By Brian Kamsoke

Contributing Writer

Not all pets bark and wag their tails when you return home from work.

And not all pets curl up beside you on the couch and purr contentedly as you watch television.

Some pets may stare at you with eight cold, unblinking eyes as they slowly crawl up your leg with eight long, hairy legs. To most, a tarantula the size of a man’s hand may not seem anything like a pet. But to others, a pet known to hide in underground tunnels only to spring from its hidden layer to snatch and kill its prey may seem a perfect, loving and loyal pet.

Pet owners are as diverse as the mammals, reptiles, insects, birds and aquatic animals they call their pets.

After all, beauty, as well as the emotional bond that unites pet owner and pet, is, well, in the eye and the heart of the beholder.

A Bahamian starfish clinging to the side of its aquarium home may seem aloof and uncaring to some, just as a pink-tip anemone would swaying silently to-and-fro in the current. But to their owners, the Bahamian starfish is locked in an endless hug, its tentacles spread wide and inviting, while the pink-tip anemone is constantly waving a gentle hello.

To the pet owner, every pet has a personality, regardless of the species.

"It’s funny, but I never thought that a bunny could have such a wonderful personality," said Colleen Murray of Norwich, who is the owner of a mini lop-ear bunny named Floppsy. "He reminds me a lot of a cat, as he will play with the same toys. He loves to lie in your lap and can be quite frisky at times. I think the most enjoyable trait he has is to watch him run and play and when he gets really excited he jumps in the air and flips around.

"While I am certain not all bunnies share this trait, mine has a comical trait," she added. "He is afraid of any bug. If a fly lands on his cage he will cry and he sounds like a newborn. I always have to pick him up and be certain there are no bugs present."

Pets, no matter how out-of-the-ordinary, and their owners share an almost symbiotic relationship. Michelle Muraca of Vestal owned a ball python named Napali.

"The best thing about her was that she enjoyed being held and wrapping herself around me to just hang out when I watched TV or did work on the computer," Muraca said. "I also enjoyed people’s freaked-out reaction to see me just sitting on the couch reading the paper or whatever with a four-foot snake wrapped around me and flicking her tongue out at them.

"Napali used to escape sometimes since she always was looking for warm spots to hang out," she added. "I use to find her under the fridge wrapped around the coils or on the upstairs porch sunning herself next to my potted plants."

To the pet owner, something just clicks.

Just as in a relationship between two humans, it’s all about chemistry and who knows exactly how or why it works that way.

"We were in a store and the clerk handed my daughter this adorable bunny," said Murray. "It was pretty much over right there. He was too cute to put back, and my daughter fell in love instantly."

It’s times like this, though, that can be dangerous for the exotic pet, especially if the love-struck soon-to-be owner doesn’t realize the care and responsibilities he’s undertaking.

"Most people who come in looking for an exotic pet don’t have the experience," said Tom Leahy, owner of The Fish Bowl, a pet store in downtown Norwich. "I always recommend that the first-time owner buy a book about the animal they’re buying."

Leahy recounted the sad story of a woman who bought a bearded dragon from him (that’s a lizard) and didn’t realize the cost for feeding him. A bearded dragon would typically eat $12 worth of crickets every week; that’s about $600 a year. When she moved out of her apartment, she left the bearded dragon behind without any food or water. By the time the bearded dragon was discovered, it was too late.

But it’s not always a sad story. Some exotic pets find new owners.

"I actually was a foster snake owner since the original owner moved to Hawaii and couldn’t take the snake with her," Muraca said. "I was actually afraid of snakes and thought that would help me get over it."

Leahy emphasizes the importance of learning about how to care for any pet before becoming an owner. "Think down the road," he said. "It’s not always cheap to keep a pet."

"I had to make sure Napali had clean bedding, water, and was warm enough, since she’s cold-blooded," Muraca said. "And food, of course: two to three live mice every two weeks. Gross, I know."

But if you understand the care and commitment you’re making to any exotic pet, the emotional bond can be strong and unbreakable.

"We have owned Floppsy for five years now," Murray said. "Really, all in all, he is the best pet for a child or (in an) apartment. I take him to the vet once a year for a check up, no shots needed. You have to remember to feed him not only his pellets but hay, carrots, herbs _ and never lettuce _ every day."