A Zoo Unlike Any Other

When I was a teenager, I worked for years at a local pet store.  It was a relatively well known chain, but nothing like the Petco's and Petsmarts of today.  I loved it!  It was the best job I have ever had.  It had its ups and downs, like all jobs, but I learned new things daily, educated people about the pet they were considering BEFORE they bought it, worked with a great staff, and spent time caring for animals of all different makes and models. 

The most stressful parts of the day consisted of receiving a phone call from a customer, "I think my hamster has a tumor!" only to explain to them that the hamster was a "boy" and he would be just fine, or having concerned kids run up to the counter and exclaim, "The rabbits are wrestling! Are they going to hurt each other?"  I am going to have to be careful with this blog, as my former boss from the pet store reads it!  Let me know if I make any mistakes about these critters, Dave!

As a result of this job, I had the most amazing collection of animals!  I don't think anyone could match their uniqueness.

I had a pair of Haitian Anoles.  The world's cutest lizard!  They are way cuter than the Geico guy, although I don't recall if they had an accent.  If we did not live so far from a store that sells their food, I would have these little guys again! 

Haitian Anole Image from  LINK 

My pair of anoles were each missing one foot.  They were shipped in boxes with screen on the sides.  Their little feet would sometimes protrude from that screen as the box was slid across the floor or stacked against another, and their feet were literally shaved off.  My anoles did not seem to notice that they had a handicap.  They still climbed the wood and the plants with which I decorated their vivarium.  They still ate their food, and they were still fun to watch for me and for the cats. The general public does not want to see a footless lizard in a store, so I was able to make them my own!  Free lizards, but then I had to invest in their new housing! 

I had also adopted a small Crested Canary from the store.  She was so cute.  At least I think she was a girl.  She did not sing at all, and only male canaries sing.  They say they have a "crest" atop their little heads.  I liked to think of it as more of a toupee!  I had never really seen this type of canary prior to working in the pet store.

Crested Canary Image from LINK

She was adorable, but she also came with her own issues.  She was blind.  She had mature cataracts in both eyes.  Cataracts make the normally clear lenses in the eyes milky white so they can not see through them.  She may have been like this from birth, but I have no way of knowing.  She fluttered around in her cage just fine memorizing the location of the perches and bowls.  I had to pay particular attention while cleaning her cage, being sure to place items back where they were so she did not have to relocate them.

Milky Cataract in a Bird Image from LINK

Then came the fish tank!  I started with a ten gallon tank, and eventually progressed to a 20 gallon high.  I  loved having a fish tank, and miss having one today.  Along with this fish tank, came the rare finds that I housed from the heart.  I took in any fish that had "odd" characteristics, fish that people would likely not choose to purchase.  The fish I remember specifically are the Zebra Danios.  Zebra Danios have vivid stripes making them beautiful, but they are basically just fish-shaped fish...usually.

Zebra Danio Image from LINK

Within my tank, were housed Zebra Danios and other fish that had scoliosis of the spine.   

Scoliosis Image from LINK

These fish also thrived despite their handicap.  They swam, they ate, they held their own with the other fish in my tank.  I was happy to have them.

One day I went to work and it happened.  I discovered the strangest goldfish I had ever seen...

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