The Top 10 Scariest Animals In Movies

Happy Halloween! All month, in the spirit of Halloween, we've been writing about scary animals like bats and "monsters of the deep" and animals with terrifying fangs. Today we're finishing out the month with a list of the Top 10 scariest animal movies. Even the most ardent animal lovers will get chills when watching these evil creatures!

10. Lake Placid: A crocodile that can bite your leg off is bad enough, but a giant crocodile that can snap you in half is much, much worse.

9. Anaconda: This animal is scary enough in real life, measuring at more than 22 feet long and able to swim at high speeds. An anaconda that has a taste for human flesh and kills without warning? That's much scarier.

8. Piranha: Nothing can ruin a summer day relaxing on the lake worse than a swarm of mutant, man-eating piranhas! One, you might have a chance of fighting off. But an entire swarm? You're doomed.

7. Pet Semetary: A beloved feline is brought back from the dead by a well-meaning father. As much as every parent has wanted to do this to spare their children the sorrow of a dead pet, we see why it's not a good idea. Though the cat only kills birds and mice, he is the foreshadowing of something much more sinister.

6. Congo: Everyone would be scared to run into a gorilla in a jungle. After all, they're large and can take you out with one swipe if they wanted to. But add killer instincts to that, and you have some VERY scary primates!

5. Cujo: A pet Saint Bernard goes from Fido to man eater on a killing spree after he gets rabies, and terrorizes a town (and traps his owners in their car). Man's best friend? We don't think so.

4.The Birds: One of the earliest examples of "man versus nature" films, this Alfred Hitchcock classic turned seemingly innocent animals into mass murderers. The flapping of wings has never sounded so scary. Admit it: Even now, when you see any large gathering of birds, you  get a bit spooked out.

3. Jurassic Park: OK, so technically dinosaurs aren't animals but they were at one time and we think they fit in with the list. After seeing the T-Rex going after the car, or the raptors hunting the kids in the kitchen, who didn't pause to give thanks that dinosaurs are extinct?

2. Arachnophobia: How many of you had trouble sleeping the night after watching this movie because you kept feeling spiders crawling up your legs? This movie makes us look at every little spider as a serious threat.

1. Jaws: It's the movie that made an entire generation of movie-goers afraid to go into the water. The shark is "Jaws" is a hunter, a relentless killing machine and he's not afraid to get close to the shore for his next meal.

Halloween Pet Safety Tips

Halloween should be a fun time for everyone in your family, including your pets. To make sure your pets have a good holiday AND stay safe, follow these Halloween pet safety tips.

• Make sure they stay out of the candy. Most people know that dark chocolate is bad for dogs, but the artificial sweetener xylitol, used in many candies, is just as dangerous. Keep the candy out of reach from your pets to avoid toxic ingestion.

• Make sure any Halloween decorations that have electrical wires or cords are kept out of reach so you pets can chew through them, shocking themselves (and doing damage to your decorations)!

• If you decide to dress up your pet, make sure they are wearing a costume that is comfortable and non-restrictive, so they can move and breathe easily. Also make sure the costume doesn't hinder their sight or sound.

• When opening the door for trick-or-treaters, make sure your pet doesn't dart out and get lost in the night. A good option is to have them in another room, like the kitchen. This is also a good suggestion for pets who get stressed around strangers or a lot of people.

• Sadly, black cats are prime targets for cruel Halloween "pranks". Keep a close eye on your cat when it's outside or minimize its time outside on the days before and during Halloween.

Animals In Halloween Costumes

You know we just can't resist posting pictures of pets in Halloween costumes! And why should we? What's cuter and sillier than animals wearing outfits that look absolutely ridiculous (and adorable)? Nothing, that's what we say.

Want to see even more pets in Halloween costumes? Then visit our Pinterest board!

Pictures Of The Week - Eyes In The Dark

We're sharing two pictures today that remind us of just how scary, menacing and all around creepy animals and nature can be. We think it's the glowing eyes coupled with the animal packs... don't they look like something out of a nature horror movie?

One thing is for certain, we wouldn't want to have to face these animals alone on the farm/in the woods late at night! 

The Satanic Leaf-Tailed Gecko

When brainstorming ideas for Halloween-themed and related blogs for October, we knew we had to include this reptile based on its name along: the Satanic Leaf-Tailed Gecko.

And then we got a look at it. Whoa, that is one scary gecko! Definitely worthy of the name "Satanic"!

We assume it gets its evil sounding name because of its eyes. The gecko doesn't have any eyelids, just a translucent eye cover which give them a glassy look. 

Another creepy feature of this gecko is its skin, which looks exactly like a dead leaf, including edges that looked nibbled on and patches that look like they're decaying. When it comes to camouflaging itself from predators, this gecko is truly a master of disguise!

My, What Sharp Teeth You Have

Long, sharp fangs. Rows and rows of glistening teeth. You have to admit, it's the stuff horror movies are made up. It's also the stuff found in nature, as evidenced by these animals that all have scary teeth.

The gharial is a member of the crocodile family native to the southern region of Asia. Its long snout houses approximately 25 to 30 interlocking, razor-sharp upper and lower teeth on each side

The Goliath tigerfish can get up to a maximum size of 5 feet and 154 pounds. But its person-like size isn't the scariest part. That would be the large, dagger-like teeth in its mouth which can slice a catfish in half.

The hagfish use their scary-looking teeth to pull off hunks of flesh from larger fish. They not only feed on the outsides, but can also enter the inside of the fish and eat them from the inside - sometimes while the other fish is still alive!

Hyenas have powerful jaws; they use their teeth to catch their prey rather than their claws. Their teeth are sharp but also strong enough to crack and chew bones.

Those little nips your dog gives you doesn't seem so bad now, does it?

Scary Pictures Of Cute Animals

All animals are cute, in some way or another. Even those that are typically put in the "not cute, cuddly or adorable" category have their moments. But even the cutest, fluffiest animals have bad days. Mean days. Days when you wouldn't want to pet them, hold them or even see them on the other side of a bullet-proof zoo enclosure window. We present to you Scary Pictures Of Cute Animals!

Let's start with the husky. They're proud dogs; pretty dogs known for their piercing blue eyes. Here's a fun shot of a husky giving a sassy pose for the camera:

And here's a husky frolicking in the snow, isn't he adorable?

 And here's a husky that's plotting to murder you in your car.

Aack! Hope you have some treats in your car to soothe this angry dog.

 Now we move on to the koala bear, arguably the cutest "bear" there is.

Aww, here's a sleeping koala bear! Seriously, how sweet is that?

And, oh sweet Jesus, this koala bear is angry at the world and wants to rip your heart out of your chest! 

 Run. Run far and run fast.

Moving on to the ostrich. Not your typically "cute" animal, but look! Here's one peering inquisitively at the camera, isn't that fun?

And here's an ostrich smiling for the camera, how nice.

And here's an ostrich that... is coming straight at you with its devil teeth! Duck and cover! 

This is the stuff nightmares are made of, are we right?

Whew, OK, moving on. Here's another animal that's not often thought of as cute: the possum. But look how sweet this one peeping out of a tree is!

 And look, this one's climbing on a pumpkin! Doesn't he seem to be saying "Take me home! I'm lovable!"?

And this possum.... wants to chew your face off and leave you for dead.

Oh possum, we were so close to helping you win over peoples' hearts. Sigh. 

Tumblr Tuesday - Halloween Animals

We've been sharing a lot of spooky (and some silly) Halloween-themed photos on our Tumblr page, and decided it was time to share them with our blog readers too!

Halloween Party Finger Foods

Need some cute (or creepy) snacks for your kids' classroom parties? Or maybe to serve to your guest at your home Halloween party? We've rounded up a few of the cutest, most fun Halloween treats we found on Pinterest (all animal-themed, of course). We know they'll be the hit of any party food table!

1. Spider Deviled Eggs

2. Breadstick Snakes

3. Oreo Spider Cupcakes

4. Oreo Owl Cupcakes

5. Tentacle Potpie

6. Cheesy Bat Bites

Want to see more Halloween animal snacks (and party crafts)? Then visit our Pinterest board!

Pumpkin Carving Ideas - Pets On Pumpkins

When we came across these photos of dogs posing with their jack-o-lantern likenesses on Pinterest, we immediately fell in love. Anyone can carve a face on a pumpkin, but these carvings are definitely the work of a pet-loving artist.

So what do you think, readers? Are you inspired to try carving your dog's face on a pumpkin?