FYI all of the animals you listed are effectively exotic pets, and difficult to very difficult to care for. Most vets won’t/can’t see them, they have highly specialized diets/needs. They have enclosures that require constant cleaning. They are not good first pets. Birds can also live for VERY long times (budgies are on the lower end of the spectrum for birds, but parrots can live more than 50 years)
I agree, but I think it REALLY depends on the person. My family 1000% proves that people only get worse with age. People that were assholes to begin with, only become bigger assholes as they get older, and less capable. Especially if they were “super independent” before. That also seems to hold true, in my experience, for people who were very independent and suddenly lost that, regardless of how they were before. Narcissism seems to increase exponentially too.
I also have some much older friends (like 80s and 90s older), who were always really good people, and are still just honest, down to earth, good people, just a little needier.
I guess what I’m saying is that people don’t tend to change, and the person they were as an adult is only amplified as they age, from what I have seen.
@ryathal back in the day, when most wireless mice and keyboards had those little dongles, and people used to keep their computer tower either on the corner of their desk or under it, I used to have a prank war going with a coworker. We used to do dumb shit like fill a shit load of little cups up with water and set them everywhere in their office, or glitter/confetti in things that when you opened them it went everywhere. Or wrap everything on the desk in foil or saran wrap type things.
Coworker was older than me, and not the most computer literate guy. I’d go into his office, and disconnect the dongle, while he was away from his desk. Watching him rage about his piece of shit computer was always great amusement.
I mean, that’s great but that’s not the norm everywhere. Yes, there will be vets who can look at them. I’m in a big city so you can definitely find them, but it doesn’t mean they are taking new patients, or that your specific animal is going to be something they know how to deal with. You even said one of the two near you IS an exotic pet vet.
That also doesn’t change their diets, social structures, cleaning requirements, etc. since so many few people have those animals (3% according to you) it’ll be harder to find accurate info about care. Look at how many bunnies get adopted for Easter and then get abandoned because, surprise, they are WAY more work than people knew.