- how many of you, had no close pets as children, but later in life
became animal and ferret people?

I have always had pets since I was born, but my husband was raised in
an anti-animal household.  He did not own 1 pet the entire time he was
growing up.  His mother & grandmother are DEATHLY afraid of cats & refuse
to even visit anyone's home that owns one (or more) even if they promise
to lock them in a room or cage.  We have been together almost 14 years &
to this day my in-laws have never set foot into our home!!?!

- how many of you, had a couple of standard pets such as dogs or cats
as children?

When I was born my parents owned an Afghan & a poodle.  They bred both -
though not to each other :) The poodle died when I was 5 & we got a
Collie when I turned 8.  He - Sandy - was MY dog.  I loved him sooooo
much.  He died of stomach cancer when I was 16.  My dad HATED cats, but
loved me, so he got me a Siamese kitten for Easter the year I was 9.
When I was 14 I found a kitten in the middle of the highway by my house
when I was walking home from school.  He was on the yellow line, with
cars coming from both directions & 3 other dead kittens nearby.  I ran
out, snatched him up & just missed both of us being run over.  I hid
him in my closet for 3 days till my mom heard him meowing.  We tried to
find a home for him for 3 weeks (he was relocated twice, but both fell
through) before my dad relented & let me keep him.  Also had a parakeet,
various hamsters (which I then bred Dwarf Hamsters when I got my own
place), a gerbil, 2 guinea pigs, 2 baby ducks (we lived on a canal) that
were orphaned by their' moms, a frog & turtle.

- how many of you had close contact with more unusual species of
animals as children?

Ever since I saw Beastmaster around age 12 I wanted ferrets!  My parents
were not receptive, however.  A friend had a 4' iguana, a tarantula & a
scorpion.  I myself didn't aquire my first fert till 1999 right after I
turned 30.  Over the years (I moved out of my folks at 17) I have had
13 cats, 4 ferrets & numerous rodents.

Currently I have 3 kitties (Tigger, Angel & Ace) & Kira the Wonder-Fert.
I am constantly campaigning for more (especially another ferret) but my
husband, even after all these years, does NOT LIKE animals - he just
tolerates them.  So needless to say the response so far has been a loud
"NO!"  But I'm stubborn & will pester him forever (or until he says yes.)
My dream is to run a shelter/rescue one day once we get our own house
(live in a single wide mobile home at the moment.)  Once I have a barn
in the picture he won't be able to complain about the numbers anymore!
[Posted in FML issue 5275]