They love the higher amonia levels (something taking care of in proper compost management) and shoot off in thin whispy myelium at a rapid rate (kind of like cobweb mold).. The shaggy mane is an example of a choice edible from this family, the smaller inky caps we got are edible but combo-toxic. In other words you will do fine unless you drink alchohol 24 hours afterwards in which case you would more than likely feel sick/cramp... (hmmm a Drunk Driving Prevention Pill)

So to have fun with them you need to play with them and moisture levels, co2 levels, mess with the lighting cycles etc. They will do all sorts of tricks from curly deals to miniaturizations. Their spores are pretty heat resistant but I'm going to test the end substrate "as-is" as a growth medium for other mushroom species.

What fun things are there to do with them?

I didn't take spores and I've moved - I wouldn't say no a sample ( if they're shaggies ).
Good eating, you really can use them as ink and you can make mushroom ketchup.

Aren't they a serious competitor if you try growing other shrooms along side?

As for the drink driving pill - I think the substance is called coprine ( or similar ) -
it's sold as antabuse - a pill to help people dry out.

smig