19 Strange Creatures Our Grandparents Actually Kept as Pets

Carly Tennes Published 13 hours ago in wow

While today, we may cuddle with our cats, run with our dogs, and listen to our birds ask for crackers over and over and over again, folks back in the day had a different idea. Enter the wolves, badgers and Dik-diks that served as our parents and grandparents' faithful friends.

From raccoons to bears, here are 19 strange creatures our grandparents actually kept as pets.

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1. Badger Badger
“My mom Circa: early 1940s. With her pet badger. She had two of them. One male, and one female.”

Courtesy of Weakcheez on Reddit
2. Wolfpack
“My grandfather and his pet timber wolf 1970s.”

Courtesy of afterbirth-stirfry on Reddit
3. Quacking Up
“My dad and his beloved pet duck that he raised from an egg. 1994.”

Courtesy of mentholnasalspray on Reddit
4. Raccoon Cuddles
“My hippie mother holding someone’s pet raccoon some time in the late ‘60s.”

Courtesy of matthewsteez on Reddit
5. Fox and Friends
“A former teacher of mine drinking a pint with his pet fox, Gemima. Circa 1980.”

Courtesy of FrivolousJoe on Reddit
6. Cougar Cuddles
“My dad in college with his pet cougar, Spencer. 1993.”

Courtesy of Cadenh16 on Reddit
7. Adorable Dik-diks
“My sister and I with a friend's pet Dik-dik, 1968.”

Courtesy of mks113 on Reddit
8. Cute Crow
“My dad and his pet crow in the 1960s.”

Courtesy of Cheechunk on Reddit
9. Oh Deer
“My mom with her pet deer Henry 1960.”

Courtesy of Leiaku on Reddit
10. Un Bear-able
“[1996] A random man picked me up on a street in Arkansas and put me on his pet bear. It attacked a lady moments later.”

Courtesy of WeHaveAllBeenThere on Reddit
11. Roar! 
“My father and his pet lion, Priscilla // California 1970s.”

Courtesy of spencehord on Reddit
12. Furry Friend
“My Great Lakota Grandmother and her pet Raccoon.”

Courtesy of Head_Ad6148 on Reddit
13. Brother Bear
“My dad in the mid to late '70s with his pet bear. He rescued it from a biker gang that were keeping it held with heavy chains, to the point that it had worn off it's hair and was damaging the skin.”

Courtesy of Jace_Bror on Reddit
14. Cub Den
“My dad and his veterinarian mother, with their pet lion which they raised for two years, 1959.”

Courtesy of ryanb99 on Reddit
15. Badger Buddies
“My great uncle and his pet badger, Digger (1960s).”

Courtesy of pineapple_blurt on Reddit
16. Mountain Lion
“My grandma and her pet mountain lion (1980s).”

Courtesy of JBBurtoni2 on Reddit
17. Flying High
“My grandfather in 1958 with his fresh new haircut and 5 pet flying squirrels.”

Courtesy of og-loko on Reddit
18. Monkeying Around
“My dad and his pet monkey. Circa. 1966, Guinea.”

Courtesy of VincentKdB on Reddit  
19. Go Fish
“Found this picture of me and my pet raccoon fishing together. He'd wait for me to catch and reel in a fish so he could grab it and eat it. Late-1980s.”

Courtesy of cutecutecute on Reddit

1. Badger Badger
Courtesy of Weakcheez on Reddit

“My mom Circa: early 1940s. With her pet badger. She had two of them. One male, and one female.”
2. Wolfpack
Courtesy of afterbirth-stirfry on Reddit

“My grandfather and his pet timber wolf 1970s.”
3. Quacking Up
Courtesy of mentholnasalspray on Reddit

“My dad and his beloved pet duck that he raised from an egg. 1994.”
4. Raccoon Cuddles
Courtesy of matthewsteez on Reddit

“My hippie mother holding someone’s pet raccoon some time in the late ‘60s.”
5. Fox and Friends
Courtesy of FrivolousJoe on Reddit

“A former teacher of mine drinking a pint with his pet fox, Gemima. Circa 1980.”
6. Cougar Cuddles
Courtesy of Cadenh16 on Reddit

“My dad in college with his pet cougar, Spencer. 1993.”
7. Adorable Dik-diks
Courtesy of mks113 on Reddit

“My sister and I with a friend's pet Dik-dik, 1968.”
8. Cute Crow
Courtesy of Cheechunk on Reddit

“My dad and his pet crow in the 1960s.”
9. Oh Deer
Courtesy of Leiaku on Reddit

“My mom with her pet deer Henry 1960.”
10. Un Bear-able
Courtesy of WeHaveAllBeenThere on Reddit

“[1996] A random man picked me up on a street in Arkansas and put me on his pet bear. It attacked a lady moments later.”
11. Roar! 
Courtesy of spencehord on Reddit

“My father and his pet lion, Priscilla // California 1970s.”
12. Furry Friend
Courtesy of Head_Ad6148 on Reddit

“My Great Lakota Grandmother and her pet Raccoon.”
13. Brother Bear
Courtesy of Jace_Bror on Reddit

“My dad in the mid to late '70s with his pet bear. He rescued it from a biker gang that were keeping it held with heavy chains, to the point that it had worn off it's hair and was damaging the skin.”
14. Cub Den
Courtesy of ryanb99 on Reddit

“My dad and his veterinarian mother, with their pet lion which they raised for two years, 1959.”
15. Badger Buddies
Courtesy of pineapple_blurt on Reddit

“My great uncle and his pet badger, Digger (1960s).”
16. Mountain Lion
Courtesy of JBBurtoni2 on Reddit

“My grandma and her pet mountain lion (1980s).”
17. Flying High
Courtesy of og-loko on Reddit

“My grandfather in 1958 with his fresh new haircut and 5 pet flying squirrels.”
18. Monkeying Around
Courtesy of VincentKdB on Reddit  

“My dad and his pet monkey. Circa. 1966, Guinea.”
19. Go Fish
Courtesy of cutecutecute on Reddit

“Found this picture of me and my pet raccoon fishing together. He'd wait for me to catch and reel in a fish so he could grab it and eat it. Late-1980s.”

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“My mom Circa: early 1940s. With her pet badger. She had two of them. One male, and one female.”

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1. Badger Badger “My mom Circa: early 1940s. With her pet badger. She had two of them. One male, and one female.”

2. Wolfpack “My grandfather and his pet timber wolf 1970s.”

3. Quacking Up “My dad and his beloved pet duck that he raised from an egg. 1994.”

4. Raccoon Cuddles “My hippie mother holding someone’s pet raccoon some time in the late ‘60s.”

5. Fox and Friends “A former teacher of mine drinking a pint with his pet fox, Gemima. Circa 1980.”

6. Cougar Cuddles “My dad in college with his pet cougar, Spencer. 1993.”

7. Adorable Dik-diks “My sister and I with a friend's pet Dik-dik, 1968.”

8. Cute Crow “My dad and his pet crow in the 1960s.”

9. Oh Deer “My mom with her pet deer Henry 1960.”

10. Un Bear-able “[1996] A random man picked me up on a street in Arkansas and put me on his pet bear. It attacked a lady moments later.”

11. Roar! “My father and his pet lion, Priscilla // California 1970s.”

12. Furry Friend “My Great Lakota Grandmother and her pet Raccoon.”

13. Brother Bear “My dad in the mid to late '70s with his pet bear. He rescued it from a biker gang that were keeping it held with heavy chains, to the point that it had worn off it's hair and was damaging the skin.”

14. Cub Den “My dad and his veterinarian mother, with their pet lion which they raised for two years, 1959.”

15. Badger Buddies “My great uncle and his pet badger, Digger (1960s).”

16. Mountain Lion “My grandma and her pet mountain lion (1980s).”

17. Flying High “My grandfather in 1958 with his fresh new haircut and 5 pet flying squirrels.”

18. Monkeying Around “My dad and his pet monkey. Circa. 1966, Guinea.”

19. Go Fish “Found this picture of me and my pet raccoon fishing together. He'd wait for me to catch and reel in a fish so he could grab it and eat it. Late-1980s.”

1. Badger Badger

2. Wolfpack

3. Quacking Up

4. Raccoon Cuddles

5. Fox and Friends

6. Cougar Cuddles

7. Adorable Dik-diks

8. Cute Crow

9. Oh Deer

10. Un Bear-able

11. Roar!

12. Furry Friend

13. Brother Bear

14. Cub Den

15. Badger Buddies

16. Mountain Lion

17. Flying High

18. Monkeying Around

19. Go Fish

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eBaum's Picks

1. Badger Badger
“My mom Circa: early 1940s. With her pet badger. She had two of them. One male, and one female.”

2. Wolfpack
“My grandfather and his pet timber wolf 1970s.”

3. Quacking Up
“My dad and his beloved pet duck that he raised from an egg. 1994.”

4. Raccoon Cuddles
“My hippie mother holding someone’s pet raccoon some time in the late ‘60s.”

5. Fox and Friends
“A former teacher of mine drinking a pint with his pet fox, Gemima. Circa 1980.”

6. Cougar Cuddles
“My dad in college with his pet cougar, Spencer. 1993.”

7. Adorable Dik-diks
“My sister and I with a friend's pet Dik-dik, 1968.”

8. Cute Crow
“My dad and his pet crow in the 1960s.”

9. Oh Deer
“My mom with her pet deer Henry 1960.”

10. Un Bear-able
“[1996] A random man picked me up on a street in Arkansas and put me on his pet bear. It attacked a lady moments later.”

11. Roar! 
“My father and his pet lion, Priscilla // California 1970s.”

12. Furry Friend
“My Great Lakota Grandmother and her pet Raccoon.”

13. Brother Bear
“My dad in the mid to late '70s with his pet bear. He rescued it from a biker gang that were keeping it held with heavy chains, to the point that it had worn off it's hair and was damaging the skin.”

14. Cub Den
“My dad and his veterinarian mother, with their pet lion which they raised for two years, 1959.”

15. Badger Buddies
“My great uncle and his pet badger, Digger (1960s).”

16. Mountain Lion
“My grandma and her pet mountain lion (1980s).”

17. Flying High
“My grandfather in 1958 with his fresh new haircut and 5 pet flying squirrels.”

18. Monkeying Around
“My dad and his pet monkey. Circa. 1966, Guinea.”

19. Go Fish
“Found this picture of me and my pet raccoon fishing together. He'd wait for me to catch and reel in a fish so he could grab it and eat it. Late-1980s.”

11. Roar! 