So, my friend occasionally brings up the fact that they would be great with exotic animals, which would be elephants, big cats of any type, or anything you would potentially find in a zoo. Now, I would agree with them if it weren’t for the fact that they attempted to adopt a cat, and failed to keep her for over a month. There are also a lot of things that they do as well, most of them reckless to themselves and sometimes even those around them. They also smoke quite often, which also (in my honest opinion) really isn’t the best thing to do when caring for something so large.
Their counter argument is that if they research extensively enough, they would be able to take care of something of that magnitude, and there are classes for it and whatnot. Even still, I feel like it’s a bit of a dangerous mindset to have when it concerns living things or complicated practices like taking care of animals. We’ve texted about it today, and I repeated my main thoughts above about the situation, and they did not like that.
They mentioned how i was calling them incompetent and how I’m repeating things they already know, and how I should have more faith in their ability to learn about animals. (I didn’t think I was coming off as overly rude, I just said that with this particular topic, I honestly don’t think they would be able to). I know that these practices take a significant amount of time, and we are still young. I want to believe in them and tell them yes, but I actively cannot given how they act and react to things.
AITA for this?
PS: If you want some additional context on how this conversation even started, I can do that.
INFO: Are they thinking they can own these animals or work with them in the Zoos/Sanctuaries?
Yeah can you provide the context you mention in the footnote? I’m confused about why this topic is even a recurring one for you. Does your friend have aspirations to own exotic pets in the future?
NTA at all. Exotic animals of any kind require specialized care, and even the pet variety (I keep inverts myself) have very different needs compared to a cat. By their logic, they should have also done enough research to care for the cat properly.
Yeah perhaps you could have been nicer, or simply not said anything, but hopefully this stops them trying to take responsibility for an animal they aren’t ready for. Failing to provide properly for animals can have long term, irreversible consequences (for example MBD in reptiles without proper UVB supplementation, or stereotypic behavior in stressed/neglected animals)
Yes how does this even come up often enough to be an argument? If they want to be a zookeeper when they grow up good for them. They’ll get through the classes or not. If they just want to own them there are plenty of hoops to jump through and if they mess it up they get eaten 🤷🏼♀️
“and if they mess it up they get eaten” best comment!! 🤣🤣🤣
Soft YTA. Just let it go. They’re not going to get one as a pet. They’re not going to get a job as a zookeeper. Let them have their little fantasy,
Ummmm…are y’all 12?
This is like saying you’re gona build a house by yourself with no money or tools and also it’s illegal to build a house.
YTA, simply because it’s such a silly thing to argue about. Let your friend have his dumb fantasy. Do you actually think he’s going to try to buy an elephant?
YTA – why are you telling your friend what they can or can’t do? It’s their life. Let them have their fantasy.
Without further context, YTA. You’ve had this discussion multiple times. They already know they’re not great with domestic animals. What is the point in shitting on their fantasy? Are they planning to get an elephant? Is an actual exotic creature at risk here? Even if they want a zookeeper job, real life will slap them across the face so hard, why do you need to be the one to do it? What is your goal here, why is this so important to you?
I suggest you encourage him to adopt a Bengal tiger. It should be a close but unfortunately short relationship
YTA because unless your friend is in the position ti ever have an exotic animal this was a completely unnecessary conversation. You let him have his fantasy and move on.
This sounds like a nonsense argument and not worth your time. Nobody is giving them and elephant or a big cat.