Many of us know the adorable Bo and Sunny Obama, the First Family’s pet dogs. In the past few decades, Americans have come to love presidential pets such as dogs, cats, and birds. But if you turn back the clock, there are some surprising animals that have found their way into the White House.

Thomas Jefferson owned two grizzly bear cubs. They were bought from a Native American man, and transported via horseback to the capital. Jefferson displayed them on the White House front lawn in a cage for the public to see.

Both presidents, John Quincy Adams and Herbert Hoover owned alligators. Adams kept the alligator in a bathroom next to the East Room. He enjoyed the surprised and frightened faces of his guests when he revealed the alligator. Hoover’s son, Allan, owned two alligators. They roamed the White House grounds.

Andrew Jackson owned a parrot that was taught to swear. A reverend at Jackson’s funeral said, “Before the sermon and while the crowd was gathering, a wicked parrot that was a household pet got excited and commenced swearing so loud and long as to disturb the people and had to be carried from the house.”

James Buchanan had a pair of bald eagles, while Calvin Coolidge had over 20 pets, including raccoons, a bobcat, lion cubs (named Tax Reduction and Budget Bureau), a wallaby, a hippo, and a black bear.

Woodrow Wilson owned a ram that chewed tobacco, Old Ike. He helped raise money for the war, when the president auctioned off his fleece.

Theodore Roosevelt, like Calvin Coolidge, also acquired many pets during his presidency. Some of these pets include snakes, kangaroo rats, bears, a badger, a lion, hyena, coyote, owl, lizard, and zebra.

Ronald Reagan owned quite a few pets, surprisingly having room for love in his icy heart.

Today, President Obama has two Portuguese water dogs. Even though the most modern presidential pets aren’t as exotic as the past, we still love them nonetheless. If this has sparked your curiosity, check out more presidential pets at presidentialpetmuseum.com!