🚀 go-pugleaf

Regarding the keeping of leaches as pets.

One should not be so quick to be disgusted by the life of the "lower 
organisms".  Without creatures such as these life for us (and all 
other mammalian species) on earth would be impossibe.  Leaches 
currently are very important in the field of medicine because of the 
nature of the anti-coagulants in the saliva.  Most leaches are in 
fact predators that feed on other small organisms, which can include 
larvae of nuisance insects.

It is interesting how the concept of pets developed from a purely 
functional relationship millennia ago to the friends concept of a 
leisure society.  For instance the original dog companion was 
probably very functional, they consumed garbage and feces, sounded 
the alarm for other predators or strangers, and could be used as a 
convenient meal when times were lean.  This realtionship is still in 
effect in some of today's cultures.

If we only take a moment to watch, the behavior of most invertebrates 
can be fascinating.  

Jim Culter                         jculter@marinelab.sarasota.fl.us
Mote Marine Laboratory             voice (813) 388-4441
1600 Thompson Parkway              fax   (813) 388-4312
Sarasota, FL  34236

MML is a private non-profit marine/estuarine research and
education laboratory.  All opinions herein are my own 
(not MML policy) unless noted as otherwise.
Invertebrates rule!
FOR MORE ABOUT MML SEE:
http://www.marinelab.sarasota.fl.us./RESEAR07.HTM   (case sensitive)
On Sat, 2 Dec 1995, Caprina wrote:

> The very idea of deliberately keeping creatures around that like human 
> blood is twisted and disgusting! A pet is supposed to be a friend, not 
> aan enemy, and anything that eats you is an enemy, nothing more than a 
> lowly parasite!
> -- 
> Ascii silly question, get a silly ansi.
> 
>