Ugh, hamster!

[thekinetic]

Originally Posted by Aus

There's my morning coffee gone - mostly out my nose. Thanks!

I had this horse who was just... honestly awful. My friends called him 'Hunnert' and wouldn't tell me why. After he was gone, they told me it was short for 'hunnert cans of Pal' (100 cans of dog food..). He bullied other horses, stood on the washing hoses, pushed people over, reared, bit, kicked and .. yeah. I had Olympic-level riders refuse to set foot near him. One told me to have him put down, and really - I had to think about it. He wasn't actually safe.

So then I had an old bush rider (Man From Snowy River type) come to look at him. This man got on that horse with no saddle or bridle and rode him around, over a jump.. the horse was a perfect gentleman. So the man asked me, "What's wrong with him again?" I just had my mouth open. So then he called his son out of the truck. This child was 12. I refused to let him ride my dangerous horse. So when I wasn't looking, the kid vaulted on and took my horse for a gallop over logs and down the field, through a cross country course, no saddle. No bridle. At this point, I was having a major conniption.

So they bought him. Apparently, he was 100% okay with men.. but hated women, without exception. And everyone I knew who rode at the time was female, so I never noticed..

I also had a cat who liked to jump in stranger's cars. Several times, we saw him being driven away in a neighbour's car, the car stopping, the cat shooe'd out. He also broke into places, people's houses, and slept on their pillows. A doctor's office once.. we had to go and get him . And he beat up dogs. Had illicit affairs with our housemate's football socks.. But he was a charmer, so we always forgave him. =P

Sounds like you had a gay horse there!:) But it could be some people have a way with animals. I do as a matter fact, I've had dogs charge growling across a yard at me and with one small glance they stop short of me and wag their tails.

Or it could be the horse could sense a seasoned horseman and thus wasn't nervous. But then horses can persnickety about who rides them, some of uncle's horses were like that.

[Aus]

I think a bit of all of the above.. tbh, I have never handled such a challenging horse, and I've 'recycled' a few fairly hopeless-seeming cases.. He hated every moment I spent with him that did not involve food. Mean to the core.. but only with women! I had the feeling the previous owner's wife let him bully her mercilessly or something...so that was an expensive lesson in knowing my own limits. ><

Lol, the bowing pony! Cute little boogers.

Also lol, the foot-nibbling gerbils. I've never seen a real gerbil, they're not allowed here!

[Laki]

Wow, all these stories!! hilarious. I know they are meant to discuss being annoyed at the pets.. Well, my cat Oliver.
He was rescued from outdorrs (owner basically abandoned him and went off to jail) so we took him in. He is usually fine being inside as long as he can play and go in the porch and basement every now and then. Between November 2011 and now, he has learned (through behavioural conditioning by now probably) that if he sticks his paws in the bunny condo he will get sprayed with water or chased by us. We tried to ignore the behavior, we tried to distract him and reward a different behaviour and we tried to negatively punish him (water spray, loud noise). Nothing. I noticed a couple of nights ago, he was bored and picking at the cage so I called him over (part oft he distraction). Realised he was doing it for attention because as soon as I looked over he began to curl his back and tail and came over for loves. He did that intentionally for another 3 times or so.. This is my cage now, the green tie at the very top is just to keep it closed. Normally she wouldn't try to get out but he has climbed in (climbed the condo like a ladder). The bottom is reinforced with 2 NIC walls, overlapped so the squares are smaller, lined with cardboard and a plastic eavestrough net (so the holes are even smaller) and tied tight with another green tie thing and black velcro. Because he will pick at it while we sleep.

I'm not sure if I hate Oliver more, or the fact my ^%$@#$%^&*&^%$ bunny taunts him and is not afraid!!!!