We also love our guinea pigs! They are the perfect pet for my 8 year old! She talks about them (and to them) all day and absolutely loves them! That makes up for all the cleaning that is involved to keep their large cage clean : )

Love my bunny. He races around the living room every morning and every evening, jumping and turning in the air. He waits for the kids to chase him and plays their game of catch.

Anonymous wrote:
With so many horrors out there in the world, I want to take a moment to share how much my pets bring me joy.

Dog: He loves all humans, especially children. There's nothing he likes more than being petted and feted by kids. He tries to herd them a bit. When you're sick or feeling low, he senses it and comes to sit next to you, and puts his head in your lap. And when my daughter plays her violin, particularly intense passages, he sidles up as close as possible while avoiding the bow and howls melodiously along. Boy are they loud, those two, when they get going!

Bird: She's such a minuscule, energetic creature. She cocks her head intelligently at you out of a Disney-like blue plumage, and warbles gently when she's happy, chirrups loudly when excited, and clicks contentedly when she's about to fall asleep. She'll comment on everything we do from her central vantage point, and it's not all complimentary, judging from the inflections in her voice! She's also particular about her domain. Fingers or boopy noses will get bitten if they're not authorized in her cage, and authorization can be whisked away faster than you can say "millet". You'd better approach prepared for anything! Yet she's such a delight.

Cat: still looking for a hypoallergenic companion!

That sounds so cool, your daughter playing her violin and the dog howling along. Love it.

Guinea pigs - ours run over and greet us when we come into the room and they love to snuggle

OP here.

I have a parrotlet. She's new to us, and usually doesn't allow scritches, although she makes exceptions. The problem is divining when those are, because otherwise you get a nipped finger!

What kind is yours, 06:30?

My dog is the actual cutest dog ever. And I swear, the older she gets, the cuter she gets. She is so funny and sweet. She does some stuff that really makes me laugh. If she is waiting to be fed she lays on the placemat where her food dish belongs and stares at me to remind me something is missing (her food bowl). She might also scratch the floor to make noise to let me know she’s waiting. Also, if someone drops a bag or a towel on the floor, she uses it as a dog bed. When she’s out in the yard, she knocks on the door to be let back in. She will scratch the door and pause a few seconds and if nobody opens it, she scratches again. I don’t know why this makes me laugh, but it does. We can’t put Christmas presents under the tree because she opens them! She loves presents and gets more excited than a little kid when she gets one. She uses her paws and her mouth to open them! And she also knows when it’s time for her medicine. She comes downstairs right before bedtime every night for her allergy pill.

Anonymous wrote:All this is making me wish for a bird and a bunny! If I didn't have hounds, that is. –PP with the two senior hounds

I’m bird and bunny poster, and I desperately miss my dogs... send some appreciation for your old ones here!

All this is making me wish for a bird and a bunny! If I didn't have hounds, that is. –PP with the two senior hounds

Love this post, OP! What kind of bird?

Cat: the one no one else would take from the rescue, she’s given us 10 years of owning the damn joint. She’s a b*t h on wheels, demands what pleases her, but is always first past the post to greet anyone at the door, and knows when you really just need a strong, silent type beside you. While not interested in engaging in cuddles for anyone’s benefit, she knows the importance of warm feet on a winter night, and the comforting purr of a friend on the dark ones. She adores DD, and although I hate the fact that there is the occasional mouse in our house, dispatches them with great efficiency and pomp.

Bunny: nature’s perfect being. Is amusing beyond most comprehension, mostly for his favourite activity, which is pushing a balloon around the kitchen with his nose at 5 in the morning. Snuggles offered all day, every day, and if it’s been too long by his standards, will nip at your toes until you pay your snuggle dues, you damn human. Loves everyone and anyone, still not sure if he’s a cat.

Bird: king of the one liner. Will proclaim “breakfaaaaast” in my voice if I’m slow to the gates offering breakfast. Loves a head scritch, but can be a jerk and will “ask” for one and nip you if he’s in an especially foul mood (easy to figure out once you know him), and usually related to above delay in Breakfaaaast. Can cuss like a sailor in completely unintelligible bird speak, but you know what he’s saying. Also purrs and says “c’mere” when he’s feeling sweet. Can somehow find every safflower seed in a bowl of many other things, but can dismantle a 2x4 with that same beak. Our bitter, sour sailer, and he’s great.

I love hearing about your bird!

My two senior rescue dogs rescued me in the spring after my two previous elderly dogs died. They don't like each other very much, but they both like me and we make it work. I am astonishingly attached to them and marvel every day how odd but fortunate it is that we three eccentric mammals in late middle age ended up together.

Animals are great. Thanks for your post, OP.

There's nothing extraordinary about our 3 year old labradoodle. But she's a sweet, kind, goofy creature and we're so lucky to have her. She just wants to be friends with everyone, 2 legged and 4 legged.

With so many horrors out there in the world, I want to take a moment to share how much my pets bring me joy.

Dog: He loves all humans, especially children. There's nothing he likes more than being petted and feted by kids. He tries to herd them a bit. When you're sick or feeling low, he senses it and comes to sit next to you, and puts his head in your lap. And when my daughter plays her violin, particularly intense passages, he sidles up as close as possible while avoiding the bow and howls melodiously along. Boy are they loud, those two, when they get going!

Bird: She's such a minuscule, energetic creature. She cocks her head intelligently at you out of a Disney-like blue plumage, and warbles gently when she's happy, chirrups loudly when excited, and clicks contentedly when she's about to fall asleep. She'll comment on everything we do from her central vantage point, and it's not all complimentary, judging from the inflections in her voice! She's also particular about her domain. Fingers or boopy noses will get bitten if they're not authorized in her cage, and authorization can be whisked away faster than you can say "millet". You'd better approach prepared for anything! Yet she's such a delight.

Cat: still looking for a hypoallergenic companion!