Keeping animals as therapy

[Mynameisnotimportant]

Got a guinea pig after my last attempt in 2019 and my zoo family grew from there. Its nice living with a bunch of animals that give me serotonin for doing the most fucking mundane things. Big lizard girl pictured above, I raised her since a hatchling and she has the potential to be a scary dinosaur demon bitch but chooses to tolerate me, and prefers to sleep on my chest. It's so rewarding to earn the trust of non domesticated animals. Currently own 16 animals (excluding fish and bugs). Treat my animals better than myself, they only eat organic if not home grown food, while I mostly eat ramen and fast food.

I also form kinda parasocial relationships with the big names in exotics by joining local Facebook groups. Even though I've never met half my friends idk why it makes me feel better that they are local and I could meet if I really wanted.

My current depression comes from not being able to hold down a job because it triggers my depression. Thinking about saying fuck it to capitalism and homesteading.

I'm trying to make money on the side breeding insects and doing educational animal shows.

Share your pet pics and how they help your headspace!

 

[emptyjokes]

Wow that is a stunning reptile. I've never owned one but I have had friends that had bearded dragons or snakes, they're super duper cool pets.

I had a friend who had to get rid of his Akita mix, and I volunteered to take care of her until he found her a home. Pretty much immediately I decided to adopt her. Super sweet dog, but she wasn't well cared for before I got her. (She was neglected severely and spent most of her life in a cage in an empty room) I'd take her for walks (probably 1.5 hours per day) and train her and let her socialize with other dogs and while I had her I felt pretty well put together. She knew basic commands and was getting the hang of verbal recall, and never had issues with other dogs. Eventually my lease ran out and I wasn't able to find any rentable place where I could keep her (Akita's are very stigmatized and most apartments have flat out banned them by breed.)

I was able to find her a home with someone else where she could have everything. Big yard, a well-off owner, and other dogs to play with all day. Broke my heart to let her go though. I still visit her every now and again and take her out for the day and she's as happy as a clam at her new place, still remembers all the commands I taught her too.

 

[Foresight]

She's beautiful. I'm glad to hear you're doing better and found a passion for animals. I lean heavily on animal care for purpose. I stick to domesticated mammals because I can't handle learning too much more about other species. I think they're my number one recovery reason because no matter what they force me out of bed. They're a good reason to be engaged with living and work hard to be a caretaker.

Here's my most recent addition. Her name's Brain and her sister is Pinky like the 90s cartoon:

 

[Al Cappella]

Animals are wonderful at getting you out of yourself and caring about another.

 

[wait.what]

I have four cats. They were five until last month, when our oldest girl passed away from cancer. That would be the one I had the longest and who I loved the most desperately. (Of course it would.) Four is still quite enough to keep me busy, though. I'm on disability, I don't have my own transportation, and I live in the sticks. Literally all I do all day is herd cats, collect up people's empty soda cans, and post garbage on the internet.

I love my cats and I think they're super cute, but I don't quite dare put photos here, since pictures of the cats are all over my non-SS social profiles, and I don't want to effectively doxx myself. That, and I'm bad at this EXIF thing and I'm never sure if I really deleted all the identifying info.

 

[Anhedonia_X]

Several years ago, when I was a teenager, my psychologist told my parents to buy me a dog as part of therapy. Unfortunately, the dog turned out to be atypical, antisocial, independent, hates cuddling and I feel rejected even by the dog... It's sad. I love him anyway. I had a cat before and he was more like a dog than the one I have now. I will not post photos because he is quite unusual and his photos are online too, and I want to remain anonymous here.

 

[rancidJLJL]

I often cry around my dogs and they know im sad and will cuddle me. You can tell them anything and they wont judge you. other animals are the most pure form of life, humans always let you down.

 

[Vy0kxZen]

my 9 year old cat called george who definetly helps the most and is always there and thankfully doesnt judge me for whatever i tell him

 

[Shepherd's boy]

This is my doggo. Now she lives with my mother and sister, but I'm still very attached to her. She is old, breaths heavily and it makes me feel very miserable that there is nothing I can particularly do. I hate myself for thinking about ctb for her. It's kinda selfish, but I can't understand how is it possible to gain joy from live like this. But for her I suppose it's happiness to spend time with her loved ones and just chilling out doing nothing