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Defending Treating pets as children
#1
I do it, I think of my pets as my babies and their children as my grandbabies. Many people think of their dogs and cats as their kids.
It is just nice to read an article that explains it so well and makes it sound so normal.
http://www.thespec.com/living-story/5156...-children/

Of course in my case my babies are snakes, but we all know that I can love anything.Heart ( Including the slug that is living in my bathroom.)
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Catherine

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#2
....and the spider near your fridge (or was it the bath?). Yes, people on this forum love animals, that is for sure! I read the article and it is well written. I can understand how people love their pets like children: just as the parent/child bond is strong, so is the caretaker/pet bond in many cases.

If I am honest, I don't look on it quite like that, as I regard animals as our equals in terms of rights and spiritual value. But if someone wants to call his/her pet a child, baby, etc. I'm quite comfortable with it. It is just a sign of great love. As the lady in your article says, "Dogs may be dogs and children may be children, but love is love."
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#3
I agree with both of you!
"Furbabies" are fine with me. (though some people take it a bit far and transport their pooches, dressed in pink tutus, in 'strollers'. haha LOL!) Though I doubt if that's quite 'you' Catherine! LOL.....and I can't imagine any snaky-babies wanting to wear tutus and go out walkies in their stroller! haha

But I am so aware that although they do depend on us in many ways to make their way through the World of Earth, and the Human stuff....they can even be in advance of us in some ways!

LPC is right when he says that whatever we show them that has to do with Love is not a bad idea. They may look askance at us for our 'baby talk' but it doesn't matter so much to them. They love us nevertheless.
I used to tell Misty stupid jokes. You should have seen the patient look she gave me, and then the humorous yawn....

Personally, the best way I could describe my relationship with Misty was that she was somehow my "Sister". That word doesn't really do the job, but it will do for now! She was, and still is, my Soul companion, and Heart-felt Friend.
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#4
Quote:....and the spider near your fridge (or was it the bath?).
There is a small black bathroom spider. Above the shower there is a long legged spider. Under the frig I have a centipede called Seymour.
I haven't named the slug....yet.Smiley4

We certainly love all our animal companions. Some are like children to us. Blueboy my cat was more of an older brother. I can see how Misty was a sister to you.

I think snakes only look to us as "parents" when they are young. My adult snakes are more friends. Of course Danny, my Pine Snake, is my baby, but I have had her since she hatched and she had her first shed with me and everything. We are close.

I am not the pink tutu type even when I was a little girl. Do I baby talk to my snakes? Maybe? Maybe I have pet names for some of them.
No pink tutus, but I do like the water dishes to look nice with the colour of the snakes and I am forever doing tank makeovers and bringing home new "toys" for them. I can get interesting logs and hides and other decorations for their tanks. Since these things were designed for reptiles, they are really popular with the reptiles.
I even put new toys in the tarantula's new set up. I am not sure yet if he likes them.
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Catherine

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#5
Well.....what do Tarantulas play with generally? I have no idea. A plastic wind-up fly who goes round in ever-decreasing circles springs to mind....
But of course there is no knowing. That may freak him out. Or there may be small parts that Tarantulas under the age of three shouldn't be allowed to play with....Big Grin

Sometimes I think we are going to need a new word to describe our many-faceted relationships with our animal companions. All our usual 'relative words' don't quite seem to fit.
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#6
Quote:Well.....what do Tarantulas play with generally? I have no idea. A plastic wind-up fly who goes round in ever-decreasing circles springs to mind....
But of course there is no knowing. That may freak him out. Or there may be small parts that Tarantulas under the age of three shouldn't be allowed to play with....Big Grin
79
Tarantula toys, that's a good thought. Smiley4 His "toys" are more along the lines of a new fake stone cave, a few silk plant leaves and a plastic cactus shaped water dish. He filled it with dirt so I think he likes it. His old fake log water dish is too small. He is now using the cave so I think I have made him happy.
How do I know if my tarantula is happy? Not a clue. I watch and try to get some sense of what makes him more relaxed(?) I think it is a good sign when he eats and drinks and uses his whole tank. When he moves earth then he is setting up his own territory the way he likes it.

We do need new terms. How do you describe my relationship to Jake Krinkle Snake. He is not a baby, but he will always need a lot of personal care. Danny is my baby, no matter how big she gets. Earl will always be an old man and I respect him as such.

Our relationships with our pets are more complex than we thought. I don't own then. Only some are like children to me. Most are like friends. I would not know how to describe relating to a Hognose Snake. They are funny quirky little creatures. They hiss and huff and play dead, but when I pick one up it curls up in my hand(lap for the bigger ones). They really trust me. How do label a relationship like that?
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Catherine

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