Weirdo Pets For Pandemic Times

When things suck, I am one of millions that seek out funny animal videos. A lot. Due to YouTube stats, I know for a fact I am not the only one.

Ugly dogs, screaming cats, rescue animals, interspecies friendships. And now, peculiar pets.

One that popped up due to the YouTube algorithm gods, was about a bearded dragon named Mochi. Something about the way this creature skitters across the room when his mom calls, with his legs flailing about, hits me in the heart.

Bearded dragons

I once lived with a bearded dragon. It belonged to a roommate. It was pretty much the coolest pet I had ever seen.

I wasn't allowed to have pets as a kid (other than fish, which I couldn't keep alive). So, I would routinely look into non-fuzzy things that I thought I could trick my parents into agreeing to.

Maybe if it lived in the fish tank, they wouldn't think it's that different than a fish? Maybe a turtle??

They didn't buy it. But the interest in weird pets has stayed with me. And seeing Mochi made me think:

Quarantine has been great for dogs, but what about folks who are not into getting licked or are allergic etc? For them, there are some amazing, strange options out there:

Snails

So, apparently snails can be a pet. I was excited to see this, as I WAS able to keep a snail alive in my fish tank, after the fish all died again. I didn't know they counted.

Apparently, the pandemic is treating snails well, and they are currently having a moment.

For my money, the best snail in history is named Gabby. And, if you want to witness pure bliss, watch Gabby's reaction to running water:

Praying mantis

So, here's a pet I can admit is cool looking, but have no desire to invite into my home. According to Lianne McLeod at The Spruce Pets, there are over 2,000 species, and they can be quite different from one another:

Depending on the type of mantis, your insect could be docile and quiet or be more aggressive and make more noise. Some prefer to stalk their prey and others do so less aggressively. When threatened, most will strike a defensive pose.

Now, you may be wondering, "What does the 'defensive pose' look like?" I sure was. I found some visual aids for you. Turns out, it's amazing.

So, I completely take back what I said about not wanting to invite one of these into my home. I have officially changed my mind and now think these creatures would be amazing to have around.

Hedgehogs

As a kid, I lobbied so hard for a hedgehog. They have pointy faces and curl up in a ball! Who could resist? Again, the algorithm powers bestowed on me a blessing and I became aware of a particularly talented one during spring quarantine. Her name is Pepper, and her person took the time to construct amazing obstacle courses for her, and then filmed her travelling through them while accompanying her with full sports commentary. Since then, she has since been joined by Tuck, so she had some competition for the title of American Hedgehog Warrior. [I hate to inform you, though, that Pepper recently passed away. But, she will live forever in her videos, and has a worthy successor in Tuck.]

I had to do no new research for this post. All of these were already part of my daily feeds. I'm not sure how I feel about that. Apparently, I'm still fixated on odd little animals.

But, I sure hope you got a little smile out of them. 2021 is not noticeably better than 2020 yet, but weird-looking animals are as reliable as the sun rising in the morning.

If you need still more, just look up Chunk the Groundhog. You're welcome.