Our pets may not be able to speak our language, but the connection they form with humans and animal companions is a bond that often doesn’t require words. For most people, the idea of a “pet” is synonymous with dogs or cats. But just like people, pets come in a vast range of shapes and sizes, and they don’t always have fur or offer soft cuddles. And yet, that doesn’t diminish the bond that can grow between animals and humans.
Sedona Embry and Louis
Sedona Embry has owned birds her entire life, so when a red-fronted macaw named Louis was surrendered to Exotic Pet Birds in Webster, she was undeterred by his grumpy personality. In fact, she found that his name fit perfectly with his temperament.
When Louis first arrived, he was scared and defensive. “Over the years since we have gained his trust, his personality has exploded. He is affectionate now, lets me hold and kiss him, but most of all, he is playful,” Embry says. His favorite game is something they call “basket.” “Basket is quite literally an empty plastic laundry bin that he intentionally flips over onto himself and pushes across the floor like he is the driver of a small, chaotic taxi.”
Her constant companion, Louis helps pick out his breakfast in the morning and is with her when she says goodnight to the other birds in the evening. “Every single night, without fail, he ‘coughs’ before going to sleep,” she says. “We think his previous owner might have had a chronic cough because when the lights go out, like clockwork, Lou begins to cough, clears his throat, and then mutters to himself before he sleeps.”
For Embry, who has always loved birds, they symbolize freedom and resilience. “With such smart and social creatures it always feels so rewarding to be able to earn their trust and build a connection with them. Birds are picky!”
Renee Veniskey and Hamilton
For some seven years, Renee Veniskey had a best friend named Hamilton, whom she called “Hammy” for short. Hamilton, who has since passed on, was a miniature potbelly—although, Verniskey claims there is no such thing as a miniature pig. After all, Hammy certainly didn’t stay small, weighing 60–70 pounds by the time he passed away.
Back when Verniskey lived in Corn Hill, she would take Hamilton out to Highland Park, bring a blanket and bask in the sun together. “He was a super snuggler and very clean. He was the smartest animal you could ever imagine—and he was fast. Trying to catch him was one of the funniest things you ever saw.” Despite being fast, Hammy was a loyal friend, who never left the yard when outside and always made people smile.
Maddie Zelazny and Nelly and Sudoku
Like Embry, Maddie Zelazny is an employee and specialist at Exotic Pet Birds. She also has two pets that could not be more different from one another—a sulfur crested cockatoo named Nelly and an axolotl (Mexican walking fish) named Sudoku.
When it comes to Nelly, she says her favorite thing about her is her emotional intelligence and goofiness. Their favorite things to do together are take walks on the beach, play with toys (especially her piano), train, and talk or yell. ”She's very smart and surprises me daily with her antics,” Zelazny says. “She loves spicy chips, even though they’re not good for her she always seems to find where I hide my snacks.”
Those who’ve seen an axolotl may have been entranced by their cute, smiling faces—which is one thing Zelazny loves most about him. “And how big his personality is even though he lives in a fish tank,” she says. “He really likes to float around his tank. He will swim to the top and ‘freefall’ to the bottom of the tank. It's been studied that they do this for entertainment purposes!”
Axolotl are fully aquatic salamanders with the unique ability to regenerate body parts. They require a carefully maintained aquatic environment with specific temperature and water quality conditions--and no other pet fish--but are otherwise easy to care for.
Nicole Eller, Alden and Sir Barney Slithers
Honeoye Falls resident Nicole Eller has always loved reptiles. In fact, she cares for and breeds geckos, including the satanic leaf-tailed gecko, which is native to Madagascar. “A lot of my curiosity with the satanic leaf geckos is that they have a wide range of patterns and colors. I find it interesting to see what kind of babies you get.”
But Eller admits she is not bonded to the geckos in the traditional sense. They get stressed too easily, and she has found their health declines if they’re handled too much. Their ball python Sir Barney Slithers is another story, especially when it comes to her eight-year-old son, Alden, who gave him his fun moniker. “He comes out and hangs around our necks, and we walk him around the yard. My son is bonded to him more. I can see myself in him as a kid,” she says. “He helps feed him. He takes him around and shows him things outside—that’s really adorable.”
The Real Deal Behind the Exotic Appeal
While it can look like fun owning an exotic pet, always do your research. “Exotic pets are fantastic and interesting additions to your family,” Zelazny says. “Most of them do have different special care requirements and can definitely be quirky. They are a big commitment.”