The death of a pet frog led to a man assaulting his partner.
Glenn Harrison, 44, of Esplanade, Broughty Ferry, admitted repeatedly grabbing the woman on the body and attempting to push her out of the house on Saturday.
He also admitted shouting, swearing and forcing open a door on the same date.
Depute fiscal Eilidh Robertson told Dundee Sheriff Court on Monday that Harrison had confronted the complainer about text messages she had received.
Ms Robertson said: “He had started to shout at her, grabbed her by the T-shirt and tried to put her out of the house but the complainer pulled herself away and locked herself in a bedroom.”
Harrison broke down the door and the complainer hid under the bed and tried to call police.
The disturbance was heard by a neighbour.
Gary McIlravey, defending, said: “There is no sexual dimension to this. The couple have a menagerie of rare animals and the argument was over the care of these.
“The straw that broke the camel’s back was the death of a pet frog and things deteriorated from there. He is appalled and embarrassed and is unlikely to come before the court again.”
Mr McIlravey added: “This has been a terrible blip in their relationship.”
Sentence was deferred until January 28.