Meet five small-pet-owning new yorkers -- new york magazine - nymag

LISA REINKE & HER RABBITS SPOT AND THELMA _Flatbush_ “I moved into an apartment with two bedrooms—one just for the rabbits. It’s got cardboard boxes on the floor that they burrow in.

When we’re not home we just close the door; otherwise, we open it and they can go wherever they want. Playing with rabbits can be a little tricky. You can hide their food around like a

scavenger hunt. I play tug-of-war with them with a toilet-paper roll. And they’ll play fetch—well, it’s really the opposite. They’ll flick the ball up with their head and then make you bring

it back to them.” CHRISTINA LEE & HER RATS WAFFLE AND PANCAKE _Sunnyside _ “There’s always this awkward pause when I tell people I have rats. ‘Rats? On purpose?’ But they’re so smart,

so social. The rats’ cage is probably cooler than my own apartment. They have hammocks, three litter boxes, and really expensive bedding. They only drink bottled water. I feed them organic

fruits and vegetables. I’ll spend money on things for my rats that I would never spend on myself. The biggest downside is the life span—they live only three years, if you’re lucky. I can

only imagine what it’s going to be like when they pass.” LAURIE MALFA & HER BEARDED DRAGON D’BRICKASHAW _Bushwick_ “My sister was at Petsmart buying stuff for her cat and I was meeting

her there. The bearded dragons were 50 percent off for Black Friday and I was like, _Let’s just do this._ He’s named after D’Brickashaw Ferguson, the Jets player. It’s so hard to explain the

joy that he brings—that just comes from him doing nothing. When you walk into the room, he gets up and looks at you. One time, my fiancé and I were having breakfast in my studio—we were

sitting on the floor eating—and he ran over and stole a piece of spinach off my plate. He’s just so cute.” BARBARA HOLTZ & HER 40 HERMIT CRABS _ Gramercy Park _ “I’ve had hermit crabs

for over 20 years. I went on vacation to Jamaica and fell in love with the little critters and I brought some back with me. When people don’t want to keep their crabs, that’s where I come

in. I rescue them. That’s why I have 40. It’s a little overwhelming at this point, but I know them all. My favorite is a female whose name is BB King—the original owner thought it was a

male. She’s sweet; she knows me. I bring her out on the couch and she climbs on me and walks around. One escaped once—and to this day I have never found that crab.” JENNA XU & HER

HEDGEHOG PRINCE ANDREI NIKOLAEVICH BOLKONSKI _Jackson Heights_ “Prince Andrei is actually very cuddly. We nap together for a few hours every night. He’s very fainthearted and not receptive

to new people—he’s afraid of loud noises, bright lights, new smells—but once you get to know him he’s very affectionate. He has his own Instagram account and is way more popular than I am.

Though it’s not legal to have one in the city—I got him on Long Island—I have never had a problem. I’ve flown with him out of La Guardia. The TSA always remember him and make a big fuss

because he’s pretty cute.”