First stages of pet ownership

Red pandas are unusual.

I've never owned a pet even remotely like this.  I've had a dog for a few years now, and I've had cats for over a decade, but this is nothing like that.  Not even close.

Why a red panda?

Well, to be honest, I wasn't looking for one.  I was moving to a new place when the current owner approached me to welcome me to the area.  We met a few times and talked about a lot of things, and as it turns out she has a red panda that she is not opposed to finding a new owner for.
The more I read on the subject, the more I realized that yes, I'd very much like a new fuzzball to play with.
Don't get me wrong, I'm taking all this very seriously, but when it comes down to it it's all about the fuzzball cuddling, isn't it?


As it turns out, red pandas are shy, so it was not at all a given that I would hit it off with her.  Also, it's not easy caring for an exotic animal like this, so I don't know for sure that I even want to own one.
That's part of the reason why I'm not just jumping into this.  It takes time to form the trust required for responsible pet ownership.  When I first had her here for a visit I'm really glad she got along with my dog really well.  Jewell, my dog, is really social and loves making new friends, but it's not a given that anyone that crosses her path wants to be friends.  It's a load off my shoulders to know that's not going to be a problem at all.  I'd obviously never part with my dog to get a new pet, as my dog is my best friend and my confidant.

Tails, the red panda, is a real charmer.  She is shy all right, but she can be sly as a fox; she loves to sort of prod me and pull away a little.  She'll sit in my lap and be social, but she also likes her space, which I'm fine with.  She is not comfortable with my face close to hers yet, so I try not to push that boundary.  I think going slow is the key here.
Spending her first night here went great.  It was just a single night to see if it worked out, and I'm glad to say it did.  Playing with her and long cuddles are both great.  We had a lot of fun, and while I kept having to calm my dog down, I think it went really well.  From what I can tell, she feels the same way, but I don't really know her well enough to get a perfect read on her emotions.  That will take time, obviously.

One thing to remember here is that red pandas are wild animals.  Sure, she might be up to doing as she is told when she feels like it, but when she doesn't want to, she can just flat out ignore me.  If I do end up as her owner I think it will be a struggle to keep anything resembling control over her. I'm confident I will find some way to maintain a reasonable discipline, but I don't want to be too stern too fast, or she might end up resenting me for it or even fearing me.  I don't want that at all, so I'm being gentle and encouraging as best I can.

Since I don't see her every day it's hard to gauge exactly how things are progressing, but I think it's going in a trusting and cuddly sort of direction.  I'm certainly feeling more and more like taking care of a red panda every day.  I think I'm up for the task, but it's really not my call to make.

I don't want to get ahead of myself buying supplies for a pet I might never own, so I'm starting it sort of slow.  I bought some nice snacks for her to eat, figuring she'd eat them even if she doesn't become my pet.  I also bought a new bed for her to sleep and relax in when she is here.  As there are no red panda beds for sale I just bought a rather big dog bed, figuring that even if she won't sleep in it at least my dog will have lots and lots of room to stretch.
Tails took to the bed right away, and it wasn't long before she was hiding under a blanket with the dog and making cuddly noises.  If she does become my pet I'm sure she'll enjoy that bed a lot, and even if she just comes to visit sometimes I'm glad to have somewhere for her to rest.  I want her to feel like the bed is a safe place, but I couldn't resist giving her some cuddles in it.  She is just that cute.

All in all I think it's going rather well, and I hope she will trust me enough to accept me as an owner.
The only question is if you can ever truly own a wild animal.  I don't think so.  I guess I'll just be her caretaker or whatever, but it doesn't matter what it's called.  I can't wait to explore a relationship with such a magnificent specimen, whatever that relationship might turn out to be in the end.