We are still undecided on what to put in the little aquarium after Tuna went to pet heaven. Initially we left it empty and turned off the water pump. But so devoid of life and energy, it was unbearable. I guess we don’t want to retire the aquarium to the store like the crabarium (hermit crab aquarium) that we have.
So the fake plants went back in and the pump turned on again. Suddenly, it’s so lively and bubbly again until we put in some real live pets that is.
We have a lovely home and enough space for a pet, or two or three or four…. Official pet number one is our adorable English bulldog, Rooney Wayne or just plain Roo.
Official pet number two of the home is the regal arowana fish called Meow-Meow. Meow-Meow?! That’s another story all by itself. Then there is the pondful of fishes of various species. Not forgetting the two turtles and two tortoises, all official status of course.
All pets, official or otherwise, have names. All of them, yes; even the fishes in the pond, every single one of them. But to make things easy for identification, M2 christened the whole school, Bob. Clever, ain’t she?
Now, the pets are labelled official simply because daddy takes care of them. M1, M2 and myself just give moral support and enjoy them.
The urge to mother and care for a pet sometimes would strike M2. Whenever the hubby buys some live frogs or shrimps for Meow-Meow as food, M2 would ask, “Ooh! Can I have one as a pet?” Yes, even a shrimp can be a pet.
But as she is a school-going, homework-laden child, caring for these pets can be tedious and their well-being neglected. So, often there will be expected deaths and burials subsequently.
There was a time we thought maybe something more substantial, to instill responsibility and a sense of ownership in M2. So for one of her earlier birthdays, we got her hermit crabs, and revived the old crabarium that used to house M1’s crabs before.
It worked out well for awhile but them hermies are a notorious bunch, partying every night and wrecking their abode like a tornado came through or something. We started with four but within a month or two, the population halved. By 6 months, the last survivor eventually died of loneliness and old age.
The crabarium has been back in the storeroom ever since.
M2 is not disheartened even when her last pet fighting fish went to pet heaven due to over feeding. Once, she tried to champion for a hamster but we fear the play thing may elevate to official status. In other words, daddy will end up taking care of it. So no can do.
In the end, she found a clever solution to having a pet of her own and with no deaths to endure. Pancake is now the happiest (conifer tree) pet—in a pot—sitting at the front of the house. With daily greetings, petting and attention whenever she goes in and out, it’s a great solution to M2 having a pet that doesn’t need feeding, just love.
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