My Children.

This post isn't going to be as interesting as dead monkeys and ball sacks, but I feel that it is necessary. A pre-vet student is nothing without her faithful companions. So here they are:

Otto

This is his skeptical face. (Ignore biochem and Netflix in background.)

Breed: Yorkshire Terrier
Nicknames: Toten, Totey, Toad, The Ot, Totenbaum, Toto, etc.
Likes: feet, food, belly rubs, burping in the faces of humans, licking things and leaving horrible breath stench behind, puking slime after not eating all day, cuddling, licking his nonexistent balls, being the center of attention, old people
Dislikes: being left behind, not getting the most attention

I got Otto when he was a puppy, and we have been best friends ever since. He has been by my side for 6 years now, and I don't know what I would do without him (probably turn into the biggest zombie bum in the world and not be able to function). It's a little ridiculous how much he means to me. And awesome news: Otto is working on becoming a certified therapy dog! We are supposed to be evaluated as a team in a couple months!

Dorito

He's not the cutest dog in the world, but he's awesome.

Breed: Chihuahua/Rat Terrier/Min Pin/Dachshund??? Who knows.
Nicknames: Taco, Rito, Rodito, Frito, etc.
Likes: Otto, Bosley, humans that he trusts, playing, eating, running, pooping, licking water off freshly showered legs, nibbling on human scabs, cuddling, playing
Dislikes: strangers (especially men), loud/fast moving things, stepping on cracks

Dorito was rescued from an animal shelter by the camp I worked at over the summer. He was going to be adopted out to a camper, but everyone fell in love with him, and people were fighting over him, so we decided to make him the camp dog. He started out being very shy (he was probably abused in the past), but he made HUGE improvements while at camp, and he has continued to get better. He is just an all around great dog, and I kinda fell in love with him. So instead of leaving him at camp during the off season, I took him home with me, and he has become part of the family. I was worried about it at first because Otto has always been the only dog, but they are best friends, and I can't imagine life without him now.

Bosley

Don't let that innocent look fool you..

Breed: Domestic Shorthair, I guess.
Nicknames: Bos-bos, The Cat, Alex's (my boyfriend's) Cat, Jerk
Likes: Alex, being obnoxious, tearing things up, attacking the dogs, biting the hands that feed him, scratching everything that walks by, farting, catnip, sneaking dog food, toilet water, attacking toes when people are trying to sleep
Dislikes: Jessie, not getting enough food, getting claws stuck on things

My boyfriend and I adopted Bosley from an animal shelter (the same one as Dorito.. I volunteered there for quite a while). I had been wanting a cat for a long time, and Bosley had been there longer than any of the others. He also jumped into my arms when I opened his cage to play with him, so I decided I wanted him. And I don't regret it at all, but he has turned out to be quite the little butthead. He keeps life interesting, I guess, and I love him, so he has a home for life. Unless he keeps growing the way he has been. He's not even a year old, and he is bigger than both of the dogs combined. He's a monster cat.

Shaymin

Hanging out under the coffee table.

Species: African Pygmy Hedgehog
Nicknames: Shaymi, Shay-shay
Likes: darkness, quietness, digging, t-shirts, sneaking out at night with male hedgehogs (when present), mealworms, having babies
Dislikes: baths, being surprised

Shaymin is awesome. As far as hedgehogs go, she is really friendly. She's been well-socialized, though, because I took her to school with me all the time last year. She's not exactly cuddly, but I am quite fond of her. She keeps me company when I do homework sometimes, but you have to keep an eye on her because she likes crawling into cloths (even pants), and it can be painful. Also, if everything went well, she should be popping out some babies in a few days! Don't worry, pictures will come.

Stanley Cornelius

His favorite spot.

Species: Ball Python
Nicknames: Stan
Likes: hanging out under his rock cave, basking in the sun, curling up in Jessie's hair, swallowing mice
Dislikes: not being warm

My mother almost killed me when she found out I got a snake. She said she would have rather I told her I was pregnant or a crack whore, and she was never going to let him in her house. She's gotten over it, though. I mean, she still won't look at him, but I'm proud of her. Stan's the most docile, awesome, little dude. My friend and I are his co-mothers, and we take turns taking care of him. I think he's pretty lucky to have us. When we got him, he was so thin that his skin was wrinkled, and he couldn't shed properly. Now he's healthy as can be.