Would you keep a leech as a pet? For many of us, the answer would be no, but believe it or not, there are some people who keep leeches as pets. To make things even weirder, these people even let these leeches suck their blood. But why in the world would they do that?
ScienceAlert documents the story of Ariane Khomjani, a leech keeper. This is what he has to say.
"They're amazing, curious creatures that grow like crazy and make wonderful pets,"...
He explained how individual leeches have their own unique personalities, with some being more adventurous and others more shy.
"Some like to try and sneak a feed more often than others, haha! But once they're full, they're content to sit and rest for a bit out of water if handled gently," he said.
… The species he keeps is one of the larger types: buffalo leeches (Hirudinaria manillensis) from Asia.
Learn more about this strange practice over at the site.
(Image Credit: Ariane Khomjani/ Instagram/ ScienceAlert)
Newest 4 Comments
...and when you are lavishing them with your attentions, you can use them to forecast the weather!https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tempest_prognosticator
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This is absolutely horrifying, but I upvoted because I now need others to see what I saw. I am not necessarily a nice person...
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Alternate title: After looking at this photo, you'll have nightmares tonight.
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not at my house
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