Pets are loveable creatures and are always a joy in our lives, but not only do kids have normal pets, like cats and dogs, some St. Louis High School students have exotic or weird pets.
Across the SLHS building, asking kids about pets can be interesting or unique. For example, freshman Avie Prell openly expresses her thoughts about her pet. “My pet is an axolotl, and its name is Noodles. I take care of my pet on low maintenance, so that means I really don’t need to take care of Noodles. It eats frozen thawed bloodworm cubes from Petsmart, and the only thing I need to do is change the water every once in a while because there is going to be algae all over the tank.” An axolotl is a carnivore creature that lives specifically underwater. Axolotl has fish features, but also has the body of a salamander. A fun fact about these amphibians is that they named from an Aztec god of fire and lightning, Xolotl.
Not only does Prell have a weird pet, junior Kaydence Heiden also has a strange pet. She stated, “My pet’s name is Ziggi, and it is a leopard gecko. My pet gets fed over another day and the main things she eats are mealworms’ and wax worms. She did enjoy crickets at one point, but now it’s just worms. I also have to clean the tank a couple times a month, and have to mist the tank to keep the moisture levels equal along with having a heat lamp. It just chills on my shoulder or sometimes on my head.” A leopard gecko is a little reptile with a large tail. These creatures live in dry, native areas and they are very hard to take care of. They live on a strict diet that people need to take care of seriously.
Having a weird pet can be unnatural, but that doesn’t stop students from having them as companions. Studies show that having a exotic pet can teach people new ways that we haven’t learned before, such as taking care of something totally different from normal pets. Each and every pet are unique and different, but they are just lovable creatures.
