I don’t have a single favorite, but every now and then a critter will become the subject of my latest ADHD hyperfixation. I remember thinking skunks were cool in 5th grade. They’re like badgers with chemical weapons. For the months leading up to getting my first guide dog I devoured stuff about dogs in general. I had always had pet dogs so it wasn’t a new subject, just a more intense interest.
For a while it was octopi, then parrots. For some time in 2015 or early 2016 it was possums, the US’s only marsupial.
Right now it’s monkeys. I used to think monkeys were gross and disturbing in an uncanny valley sort of way, so humanlike but not human at the same time. But I’ve taken a shine to orangutans. They’re quiet and introverted like me. Also new world monkeys like capuchins and woollies. Having a prehensile tail would be awesome.
Damn I actually didn’t think about this a lot…
When I was a kid, my favorite color was green and my favorite animal… I remember it being turtles
Cuz they can just hide from all dangers… they always have a “home”… where they are safe…
Being an immigrant and growing up in an emotionally unstable household… I never felt like I had a “home”
Like… neither in context of country… or in the context of my “home” vs school vs someplace to go to… like the library or a friend’s house…
Like… when it’s time for school… I’m like ah fuck, this again (cuz of bullies and authoritarian teachers and classwork shit…)
Then when it’s time to go home… I’m like: oh no, yesterday we have a whole argument at home and stuff were thrown around and a few bowls and plates were broken, I kinda feel scared
And I don’t have any close frienda where I could just go to their place and chill out…
And the outside world felt scary to me to I didn’t have like a runaway “base” in the woods or something…
So I kinda liked turtles lol…
Just retreat to inside the shell when there is conflict…
🫠
For some time I also liked monkeys because Curious George… (also mandela effect time: but pretty sure it had a tail didn’t it?)
At one point, it was sheeps/goats… because 喜洋洋与灰太郎 (it’s a Chinese Cartoon I remember watching as a kid)
Some other animals I liked at some point:
I liked Owls because it was the first nocturnal animal I learned of…
Pandas because I’m from China…
Frogs/Toads… idk why… maybe cuz its amphibious
And now I have a cat… probably the most useful animal… gets rid of mice