Pets

smurf975 · 2004-09-12 23:04:03

The funniest thing he does, though, is if he thinks someone is drowning in the pool (or something like that - he will do this if someone is underwater for a while, or if they're splashing a lot). He barks frantically, hopping back and forth, then jumps in the water towards the person. Then he starts yipping piteously, because he's scared of the water, and panics, completely ignoring whoever he was planning to rescue.
*Isn't it amazing how cats and dogs instinctively know how to swim? (And other non-aquatic animals too, I suppose...but I know this best in cats and dogs). If they get tossed into water (not by me!), they automatically know how to paddle to shore; even if never in water before, aside from womb waters of course. Nature has its ways with the 4-footed; often very impressive. As for we humans...most of us have to *learn* to swim or drown otherwise. ::shrugs::
--Cindy

Human babies know instinctively how to swim. I have seen videos of babies being pushed underwater and the babies would hold their breath and peddle like dogs.

They said that humans loose this instinct when they get older.

I couldn't find any good background information but heres]http://www.babyswimming.com/FAQ.htm]here's a site that talks about it. And further on if you would to do it you could start with a baby from the age of six months.

Rxke · 2004-09-13 02:51:04

Babies get born underwater too sometimes... Probably less traumaic that way? They come out of an 'aquatic' environment to begin with..

dicktice · 2004-09-14 16:21:28

Re talking parrots. My friend's Mum's parrot, when you put on your coat, says cheerily: "Time to go--" as well as other logical responses to human activities in the house.
I contributed to a budgie being lost out of an open window, in Sweden, when I came visiting unexpectedly. They were trying to entice it to come in from the balcony at the time. Boy, was the wife angry with her mate--not me, since Swedish house-guests can do no wrong. They tried all that autumn to locate it, but it never turned up. They've since divorced and gone their separate ways. It couldn't have had anything to do with the bird, I'm almost positive, but. . . ?

Palomar · 2004-10-19 18:12:47

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u … nea_pig]Aw.

*I had a guinea pig as a pet in the early 1990s, in my 2nd-ever apartment. She was cute and cuddly...and ornery as heck sometimes. The sound of the refrigerator door opening equated to lettuce; every time the 'fridge door opened she'd begin whistling and making those worried little grunting noises (cute). Abyssian was her breed (crazy cowlicks); she was black, brown and tan. One morning I opened the 'fridge door to get a can of soda; she began fretting. Lettuce would have to wait, I had to fuss with hair and makeup for a few minutes. Standing at the mirror in the bathroom, I heard her becoming even more fretful until finally there was this WHUMP, THUD, CRASH!. I hurried out (what on Earth?!). She'd knocked down her water bottle in a tantrum, and now stood with her front paws on the bottle as if she'd conquered it, glaring at me. She wanted her lettuce NOW.

She got it. :laugh:

Funny little critters. Can't imagine making a meal out of one. She learned to climb up into my outstretched palm on her own; just did it one day, without any prompting from me.

Oh -- and she liked Elvis (happy chortling sounds) but she hated The Beatles (frenzied trilling). :laugh:

--Cindy

Mad Grad Student · 2004-10-23 21:22:04

Yeah, guinea pigs are funny little guys. Right now we happen to have 8, but that number tends to go up and down, a side effect of having a fertile male and female and donations to the local pet store (and NOT restaurant). They're very simple animals, but also rather complex in certain ways, and they seem to be able to develop very ingrained Pavlovian responses like in your story. The same thing happens with my guinea pigs, the instant the refrigorator door opens they all run out and start squealing for lettuce.

I've found that guinea pigs also have a very tenuous grasp on tameness. The two ones that originally came from the pet store are perfectly good-natured, but the rest that were born and rased in a small room that has been converted into a pig hab are completely wild. They run and run like crazy if you ever try to pick one up, kick around, and squeek at full volume if they are ever removed from their "natural" habitat. The cats love to watch them come out and run around at feeding time through the glass but whenever one of them starts squeeking they immediately move to the other side of the house.

Of course, one of the best thing about guinea pigs is that they're born with their eyes open and covered in fur. In an hour they're sprinting around at full speed and about as cute as rodents get. I can honestly say that I've never handled a pig at any age and thought "mmm, dinner!" But hey, if you've gotta sacrifice something to the gods (and apparently these guys do) at least a guinea pig is less messy than, say a person.

Kidding, of course.

Palomar · 2004-10-24 09:22:54

Yeah, guinea pigs are funny little guys. Right now we happen to have 8, but that number tends to go up and down, a side effect of having a fertile male and female and donations to the local pet store (and NOT restaurant). They're very simple animals, but also rather complex in certain ways, and they seem to be able to develop very ingrained Pavlovian responses like in your story. The same thing happens with my guinea pigs, the instant the refrigorator door opens they all run out and start squealing for lettuce.
I've found that guinea pigs also have a very tenuous grasp on tameness. The two ones that originally came from the pet store are perfectly good-natured, but the rest that were born and rased in a small room that has been converted into a pig hab are completely wild. They run and run like crazy if you ever try to pick one up, kick around, and squeek at full volume if they are ever removed from their "natural" habitat.

*Yep, they're sweet little critters, that's for sure (well...most of the time. The guinea pig I mentioned above [have had about 4 of them] sometimes got a wild hair up her yazoo and bit me really hard...ouch).

So you have a family of guinea pigs. I've only had singletons, never more than 1 at any time (and not for years now). I'd read in a pet owner's manual that -- at least the wild -- if a family is on the move either mom or pop will lead the group with the little ones in the middle, and the other parent bringing up the rear. Such protection there.

There is one other memory of that guinea pig; in the summer she'd crawl under my hair and lick at my neck -- the saltiness of sweat (I lived in humid country then), of course. She tried for my ear, that was enough -- talk about a tickle.

--Cindy

Mars_B4_Moon · 2023-10-26 15:50:59

Mars should only have a working dog not pets, if you have a pest problem maybe a cat because your eco-system is wrong then maybe other animals, they might provide comfort and support to the old and sickly who need company.
In a time of crisis your dog or cat might get eaten by others

We have a multi-culture thread but maybe this thread is better

I will bump this old topic with a post of horror

an illegal invader immigrant in Italy cooks a cat in the street after capturing the pet from a local Italian home.

https://twitter.com/RadioGenoa/status/1 … 9381855418

Last edited by Mars_B4_Moon (2023-10-26 15:53:13)

Mars_B4_Moon · 2023-11-25 15:08:58

The end of 'Dog Meat'?

South Korean dog farmers threaten to flood Seoul with two million canines if government passes ban
https://news.yahoo.com/south-korean-dog … 34268.html

Mars_B4_Moon · 2023-11-26 07:00:43

maybe its Darwinism, elimination of the dumbest when a stupid Owner is killed by one of its dangerous stupid human aggressive pets

Which group will win, the Human person or the Pitbull that mauls old women old men and children to death?

Pit bull reportedly ripped face off skull of Texas 2-year-old girl
https://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local … 494128.php

Girl, 3, mauled by 'pitbull' in horror attack as 'dad prises beast off her head'
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/g … source=nba

American XL Bully ban explained - including what happens if you own the dangerous breed
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/a … d-31332323
On Tuesday, the Government officially added XL Bullies to its banned list.

But its not as if there is true authority in much of Europe anymore, some English expect their government to save them and fix the issue while gangsters will just see a business to keep breeding them underground and selling them on a Black Market?

banning is one thing, if the get culturally proactive like Asians do and actually just kill and cook and eat the dogs, maybe it will vanish

including: the pitbull terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino and Fila Brasileiro
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/a … d-31332323

you can see lots of Pitbulls in Street View Go-Pro videos in Britain but I don't think I have seen too many Pitbull in a street view in an Asian camera, maybe over there they truly exterminated the breed

At the South Pole there seems to now be a ban on animals under the protection treaty

ANTARCTIC PETS
http://www.antarctic-circle.org/pets.htm

They even had a Cow that was treated as a pet and a pig

Toby—Pig on Charcot's Français expedition (

Last edited by Mars_B4_Moon (2023-11-26 07:03:35)

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#26 2004-09-12 23:04:03

Re: Pets

#27 2004-09-13 02:51:04

Re: Pets

#28 2004-09-14 16:21:28

Re: Pets

#29 2004-10-19 18:12:47

Re: Pets

#30 2004-10-23 21:22:04

Re: Pets

#31 2004-10-24 09:22:54

Re: Pets

#32 2023-10-26 15:50:59

Re: Pets

#33 2023-11-25 15:08:58

Re: Pets

#34 2023-11-26 07:00:43

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