1:18 PM PST, March 8, 2018
You've heard of Mike Tyson and his tiger, but what about the Russian couple that adopted a pet cougar? How about the Texas woman who lives with a 1,000-pound bison inside her house? Check out some of the world's weirdest pets, and remember — don't try this at home.
1,000-Pound Bison Lives Inside Texas Home, Has Never Broken Anything
Bullet, the 1,000-pound bison, knows to use the restroom outdoors and is careful maneuvering tight corners. "She's never hurt me. She leaves this airspace of safety between you and her. She's very cognizant of you as a smaller person," her owner, Karen Shoeve told InsideEdition.com.
Read the full story here.
Mike Tyson Warns of His White Bengal Tiger, 'You Have Got to Be Very Cautious'
Shortly after Mike Tyson's release from prison in 1995, he flaunted a lavish lifestyle that included a pet white Bengal tiger.
“One minute, he will try and take a chunk out of you, and then the next minute, he will try and lick you,” Tyson told InsideEdition.com. “You have got to be very cautious with him.”
Read the full story here.
Pet Cougar Living in a Studio Apartment Loves to be Cuddled and Petted
Messi, a 2-year-old cougar, doesn’t live in the forests or a zoo, but in a small studio apartment with a Russian couple who adopted him from a petting zoo in 2016. Ever since, the big cat has developed a close relationship with Alexandr Dmitriev and his wife, Mariya, and loves to be cuddled and petted.
Read the full story here.
Fawn Rescued After Near-Fatal Car Accident Loves to Munch on Strawberries
Strawberry, a 3-year-old fawn, has been using the doggy door at an England home after 63-year-old John Slater rescued her from the side of the road. After being nursed back to health, the muntjac deer spends her days munching on peaches, rose petals and strawberries in Slater’s backyard.
Read the full story here.
Emotional Support Turkey Allowed to Fly on an Airplane With Her Owner
Easter, a 25-pound turkey, was adopted by Jodie Smalley of Seattle after her husband died of cancer and has been part of her family ever since. The fowl even has the proper documents to fly on an airplane. “Hearing about a turkey on a plane sounds ridiculous,” she said. “But people have no idea what I’ve been through.”
Read the full story here.
Mini Pot Belly Pig is 'Just Like One of the Dogs'
The 4-year-old mini pot belly pig, aptly named Pig Pig, uses the doggy door and is best friends with a pet pit bull. Unfortunately, the swine has still not been returned to her home after she was stolen last year.
Read the full story here.
Family Calls Their House-Broken Skunk 'a Little Baby'
A pet skunk named Seven is not a pest but a house pet for a New Jersey family. She is housebroken, does not give off a scent and is often seen being walked on a leash.
Read the full story here.
Malnourished Chicken Now Enjoys Wine Tastings
Funky Chicken was malnourished and had very few feathers when he was adopted by a California family, but he now enjoys fruit stands, festivals and even wine tastings. Last year, the rescue chicken even had a gender reveal party.
Read the full story here.
Horse Gets a Night of Hotel Relaxation
Blizz the racehorse, may normally live in the stables but during one particularly long trip, the mare got a night of relaxation at a hotel with a pet-friendly policy.
Read the full story here.
Peacocks Can't Fly, Says United Airlines
Peacocks don't have the ability to fly, nor do they have the right to be passengers on a United Airlines flight. A New Jersey woman found that out the hard way when she tried to take her emotional support pet peacock onto a airplane, even though the bird had its own seat.
Gwendolyn, a 13-Foot-Long Gator, Fed Daily by 8-Year-Old Twin Girls
While the 8-year-old twins like feeding Gwendolyn, who has lived with their dad for 47 years, cookies and pizza, the girls aren't allowed to be alone with Gwendolyn at any given time.
Read the full story here.
Pet Buffalo Has Its Own Room Inside Home, Enjoys Watching TV
Wild Thing, the pet buffalo, is really quite the gentleman once you meet him, his owner Ronnie Bridges said. “Outside, he plays really rough but inside the house, he’s really a gentleman," he said.
Read the full story here.
Jailbird Brings Along Pet Parrot for Mugshot
Craig Buckner of Oregon didn't know he would be arrested on the spot when he turned himself in. He had tied his pet parrot named Bird to a tree outside the courthouse. Officers allowed Buckner to go back outside to retrieve his pet and saw the humor in allowing him to take his mugshot with the bird.
"It's all about compassion, realizing how important this bird is to him," police spokesperson Bob Ray said.
Read the full story here.
Mother and Son Pair Live With 14 Pet Bears
The Welde family in Florida has cared for bears since 1946. The tradition has been passed on from generation to generation, and today, Monica Welde and her son Johnny Welde IV are the main caretakers for 14 bears living at their home, known as Bearside Ranch.
"As far as stitches go, I have worked with bears for 37 years and I have all my fingers so it’s a good track record," Monica said.
Read the full story here.
Capybara Makes Himself at Home in Kansas Household
Capybaras may just be large rodents, but for Jackie Wren, they're family. She adopted Chico when he weighed just 4 pounds, and is quickly on his way to growing to 150 pounds. Chico enjoys snuggling in her bed, snacking on popcorn in front of the TV and jumping into the pool with the kids.
Read the full story here.
Rescue Cat With No Ears Looks Eerily Like Stuffed Seal
Otitis had his ears surgically removed after developing horrible cysts. He was rescued shortly after by 23-year-old Molly Lichtenwalner, who bought the stuffed seal after noticing it was Otitis' doppelganger.
"Not only was it a white seal, but it had the blue eyes," Lichtenwalner said. "I had to buy it once I saw it because it just reminded me so much of my precious fur baby."
Read the full story here.
'Teacup Pig' Grows to 650 Pounds, Forcing Owners to Move to a Farm
Meet Esther the Wonder Pig, a pet that was originally sold to Steve Jenkins and his partner Derek Walter as a teacup pig. They quickly realized they had been tricked when Esther gained hundreds of pounds and quickly became too big for their 1,000-square-foot bungalow. After a successful Indiegogo campaign, Jenkins and Walter moved to a 50-acre farm for their growing "teacup pig" and her new friends, including cows, horses, goats, chickens and even a peacock.
Read the full story here.
Pet Gator Wears Clothes, Rides Motorcycles
Mary Thorn, of Florida, says she rescued Rambo after he endured years of captivity in inhumane conditions. She said he spent the first four years of his life with four other alligators crammed in a 10-gallon fish tank kept in a closet. Thorn now takes care of Rambo like one of her dogs, and even has a set of clothes and sunglasses for her beloved pet gator.
"He can’t go outside at all unless he wears sunscreen and I put clothes on him," Thorn said.
Read the full story here.
Therapy Goat Named Deer Is This Man's Best Friend
Erick Brown, 31, went viral after he was kicked off a Detroit city bus while riding with his therapy goat, Deer. "When I'm in public, he behaves himself," Brown insisted.
He calls Deer his best friend, and even credits his pet goat for saving his life on many occasions.
Read the full story here.
Man Says Having a Rhino Iguana Is Better Than a Dog
Dave Durham treats his rhino iguana named Bruce like any other pet that needs tender loving care. “I think she is better than having a dog,” Durham said of the animal, admitting that they often cuddle.
Read the full story here.
Couple Lives With 17 Kangaroos
An Australian couple has dedicated their lives to rehabilitating orphaned joeys after Bobby, their first rescue kangaroo, changed their life.
"I’ve woken up to one on my head," Theresa Matthews joked. "Actually, Lucky the swamp wallaby has done that quite a few times."
Read the full story here.
Snoutless Dog Adopted With Special Needs Brother
Wacku, a pup originally from the Philippines, had his snout hacked off by a machete years ago. Although he inspired a change in legislation regarding animal cruelty, Wacku lived in a shelter for several years until a U.S.-based rescue crew heard his story and brought him to America.
He now lives with a loving owner and his adopted brother Picasso, a corgi-pit bull mix with a twisted jaw.
Read the full story here.
This Little Piggy Hit the Waves
Pickles, a pet pot-bellied pig, surfs the California waves with his owner Maddie Johnson. He also likes hiking and sunbathing, and often gives fellow beachgoers a shock when he's lying around in the sand.
“He is a very sporty pig and he is totally defying some pig stereotypes," Johnson said.
Read the full story here.
Paralyzed Pup Loves His New Life on Wheels
Pigeon the pit bull was paralyzed after she was hit by a car last summer. Her owner Erica said Pigeon was clearly frustrated by her new disability until she was outfitted with a custom wheelchair. Now, Pigeon can't help but zoom to all of her favorite places in her new set of wheels.
Read the full story here.
Zebra Named Zinfandel Loves Goats
A zebra named Zinfandel is in charge of herding the 110 Boer goats living on owner Norman Vizina's farm. He explained that he’s had the 550-pound zebra since she was 10 days old. She has been protective of the South African breed of goats ever since. "She [grew] up with the goats and adopted the goats as if they were hers," Vizina said. "They’re herd animals. She’s a herd animal. This is her herd."
Read the full story here.