8 animals that will never win the title of "Parent of the Year" (9 photos)

If you think your parents were too harsh on you as a child, then Negligent Animals in this post will give you a broader perspective on bad parenting.





1. Horses



Unlike other animals that prefer to rest while waiting for their baby to arrive, for mares, pregnancy means having fun! The moment a female horse becomes pregnant, she goes on a walk through the herd and mates with each stallion. Although this seems pointless because she is already pregnant, there is a reasonable explanation for it. Horses are quite proud and aggressive towards their rivals. But if the stallion thinks that the new foal belongs to him, the chances that he will harm the young will drop to zero.

2. Cuckoo





Female cuckoo birds are known to abandon their chicks before hatching. They simply lay eggs in the nests of other birds and leave them forever. It is difficult to distinguish native eggs from foundlings, which is why unlucky foster birds hatch them all the same. Meanwhile, the cuckoo chick brings chaos and loss to its adoptive parents. It grows faster and hatches earlier, causing the small purebred chicks to fall out of the nest.

3. Sparrow



The female sparrow is a good, caring mother, but also an angry stepmother. Sparrows are usually monogamous. But sometimes they may have connections outside their native nest. When this happens, the female sparrow can literally identify the "other women" who have mated with her partner and destroy their nests.

4. Cats



Harp seals devote themselves to their pups for the first 2 weeks. During this short period, they keep their offspring close, caring for them around the clock. But after this, the mother seals say goodbye and leave the young generation alone on the ice. Seal pups are still very vulnerable because they cannot swim, hunt, or defend themselves. They must be at least 2 months old to master all these skills. So they spend this time waiting, losing weight and trying not to be eaten by predators. It is not surprising that only a third of all little seals survive their first year of life.

5. Hamster



Hamsters are harmless, cuddly and cute, right? But they still have one dark secret that could shock their owners if no one warns them. In some cases, female hamsters may confuse their own offspring for dinner. Some scientists suggest that they are trying to replenish nutrients after childbirth. Others argue that mother hamsters may feel stressed and threatened by having too large a litter, so this action is in some sense a self-defense mechanism.

6. Panda



It's hard to admit, but these cute furry guys are pretty negligent parents. Panda mothers usually give birth to twins, but they prefer to care for only one of them. They will feed and nurse the strongest cub. Meanwhile, the weak will be neglected and forced to survive as best they can. The explanation for their cruelty is quite practical. Pandas eat bamboo, but it is not nutritious enough to produce milk for both cubs. Even the pandas that live in the zoo follow the same tradition. But, fortunately, zookeepers feed all the cubs the same amount of milk.

7. Monkey Tamarin



While monkeys generally have a reputation for being caring and responsible parents, these little whiskered cuties stand out. After a gestation period of about 5 months, the mother tamarin usually gives birth to twins. And if they accidentally fell out of the tree, she would have the nerve to ignore the cries of her own babies. Some of them may voluntarily throw a child out of a tree for unknown reasons. But not all of them are so heartless. If a mother tamarin is surrounded by a wide social group of strong food providers and protectors, she is likely to take good care of her offspring. But when no one is watching or helping, she may stop making any effort. Probably because the cubs would not have a high chance of survival anyway.

8. Rabbits



Rabbits are usually associated with warm hugs. But in real life, they are not so gentle when it comes to their own newborns. Mother rabbits prefer to leave the burrow immediately after giving birth. And these cute kids have to learn to cope with life's difficulties on their own. They communicate with their mother for only a few minutes a day during feeding. Scientists theorize that the female rabbit abandons her offspring to confuse predators and keep them away. Of course, this method does not provide a 100% guarantee. Mother rabbits do not put much effort into creating a safe hiding place for their babies. They usually build it in the open air.