ellerythecelery wrote:A parakeet (yellow and adorable) and a duck (who lives indoors at night and runs our lives more than we run hers). I'm surprised so few people who responded to this poll are bird owners! Birds make for awesome -- and ceaselessly entertaining -- pets. 
Birds annoy many of us with their CEASELESS entertainment, and unfortunately, they are also one of the filthiest creatures you could own. They are usually up in a cage, and as they clean (when they're taking a break from entertaining), their dander and all the microbes residing with it, fly all over the house. It infiltrates the air you breathe and can spread disease. Of course, some people are perfect bird owners, and so if that is what makes you happy, go for it! ;) I love to watch them outside... Our hammock is set up so that we can watch the family of falcons in a tree over our house. I also have a bird feeder outside.
As for me, we have a dog that we chose, and apparently some pets that have chosen us:
A family of skunks that has taken up residence beneath our house (the dog has only been sprayed once luckily), and a random feral cat (more of a mini panther if you ask me), that will cry and cry outside the door. I made the mistake of opening it one time. Dude jumped on my bed and wouldn't leave. I had to get food to coax him out. Outside, he'll be the sweetest thing, and the next minute, decide to "hug" your leg... With all of it's panther claws. We also have some frogs that live on the front porch, and a lizard that lives out there too, that actually keeps trying to run in the house. Twice we didn't see him, and his tail was shortened by the closing door... Good thing they grow back. The raccoons on the back deck that peek in the window at me can go away as far as I'm concerned. I don't know what it is about my house that attracts all these creatures, but it's certainly strange... We don't leave food out (except a little bird food, and the garden), but do live near a creek... I love seeing the deer out the windows in the morning.
