#when i worked at a pet store i used to feed all the snakes and sometimes the chill pythons would hang out around my neck

[ducktollers]

also currently thinking abt it cuz there was a tarantula on b99. i wish i liked tarantulas. i should love them in theory theyre just fluffy crawly guys. and yet they and all spiders scare the living shit out of me WHY. why do i like insects but not spiders. every time it came up in my uni classes ppl thought it was weird bc insect people are usually also spider people. i love snakes and insects i should love spiders too but i hate them WHY IS THAT

[lostinlovingrevery]

Logan headcanons u say...

I think Logan is such a big animal lover and animals love him.

Also im psyched about my spider girl reader fic with Logan so ive been doing research in his relationship with spidey and omg its so cute they're such a good pair.

This is relevant bc theres actually a story with them where they team up and Logan is there to stop hunters from killing these animals while spidey is solving a series of murders and Logan is super protective of the animal that everyone thinks is killing ppl

ugh i love this man sm

HI ROSE!!!

NO I TOTALLY AGREE!!!!!!

Also Im excited as well!!! They sound like an adorable pairing- I actually saw smth once where one of the spidey people said that he is hell of a kisser LMAO. You come up with the best stuff so I know you're going to do great with this fic!!!!

Logan with Animals

a natural instinct comes to logan to protect the innocent i think

and that DEFINITELY includes animals!!!

I believe he has a natural connection to them due to his mutation!!!

dogs, cats, deer, rabbit, mammals are probably the ones he likes the most BUT he'd definitely protect a fish too!!!

Good luck to any asshole that tries to be mean to an animal in front of him. he WILL kick their asses

he isn't OBVIOUS about his care for them. He'll still have that "We dont need a cat" attitude, but of course be besties with said cat lol

ocassionally you'll catch his soft spot. clicking his tongue at the feral alley cat so he could pet them. talking to a little squirrel thats sitting nearby. maybe whistle back to that little songbird

animals are relaxed with him too. They know the good vibes.

he talks to them like people sometimes! hes talking to a dog and hes like "Cmon bub, you absolutely know better than that." (snatched his sandwich off his plate)

fun fact about me- i am SUCH an animal lover. and so is my family. My mom used to work at a local petstore, and she'd bring home pretty much the loners!

rabbits, frogs, cats, birds, chinchillas

i had mice, bunnies, and hermit crabs growing up!

of course we have cats and dogs too

if thats you (i actually have an ask buried about a reader who brings pets home all the time to logan!) logan would be SO exsperated but then is like "okay but i guess they're cute"

he's not afraid of them either

will yoink a snake (Gently)

will get extremely close to an alligator

doesnt get offended when attacked by random chance. he just heals and was like "well now you feel stupid don't you."

but he doesn't get angry because he knows what its like to be scared and alone

anyhoo like I said he would be so protective of animals!!!!

obviously wolverines are predators but i think he has a soft spot for prey animals!!!

imagine him with a little bunny !!!!!!!!!

Bottle feeding newborn kittens you found in the alleyway, you brought mom in too- but you got kitten milk to help keep the babies healthy!!!!

he is on it every 2 hours. weighs them and everything. so gentle and careful and he reassures momma cat that he'll return her baby promptly

and yes, he has NO patience for any type of abusers or any kind of cruelty towards animals!!! he will hunt them down

imagine a mission involving a lab that was using animal testing, he'd get SO ANGRY. of course you all set them free, get them to the proper places to fix them up and find them good homes/habitats but lord he'd still be so livid. will beat the shit out of those responsible!!!!

man he just does have a soft spot for the cute fuzzy babies. hes on the floor on his belly with those newborn babies from earlier, they're opened their eyes and ears and starting to walk again and they're climbing over his arms and hands

based on a true story with me : one of them gets extremely attached to logan and SCREAMS everytime they see him because they want his attention!

of course you guys kept that one

your pets are allowed on the couch and bed of course. why wouldn't they be?

they only get the best food too btw. none of this cheap dollar store crap

animals just make him happier. they accept him more easily than people do!!!

[joy-haver]

Honestly, I think we need to talk more often about the exotic pet trade. It’s such a threat to wild populations of animals all over the world. Anytime i see a post on here that’s like “look at this cute animal you probably haven’t heard of!” I weep over the truth that the more people hear about it, the more they will poach it from the land.

And I ask myself…why are people doing this? Why are we trying to take these often endangered animals from their habitat even as we know it won’t help them?

And I think to my own self. When I was 19, working in an exotic pet store, having just left a childhood full of times in the woods and farm animals. I came to a city that felt like it had none of that. The little glass boxes felt like encapsulations of the nature I had grown up around and sorely come to miss. If I couldn’t have it outside, I thought, I would have it inside. My coworkers and I all talked and watched videos about building little ecosystems for our little pets. It felt exciting. It felt connecting.

But the issue is that these aren’t ecosystems. They are often perpetual death machines of capture, and they often lead to disruption of the native ecosystems you’re actually yearning for. Hell, look at Florida. Hundreds of invasive animals, including everything from great large pythons to little isopods, all brought in through the pet trade. Look at Australia. Species decimated by poaching. Read about all the little monkeys of the world, and what we have done by owning them.

There are entire industries wrapped up in the poaching of wild animals, the breeding of them, the housing of them, the feeding of them. Even some of the most well respected and supposedly ethical people in the trade still think there are different ethics for breeders and normal keepers. They store their animals in minimalistic tiny enclosures. Thousands upon thousands of rats and crickets are bred just to maintain the feed supply to the trade and its customers, creating an endless wheel of suffering and disease conditions. And I must ask, why? For what purpose? It’s not conservation. These aren’t concerned groups creating sanctuary populations for wildlife reintroduction. They aren’t growing things for food, or leather, or research. All of those we can discuss the ethics of, sure, but at least then there is a reason. What is the reason here? Just to have a hollow stare at a sad creature and pretend that is love? Just to propagate more environmental destruction with our ongoing thievery of peat moss and orchids for our tanks?

And still then are the collectors. I’ve met people with hundreds of animals placed in shoe storage racks, living their lives for no purpose other than the occasional glance and the feeling of having a hoard.

We all feel so disconnected from the environment that we are willing to rob other areas of the world, we are willing to further endanger these species we love, we are willing to terrorize the ecosystems we are unknowingly in, all due to our incredible and violent loneliness.

But this is a solvable problem.

Learn to live where you are. Learn to love the things you can find around you. Plant native plants, you will see native birds and wildlife. If you don’t have a yard, offer to care for the yard of an older neighbor, if they will let you use native plant landscaping in exchange. If you truly cannot connect where you are, to its people and to its ecosystems, then research somewhere and move. But don’t live your life with one foot out the door, hating where you are and doing nothing, dreaming or elsewhere and never leaving.

You do not need to collect rare morphs of isopods. My friend, I see so many beautiful native ones outside in the habitat I have helped manage for them. I see swallowtail butterflies and chimney swifts and solitary bees and little snakes and salamanders and anoles. I learn their species names and watch their behaviors. I see what they eat, where they hide, what times of year they are around. And I feel, finally, connected. Everything I was looking for in the commodity of exotic pets, I found in the reality just outside my door. I have nurtured it and it has nurtured me.

Owning that cute monkey won’t fix you. But having a relationship with the ecology around you just might begin to.

[raphael-angele]

Exotic Pets I think PJO Characters would own

Disclaimer: This post does not encourage the purchase or distribution of exotic/endangered animals to be kept in captivity. This is completely for entertainment purposes

Percy owns a Blue Mosaic Axolotl and he named it Mandy. This is because he originally thought she was a salamander. When he took it home and showed it to Annabeth, she corrected him but the name already stuck.

Annabeth has a Canary Barn Owl named Cato. She does not own this owl per se. Cato was flying near their apartment when Annabeth decided to leave some food out for him. Since then, Cato has been keeping an eye on her and following her around from the apartment to her college campus to the grocery store.

Grover has a Kinkajou he named Jumper. Again, he does not particularly own him. Jumper just happened to jump onto his shoulder while he was taking a hike through the woods one night. Jumper was hungry so Grover gave him some food. Every now and then, Grover would go back and feed him.

Nico (besides Cerby) owns two melanistic foxes named Aspen and Amber. No one knows the true origin of these foxes, all the campers know is that they just showed up out of no where and follow Nico around. Despite what they think, Aspen and Amber are actually very friendly and they only get defensive if you intend to harm Nico (besides Percy. They hate Percy for some reason).

Jason has a Racoon Dog named Jojo. Jason found Jojo while he was out for a walk. It was raining and it looked like Jojo was injured. Thankfully, they weren't that far from camp so he took him back and gave him a warm bath and treated him. Once Jojo was fully healed, Jason tried to release him back out there but he wouldn't leave

Piper has Anna's Hummingbirds. She built a bird house one time with Leo and hung it outside of the cabin. Next thing she knows, hummingbirds are inhabiting it. Two paticular hummingbirds she sees are two Anna's hummingbirds she named Luna and Aurelia.

Reyna (besides her two dogs) has a Serval Cat she named Aenea. Reyna does not own her but she goes to feed her every now and then and lets her take shelter during storms or when she wants

Bianca has an Unkindness of Ravens. Not one, not two, an Unkindness. EDIT: She was on a quest with the hunters one time and the ravens warned her about where they were going, where they should go, etc. The ravens got attached to her, being the daughter of the dead. And she eventually got used to it, but some of the hunters still get jumpscares when they wake up and see Bianca being surrounded by dozens of ravens. Two Ravens in particular, she named Argus and Sergio. These two are in charge of looking after Nico. Yes, she can speak to them; Yes, they are also messenger birds.

Thalia has a Sugar Glider named Jason. She found him on the shelf in her cabin looking for food. She was about to help him down when he flew to the drawer beside her bed. She took him to Annabeth to figure out what he is. She gave him some food after that and thought that he reminded him of Jason.

Hazel has a Chinchilla named Amy. Amy (short for Amethyst) looks like she's purple but really, she's a mix of grey and blue, which is why she looks purple. Amy was actually a gift from Frank.

Will, scarily enough, has an Edit 2: Sunbeam Snake he named Bowie. Again, no one knows where he came from, they just walked into the Apollo Cabin and freak out when they see the snake slithering around the cabin and they just go, "Oh, don't worry, that's just Bowie". Bowie only likes being held by the Apollo kids and Nico.

Leo has a Tarantula named Felix (Fix for short). Oddly enough, Leo was never scared of spiders, if anything, he loves them. The Athena Cabin always asks for his help to get rid of spiders. He found Fix crawling on his work table, almost getting killed when he interfered. He scooped him up and sent him back into the woods. The next day, he found him again on his table. He kept putting him back till he gave up and made a little space for him

[shallowseeker]

Toys, toys, toys

It definitely seems like that at some point

they went to the

toy store

(Mousetrap, Connect Four, Marvelous Marvin (maybe based on Teddy Ruxpin?)

And a quick unsettling note:

Dean is playing Mousetrap. In the previous episode, Peace of Mind, Jack is trying to determine what snakes eat. Pet snakes, of course, typically eat rodents, and that's what Jack gives it, but it refuses to eat. 🐍 When Dean strolls in, he picks up a little takeout box Jack has on the table, containing two white mice ("Sam and Dean"). 🐁🐁Dean then tries to feed it bacon, because he likes bacon. 🥓 Later in the episode, Jack laments, "I don't think you have a good handle on what snakes eat." 💔

///

And Connect Four is what mathematicians call a "solved game," meaning you can play it perfectly every time, no matter what your opponent does.

Alternatively, the game ends when there is a 4-in-a-row or a stalemate, so naturally, Team Free Will traditionally has four participants, which Chuck has to work rigorously to break apart.

Aside// I happen to think Dean n' Cas represent a Double Attack move in season 15, because they're associated visually to the pragmatic Double Diamond in The Trap (inside the Lucky Elephant casino), and Chuck taunts Sam thusly:

CHUCK: "You still think that Dean and Cas are gonna fly through those doors just in the nick of time. You still think that you're the hero of this story. You still think you can win."

///

Marvelous Marvin has endless connections, but when it appears in its first Gimme Shelter scene, the killer cuts off each of the victim's fingers and shoves them down his throat.

So, that definitely makes you think back to the story of the chicken and the black snake, with the fingers being like eggs. The killer is cutting off the fingers ("souls / beloved ones") and shoving them down the throat of the "snake" to punish it. You could stretch this motif, that Chuck is perhaps shoving his fingers down Jack's throat in their standoff against one another.

The pastor remarks that we need each other for support.

PASTOR: I always say, people are God's hands, each of us a finger for him to use. To lift each other up.

But Chuck sees support, and he sees that love. So, once you love it, he cuts it off and shoves it down your throat. It's why he killed not just Mary, but all the Campbells around Mary.

The chicken and the black snake: NOAH: Once there was a crafty black snake who kept eating this poor chicken’s eggs. She couldn’t watch them all the time, you see. The black snake would wait until she was gone and then slide one of the eggs into his mouth and crush it in his throat. Now this went on until there was only one egg left, but when the chicken left that egg - just for a moment - the snake swallowed it up. But for some reason he couldn’t crush it in his throat. The chicken had hardboiled her final egg just to choke the snake. And the snake died. 

[askthefivefallen]

"I Gotta Ask"

A: "Alright, I'm gonna ask the obvious question."

R: "Okay?"

A: "Let's say either Tits gets a clue or the Almighty comes down and forces Lefty to make the first move."

R: "I'm following so far."

A: "What are you gonna do?"

R: "Be... happy for them? I don't understand the question."

A: "Listen, Righty, for once I'm not trying to be a dick. You've never had a different wingmate. If those two start dating, that means you and Lefty won't be hanging out as much anymore. Some of her downtime, she's gonna spend with Tits. So... how are you gonna cope with that?"

R: "Well... if we're being entirely honest, that's part of why I was so on board with the pets idea. Taking care of those rats has... well, it gives me something to focus on that... doesn't have to do with anybody else. And, with so many of them, they're a literal handful!"

A: "Alright, what else?"

R: *shrug* "I mean, between the hound parties and offsetting our shifts, I've been slowly weening myself off the... uh... shit, what did Vaggie call it- co-dependent relationship, yeah, that. Lefty's still my best friend but I'm looking forward to her getting a new best friend, too. It's not mutually exclusive."

A: "Happy to hear that."

R: "What about you?"

A: "Me?"

R: "Yeah. Like, if Lefty and Tits get together, and Junior ends up dating that incubus he's been talking to... that leaves the two of us as the only single ones left down here, ya know?"

A: *scowls* "If you're making a pass at me-"

R: "I would actually rather go to the ninth circle."

A: "Okay good." *shrug* "Not something that bothers me."

R: "No one's caught your eye?"

A: "Not down here. Been thinking about becoming a slut, though. Like, bang everyone I meet. For the fun of it."

R: "Not down here? Someone up-"

A: "It was never gonna work. I'm still carrying a torch but that ship sailed. I ain't goin' back up there."

R: "Yeah... I get that... still... sorry you didn't get a chance."

A: "It's whatever. I don't care."

R: "Right... wanna feed your snake?"

A: "Oh, I got another one. Did you know that snakes have these things called morphs? Some species develop distinct patterning when kept in captivity; some of them look fuckin' sick. I'm thinkin' about breeding snakes, since all the pet stores in the Pride ring are just terrible for reptiles. You gotta go to Wrath to get anythin' halfway decent."

R: "Sounds like it could be a fun project. Tell me more."

[adinafay]

In my hometown, that guy was Ron.

I don’t know what his official education may have been, but I do know that he has been around the block a few times when it came to reptiles.

He once told my father and I a story about how, as a 12-year-old in the 60s, he got “some chameleon eggs for almost nothing, because nobody was very good at hatching chameleons back then and didn’t think they’d be worth raising.” You know who was apparently pretty good at hatching chameleons though, even in the 60s? Ron. As he told it, he had one hell of a time explaining to his parents 1) why there were 60-some-odd baby chameleons loose in the bathroom and 2) what the hell he was going to do about it. He credited “a lot of research about chameleons and,” – he emphasized this – “their native habitat” for his success in not just hatching all those eggs, but also keeping the majority alive long enough to be past the riskiest parts of life and safely rehomed. He then told us he got a license to import exotic reptiles at age 15 – before he could even drive.

I don’t know what all-else Ron did between then and the point at which he “retired” to owning and operating a reptile store with his wife, Donna; but, I do know that Ron’s Reptiles was, if not the best, my favorite pet store of all time.

Ron and Donna ran the store out of their home on the rural edge of town. It was out of the way to get to and inside it was rather cramped and, perhaps expectedly, smelled like reptiles (which is not a bad or dirty scent, but one of coconut husk and aspen shavings and the specific and peculiar musk of shed skin). It was not a very large home and you could see into their livingroom and kitchen through one of the rooms; I got to meet their dogs over the small gate they had set up so they could easily move between the two when their scattered customers showed up. In this not-very-large home the two front rooms were the two officially open to the public during business hours.

As you would walk in the front door you’d be met with a shallow hallway, with primarily merchandise – enclosures, decor, packaged foods – and their living area to the right and the majority of animals to the left. Both rooms were fun to explore and most – if not all – of their own animals were also out on display, with name-plates and descriptions on their enclosures instead of sale-prices. Even more fun could be had, though.

Because, if they weren’t too busy and you asked nicely, both Ron and Donna were always happy to give you a reptile experience.

They might open up some of the adult, breeding animals’ enclosures and introduce you; because every one had a name and a story. They might give you some lettuce and let you feed the huge sulcata tortoises or the puppy-dog rhino iguana. On extra special occasions, they might let you in to see the eggs and newest hatchlings in the back, or take you outside to tour the rodent sheds.

And, of course, Ron’s Reptiles could also be hired for those ever-memorable reptile parties and classroom talks.

Every interaction I ever had with Ron – at his store, the local reptile show (which he founded, btw), or one of his educational talks – it was crystal clear exactly how very much he loved reptiles and how excited he was for the opportunity to share his knowledge and experiences and joy with anyone and everyone. He was even once on the front page of the Wall Street journal talking about his snakes.

Ron’s Reptiles closed a few years ago – Ron was having a tough time running everything by himself after Donna passed. He moved to Arizona not long after – to be closer to his children and grandchildren, I believe – and he let many of his animals go in the process. I don’t know what he’s up to now, but some of his animals are still being used as animal ambassadors in my hometown. Living-torches passed down to a new team of educators working to dispel myths and spread a love of reptiles amongst new generations of children.

Children who will wake up one day and wonder, “who even was that? what were their credentials?”

[hils79]

Title: Xiao Xiaoge

Fandoms:  盗墓笔记 - 南派三叔 | The Grave Robbers' Chronicles - Xu Lei, 盗墓笔记重启 | The Lost Tomb Reboot (TV)

Relationships: Wang Pangzi/Zhang Qiling

Summary:  

Wu Xie holds out his hands to Pangzi and opens them.

Standing in the middle of Wu Xie’s palm is Xiaoge. And he still looks like Xiaoge. Everything about him is as it was. His hair is the same, the neutral expression on his face is the same, it’s just that he’s…

“Xiaoge, you’re tiny!”

How is Wu Xie so calm about this? This isn’t the way things usually go, especially where Xiaoge is concerned. Ever since he got out from behind the bronze door it’s Wu Xie that goes into panic mode if Xiaoge is out of their sight for more than a few hours.

“Why aren’t you panicking?” Pangzi asks, watching as Xiaoge does some of his training moves to test out his new clothing.

Wu Xie shrugs. “Xiaoge’s fine. He’s not hurt or sick or in danger. He’s just smaller.” He gets that gooey look in his eyes that he gets when they’re watching documentaries about foxes. “Besides, look at him. He’s so cute.”

Xiaoge presses his lips together in displeasure at being called cute, but that just makes him look even cuter.

Pangzi takes a breath. As much as he hates to admit it, Wu Xie is right. Xiaoge seems happy enough. But that doesn’t get around the problem of what he’s going to eat.

“I was going to make us some lunch,” Pangzi says because maybe Wu Xie will surprise him and have two good ideas in a row. “But Xiaoge is so small I have no idea what I can make for him that’ll give him all the nutrients he needs.”

“Bugs,” Xiaoge says from the table. He’s stopped training now and is looking up at them. “Very nutritious.”

Wu Xie already has his phone out and is tapping away happily as though this is a perfectly normal conversation to be having. “I bet there are pet stores that have some tasty bugs for Xiaoge to eat.”

“No!” Pangzi says. He must have been louder than he realised because Xiaoge clamps his hands over his ears. He needs to remember that Xiaoge’s tiny ears are more sensitive to loud noises now. “Sorry, Xiaoge, I didn't mean to shout.”

They’re not going to feed Xiaoge bugs like a pet snake. Yes, they’ve eaten worse than that when they’ve been underground and their rations have run out, but they’re home now. Besides, a cricket would be almost the same size as Xiaoge. Even an ant would be about the size of his forearm.

He’ll think of something. When he was young and poor he got skilled at making tasty dishes from whatever random ingredients he could scrounge up. This is just a different sort of challenge.

Read the rest on AO3

Edit: Now with bonus art by @wild-feather

[omg-snakes]

I have finally accomplished a lifelong goal of mine. My parents have decided to let me get a red tail boa. Chances are she’ll get around 9-10 feet according to the breeder. Her mom is 10 feet her dad is 8.5. Is it normal for people to keep big snakes? Idk but if I take even my ball python to Petsmart I get weird looks. So ima bring my boa when she’s an adult

OMG, congratulations!

That's awesome. I'm very happy that your parents are being super supportive about you having a bigger snake. I hope that this includes enabling you to provide the best possible husbandry, including allowing space and funds for an appropriate enclosure size and being available to help with care when your snake reaches the two-handler safety threshold.

When I worked in the pet industry, it seemed like giant keepers were semi-common in my area. Now that I'm out of that industry, though, I don't see or hear about many folks who keep larger snakes. I'd say it's probably not super common, and I'm also fairly confident that the vast majority of the snakes I heard about while working in the pet industry were not receiving proper husbandry so those snakes may not even still be alive. The average lifespan of the Burmese pythons that I knew of was around 5-7 years, which is heartbreakingly short for a massive, gorgeous snake. I met someone who had over 20 adult and subadult red tail boas in drawers in their second bedroom. These are semi-arboreal snakes. The only chance they got to stretch all the way out was when they were brought out to show off. They had zero muscle tone and couldn't even get up on the furniture by themselves. It was a freaking bummer.

I'm sorry to say that I don't support keeping giants for most people, and I don't think they make good pets in general. These animals require specialized enclosures that are WAY bigger than the average pet home can provide, they are strong and powerful, they are intelligent and lack empathy, and keeping a snake over 8 feet will require that you have a second handler to spot you any time you have their enclosure open. This is for safety, because if that snakes grabs you in a feeding bite you may not be able to dislodge them yourself and it could result in severe injury for both of you, and of course it looks bad for the entire hobby and could result in a push for increased legislation. A lot of folks let their ego get the better of them and ignore this guideline... and it hurts all of us.

I also strongly advise against taking your snake out in public unless it's a strictly controlled situation. Doubly so if they're over 6 feet as you'll absolutely need to have a spotter with you. I ESPECIALLY think this is a terrible idea in a place with other animals, like Petsmart/Petco/etc. That's a super big no-no. All it takes is one split second of you not paying attention for your snake to decide that somebody else's sweet little yip-yap dog looks like a snack and you have an official tragedy on your hands. Similarly, if one of the snakes in the store has a transmittable disease, like IBD, and you bring your snake close enough to that sick snake to pick up air particles, your snake is now possibly infected. Dogs and cats can be vaccinated against common diseases, so accompanying their human to the store isn't a huge deal, but reptiles can't currently be vaccinated and preventable diseases have destroyed entire collections. That person with the drawers I mentioned? Yeah, all gone. IBD ripped through that room like a grease fire.

I'm sorry to be a wet blanket and I really am happy for you! It's great to be excited and to have a dream that comes true! I just want to make sure that you're being mindful of your obligations to the reptile hobby as a large species keeper. It's a huge commitment, quite literally, and you need to be hyper-vigilant that you're not letting your personal desires and ego create a risk to your pet, to your family, to the general public, and to the hobby as a whole.

With great snake comes great responsibility.

[alexa-lightwood-blog]

Misunderstandings

What could be a better way to begin a weird sequence of events than an utterly normal day?

Rushing home from work was never fun on a typical day, let alone on a day where rain obscured your vision to the point you could scarcely see your hand before your face. Alas, money was money you thought as you hurry onwards, ducking into shop awnings here and there.

Carefully glancing down the nearest alleyway to check for speeding cars you notice an odd piece of what seems to be at first glance a hose, or to be more exact, a shivering hose?

A snake, you realise after a moment, of course not a hose. Well, it can't be good for it out in this weather, surely you should take it to a shelter or something, right? At least you would have, had it not insistantly curled into the hood of your coat when you scooped him up. Looks like you've gained a clingy new friend.

Once you've hurried home you resolve to visit a pet store the next day, for now you lay the snake on a towel and try to look up what to feed him as it stares up at you, yellow eyes flickering with indignation. The audacity of you, a mortal, picking him up with your own two hands and absconding with him, well, it could be worse, right?

By weeks end you had aquired all things which your snake, William you decided, could possibly need. Talking to him about your day became a highlight after work as he'd always nod along or poke his tongue out in distaste at your co-workers. He wasn't particularly fond of being left alone you found so whilst you had your bubble bath you let him perch in the corner basket atop a spare sponge where he insistantly faced the wall.

You'd had a month of your new companion and didn't particularly fancy getting him sent to a shelter, which is why one evening as you sit reading on your sofa with him curled about you like an improv feather boa, you wanted to ignore the knock at your door. Opening it slowly, you were greeted by a friendly looking man in a white suit who you could swear owned a bookstore nearby which you had passed once or twice, never venturing in for tales of him refusing to let any of the books actually go.

"Ah, Crowley, there you are. I've spent weeks looking for you" the man proclaimed excitedly. You raise a brow in confusion as William wiggles down your arm sheepishly.

"Is this your snake mister ...?" You ask trailing off for a name.

"Mister Fell, Aziraphale. And he is my friend." The man politely replies, fixing his bowtie. "Honestly, change back Crowley, we have a reservation for the Ritz and its your turn to pay again."

"Okay, eccentric man" you slowly try to shut the door and you would have if William hadn't hissed at you. Surprised, you set him down and he slithers to Aziraphale. He looks almost regretful as he turns and begins to change. Change and grow into a tall man, with red hair, yellow eyes and legs which he apparently forgot he could use as he trips to the floor beside his friend.

Panic, the first thing you decide to do is panic. This guy had seen you in the bath, shared some of your innermost thoughts, had let you put a little sweater on him. Oh you were mortified, almost as mortified as William, well Crowley you supposed now. A silent tension set in as you both blushed and Aziraphale looked as though he had realised something particularly interesting. He leaned into Crowley and whispered something about being "able to sense his aura of love now."

"I'll give you a few moments and wait in the car, perhaps some music other than-"

"Queen, it's always Queen" Crowley frowned, reaching for his back pocket and producing a pair of sunglasses. He placed them on and turned to you. "Right..." He trailed off, not quite sure how to proceed.

"Wil-William..." You don't really know where to go with this either to be honest, so you do the next best thing. "Tea?" you ask. It's an easy out to buy you time to process all of this.

"Yes, please" It's an awkward acceptance but a start. "I'm sorry, that day we met I couldn't turn back" he tries to explain.

"So, when could you?" you counter, "before or after the sweater?"

"After the first week" He has the good grace to be embarrassed at least. "I should go,check on aziraphale and all that" Standing abruptly he slinks to the door before turning as his hand touches the doorhandle. "I would like to come back though"

The shyness in the comment takes you off guard. "Why?" you ask, sitting a little straighter in your chair.

"Well, you took care of me, even when you didn't really have to, and I'm quite ... fond of you, by now." he defends. You make your way to him and smile.

"I'd quite like that" you admit. Crowley leans in to give your cheek a quick peck, testing the waters, before leaving through the door, leaving you smiling with a hand pressed to your cheek. Your phone buzzes on the table and you lift it to see a text from an unknown number.

It seems Crowley forgot to give you his number, here it is.

-Aziraphale

It read, accompanied by a slightly blurry picture of crowley cheering on the steps outside. This would be the start of something interesting.

[mysticetus]

thank you so so so much for the detailed ask!!! i've recently considered going into that field and that information / suggestion is super helpful for my decision :) i didn't know you were a biology major! that's so cool! how has it been so far? what kind of courses you took in high school do you use now / what do you feel are specific essential areas? i hope that doesn't sound like a strange question to ask, i've got some memory issues and knowing what specifically to focus on before i get into college could help a lot :)

no problem its not often i get to talk about the work that i do so im glad to write stuff.

when it comes to academic advice i have to preface it by saying things depend greatly on what is available to you, since “biology major” can fall under a ton of different things and im not sure theres a universal system for it … some examples ive seen are biology BS (bachelor of science) which is more useful for microbiology and if you want to go into research, biochemistry, or the medical field … biology BA (bachelor of art) which is better for macrobiology like zoology, and people looking to go into education. Theres also ecology and evolutionary biology, and more specific majors like botany, marine bio, etc ….

or your college might just have a single biology major. it really depends. my college happens to have a robust bio department and thats the main reason i wanted to go here. they usually have information on offered majors on their website but i assume youre looking at that anyway lol.

A nice piece of advice i received from someone in the field was when i attended the necropsy of an adult female sea lion, the woman performing it recommended we get a general biology degree rather than marine biology, since general bio offers you more opportunity. For example if you want to work in like… idaho studying golden eagles or kansas looking at salamander species you cant much use a marine bio degree for that. But a general bio degree is helpful in most marine bio environments. (Also marine bio is extremely competitive and the work is usually expensive but thats another conversation…)

in high school the class most useful to me was definitely physiology which was a science elective for me. It went over like…bone names and organ systems and how muscles work and all that … its still useful to me. You could also look into APES (ap environmental science) if thats something available to you. but generally i think you should take classes that are interesting to you! bio is a huge field and you may discover something really amazing if you just follow your nose.

and high school isnt all there is, you could see if theres a local museum or wildlife rescue center that takes youth workers/volunteers. More often than not facilities like this are non profit and depend on volunteer work so they might have something available. For paying jobs you could look into pet stores, sounds weird but there was an aquarium store in my town that had tons of species and the employees there are mostly really nerdy teenagers. similar situation with a reptile store near me, they literally breed chicks to feed the snakes. animal husbandry is a great way to observe like. Feeding behaviors and ecological roles. Doing work in actual places where a bio degree is applied helped inform my decision and i also learned a lot on the job. i never really freaked out about extracurriculars i just did this stuff because it seemed cool but it definitely helps with getting into college in the first place.

hope this helps

[idontblushsrry]

Uhh may I make a request for Ouran High School Host club? Just a headcanon for how the host would react to meeting someone how is a big time animal lover. (Like they pretty much live there life like the Irwin family)

A/N: I was thinking about how I’d write this and my brain just went ‘they lost their shit at the sight of instant coffee’, so uhh I hope this is to your liking. I tried to get as much animal variety as I could even though I didn’t really touch on marine animals that much)

Warnings: Like 2 swear words (pinky promise), slight drug mention(literally so small you might not even notice it), spoilers (minor) for Tamaki’s mom

Word Count: 1292

General

So this is under the assumption that like the Irwin family, Reader (or their family) has access to a wide variety of animals (from domestic to wild)

All of them respect the passion you have for animals

While they all might have various feelings on animals (see below), they can’t deny that you truly do love animals

Your family’s sanctuary focuses on healing injured animals and rehabilitating them so they can go back into the wild

Of course, your family has many sanctuaries around the world and some focus more on conservation while others focus on research

The one closest to the school focuses mainly on conservation and as such, is massive and functions like a zoo ( in terms of having people come in and see the animals)

Anyways, the host club is very supportive and often helps you with organizing donation events

Oftentimes, your family will collaborate with them and allow them to rent out parts of the conservation center for events

Aside from the conservation center though, your family owns a few ranches and farms (not for commercial profit, although yall have sold a few animals)

The farms and ranches are relatively small scale but they make great venues for the host club and a great place for getaways/vacations

Your main house is where you keep most of your favorite animals

You have an aviary attached to your room (connected through a hallway that connects to your room) as well as a butterfly garden in the backyard

You also have an aquarium tank, 2 dogs, 1 cat, 1 snake, and a hamster that visits on weekends

You had to be stopped at some point

Tamaki

Tamaki loves animals

He was never really around animals growing up because of how sensitive his mom’s immune system is

So when he sees that you’re an animal person, he’s super excited

Like this man is already planning playdates between Antoinette and your pets/animals

You love his enthusiasm, just one small problem

It’s a little too much enthusiasm

Yes the animals are well trained, but how would you react if a 6′0 giant with long arms came barreling towards you screaming showing its teeth?

So yeah, Tamaki tends to set the animals off/ make them nervous

Because of that he’s only allowed around certain animals (ex. certain monkeys, certain birds, etc.)

He’s happy that he’s allowed around some animals but he still pouts every time there’s an animal he can’t be around

Kyoya

This man

Kyoya does not fuck with animals. Like at all

The first time the host club went to your house, you were holding a hamster and Kyoya moved back about 10 feet

When you asked him what was wrong, he just said “Rats are carriers of many of the most deadly diseases”

You told him that you were holding a hamster and that while hamsters were rodents, the worst he’d get sick with would be salmonella

He doesn’t believe you, but yeah sure whatever

For Kyoya it just gets worse after that

The first time he sees you holding a tarantula, he loses his shit

“Look how cute it is Kyoya!”

“Get that vermin away from me!”

I could go on and on about how much Kyoya doesn’t like animals (even domestic ones like cats and dogs)

He hates going to your house, but he often has to go there in order to set up events for the host club, what a nightmare

While he doesn’t care for animals, the business side of his brain can’t help but think of a marketing opportunity

Mori

Is one of two hosts that are going to be chill about it

He doesn’t feel one way or the other about animals and thinks it’s cool that you’re interested in them

Only thing is; if Honey’s afraid of your animals, he will have to ask you to leave he won’t hesitate to step in “harm’s” way

Surprisingly though, that actually makes him the chillest with your animals

Much to your surprise (and Tamaki’s sorrow), the animals love him

He just has this calming vibe that sets the animals at ease

It also helps that he smells nice and is super tall

For most of them it’s like sitting on a giant tree

He’s not really complaining though, it makes his job of protecting Honey that much easier

Honey

Oh boy

He might actually be the worst with animals

It’s not even an issue of being unable to defend against aggressive animals (Honey could probably solo a grizzly bear)

It’s just he has a very strict “cute” animal policy that changes wildly depending on his mood, the temperature, the angle of the wind, the humidity, etc.

He’s very bougie when it comes to what animals he will tolerate and what animals he will refuse to see

The general safe choices are rabbits (especially bunnies), kittens, cows, tits (the bird species), and baby animals of almost every domestic mammal species)

Him and the hamster you see on weekends are best friends

Also, you have had issues with him trying to feed the animals sweets

Explaining to Honey why rabbits can’t have carrot cake was not an easy conversation, nor was it one you thought you’d need to have

Because of how specific he is about what animals he finds cute, you likened him to a crocodile (because of how sensitive they are to temp. changes in egg)

Needless to say...he was not pleased

Hikaru

So him and Kaoru don’t really care for animals but they try to relate to you in somewhat similar but different ways

Hikaru is always trying to get you to do/recreate stunts with the animals

“Hey Y/N, we should-”

“No Hikaru”

“You don’t even know what I was gonna say”

“No you cannot use the dolphins for hoop tricks, no you cannot teach the gorillas how to roll blunts, no you cannot “bribe” the koalas with eucalyptus...”

Yeah he’s a menace

It’s mostly all in good fun though

Hikaru doesn’t really care for animals but he does find it hilarious that the animals like him more than Tamaki

Also, completely random but Hikaru definitely send you those “horse-sized duck vs duck sized horses” memes

Kaoru

Kaoru also tries to use animals on the internet to relate to you, but he’s a lot tamer than Kaoru

Kaoru is kind of like the parent who learns one thing you like and is like “that’s your entire personality right?”

Poor bby is trying his best

Anyways, whereas Hikaru tries to recreate memes, Kaoru sends you them

They range in quality and format; from top text, bottom text to “is this a ____”

At least once a day, Kaoru will send you a meme or picture of an animal with a caption that says ‘this reminded me of u :)’

It’s so endearing that you can’t even be mad about it

Haruhi

Is the only other one who’s kind of cool about the whole thing

She’s really only been around animals in the park or the occasional pet store

Growing up, she didn’t really have the time (or money) to go to the zoo, that and the fact that Ranka doesn’t care at all for animals (she thinks they’re weird and gross)

When Tamaki hears this, he works himself up into a frenzy, torn that his “daughter” has never been to a zoo (even tho he hasn’t either)

But she likes the fact that you’re so passionate about animals

At heart, she’s a scholar, so she loves learning new things she didn’t know before, she could spend all day just listening to you talk about animals

Not to mention the fact that you’re basically giving her a free informational tour  every time you see an animal

[nat-20s]

for @jonmartinweek day 8! (which I definitely realized was happening and for sure did not forget lmao). The prompt was free day/au, so I picked my own theme of “pets”. The last few fics have been pretty loaded, so please enjoy some pure post canon (literal and figurative) fluff

~*~

“I can’t believe I married a dog person.”

They weren’t even supposed to be in the shelter. They had made no plans to visit a shelter. However, as Jon has been learning over the course of the past couple years, a Martin not under duress and given free time outside will inevitably end up trying to befriend any living nonhuman creature in the immediate vicinity.

“I’m not a dog person.”

“The lapful of beagle puppy would indicate otherwise.”

“Just because I appreciate the company of a very good boy, yes you are, doesn’t mean I’m a dog person. Dog person implies I have a preference. I like cats equally as much as I like dogs. Unlike some of us, my heart is open to all manner of furry friends.”

“I don’t...hate dogs.”

“Uh-huh. Is that why you won’t pet Rufio here?”

“He’s nippy, I don’t trust him. And it’s just that dogs are A Lot. I find most of them a bit overwhelming. And needy.”

“Pff, that’s no excuse. You’ve been best friends with overwhelming, and you married needy.”

Martin lets out a distracted giggle as Rufio finally gets in a lick on his face. Okay, maybe it is a pretty adorable sight, but that’s hardly sufficient enough evidence to actually let such an energetic ball of fluff into their home. Still, it’s enough to convince Jon to sit down next to them, and give Rufio a very tentative scritch behind the ears. “I think we both qualify as the needy one in our relationship.”

“Pretty sure that’s called codependency. What would our therapist say?”

“She’d probably say that’s a bit harsh. And that we still need to work on our separation anxiety.”

“Hey, you know what helps with separation anxiety?”

“No.”

“A dog!”

“No!”

They get a dog. Their flat is decently sized and they both have steady incomes and enough free time between them to take proper care of her. They don’t get Rufio, but instead a 7 year old mutt named Daffodil who is, admittedly, the most gentle and sweet creature Jon’s ever met. They also get a cat, a rambunctious 2 year old tabby named Jack (“We can change the name.” “Jon! How dare you! Jack responds to his name, clearly he likes it!”) who had already decided Daffodil was his mom, and they couldn’t possibly bear not adopting them together.

~*~

“You know, we could get a tarantula.”

“Fuck off.”

“I’m serious! They’re not, like, evil in this universe, and some of them have cutest little pink toesie woesies.”

“You’re not serious, you’re being a bastard, and I hate you.”

Martin wraps his arms around Jon’s waist and presses a kiss to the side of his face, which Jon gives a half-hearted swat at, because, again, the man’s being a bastard. Stubbornly ignoring Jon’s pout, Martin presses his cheek to the top of Jon’s head, cheerfully replying, “I’m fine with that, as long as you promise to hate me for the rest of our lives.”

“Well, I certainly can’t make that promise. I won’t even hate you ten seconds from now. I suppose you’ll have to settle for love instead.”

“Hmm. Deal.”

“We’re still not getting a fucking tarantula.”

They do not get a tarantula. Their home remains admirably spider free.

~*~

Martin’s gasp is loud enough to echo, and Jon can feel him begin to vibrate next to him. The excitement is perplexing at first, they’ve been to this bookstore dozens of times, and it’s never elicited this sort of response. Then Jon looks over to the front counter, where a medium-sized cage and a “For adoption” sign have been put on display. With a wild, jubilant glee, Martin asks, “Sonja! Are those baby. Dumbo. Rats?!”

“Sure are! I’ve got a friend who’s a breeder, I take it you’re interested?”

“Yes, absolutely, 100%, we’re getting two immediately.”

“Well…”

Martin snaps his head over to look at Jon with a look of betrayal the likes of which Jon hasn’t seen since the panopticon. “Jonathan, no!”

“Um.”

“You can not tell me you you don’t like rats! Dumbo rats especially!”

“I…”

Ticking off on his fingers, Martin lists, “They’re adorable, they’re smart, they’re cleanly, they’re extremely empathetic, they’re tickilish, which is stupidly cute, they can be trained to use a litter box and do tricks, they’re snuggly and playful and perfect! They’re all the good parts of dogs combined with the best parts of cats in one tiny portable package! Look at their little ears, that are like that because of a slight difference in skull shape that has no negative health effects! Plus, we can set them up in the project room, since Captain Jack isn’t allowed in there anyway. How can you dislike rats?”

“I don’t know! They just sort of..freak me out. Or not all of them, just their feet. I don’t like their little man hands.”

Martin throws his arms in the air, proclaiming, “Their little man hands are one of their best qualities! Look, Jon, are you genuinely afraid of them, or just slightly discomfited?”

“I would say mediumly discomfited. This isn’t like spiders.”

“Cool. ‘Cause in that case, we’re getting the light tan one and the solid white one, their names shall be Peaches and Cream, and you will love them as much as you love our dog and cat children.”

“That’s a rather bold claim.”

“It’s an accurate one. You’ll see.”

Within a week, Jon is transporting Peaches ‘n’ Cream in the pocket of his hoodie, and he can feel Martin’s smug aura from two rooms away. Damn him.

~*~

“Did you know snakes don’t have an amygdala?”

“Okay? You didn’t have to bring me to a reptile store to tell me that.”

“I didn’t bring you to a reptile store to tell you that. I brought you to a reptile store because I want to hold a cornsnake.”

Jon rolls his eyes, but the fondness in his voice somewhat undercuts it. “Of course you do.”

Martin makes a scaly acquaintance in less than two minutes, and as the snake coils around his fingers, he continues, “Anyway, if they don’t have amygladas, do they feel fear in a way similar to us, or is it only a recognition of threats and instinctual response?”

“Martin, my love, I have no idea. Is this going somewhere? It’s fine if not, I’m just checking in.”

“Yes. Because if they don’t feel fear, I’m getting this snake and naming her Georgie.”

That makes Jon let out a sharp bark of laugh, and, for a moment, he’s able to reminisce without any pain. “You know, I think she’d actually love that? She also had a proclivity for all creatures great and small. And a terrible sense of humor.”

“Wow, you really have a type, huh. Also hey! My sense of humor is fantastic! It always makes my husband laugh, and he has very exacting standards.”

“Liar. Your husband finds joy with you at the slightest provocation, no good sense of humor needed.”

“Hmm. He is a bit of a softie, isn’t he? Which is why he’ll let me get this snake.”

“He most certainly will not.”

“But….look at her….”

“It’s not a matter of how cute she is, dear. It’s a matter of you made us get pet rats less than a month ago, there’s absolutely no way you’re going to be able to feed mice to a snake.”

Martin looks at the cornsnake, looks at Jon, looks back, and his shoulders slump. With a wince, he asks, “Maybe frozen mice won’t be too bad?”

“What if she’s picky?”

“...There are species of snake that only eat bugs.”

“Cornsnakes aren’t one of them.”

Waving over an assistant, Martin puts the cornsnake back with a defeated, “Fine. When you’re right, you’re right.”

Jon doesn’t particularly feel like he’s won an argument. In fact, he’s a bit disappointed himself, he always liked snakes. Big fan of reptiles in general, actually, which is probably what drives him to say, “Lizards don’t usually eat mice.”

That’s how they walk out of the store with three leopard geckos.

~*~

Jon’s helping Martin set up the gecko tank in what can now be affectionately called a zoo when all of the sudden it strikes him. Some of the animals in their home right now have life spans of 10-20 years, and never once had the necessary longevity of care come up as a reason to protest against them. Jon had felt so at ease with the concept of a future that he hadn’t even thought about it, hadn’t been steeling himself for the other shoe to drop. He’s stopped having bated breath every time something good happens, instead taking reassurance in a sense of permanence that he wasn’t sure he’d ever feel again. Martin must hear his breath hitch, because he immediately stops what he’s doing to take Jon’s hand into his own. “Something wrong, love?”

Jon shakes his head. “No, nothing. I suppose I’m realizing that we have time, don’t we?”

Martin must know exactly what he means, the weight behind the words, because he brings Jon’s hand to his lips and says, “Yes. Yes, we really, really do.”

[thatpunnyperson]

I dont talk about it much, but I have 3 pet snakes--one (1) ball python and two (2) california king snakes--and I love them very much. But this is going to be a long post and I dont know how to do a "read more" on mobile

This love I have for them managed to make me forget just how long it takes to clean their tanks. I try to replace their tank substrate every 2-3 months because I use orchid bark (fir wood chips traditionally used for growing orchids, but also excellent reptile bedding) because I spot clean the substrate once a week when I feed my snakes. So the substrate stays fairly clean despite the length of time it sits in the tank becsuse I'm removing the poops and urate deposits shortly after the snake poops, but I am adamant about replacing all the substrate in each of the 3 tanks at least every 3 months, preferably every 2 months.

But oh my god my ball python lives in a 55 gallon 18" by 18" by 36" tank and the substrate is about 1"-2" on the bottom, which ends up being absolutely heinous to scoop out. The king snakes are in ~20 gallon 12" by 18" by 24" tanks that also have 1"-2" of substrate on the bottom, but the math works out that I can buy two big bags of substrate from the pet store, put one in the ball python tank, and split the second between the two king snake tanks, which gives them all a good amount of bedding to dig in and push around (not sure why they all like digging but I love it).

So the tank cleaning always involves going from one tank to the next, removing the tank furniture and spraying it down with an enzymatic cleaner and disinfectant, then removing the old substrate, using a small dustpan and brush to clean out all the dust from the substrate, then spraying the tank down with the cleaner/disinfectant, then washing the furniture off in the sink and letting it air dry a bit, wiping out the inside of the tank and then spraying it down with water and then wiping it out Again and letting it air dry a bit, then adding the new substrate in, spraying it with water to help bolster the humidity, putting the now-clean water dish into the tank and filling it with clean bottled water, putting the rest of the clean tank furniture back into the tank, and then spritzing it all down again with water to really boost the humidity.

And THEN, closing the tank doors (cause these tanks have little front doors) so the humidity can have some time to really seep into the substrate and the tank furniture. I have a bunch of stuff piled on top of each tank to both keep my cats from climbing onto them and to keep the humidity and heat in as much as possible (the tanks have a mesh top that makes it hard to keep the humidity and heat in, and ball pythons like fairly humid environments)

This all takes me about 30 minutes per tank, so I obviously do it when my snakes are scheduled to be fed, because I like to feed my snakes in little dedicated feeding tubs that I then cover with a thick blanket so it's dark and quiet for them. And THAT is because, when I first got my ball python 13 years ago, the guy at the pet store was like, "ball pythons are shy so you should feed them in a low-traffic part of your home so they dont get disturbed and spit up their food," to which my family was like, "okay, so we have a ton of decorative tea towels and we're going to put them on the snake tub because we're gonna feed her in the kitchen in case she bites someone and we need to clean up the blood." She has only bitten me 3 times in the 13 years I've had her and all times were my fault for confusing her.

Anyway, I love my snakes and the painstaking process of cleaning their tanks is a small price to pay for their health and happiness, but my god the substrate is the worst. I get splinters every time because I refuse to wear gloves despite literally using my hands to push the wood chips around.

[my2phetaliaheadcanons]

Pet Owners Part 1

Owning pets is rare for nations because a true nation’s pet has a bond with their owners as much as they do the land. Many of their pets don’t really have something they represent inexactness, it's just they were there when the nation was born, and they bonded. No one can really explain how they come to find their owners, both parties just know.

Some nations don’t have the nation pet, but instead either found a mythical creature or own regular pets that will eventually die.

America – A big black shaggy dog. Allen has owned Makwa since he was a small child. No matter where he went Makwa would follow. This mini mammoth is very protective of Allen and has bitten Oliver many times. This dog has even followed Allen into war zones. Their bond is as deep as man and dog can go.

He is Allen’s best friend and more often than not the wall he bounces off of. Whether he is venting, planning, or just sleepy mumbling, Allen takes the time to talk to Makwa.

England – Flying Chocolate Bunny (FCB) and Flying Strawberry Bunny (FSB). These mythical evil bunnies are downright monsters. Unlike his 1p that has only one, Oliver has two. Both nations discovered their bunny allies together, but instead of taking just one. Oliver decided to take two. They were found when the nations were about 150 yrs old.

Since mythical creatures have longer lifespans, they aren’t nation pets and die much later than an average pet.

FCB has red beady eyes and is the color of dark chocolate. His wings are shaped more like raptor’s wings and have a white chocolate underside to his wings. FCB often twitches and drools and looks like he is about to eat the nearest piece of flesh. He is known for being wilder and more chaotic, he does some of the dirty work for Oliver by getting physically involved. Scratching and biting Oliver’s victims, slowly driving them mad by wounds made from an unseen force.

FSB on the other hand is much sweeter. She is a light red with small yellow spots. Her wings look like a swan's, and have a light green underwing. Her eyes are small beady and green. FSB looks like a toy rabbit, small and fluffy. She is Oliver’s eyes and ears. She spies on whomever Oliver asks her to and takes the time to ensure that Oliver has whatever information that he needs. When Oliver had many colonies she was the one sent to spy on them. She is quick and knows how to use magic to shorten her fly time.

Oliver loves his bunnies and feeds them a lot of cupcakes and meat. He spoils them with fancy beds and toys. Though he does expect them to earn their keep with various tasks given by him.

Canada – A big white polar bear. Kuma is Canada’s oldest frenemy, over the years they have traded blows and saved each other. The amount of trust these two have is unrivaled by any other nation and their pets. Kuma has been with Canada since he was about a week old. Kuma is a typical adult polar bear with a scar across his left shoulder and it splits his fur.

Canada’s scars on his chest come from Kuma. They got really intense in a fight one day and came at each other for blood. That same fight gave Kuma his scar. Both winded up extremely wounded and ignored each other for a week before making up.

Over the years Kuma mostly follows Matt’s orders. But occasionally Kuma acts like a brat and ignores Canada. Kuma has his own little house outside that Canada built, but he also has a huge mat on the floor inside Matt’s cabin.

Japan – Koi. Like it’s been said before, Japan likes koi. They are beautiful and he owns many. He has been keeping them since he was physically about 12 years old. He has a pond that connects to a tank within his home. It is a huge tank that has all the proper fixings that allow for a comfortable space for his fish.

He invests heavily in the industry and always checks the farms himself when he has the time. Many family farms know of Kurai, at least a fake name he puts out, and newer farms hope to receive his blessings. His name carries a lot of respect and honor for the koi industry and those that don’t meet his standards close shop quickly.

Every so often he will enter his koi in contests. He loves to know that his are the best and has many ribbons from the past ones he has either won or come close to winning.

Germany – A small brown tabby. Luther loves his tiny kitty and spends many a nap with this little baby on his lap. His little tabby is called Winzig and her name is literally her size. Winzig was found by Luther one night after making his way home after a night of drinking about a year ago. She was small and hiding under a box by his apartment. In his drunken stupor, he picked up the kitten without thinking and brought her home. She is actually his third cat.

There were two others he had owned in the past. His first was a calico that was named Schnurrhaare (Whisker). She was very aloof, but they too napped together often. She sadly died in the year 1901. His second cat Axel came to him about 1950 and was a gift from his boss. Axel was a big Mainecoon that looked like a burnt cookie. He acted more like a dog than a cat and Luther loved him. They played fetch together.

None of Luther’s cats have been a true nation pet. So, each one has passed, Winzig is still young and very lively so she has a while still with Luther. Though the other two, Luther has kept their collars and buried them behind his father’s house. He leaves little bits of string on their graves for them.

Rome – This old man had a lion. Not just any lion, the extinct European lion. Mars was the name of this old boy and Rome had him from the time he was a child. At first, Mars was unsure about Rome and chased him. Over time the two became close. Mars didn’t have a huge mane it was more of a gentle fluff around his head and down his chest. His body and head were covered in scars. Mars was known to have a light pale coated rather than the deep dusty color of many of his brethren. He had a regal air about him and Rome cherished his lion a lot.

When Rome passed Mars lived on, but not much longer than Rome. He lived about 5 years while being taken care of by Luciano. Mars being old then, didn’t do much and seemed to enjoy the calm final years that Luciano offered him. He got a bigger and cooler grave than his master did.

Prussia – Alvin is an old destrier and looks like a Percheron. Lightly colored with dark grey boots and muzzle. Alvin has been with Wil since he was born, this stocky little foal just showed up outside and has been with him ever since. Alvin has been Wil’s first pick of steed into every battle that used horses and Alvin like his owner is brave and loyal.

Both master and pet love spending nights together riding through the woods. Prussia gives Alvin lots of training and treats. They are so close that more often than not spend many afternoons together. Alvin is also trained for various horse competitions.

Spain – So we all know this man owns a bull. Idiota is special to Armando even though he won't admit it. When Armando is tending to his fields Idiota is there giving a presentation of an old friend. Many believe that Idiota is a nation pet because of how long he has lived and Spain agrees. As much as he gets angry at his bull being stupid he could never bring himself to part with the bull.

The centuries of being petty with each other make it interesting to both parties. Though in times of danger both have each other's backs. Once during a siege when Spain was young, Idiota was all that stood between him and Rome. Though despite losing, it took Rome impaling the bull and beheading it to keep it from defending a young Spaniard.

Netherland – He has a snake. It’s a simple grass snake that often hangs out with him at home. He loves his little snake and named him Hazel. He says his snake looks like a Hazel. Baas and Hazel go on many adventures when the weather is ok for Hazel. He takes him to the store, to meetings with his boss, and other places. They spend lots of time gathering info on people and just pulling pranks. Baas believes that Hazel enjoys it as much as his master.

 Hazel has a huge terrarium with plenty of space, heating lights, and pools of water. It takes up a whole wall in Baas’ home. It also contains fish and other small creatures that make the tank self-sustaining. 

Baas relates to his danger noodle; in that, he sees himself almost the same as his snake. Both are hidden predators that take care of nasty rats. Which happens to relate to his favorite thing to do with Hazel, feed him.

Austria – A Greater Mouse-Eared Bat, I mean what could be better for him. Austria found Krampus around Christmas time when he heard some noises coming from his attic. Krampus had found his way into the attic and freaked out trying to get out. This caused a tear in his wing, and Austria being surprised by this tiny nightmare.

Austria feeling the spirit of Christmas was compassionate and took care of the bat. First, he forced his way into a vet clinic and had his little Krampus looked at. Krampus's huge tear would heal, but it makes it difficult for him to fly again. That was the vet’s opinion and then went off to call a sanctuary to come and collect the bat. Well, Jon didn’t like that and ran off with Krampus.

Since then Jon has done a lot to ensure his little friend was becoming better. Eventually, the wing healed, but not well enough for flying. So Jon has a little bat that can glide short distances and has a little cave in his home. Krampus gets all the proper nutrition and cleanings.

Though shortly after bringing Krampus home, Jon did call Matt. Matt had some words for Jon when he found out what he did.

Switzerland – This man loves goat cheese, so obviously he wanted goats. He and his 1p own a small herd together that they both manage. Vash does most of the physical labor while Hans makes them look good for competition and takes care of their papers. 

They are all Swiss breeds and earn their keep by giving milk. They have a great life with all the latest things for goat care. Hans even personally watches the new items get installed to ensure that it is done right and that his goats are given something nice. 

Hans pets them often and coos to them as he does. He keeps plenty of treats on hand, to the point all the herd runs toward him wanting treats.

Iceland – Mr. Puffin or Puff as Iceland calls him. This is puffin is nothing like his gangster 1p. He wears a small top hat and monocle. He is much more gentlemanly and often speaks about how Iceland could be better behaved. He often says things like stand straight, address the lady with respect, and so on. Unlike most nations and their pets growing up at the same rate, Puff was an adult when he met baby Iceland. Which concerned 2p Norway, because he could have been some kind of monster trying to destroy his new colony. One of the few times Norway showed concern for Iceland.

Though being the typical expectation for nation pets, Iceland loves Puff. They spend time together going about and causing havoc and attempting to win Norway’s attention. Though Puff still tells Iceland that there are better things to do than pursue Norway, but Iceland wants his brother’s love and acceptance.

Puff does his best to keep Iceland under control and professional, but he fails often. Though he refuses to give up and rather would keep on taking care of his young ward.

[survey--s]

151.

Can you count in binary? No.

Do you like refried beans? They’re good so long as they’re not spicy. I like them in Quesedillas with cheese.

How many towels do you own? I don’t know, maybe 20? I use two, Mike has one, we have one for the dog and I have a couple in my car for work, plus hand towels, tea towels, and spare towels...

Have you ever worn a bra on the outside of your shirt? Maybe for a laugh.

Do you like being naked? No, I much prefer being clothed.

Are pterodactyls pterrifying? Ha.

Have you ever kissed a giraffe? No. I have hand-fed and petted giraffes before though. They’re pretty awesome up close.

What's on your favorite t-shirt? I don’t really have one of those.

What's the last thing you looked up on Wikipedia? A TV show Mike was watching as I recognised one of the actors but couldn’t remember his name or where I’d seen him before.

Have you ever shot a Nerf gun? No.

What do you smell like? Vanilla.

Would you snuggle a snake? Probably not. I’m not scared of snakes but I can’t imagine them being very cuddly animals to own. lol.

Do you like thrift stores? Not really.

Hard or soft peppermints? Soft ones.

Do you like tea? I have to be in the right mood for it, but yeah, it’s nice enough.

What browser do you use? Safari.

How often do you put lotion on your hands? Lately, 2-3 times a day as my skin is SO dry for some reason. I think it’s the wind and being outdoors all day, but I can’t wear gloves as they get in the way or get wet.

What's the craziest thing you've ever thought of doing for a job? Uh, nothing too crazy, I don’t think. Luckily I’ve never been overly desperate for money or work.

What's the worst job you've ever had? My last job as Deputy Manager in a retail store. It was so stressful and I realised I’m NO good at dealing with people, hahah.

Have you ever gotten stuck in quicksand? No. We do get it here, though.

Can you whistle? Yes, but not with the two finger method.

How many digits of pi do you have memorized? Just 3.14.

Have you ever been in a pie eating contest? Nope.

Do you like watermelon? I love watermelon.

Where's one place you'd love to visit in your lifetime? Japan.

Do you pick up pennies that you find on the ground? Sure. I mean, money is money.

Have you ever painted all of your fingernails a different color? When I was a kid, yeah.

Grey or gray? And where are you from? Grey - England.

What's your favorite type of cake? Cheesecake, carrot cake or Victoria Sponge cake.

Have you ever eaten grass? I’m sure I have as a kid.

Are you wearing socks? No.

Are you wearing headphones? Nope.

When was the last time someone played a practical joke on you? I don’t remember.

Were you upset? Probably not. I think I’d remember if I was.

How are you feeling now? Relaxed, kind of hungry.

What time is it? 12.30pm. I need to get up and feed the cats after this. Layla is pestering me, lol.

What color goes best with your favorite color? Grey, black or green.

What's your name? Nina.

Have you ever had Chocovine wine? I can’t say I’ve ever heard of it before.

Have you ever used a Dvorak keyboard? Yeah, and it really confused me and my typing was horrendous, lol.

Are you wrapped in a blanket right now? Yeah, I always am in winter when I’m at home.

Have you ever petted a pufferfish? No.

Have you ever made cake from scratch? Sure, loads of times.

Do you watch South Park? I’ve seen a few episodes.

Are you eating anything right now? No.

Are you afraid that artificial intelligence will take over one day? I’m not actively afraid of it, but it really wouldn’t surprise me if it did happen.

Do you keep the fortunes you get out of fortune cookies? No.

Do you like chocolate oranges? I used to before they destroyed them by adding palm oil. I was really disappointed with the last one I had,

Do you like to go hiking? In nice weather and with the right company.

Can you make a paper airplane? Of course.

Have you ever shown an animal? What type? No.