The Friday Five

[thismaz]

Continuing my resolution to post more regularly, I am once again grateful to The Friday Five for the prompts.

This week the questions are about pets.

How many pets have you had at one time?
The most pets at one time? Hmm, *thinks back to childhood* Well, I did have two cats and a couple of goldfish, although not at the same time (the cats and the goldfish, I mean. That might have quickly become just two cats.)

What is the strangest pet you have ever had?
See above. I begin to suspect I was a boring child.

What is the coolest trick you have ever taught a pet?
Have you ever tried to teach either cats or goldfish to do tricks?

Real animals: What animal have you always wanted as a pet?
A unicorn. What do you mean they're not real? I saw a picture of one in a book, so they must be.
It would have to be a small unicorn though. One that could live indoors, because we don't have room for a horse-sized creature in our house.

Imaginary animals: Describe the ideal pet, an animal that doesn't really exist.
Something lethargic, so it didn't need to be taken for a walk three times every day (I have friends with dogs; I know what that entails.) Something furry, so it would be comforting to have on my lap. No claws. Preferably vegetarian (carnivore pets tend to smell) but not a ruminant (because they to too, for different reasons *g*) Maybe a small lion, who would not mind acting as a pillow?
Alternatively, a friendly griffin, because I have always wanted to fly and it could take me for rides.

That was fun. I hope you are all having a good weekend, too. *waves at flist*

Comments

[kazzy-cee.livejournal.com]

Small vegetarian lion??!! Isn't that almost a cat ;)

I missed these questions as they weren't there when I checked. I shall do them later.

[thismaz.livejournal.com]

*g* A cat would be a bit too small to act as a pillow. *thinks* And claws. *nods* Small vegetarian lions don't need claws, so they never evolved them.

[spikesgirl58.livejournal.com]

I agree with you - training goldfish is hard work! Mine never seemed to want to do anything but swim back and forth... :D

Something funny, though, I inherited my goldfish through a culinary event I was working. My cats never looked at them twice, although I suspect the kittens might have found them interesting. They all got so big that I had to take them back to the pet store.

Great answers!

[thismaz.livejournal.com]

I inherited my goldfish from someone who was moving abroad and we did have to buy two bigger tanks, as they grew.

[spikesgirl58.livejournal.com]

We bought a bigger tank once, but then it just seemed better to re-home them as they grew. I'm sure they ended up in someone's carp pond.

[notte0.livejournal.com]

a colleague of mine actually has a fish that trained itself (or she trained the fish, whatever... and I don't know what type of fish that is) to greet her whenever she got home from work. The fish would swim up the tank and splash water to get her attention to get food - but not at any other time of the day, only when she comes in through the main door.

[thismaz.livejournal.com]

I knew the whole 8 seconds of memory thing was rubbish, but that sounds like a pretty intelligent fish. I was never certain they could see beyond the glass.

[brutti-ma-buoni.livejournal.com]

I approve of your approach to pet-specification. Very feasible *g*

[thismaz.livejournal.com]

*g* Thank you. *nods* One must be practical.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

What you need is clearly a miniature unicorn so it can fit through a unicorn flap in your back door...

[thismaz.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah, good point. Thank you.

[crickets.livejournal.com]

I saw that Jamie on Mythbusters taught his childhood goldfish to ring a bell for food. I think he talked about it when he was on Ask Me Another (podcast quizshow.)

[thismaz.livejournal.com]

Interesting. I stand corrected on my assumption about goldfish, since that is two counts now of goldfish doing interactive tricks with humans. I have obviously underestimated them :-)