"Are you two going to have 'normal' pets?"

I've had people ask me that ever since TheBrit and I started discussing pets. I love animals. I feel towards animals the way that every other woman feels about children. They are a requirement in my life.

Out of respect to TheBrit's lack of pet-ownership status ever in his life (Seriously? I wasn't aware that there were people out there that never had pets. Between pets, sure, but never?), we have decided to start small.

First it was ferrets, and then TheBrit found out about African Pygmy Hedgehogs...

Now, I've wanted a hedgie for a while. They're small, they're cute, and they're pocket pets. Not high-load interaction, so they really are a good starter animal for TheBrit. Nevermind that I'm going to be the one doing most of the day-to-day care (because TheBrit comes home just on the weekend) so he won't be doing the daily or weekly cage cleaning.

Given that, I figured TheBrit wouldn't be too curious about what it entailed. Was I ever wrong. I love being the know-it-all, and I'm having to rush to keep ahead of him. He's been devouring information and I suspect that within a year of having one hedgie, we'll be getting a second, as well as the cadre of ferrets (which would be the next step up from hedgehogs, I suppose).

Eventually, I will have my cats and Great Dane. But the pet list is currently looking like this...

Hedgehogs
Ferrets
Ball Python
Cats
Giant-breed Dogs

Probably not all at once, but the hedgehogs and ferrets are looking as though they'll be within the next year. We're looking at getting the hedgie after we get back from our antipodean jaunt and the ferret will probably come a half-year later.

All I have to say to that is, YAY PETS! I miss having animals around. They make my life full.

[Edit: Apparently TheBrit kept a goldfish once. It wasn't well cared for (his admission) and didn't live all that long. Do we think this counts?]