Normally, if you visit a friend’s house, you pet their furry, ecstatic dog or their purring, relaxed cat; for some WS students, however, there are different animals that will catch your eye.
But how do they get these animals? Well everyone has a different story. Senior Andrea Link has a hedgehog named Bandit that she wanted when she saw a friend’s.
“One of my friends had one and I saw some pictures” said Link. “They were so cute I couldn’t resist.”
Junior Kasson Massimino has a chameleon, along with other pets, and she wanted a chameleon because of its awesome traits. Chameleons change colors, move their eyeballs different directions, and also have super long tongues. All of these cool features are why Massimino loves her crazy reptile.
“He’s a freak!” said Massimino.
All pets need taking care of, and even if the pet is a hedgehog or a chameleon, the rule stays the same.
“He’s super hard to take care of” said Massimino. “He’s so mean even though I feed him and whatnot.”
Link has the some of the same issues too.
“He’s really temperamental,” said Link. “And he can’t be held under 72 degrees. I’m not kidding”.
Having a strange pet warrants mixed reactions from people that visit. Some gasp at the aura of the exotic animal, but others hide from it.
“When they see Bandit, my friends freak out” said Link, “because of his spikes”.
Massimino finds the same result.
“They either want to hold it, or they start freaking out” said Massimino.
While these pets are a lot to handle, it is not to discourage people from trying something new and getting an abnormal pet. They can teach you about a different type of animal and even teach people responsibility.
Massimino and Link love their pets. Having a different pet is not strange, and in fact makes them unique. Anyone can gawk at a cute puppy or admire the beauty of a cat, but it takes a real person to appreciate the other pets that require just as much work, and yet don’t get nearly as much press as the others.
Students with strange pets automatically have a conversation starter, they learn facts about different animals, and more importantly they have a companion to have around the house. It allows students to express their individuality.
“I wanted something that no one else has,” said Link. “I’m different yeah I’m different.”