposed to be something I could take to school with me, which didn't happen. Oh well, I'll keep working at it. Thanks!


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## pinkzebra (Oct 17, 2007)

Guinea pigs. Gah, I hate those things...


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## ParabuthusKing (Oct 17, 2007)

waldo said:


> Leopard geckos and emperor scorpions. Both were very boring and difficult feeders. I finally sold the leo and gave the scorpions away.


No offense, but I think Leopard geckos are awesome and very hardy.. if you had difficulty feeding yours I would imagine it was unhealthy or you were not caring for it correctly


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## Tleilaxu (Oct 17, 2007)

Jackie said:


> That's what I'm told, but if I only had the space... Plus it was supposed to be something I could take to school with me, which didn't happen. Oh well, I'll keep working at it. Thanks!



Even a 20 to 55 gallon will make life easier for you. I personaly would not have a SW tank that is less than a 90 gallon.


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## mrbonzai211 (Oct 17, 2007)

I second that ParabuthusKing. Leopard Geckos are docile pets but vicious eaters.

I've only had one ever stop eating on me and that was because I bought him with mouth rot and he was very very sick. I had to feed him puppy food with a plastic syringe for two weeks before he passed.


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## Tleilaxu (Oct 17, 2007)

The pet I regret most was my Nanday Conure Joey. He was the sweetest bird but was loud, which did not bother me BUT the apartment made me give him up, and now I miss him terriblely and to make it worse I now live at home again, and if I had just held out a bit longer I would still have him. I kick myself every day for parting with him.


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## Cirith Ungol (Oct 18, 2007)

Tleilaxu said:


> The pet I regret most was my Nanday Conure Joey. He was the sweetest bird but was loud, which did not bother me BUT the apartment made me give him up, and now I miss him terriblely and to make it worse I now live at home again, and if I had just held out a bit longer I would still have him. I kick myself every day for parting with him.


Hm... is there a way to get him back? Then I'd at least try.


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## sweetmisery (Oct 18, 2007)

Jackie said:


> Salt water tank.. it's only 12 gallons but it's such a pain in the ass. I also got one of those iguanas from Atlantic City as a baby and it committed suicide right after I spent all the money on a great set up. I ended up getting a bearded dragon who was amazing, but the iguana was heart breaking. Everything else I can't really regret. Maybe the brother and sister hamsters who had babies and the babies ate the parents and then when there was only 3 left they all randomly died one day. Very strange.


How did it commit suicide may I ask?


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## Thoth (Oct 18, 2007)

mrbonzai211 said:


> That sucks so bad someone snatched your milk snake! I'm not a big snake guy, but I dream about getting one of those! I wish my girlfriend didn't have a "no snake policy" or else I would have one of them in my tank instead of my demon spawn tokay gecko.


Just normal part of living with a black cloud over me, such that even my friends notice it.



Tleilaxu said:


> Even a 20 to 55 gallon will make life easier for you. I personaly would not have a SW tank that is less than a 90 gallon.


There is the whole field of nano-reef tanks where they have them as small as 5 gal., though they do need regular water changes to thrive.


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## funnylori (Oct 18, 2007)

Guppies. Those buggers drove me nuts. I ended up feeding them all to my bettas. 

My cuban tree frogs. I bought two because I had a gift certificate. But I only wanted the smaller one. The big one bullied it and ate all the food so the small one starved and died. Plus, you can't play with frogs. It's not like on TV when they are cute and hoppy all the time. No, they sit there all day until you feed them, then they hop out of the cage and leave gooey brown marks on your walls that are hard to wash off.


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## Aschamne (Oct 18, 2007)

Thoth said:


> There is the whole field of nano-reef tanks where they have them as small as 5 gal., though they do need regular water changes to thrive.


Nano-reefs do not require any more water changes than any other fish tank.  I have had my 7 gallon up and running for almost 4 years now.  The only problem I have is the blue legged hermit crabs will kill and eat my astrea snail and cannibalize each other, so every few month I buy 6 snail and 6 crabs.

Art


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## mrbonzai211 (Oct 18, 2007)

funnylori said:


> Guppies. Those buggers drove me nuts. I ended up feeding them all to my bettas.


I honestly can't believe how cruel that was! Bettas specialize in eating larva-- mostly mosquito larva. They are not carnivorous and did not serve any dietary need for your betta. Bettas do not eat fish. The only reason why it killed your guppies was because he mistook them for juvenile bettas and he was protecting his territory. Just because something is inconvenient to you doesn't give you the right to kill it. You could have taken them to any number of pet stores and they would have taken them off your hands. I am honestly beside myself that someone could be that cruel to another living thing. WTF man.... seriously!


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## bliss (Oct 18, 2007)

yeah i used to have a pet rat.  

  he got all smelly and kept chewing out of his cage for no apparent reason.  he was a chubby little thing, ate like a pig,  i had him for about 7 months.   

  then i decided to feed him to my Redtail


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## RoachGirlRen (Oct 18, 2007)

I wonder how many of the regrets here could have been avoided with better research prior to purchase? Seems to me a lot of the reasons people were unsucessful or disatisfied was a failure to provide for the animal's needs, or a failure to understand the commitment they were getting into.

Reactions: Like 1


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## sweetmisery (Oct 18, 2007)

RoachGirlRen said:


> I wonder how many of the regrets here could have been avoided with better research prior to purchase? Seems to me a lot of the reasons people were unsucessful or disatisfied was a failure to provide for the animal's needs, or a failure to understand the commitment they were getting into.


Now now whats done is done. No need to preach on how/why we did wrong.


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## RoachGirlRen (Oct 18, 2007)

Just making an observation about a trend in the thread. No need to get ornery. Besides, if I was preaching, you'd _know_ it.


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## Choobaine (Oct 18, 2007)

mrbonzai211 said:


> I honestly can't believe how cruel that was! Bettas specialize in eating larva-- mostly mosquito larva. They are not carnivorous and did not serve any dietary need for your betta. Bettas do not eat fish. The only reason why it killed your guppies was because he mistook them for juvenile bettas and he was protecting his territory. Just because something is inconvenient to you doesn't give you the right to kill it. You could have taken them to any number of pet stores and they would have taken them off your hands. I am honestly beside myself that someone could be that cruel to another living thing. WTF man.... seriously!


Feeding things to things is enjoyable! It's not especially cruel. Yes it may not be natural diet but if it doesn't cause any adverse health effects ... well then it's just a good meal. Once I started breeding feeders the line between pet and food became heavily blurred. If I'm bored with a colony of something there's allways someone else who would apreciated it  even if it's me! 
I'm on my fourth generation of locusts now but I ate my first when I got bored. It was a reallly nice stir fry. And that injured mantis (as I stated earlier the leg that was busted impaired it's ability to shed, when it had shed it looked like a puddle. I suppose it was only humane) I was sold was boiled and wrapped up in cabbage and rice. Needlessly killing things isn't really to logic... but if someone else can get some kind of nutrition out of it I never saw it as wrong.


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## mrbonzai211 (Oct 18, 2007)

Yes but bettas are not predators and do not eat other fish. The guppies died because they resemble juvenile male bettas. They kill the guppies to protect their territory that's why you are never supposed to mix them in a community tank. I understand that animals have to eat, but in this case the deaths of your guppies served no purpose except your amusement.


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## Choobaine (Oct 18, 2007)

well not my amusement since I wasn't there to witness it (not my guppies you see, not even same person). Allthough it would probably fascinate me. Today everything does. I got lost staring at the back of a spoon. I don't really know why. It was nice though.

We used to breed guppies. Horrid things. 

Speaking of regretted pets - parents bought fish. Parents then bought more fish. Fish had parasites. 75 pounds worth of fish dead. In Nothern Ireland if you want decent pets catch them wild. The pet shops sell half dead stock. ALL THE TIME! I buy dying stock because there's allways a chance of reviving it AND getting an animal for a discount.


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## mrbonzai211 (Oct 18, 2007)

my apologies Choobaine


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## eelnoob (Oct 18, 2007)

Bettas are predatory, they'll eat insect larvae and other fish's fry if given the chance. Now if they only eat insect larvae than that would make them insectivores but they do eat other fishes so that makes them predatory I would assume. 


Honestly I would rather feed off any unwanted animals if I could than letting them sit at who knows how ever long at the pet stores suffering.


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## funnylori (Oct 19, 2007)

My Betta ate the fish, there wasn't any bits left for me to clean out of the tank. The guppies drove me nuts, and I certainly was not amused when I was feeding them to my Betta. Why would a waste of money be amusing. At least the Betta benefited with a healthy nutritional meal. It was either that or give them to the tarantula, but I didn't want to risk my tarantula getting some parasite.


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## Choobaine (Oct 19, 2007)

eelnoob said:


> Bettas are predatory, they'll eat insect larvae and other fish's fry if given the chance. Now if they only eat insect larvae than that would make them insectivores but they do eat other fishes so that makes them predatory I would assume.
> 
> 
> Honestly I would rather feed off any unwanted animals if I could than letting them sit at who knows how ever long at the pet stores suffering.


I like how you think  especially with the quality of pet shops in this country.


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## Quixtar (Oct 19, 2007)

A Rough Green Snake I got from reptilecity never ate in the 2 weeks that I got him/her. I did everything I could to meet its living conditions and tried every tactic to feed the guy. It just started going berserk one day and died an hour later. It took me 2 weeks to receive it after purchasing from reptilecity and it wasn't worth it. Never am I buying from reptilecity again and never am I buying another Rough Green Snake.


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## vvx (Oct 19, 2007)

I kind of regret purchasing the mice a few years back as they really didn't end up being the pet I had hoped. Ended up getting rats shortly afterwards but kept the mice. Not like I spent that much money or time on the mice and they seemed perfectly content to be ignored. The rats are pretty wicked cool though.


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## Jackie (Oct 31, 2007)

sweetmisery said:


> How did it commit suicide may I ask?


Haha my iguana drowned himself... he probably got depressed that he threw his tail at my mom so it was missing... or at least that's what i tell myself since I found his head in his water dish. :? 



bliss said:


> yeah i used to have a pet rat.
> 
> then i decided to feed him to my Redtail


I like rats. What I don't like are hamsters. Stupid little things. Biting and just being useless. I fed a bunch of them at work to some corns back in the day.


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## keqwow (Oct 31, 2007)

*iguana*

Back before the Bearded dragons were the big thing,  I had a green iguana.  Everyone told me they were like the best pets.  I tried handling mine often, hoping to get the calm "dog" like lizard that was promised.  That damn thing never calmed down.  I had scratch marks and tail whips all of the time.  I hated that little bastard.  Same went for my attempt with a Savannah monitor.  The bearded dragons were the best thing that could have happened to the reptile trade.  They get to be the perfect size....big enough to be impressive but not huge.  Right from a tiny size they are calm as cats...very docile.  On top of being super cool and docile, they also have the most "personality" of any reptile I've ever owned.  
As for the folks who hated their ball pythons because they were finiky eaters.....I'm sorry to hear that.  The biggest mistake folks make with ball pythons is not giving them a hide.  Almost always, if they don't eat, its because they don't have a hide.  I inherited a beautiful ball python because the owner couldn't get the thing to eat.  I put a cardboard box in the cage with the ball python and he disappeared for about two weeks.  As soon as I went to feed him after that, I never again had any problems with him eating.


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## Drachenjager (Nov 1, 2007)

yeah i regret getting the cone shells. those things cost me 3 neighbors and 2 kids...


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## bugmankeith (Nov 1, 2007)

I'd have to say anyone who buys goldfish as pets (and cares about it alot) until they find out the truth how terrible they have been keeping them in a small tank with 10 fish, a bubble filter, and flakes for food. I think goldfish are the most misunderstood pets. Everyone thinks they are the easiest to keep, they are actually one of the most difficult (and expensive) pets to keep. I think 98% of the ones sold die the first year (or week). 1% die over a year, and another 1% actually live to full grown adults

For tank size (or pond),food, accessories,time keeping tank clean, water conditioners,filters, and not to mention how long they could live if kept properly, it's a long commitment.

And those betta fish also are made out to be easy to keep. Yes they probably are alot easier than goldfish being they stay small and dont eat much, but it's people who think they dont need a filter or can use tap water with no conditioners  or they stay in a bowl is the reason most perish. I've even seen the ones sold with plants in a vase, the instructions say they eat Plants and not to feed them! Thats crazy and false! 

It's really a shame I dont care if there fish. If they are able to be sold saying not how to care for them properly, imagine how larger animals like birds,dogs and cats are faring if we get away with neglect for the smaller animals. If I can buy a fish without knowing how to care for it, then whats stopping the same thing for dogs and cats? 

I tell ya it makes me mad!

If you purchased lets say a frog, and were given a free dvd video with it on basic frog care, even if you knew how to keep frogs properly, dont you think that would help just a little bit to educate the people buying that animal? Sometimes people buy animals without researching about them, for the animals sake, why not at least TRY to attempt educating the public with a free video with every purchase. With the extra money each company makes from purchases, take a little of the savings to invest in educational dvd's. If they sell healthy pets and inform the buyers properly, that will help increase sales, and in that case both the animal and company win.


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## beetleman (Nov 1, 2007)

Drachenjager said:


> yeah i regret getting the cone shells. those things cost me 3 neighbors and 2 kids...


heh, i have a small cone snail living in 1 of reef tanks,it came in on some live rock,cool little guy,i don't see him often always buried in the sand,every now an then he'll come out


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## Katronmaster (Nov 1, 2007)

One severely dehydrated Tanzanian tailless whip scorpion I bought from a pet store that died mid-moult two days later, and I wasn't given a refund because that week they changed their policy to not accept back any non-fish sales.


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## sweetmisery (Nov 2, 2007)

Jackie said:


> Haha my iguana drowned himself... he probably got depressed that he threw his tail at my mom so it was missing... or at least that's what i tell myself since I found his head in his water dish. :?



Oh Im sorry to hear. I guess you had an emo iguana.


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## RoachGirlRen (Nov 2, 2007)

Oh, just to add to the list, lobster roaches. Useless as feeders unless you tong feed because they're speedy, climb everything, and fit out of small spaces (ie. the lids of most of my vivs). Useless as pets because all they do is hide. I've been slowly knocking off my remaining colony by tong-feeding them out to my scorps and baby zebra knee. I can see why they're always for sale in large numbers for so cheap; compared to dubias and discoids, they're completely pointless.


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## cacoseraph (Nov 2, 2007)

RoachGirlRen said:


> Oh, just to add to the list, lobster roaches. Useless as feeders unless you tong feed because they're speedy, climb everything, and fit out of small spaces (ie. the lids of most of my vivs). Useless as pets because all they do is hide. I've been slowly knocking off my remaining colony by tong-feeding them out to my scorps and baby zebra knee. I can see why they're always for sale in large numbers for so cheap; compared to dubias and discoids, they're completely pointless.


nah. this is my staple feeder. everything i own eats lobs. i do hear ppl saying ^ a lot though. i prekill almost all my feeders so maybe that is why


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## Jackie (Nov 3, 2007)

sweetmisery said:


> Oh Im sorry to hear. I guess you had an emo iguana.


Haha sure did!


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## KUJordan (Nov 5, 2007)

I would have to say my most regretted pet purchase was that 6 week old _Tyranosaurus rex_.  It was so feisty when it was about 20" long, but so freakin' cute!  Everyone told me, "Oh, don't worry, they all calm down as they get older."  Well, let me tell you, that was NOT the case!  Damn those impulse buys!  I know, I know- I should have done my research and though ahead about having to build a 25 acre compound in my backyard and that I would have to figure out a way to steal the dogs in the neighborhood and kidnap a classmate every other day without getting caught.  And seriously, the liability laws that Kansas has are rediculous!  I kept Big Chubbs for 6 years until he ate my sister (I swear it was an accident), then my parents told me I couldn't keep him any more.  I tried putting him down with my 308 one afternoon, but I just couldn't do it...because I had lost all of my fingers.  I eventually just rented a semitruck and drove him to southern Florida and released him.  I hope he's still out there and he knows I loved him dearly.  I still think about you, Big Chubbs.  

Anyway, now I have to get a kleenex to wipe my tears...which is also hard to do with no fingers.


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## Jackie (Nov 5, 2007)

KUJordan said:


> I would have to say my most regretted pet purchase was that 6 week old _Tyranosaurus rex_.  It was so feisty when it was about 20" long, but so freakin' cute!  Everyone told me, "Oh, don't worry, they all calm down as they get older."  Well, let me tell you, that was NOT the case!  Damn those impulse buys!


You know you had me going thinking there was a new lizard species or something... now I feel like a retard :wall: lol.


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## Anastasia (Nov 5, 2007)

My exboyfriend  

 
and treefrogs, cute but never had a luck with them


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## ballpython2 (Nov 5, 2007)

*Tokay geckos*



sweetmisery said:


> Either cuz it died early or too expensive then not your type or whatever reasons... what pets made you feel bad about the purchase?
> 
> For me, its the emilia that died last week. Bought it for $28 and it died on me!


I regret buying tokay geckos because they  were more aggresive than i thought they would be but they are none the less beautiful animals to say the least. just dont belong in my house lol


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## phil jones (Nov 5, 2007)

KUJordan said:


> I would have to say my most regretted pet purchase was that 6 week old _Tyranosaurus rex_.  It was so feisty when it was about 20" long, but so freakin' cute!  Everyone told me, "Oh, don't worry, they all calm down as they get older."  Well, let me tell you, that was NOT the case!  Damn those impulse buys!  I know, I know- I should have done my research and though ahead about having to build a 25 acre compound in my backyard and that I would have to figure out a way to steal the dogs in the neighborhood and kidnap a classmate every other day without getting caught.  And seriously, the liability laws that Kansas has are rediculous!  I kept Big Chubbs for 6 years until he ate my sister (I swear it was an accident), then my parents told me I couldn't keep him any more.  I tried putting him down with my 308 one afternoon, but I just couldn't do it...because I had lost all of my fingers.  I eventually just rented a semitruck and drove him to southern Florida and released him.  I hope he's still out there and he knows I loved him dearly.  I still think about you, Big Chubbs.
> 
> Anyway, now I have to get a kleenex to wipe my tears...which is also hard to do with no fingers.


*that was very funny :clap: :clap: and i enjoyed it    --- phil*


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## butch4skin (Nov 5, 2007)

My first wife. I paid way too much for her.


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## Anastasia (Nov 5, 2007)

butch4skin said:


> My first wife. I paid way too much for her.


hahaha, you live u learn


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## Jackie (Nov 5, 2007)

ballpython2 said:


> I regret buying tokay geckos



Haha my friend just got one and I didn't know about them too well so I started poking at it like a little kid because it was so pretty but it started barking!! I put the cap back on that one right away. 

And what's with all the vicious attacks on ex-significant others? They don't belong here, pets are cute and adorable... most of the time exes are just plain annoying lol.


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## sweetmisery (Nov 6, 2007)

Tokay geckos are mostly found in houses in here. My gf even had one in her bathroom.


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## ragnew (Nov 6, 2007)

My female Pyxie frogs, complete duds. And to think I'd parted with a few of my beloved pedes to make room for those two.


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## sweetmisery (Nov 7, 2007)

Re-Aligned said:


> My female Pyxie frogs, complete duds. And to think I'd parted with a few of my beloved pedes to make room for those two.


What do you mean by duds?


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## RoachGirlRen (Nov 7, 2007)

I can't imagine how Pixie Frogs could be more dull that some of the "pet holes" we keep in the invert world. At least you get to see them eat. I just toss things down the hole and assume that crunchy noise means my T's still alive.


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## ragnew (Nov 7, 2007)

sweetmisery said:


> What do you mean by duds?


Compared to the males of the species females are lack luster to say the least. They have a MUCH smaller adult size, and the appearance in general is one that I'm not too big on. A 4" body with a tiny pea sized head attached to the front of it for good measure.

The look of a female Pyxie frog does nothing for me. Males have a much larger adult size, and the general appearance overall is quite a bit more appealing to me.


LOL @ RoachGirlRen's description of the pet holes. But on another note, at least the inhabitant in said hole has much more going for it when they do make an appearance.


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## beetleman (Nov 7, 2007)

Re-Aligned said:


> My female Pyxie frogs, complete duds. And to think I'd parted with a few of my beloved pedes to make room for those two.


ahh ya got rid of your pedes? you know you will have to get more pixies are awesome! and the males are very impressive.


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## Nich (Nov 7, 2007)

I would have to say my first pede....I was expecting "dicovery channel carnage" (18 yrs old at the time) and got a pet hole. Now that I'm more into collecting for a fasciunation of thier biology rather than the wow factor, they are a much more different to me. In short I spent $140 shipped for a 10" subspinipes. Which succumbed to mites...and I saw four times in seven months....


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## KyuZo (Nov 7, 2007)

Nich said:


> I spent $140 shipped for a 10" subspinipes. Which succumbed to mites...and I saw four times in seven months....


sorry, but that is unbelievable.  i didn't know that such a price exist for a S. subspinipes.


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## fishwithoutabik (Nov 7, 2007)

Lorgakor said:


> Chinese Dwarf Hamster and Iguana. The first was an evil hamster from hell.....(


those dwarf hamsters are evil incarnite, its wierd too cause they looks so cute and sweet. we have had lots of them, and all were vicious.


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## fishwithoutabik (Nov 7, 2007)

*no more mice!*



vvx said:


> I kind of regret purchasing the mice a few years back as they really didn't end up being the pet I had hoped. Ended up getting rats shortly afterwards but kept the mice. Not like I spent that much money or time on the mice and they seemed perfectly content to be ignored. The rats are pretty wicked cool though.


ditto. i have never been disappointed with rats, i absolutely love them. however, i saw this gorgeous white mouse with black speckles and i had to have it! i ended up getting 2 of his cagemates so they could be together. within 24 HOURS the "cute" black and white mouse ate his roomates!!!! he was mean as hell and always tried to bite me when i cleaned out his cage, plus he stunk severely! never ever ever again will i succumb to mouse cuteness.


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## RoachGirlRen (Nov 7, 2007)

That probably happened because US line male mice are territorial and NOT to be housed communally. One of the dangerous assumptions people make when buying mice is that they're just like rats and should be housed socially. While this is true for does, it is a death sentence for at least one of the bucks involved.

I have fifteen mice, largely ferals I trapped when someone let loose a bunch of domesticated mice on my property. With the exception of one, they all have pretty pleasant personalities. A lot of them climb up their ladders to the lid when I come into the room because they want to be held and petted (and also because they're hoping I'll give them a cricket to munch on). So cute! But they do reek to high heaven if I don't stay very on top of my cleaning schedule.


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## ragnew (Nov 8, 2007)

beetleman said:


> ahh ya got rid of your pedes? you know you will have to get more pixies are awesome! and the males are very impressive.


Hehe, you can put money on that one  I've already decided to snag a Thai Giant Pedeling as well as a younger Malaysian Cherry Red! I miss 'em man!


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## Thoth (Nov 8, 2007)

I worked with both mice and rats in the lab.  Rats are much nicer and a bit smarter.  Mice are evil little buggers.


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## tacoma0680 (Nov 8, 2007)

Yeah alot of stuff I buy then sell because I am not into it I need to stick to the Arborals


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## LeilaNami (Nov 9, 2007)

The betta...he was funny and gill-flared just from me walking into the room but the upkeep on the tank was too much for my parents apparently.  Needless to say I found him a good home


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## Kharnifex (Nov 11, 2007)

Java sparrows/finches

I couldn't get them to breed, researched their conditions etc, ended up selling after two years.


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## Choobaine (Nov 11, 2007)

My finches. They were cute and all but a cat got in and ate them. Waste of money that was. I told the neighbours to keep their cat indoors as if it ate my bearded dragon I would not hesistate to eat their cat.


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## KyuZo (Nov 11, 2007)

Sofiya, eating cat now are we?  i don't think that i am going to try that anytime soon, maybe just not alone  .


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## froggyman (Nov 11, 2007)

KUJordan said:


> I would have to say my most regretted pet purchase was that 6 week old _Tyranosaurus rex_.  It was so feisty when it was about 20" long, but so freakin' cute!  Everyone told me, "Oh, don't worry, they all calm down as they get older."  Well, let me tell you, that was NOT the case!  Damn those impulse buys!  I know, I know- I should have done my research and though ahead about having to build a 25 acre compound in my backyard and that I would have to figure out a way to steal the dogs in the neighborhood and kidnap a classmate every other day without getting caught.  And seriously, the liability laws that Kansas has are rediculous!  I kept Big Chubbs for 6 years until he ate my sister (I swear it was an accident), then my parents told me I couldn't keep him any more.  I tried putting him down with my 308 one afternoon, but I just couldn't do it...because I had lost all of my fingers.  I eventually just rented a semitruck and drove him to southern Florida and released him.  I hope he's still out there and he knows I loved him dearly.  I still think about you, Big Chubbs.
> 
> Anyway, now I have to get a kleenex to wipe my tears...which is also hard to do with no fingers.



oh my thats the hardest ive laughed on these boards for a while :clap:


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## fishwithoutabik (Nov 13, 2007)

*non dog lover here*

There is a special place for me in bad pet owner hell. 
i have not had a dog since i was a little kid, and my kids wanted one so bad, so i did my research, learned how to clicker train, all that crap felt that i was making a very informed decision when i bought a long haired piebald dachshund puppy. Gorgeous! and irresistable. and impossible to potty train, and evil, and loud, and needy, and i wanted to choke that freakin dog after 2 monthes. 

I did find it an excellent home with weenie dog lovers, and i should be ashamed, but i was just so glad to get rid of that thing.


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## Arachnoporium (Nov 13, 2007)

*Dendroaspis angusticeps*

Ummmm ... ahhh .. Wellll ...

I've got to plead guilty here.  My Dendroaspis angusticeps AKA Green Mamba's.  I have Crotalus atrox (Western Diamondback Rattlesnakes), Gaboon Vipers (Bitis gabonica),  Bitis arietans (Puff Adder), Naja haje (Egyptian Cobras) and Cerastes cerastes (Horned Viper). 

I can use my midwest gentle giant tongs to transfer/handle/feed (snake hook is good for feeding) on all of the above, other than the Dendroaspis angusticeps (Eastern Green Mamba).  I thought to myself - well, it is not a Black Mamba, they do not get large - and I pictured a nice arboreal enclosure in my living room which would display this beautiful Elapid.  I did not realize I would have to have two or three friends getting my back as these snakes are truly more dangerous than the Black Mamba - as they look cute, sweet and non-aggressive only to approach you with this cute face and take your life.  Thankfully, I have great friends who assist me with these "beasts of the underworld".  Even trying to open the enclosure to change the water would result in a bite otherwise.


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## phil jones (Nov 13, 2007)

fishwithoutabik said:


> and impossible to potty train, and evil, and loud, and needy,
> 
> *sounds like a lot of kids i seen / or know      ------  phil*


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