Question of the Day, Sunday January 14

[nurseangel]

Hi, all! What is the most unusual animal you've ever came in contact with?

Now some of you know I have ridden an elephant, been bitten by a camel, nibbled on by a baby possum that DH and I took a wildlife rescue, been in the water with dolphins (they aren't slimy), and held a baby tiger. But the most unusual was a giraffe. I never thought I would be able to pet and feed a giraffe. And even though. I have not always lived in this country, it all happened in the US with the exception of the dolphins.

I do have a picture of me with the giraffe, but it was taken on my brother's phone. I don't know how to post it here, unless I can login with his phone. I am very low tech. But another fun fact: I can moonwalk!

 

[catloverfromwayback]

I once had morning tea with the Curator of Firearms at the Tower of London. Had a letter of introduction from the arms curator at the museum where I worked.

 

[Gunther4ever]

A bobcat on Sanibel Island - contact being she was maybe 8-10 feet from me and she had her two little ones with her. One was skilled in climbing the tree, the other not so much. She didn't seem anxious about me walking the area and the maintenance men at the condo said that she often comes across from the swamp and looks for fish that wash up and that she wanders back across after a day at the beach. Guess she's a resident.

 

[denice]

I rode an elephant when I was little. This was probably very early sixties when animals were exploited more than they are today. A very small circus came to the very small town that I lived close to and they were letting kids ride the elephant. I don't think that goes on anymore because it is abusive to the animals. Many zoos don't keep elephants anymore. It is now known that their social needs are such that they can't be kept even in large well-equipped zoos.

 

[Jem]

I also road an elephant when I was a kid. We were at some sort of zoo that offered rides...I can't remember where. It might have been at The African Lion Safari. We also got up and personal with other animals like monkeys and giraffes while riding in the open bus tour thing. I also have been to a few petting zoos and got to feed/pet reindeer, deer, goats, llama.
As for encounters "in the wild"...I did get chased by a bear when I was a kid. He was young and just wanted to play, but momma bear was just two doors down and heading our way. We were playing by the waterfront in a treehouse, and I noticed the bear circling. I told my friend when he moves away we have to get out of there. Everyone knows where there's a baby there's a momma and you don't want to be near. When the coast was clear we climbed down and ran to the house, but baby bear saw us and took chase. We were already half way there and made it before he caught up with us.

 

[misty8723]

A snake, but I don't remember what kind. It was huge and I think it was yellow. Maybe a python? We were at a nature museum or someplace like that and there was a guy holding a snake which we were allowed to go up and pet it. This was a very long time ago. I of course went over to pet it and my husband hung back and woldn't get near it.

I've also been to petting zoos, but pretty much the usual animals in those.

 

[artiemom]

When I was in Florida, vacationing; I touched a dolphin at Seaworld. So exciting! No, not slimey. Just felt wet.

 

[betsygee]

I got to hold a toucan on a trip to a wildlife park in Indonesia.

And we have a zoo here on the peninsula. My grandson and I got to feed the elephants.

 

[catapault]

Well, a long time ago I had a skunk as a pet for 5 years so don't consider skunks unusual. Bought him as a kit, at a pet store, and yes, he was de-skunked.

Was at a zoo, one of a group of presenters (horticultural program.) And someone walked by with a fenec. I asked if I could pet him. She replied to ask if I wanted to hold him. You bet! I was surprised at how coarse the little fox's fur felt.

 

[betsygee]

Well, a long time ago I had a skunk as a pet for 5 years so don't consider skunks unusual. Bought him as a kit, at a pet store, and yes, he was de-skunked.

Was at a zoo, one of a group of presenters (horticultural program.) And someone walked by with a fenec. I asked if I could pet him. She replied to ask if I wanted to hold him. You bet! I was surprised at how coarse the little fox's fur felt.

I had to look up fenec, never heard of them before. How CUTE they are!

 

[neely]

A lion cub at the children's zoo which I held in my lap a long time ago and a baby chimp when we were abroad, also a long time ago. I never forgot those moments.

 

[kashmir64]

I've seen, touched and fed many animals at zoo's or parks. But in the wild the most unusual would be a Gila monster. They are not so much unusual as they are rare to encounter. It chased me and my horse about 1/4 mile at a full blown trot down a wash. Came out of nowhere hissing with it's mouth wide open in a charge attack.
Don't let anyone tell you they are slow and lethargic. If they want to move...they can move.
Was also chased by a herd (pack?) of Javelina. But that's what you get when you're young and stupid and chase a baby into a corner (like a box canyon, but in a ravine wash) where the herd is waiting.

 

[nurseangel]

I rode the elephant at Busch Gardens in Florida. Jem how exciting! I saw on the news several years ago about a little girl that met a baby bear at her house. He scratched her while playing and she decided to take the rabies shots rather than he be put down. I have always loved that little girl. She's probably grown now, and I hope she has a happy life.

 

[Lari]

I had a penguin come up and nip my jacket in Antarctica.

A monkey stole my brownie in South Africa.

I got to feed a kangaroo in Australia and hold a koala at the Cairns indoor zoo (there's picture proof of that one somewhere not on my phone because we had to buy the official picture).

I think those are the most exotic.

 

[sivyaleah]

Up close and personal; swam with dolphins in Florida. The dolphins had free reign to come and go at will. If they wanted to leave they were able to easily access ocean waters. Most of them would stick around because clearly it was fun for them. It was a very interesting and slightly overwhelming experience.

I also was on an elephant as a young child, same as others said that zoos weren't as protective of the animals as they are now.

A friend of the family had some kind of monkey in a large cage in their Brooklyn apartment. That was just weird and even at a young age I recall feeling sorry for it. I can't believe this was ever allowed.

A wolf rescue came to our elementary school and we were allowed to pet the one they brought with them. It was fairly well domesticated, though. But that was very cool.

 

[mama africa]

hyenas (Ethiopia)

elephants (Ghana)

sea lion cub suckling my toe (Galápagos Islands)



whale (Galápagos Islands)



spinner dolphins (Fernando de Noronha)

giant anteater (Venezuela)

 

[Tobermory]

Somewhere in a box I have a picture of me holding a young alligator when I lived in Florida. Neighbors kept feeding it which is all fine and dandy when it’s small, but not so much when it grows up and starts hunting things: dogs, cats, people. We captured it and called the Florida wildlife folks to come and get it.

Also, years ago, I snorkeled with manatees. They loved to have their stomachs scratched. Fortunately, you can’t do that any more which is a good thing.

 

[denice]

Feeding wildlife is just so wrong. They are even discouraging feeding birds now after the last round with bird flu.

 

[nurseangel]

denice we stopped feeding the birds for this reason. But I really enjoyed my night with the baby possum. The rescue couldn't take him until the next afternoon. They gave us very specific instructions about him, but didn't say anything when I told them he was climbing in my hair. (Lots of handwashing since they carry salmonella and though I have washed my hair many times since then, it was worth it to catch the possum mites.) Just kidding. He was a clean possum.

Great prices, betsygee !

mama africa how exciting.

Lari my dad was stationed in Operation Deep Freeze with the Navy in Antarctica. I don't get to meet too many people that have been there. That's wonderful!

There would have been a big brawl with the monkey who stole my brownie. He would have eaten the brownie and after being released from the hospital and then the prison, I would have been featured on the show Locked Up Abroad.

kashmir64 I don't know my underlining is on. I am on my phone. The second I saw a Gila monster chasing me would have been the second I fell off my horse and died. Not necessarily in that order. I will have to look up the herd of other things that were chasing you, but yeah, same destiny for me.

 

[iPappy]

I have ridden a camel. I've pet a zebra. I've pet deer. I've held a tiny monkey. I've boarded a Savannah cat (VERY different than a domestic house cat) as well as a Sphynx (she was the sweetest thing.) I have never touched a big cat, but that would be absolutely awesome assuming we're not talking anything shady or illegal.
Lari the monkey stealing your brownie reminds me of a friends daughter who was in Central America and had a monkey climb down and steal her phone. She did get the phone back, but how many people can say things like that?