When a mother becomes a grandmother, she welcomes into her brood not only the human children of her children but the four-legged lovies of those kids and grandkids, too.

I'm talking grandpets.

I've taken care of grandpets galore throughout the eight-plus years I've been a grandma. Mostly canine critters such as Andrea's Luke and Brianna's Hunter and Max.

Over Labor Day Weekend, Brianna, Patrick, and Bud travelled to the desert to play in the pool and hike through hot, dry hills with Bubby, Mac, Jak, and their parents. I was charged with watching granddogs Hunter and Max plus their feline family members, my grandcats Alice and Mackenzie.

Plus another grandpet, one that belongs to Bud.

Meet Tarzan, Bud's "crested eyelash gecko":

crested eyelash gecko

When I became grandma to kids and critters, I never expected a gecko — or any similarly lizardy type creature — to be among them. With four grandsons, though, I should have known better.

I approached the task with Eleanor Roosevelt's wisdom in mind, her quote noting, "You must do the thing you think you cannot do."

And what things did I have to do? I'm glad you asked.

I had to spray the aquarium walls twice a day, ensure Tarzan had some water in his water dish but not too much (gecko youngsters can drown easily, I'm told), and fill his water bottle lid turned food dish each evening with the pink "Tarzan Food" that looks like Pepto-Bismol that Bud and Patrick mixed up and left in the fridge for me before their departure. All while ensuring nocturnal and nimble (yet kind of anxiety ridden when woke during the day) Tarzan didn't attempt a grand escape on my watch.

Tarzan care turned out to be more simple and less scary than I expected. Easier, in fact, than the caretaking tasks for dogs and cats. Quicker, too, as there was no need to commit time to snuggling the pets between meals and snacks and potty breaks and such.

Good thing! If snuggling were necessary to keep Tarzan alive while Bud was away, the critter would surely kick the bucket. Because regardless of Mrs. Roosevelt's encouragement, snuggling a gecko is one of those things I assure you I simply cannot, truly will not do.

Not even a gecko that's one of my grands.

Today's question:

What's the must unusual grandpet (or own pet) you've ever cared for?