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

If you could coint the number of pets we had you would lose count :)

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

My family had dogs.  In high school we started getting cats (along with
he dogs).

Dogs were a constant.  I have had Cats, Hamsters, Hermit Crabs, Fish
(Oscars, Tiger Barbs, Rainbow Tetras, Neon Tetras), I got an Anole
(lizard) from the Circus, A Guinea Pig, and I think that is it.  Now
this is all me in my 1-21yrs of life.  This does not include my brother
(hamsters, snakes, mice, etc) or sister (hamster, hermit crabs, etc).

I once took in a baby sparrow/robin but it died about a week after I had
it.  I was trying to feed it mushed up worms.  I guess it was not enough.

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

See above.

I got my first Ferret (Griffin) when I was around 22.  My boyfriend at
he time wanted one but could not have one in his apt.  So I (the
loving wonderful girlfriend) bought one and took him to my apt.  about
3weeks-month later that guy broke up with me :)  I kept the ferret (much
to my mothers dismay).

Hugs,
Staci
[Posted in FML issue 5272]