I have too many animals

This is an awesome thread! Good to see all of everyone's critters!

@dinomom ...you have a toucan for real? And what kind of cat is that? (I think I know but I'm not sure.) what is a toucan like as a pet?

@redhorse ...you have a pet possum?? ( I have some visit my backyard but I've never thought about having one as a pet...skunk, yes....possum, I would think about it now!)
Can you toilet train them? Do they smell at all?
 
If you train a bird yes. I have known many that free flight their birds. I got my Macaw when I was 17. It was 35 years ago and the care was different aka wrong. The word at the time was if you don't clip their wings you will lose your bird. So that is what I did. I regret it. It know makes as much sense as cutting of a dogs front legs so it doesn't run away. That said they are smart and can easily be trained.
Now the harsh truth. I have denied being a bird person for many years. They are loud, messy, and no they can not really go more than a day without direct care. Some smaller birds can starve to death in 24 hours.
That is why I am more of a reptile person, at least that is what I keep telling myself. I really love the birds.
I own an avian-only boarding facility-solves the vacation delimma!
 
This is an awesome thread! Good to see all of everyone's critters!

@dinomom ...you have a toucan for real? And what kind of cat is that? (I think I know but I'm not sure.) what is a toucan like as a pet?

@redhorse ...you have a pet possum?? ( I have some visit my backyard but I've never thought about having one as a pet...skunk, yes....possum, I would think about it now!)
Can you toilet train them? Do they smell at all?
Toucans are a lot like chameleons-very high maintenance but worth it. Generally are incredibly affectionate to owners but hateful to everyone else! He follows us around hopping of course. Will literally fall asleep on your lap. Senna is a bengal, they were bred from the Asian Leopard cat and are like MANIACS with their energy-for example she screams and demands to be chased-she runs around corners so fast she slides across the floor and spins out her back end. I am sure everyone will agree that chams are perfect with cats..any time Senna thinks she sees movement in there and goes to investigate the chams turn to stone and she just walks away.

And PS I had a baby possum, too! What else can you do after you have already captured every frog, toad, tadpole, snake, box turtle and crayfish in the area? I never tried to potty train this was NOT allowed in the house..
 
Right now:
- 2 panther chameleons
- 1 cinnamon cockatiel
- 3 cats
Soon to be frogs in the spring

All time:
- 9 cats
- 3 bettas
- 3 red claw crabs
- a hamster, gerbil, and two mice
- 3 budgies
- 2 lovebirds
- countless backyard critters
- plenty of mantids (Chinese)
 
@redhorse ...you have a pet possum?? ( I have some visit my backyard but I've never thought about having one as a pet...skunk, yes....possum, I would think about it now!)"
Can you toilet train them? Do they smell at all?
Great questions! I use to work as a cable technician and would find babies in yard of customers. So figured I would try to save the little ones. I learned if they (babies) fall off the mother sometimes she just leaves them. They were all (only twice) still with their eyes partially open, so gave them a helping hand.
I called Collège Station - UoT and someone gave me the scoop on how to care for them.

They have no smell to them and "anoint" themselves so predators can't smell them. I use to raise hedgehogs and they did the same thing.
Eat, chew, and lick their fur.. Or roll in the garbage (or fecal matter from other animals), that is what the opossums would do.
They were litter trained after a while and would eventually use a tub with water to go. They were like having a cat that did not like to be held and moved a lot at night. Their eye sight is almost non-existent but could smell and hear everything. Not recommended as a pet---

Once they were adults, the school helped me teach them to find food in the wild and were released. That was the norm back them.

Now every time I see a dead opossum I have to check for babies.. Horrible habit ---The one I found a few months ago (dead in the road) had 9 babies that were alive. I tried to amazon some food and supplies but it was going to take to long, so took them to Animal Control and they knew of someone that could take care of them.. Darn! Amazon--- But have all the supplies now..
 

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Toucans are a lot like chameleons-very high maintenance but worth it. Generally are incredibly affectionate to owners but hateful to everyone else! He follows us around hopping of course. Will literally fall asleep on your lap. Senna is a bengal, they were bred from the Asian Leopard cat and are like MANIACS with their energy-for example she screams and demands to be chased-she runs around corners so fast she slides across the floor and spins out her back end. I am sure everyone will agree that chams are perfect with cats..any time Senna thinks she sees movement in there and goes to investigate the chams turn to stone and she just walks away.

And PS I had a baby possum, too! What else can you do after you have already captured every frog, toad, tadpole, snake, box turtle and crayfish in the area? I never tried to potty train this was NOT allowed in the house..
I love that toucans hop around! Do you cage the toucan at all?
Is it messy to clean up after? Not thinking of getting one even though they are neat...just curious.

I've heard that Bengal cats were feisty...never knew about the chasing though.

Thanks for the information!
 
You said..."Great questions! I use to work as a cable technician and would find babies in yard of customers. So figured I would try to save the little ones. I learned if they (babies) fall off the mother sometimes she just leaves them. They were all (only twice) still with their eyes partially open, so gave them a helping hand.
I called Collège Station - UoT and someone gave me the scoop on how to care for them"... I never knew the mom would leave them. Sad....or a life's lesson. I would have tried to save them too. I was told that if the Mom was killed that the babies would be latched on and couldn't be removed from her so they would just have to die. I guess that's not true. UoT...university of Toronto???
You're Canadian???

You said..."They have no smell to them and "anoint" themselves so predators can't smell them. I use to raise hedgehogs and they did the same thing.
.Eat, chew, and lick their fur.. Or roll in the garbage (or fecal matter from other animals), that is what the opossums would do"..... I learn something new every day...I didn't know they did that!

You said..."They were litter trained after a while and would eventually use a tub with water to go. They were like having a cat that did not like to be held and moved a lot at night"...so not very friendly then? Will they tolerate touching or handling?

You said..."Their eye sight is almost non-existent but could smell and hear everything"... The eyesight thing I figured out when they come to my back door to eat the stuff I throw out. I liked to watch them.

You said..."Not recommended as a pet"... Never would keep one as a pet...just wanted to watch them. On my bucket list is to see a mom carrying her babies on the back. Can you tell a male from a female by looking at them? Size or something?

You said..."Once they were adults, the school helped me teach them to find food in the wild and were released. That was the norm back them"...what school?

You said..."Now every time I see a dead opossum I have to check for babies.. Horrible habit ---The one I found a few months ago (dead in the road) had 9 babies that were alive. I tried to amazon some food and supplies but it was going to take to long, so took them to Animal Control and they knew of someone that could take care of them.. Darn! Amazon--- But have all the supplies now"...that's good!

The baby picture is awesome!
Thanks for all the information!
 
Kinyonga--- I will try to address your question to the best since it was a learning process for me going through it.

They are friendly but because of the eye sight, their natural reaction was to hisssss and open their mouth, but they never would bite. I was able to pick them up and they would climb up legs and door frames (very strong). Their tails were used for balance but were capable of holding their own weight if needed.

The schools was Texas A&M University in College Station Texas (I was going for University of Texas UoT) Sorry for the mix-up

The males seem to be bigger but I am not 100% sure.

I would stick to what your doing and just observe from a distance.
 
Toucans are a lot like chameleons-very high maintenance but worth it. Generally are incredibly affectionate to owners but hateful to everyone else! He follows us around hopping of course. Will literally fall asleep on your lap. Senna is a bengal, they were bred from the Asian Leopard cat and are like MANIACS with their energy-for example she screams and demands to be chased-she runs around corners so fast she slides across the floor and spins out her back end. I am sure everyone will agree that chams are perfect with cats..any time Senna thinks she sees movement in there and goes to investigate the chams turn to stone and she just walks away.

And PS I had a baby possum, too! What else can you do after you have already captured every frog, toad, tadpole, snake, box turtle and crayfish in the area? I never tried to potty train this was NOT allowed in the house..
Do your aracari and Bengal co-mingle?
 
Thanks for your answer!

I was told they would open their mouth but not bite...that you could pick them up by the tail. I don't intend to test it out...only observe. I'm not risking anything more!

I'm disappointed...nit U of Toronto. I thought there was another Canadian on here!

I thought that maybe the males were the bigger ones...which is why I'm not seeing babies on their backs. For some reason I seem to be getting all big ones at my house. (They have different markings so I can tell them apart.)

Did you have any trouble taking the babies from the dead mother? We're they lacked on?
 
Here is how it all went down-

I was walking down the street (6:00 am) and noticed something in the street and figured it was an opossum (it was dead). So I picked it up and took it to the curb. I placed it on its back (very stiff) and noticed the pouch was moving.
Gets sick and yucky here.
I opened the pouch and felt the babies so I started to pull them out. Inside the pouch was wet and yellowish stuff (I am thinking it was the pee and poop from the babies). I started to pull them out but they were still suckling on the mother. I pulled until they were no longer attached (kinda sad). Yes, it did take a little force since about 2/3 of an inch of the teat was being suckled. It was a little weird.
 
Here is how it all went down-

I was walking down the street (6:00 am) and noticed something in the street and figured it was an opossum (it was dead). So I picked it up and took it to the curb. I placed it on its back (very stiff) and noticed the pouch was moving.
Gets sick and yucky here.
I opened the pouch and felt the babies so I started to pull them out. Inside the pouch was wet and yellowish stuff (I am thinking it was the pee and poop from the babies). I started to pull them out but they were still suckling on the mother. I pulled until they were no longer attached (kinda sad). Yes, it did take a little force since about 2/3 of an inch of the teat was being suckled. It was a little weird.
At least you got them out and they were able to be rescued.
 
I love that toucans hop around! Do you cage the toucan at all?
Is it messy to clean up after? Not thinking of getting one even though they are neat...just curious.

I've heard that Bengal cats were feisty...never knew about the chasing though.

Thanks for the information!
Oh yes caged if not supervised..they are way too curious for their own good!
 
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