Victor, The Budgie Who Could Talk Ryan Reynolds built an online shrine to his friend and pet bird Victor, a precociously chatty budgerigar with an extensive 800-word vocabulary. There are audio and video clips of Victor talking and a history of the bird and even budgie training tips. You may need to replay the audio a few times to get the gist of what Victor's saying, it takes a minute to get into his little budgie accent, but you will be amazed at what you hear (hope this is all true and not a farce). Reynolds has included subtitles with each of the audio and video clips. Sadly, Victor suddenly became very ill and died on March 2, 2001. (Warning: Every link off the main page pops up in a new browser window. It's annoying, but the site is worth the mild inconvenience.)
posted by VelvetHellvis on Apr 3, 2003 - 4 comments

So you want a pet monkey? Owning a monkey is a big commitment. Do your research before taking in a primate. For example, consider famous monkeys in history. Don't forget you'll need to learn how to diaper your monkey. If you live with someone, be considerate and discuss your desire for a pet monkey with them or just send them a card. Decide what kind of monkey you want. Perhaps a little red monkey like this or this? If all else fails, try a sock monkey instead. You can buy one or make it yourself. Not into sock monkeys you say? Adopt an out of work dotcommer. Rumor has it there's even a chimp in the White House.
posted by VelvetHellvis on Aug 23, 2002 - 60 comments