The Strangest Pets in History
People have kept pets for tens of thousands of years, though we can’t say exactly when the practice began or what the very first pets were. We do know that dogs were the first domesticated animals, but our ancient ancestors could reasonably have kept other creatures as pets long before wolves turned into our faithful friends. Today, pets are everywhere. In the United States, 66% of households — that’s around 86.9 million homes — own a pet. By far the most popular pets are dogs and cats, found in 65.1 million and 46.5 million households, respectively. Next, although some distance behind, come freshwater fish, small animals such as hamsters, gerbils, and rabbits, and then birds.
Among the most popular categories of pets, we find animals that would generally be considered somewhat uncommon. It’s not all that often, for example, that we come across someone who owns a chinchilla, a ferret, a fancy guppy, a cockatiel, or a six-toed Norwegian lundehund. But even these unusual animals are no match for the strangest pets in history. Here are 10 of the most bizarre animal companions, kept by a range of famous figures, from Roman orators to Hollywood icons.
Lucius Licinius Crassus’ Eel
Lucius Licinius Crassus is considered one of the greatest orators of ancient Rome. And bizarrely, much to the bemusement of later Roman commentators, he had a beloved pet eel. It’s said that he trained the eel to respond to its name, and even adorned his slimy companion with earrings and small necklaces.
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Tycho Brahe’s Elk
Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe, often considered the greatest observational astronomer of the pretelescopic era, lived a rather colorful life. He lost his nose in a duel over a mathematical formula. He was the keeper of a clairvoyant dwarf named Jepp. And he had a pet elk (some sources say it was a moose) that attended feasts and banquets with him. Unfortunately, at one such feast the elk drank too much beer, and took a fatal fall down the castle stairs.
Gérard de Nerval’s Lobster
The French Romantic poet Gérard de Nerval was a major influence on the later symbolist and surrealist movements. He could often be found walking his pet lobster, Thibault, on the end of a blue silk ribbon through the Palais-Royal in Paris. When asked about his strange pet, he replied, “I have affection for lobsters. They are tranquil, serious, and they know the secrets of the sea.”
Empress Joséphine’s Orangutan
Joséphine de Beauharnais was the first wife of Napoleon Bonaparte and served as empress of the French from 1804 until 1810. She kept a menagerie of exotic animals, but her favorite pet was an orangutan named Rose. Rose was a dignified ape who wore white cotton chemises, had a fondness for turnips, and apparently slept in the same bed as Joséphine and Napoleon.
Lord Byron’s Bear
Lord Byron, regarded as one of the greatest English poets and a key figure in the Romantic movement, was known to be eccentric. While a student at Trinity College, Cambridge, in the early 1800s, he was told he could not keep his pet dog as canines were banned from the college. So, he went out and found himself a tame bear, because there were no rules against keeping such an animal. He would walk the bear through the college grounds, and even tried to enroll it as a student — though the application was rejected.
Teddy Roosevelt’s Many Strange Pets
When Theodore Roosevelt began his presidency in 1901, his family moved into the White House with a horde of pets in tow. These included a lizard named Bill, a blue macaw called Eli Yale, Baron Spreckle the hen, Maude the pig, a one-legged rooster, a barn owl, and various guinea pigs with names such as Admiral Dewey and Fighting Bob Evans. As if that wasn’t strange enough, the Roosevelts also had a pet badger called Josiah, a small black bear named Jonathan Edwards, and a hyena called Bill.
Calvin Coolidge’s Raccoon
In November 1926, some supporters of President Calvin Coolidge sent him a live raccoon so that the first family could kill it and eat it for Thanksgiving dinner. But instead of sacrificing the creature, the Coolidge family decided to keep it as a pet. They named it Rebecca and built a little house for it, and Rebecca was allowed to roam the White House and accompanying gardens.
Salvador Dalí’s Ocelot
Salvador Dalí was the living embodiment of surrealism, so it was perhaps no surprise to see him walking the streets with his pet ocelot, Babou. Dalí claimed that the medium-sized spotted wild cat was a gift from the president of Colombia. During the 1960s, the painter took Babou almost everywhere he went, safely secured on a leash and studded collar.
Josephine Baker’s Cheetah
Josephine Baker was an American-born French dancer and singer who became a sensation in Paris in the 1920s. She was also the first Black woman to star in a major motion picture. On stage, she was often accompanied by her “co-star,” her pet cheetah Chiquita. Chiquita became a star in her own right, known for wearing a diamond collar and leaping into the conductor’s pit during performances.
Audrey Hepburn’s Deer
While filming the 1959 adventure-romance Green Mansions, Audrey Hepburn had to work alongside a baby deer called Pippin (or “Ip,” as she called it). Hepburn was encouraged to care for the fawn for the sake of the movie, and the two soon formed a strong bond. She fed the deer from a baby bottle, shared a bed with it, and even took it shopping and to parties. After filming, Hepburn was devastated when she and Ip had to separate. Her husband later tracked down the deer and Hepburn took it in as her pet.
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