Would you own an exotic animal? This video shows 3 options: MSN Entertainment - The first two are a "no," but the last one, a capybara, looks like a fun pet to have - a dog sized guinea pig who is also friendly toward its owner. Capybaras come from South America. Aside from these, a snake or other reptile is a major "no," though some people get off on those.
Definitely not if it's endangered, or if it's poached from remote habitats. I also think it's irresponsible when people have exoctic animals that they release into habitats they were not native to, and then cause problems, such as the various huge snakes wreaking havoc in Florida. About the only exotic animal I've ever considered would be a de-scented pet skunk. Our neighbors in Michigan had one when I was a kid, and it was pretty friendly, kinda between a cat and a rabbit in temperament. But having such a pet is a huge investment, in terms of patience, and finding a vet who is willing to and knows how to provide adequate care. Skunks are sooo cute! Though the claws are bigger than I might have thought...
No, I see no reason to own most exotic pets. The trade is often inhumane and illegal. Most of the people who get these as pets don't know how to properly care for one, and if something bad happens that animal is most likely euthanized. Some captive bred reptiles like Ball Pythons are fine but when people want to own something like a wolf, big cats...major no.
It depends on how you define exotic. Like, according to most vets, guinea pigs and rabbits count as 'exotic' because they require specialized care. I own a chinchilla and he is considered 'exotic' - I have to take him to a specialized vet if he has an issue. Exotics are not for everyone. Often they require VERY specialized care/treatment, and because many are not necessarily 'domesticated', they aren't always the most rewarding pets. Its often to the animal's detriment - people buy them because they're cute or cool and unique and have NO idea what they're getting themselves into. Chinchillas, for example, require pretty specific care and need a lot more space than one would typically consider. They need a specialized vet, their health care costs mount up fast, and they really don't like to even be handled much (they're like the cats of the rodent world....). Half the time my chinchilla is friendly, and half the time he couldn't care less that I'm even there. His cage alone cost me almost $400 and is about 5 feet tall, 2 feet wide, and a foot and a half deep. He's MESSY, gets hay and poop and bath dust EVERYWHERE, and I have to keep my house very cold so he doesn't have a heat stroke..... a lot of his toys and supplies are expensive and I have to order them in from independent retailers because pet store supplies are not safe. It takes a special person to love an animal that is that expensive and that much of a hassle to look after while not necessarily providing that much in return. I love my chinchilla to bits and spoil him because he's had a hard time of things - chinchillas are often marketed as cute little fluffballs that are uber friendly and easy to care for. My boy, like many chinchillas, lived most of his life in a cramped cage that was too small for him where all the floors were wire grid that harmed his feet. He had a dangerous plastic wheel and many toys he shouldn't have had. He was on poor quality food, and his previous owners had kept him in their basement where he was alone in the dark most of the time. He also came with a VERY dangerous plastic exercise ball which I sadly assume they put him in to let him run. One the 'novelty' wore off he wasn't really interacted with much and was cooped up in his cage alone in the dark. He was with these people for eight years. My cousin took him in, but he also didn't really know what was best for him because he came to me in the same awful cage with a lot of unsafe toys and the like. Now he's in a big cage and gets plenty of interaction, proper chew toys, appropriate bedding on solid floors, and a safe metal wheel with no big spoke. A lot of exotic pets are harmed by the pet trade. Would I own them? Some, yes, if I knew for sure I could look after them properly. I'm not getting rid of my chinchilla any time soon. But most I would never own, ESPECIALLY not if they were wild-caught. A lot of them aren't suited to being pets and aren't really 'domesticated'. And I wouldn't want to promote a 'trendy unique' pet that might contribute to a fad that would harm the animals. Not to mention that exotics are usually very expensive and people will breed them irresponsibly in an attempt to make money - again, chinchillas are a good example of this, where a lot of backyard breeders will throw any two chinchillas together and try and turn a profit selling them and probably giving the new owners horrible care advice in the process. Pet store operations are often like this when it comes to chins, and unfortunately a lot of problems that could be bred away from at least to a degree (heart and tooth problems, for example) are still extremely common - the animal is not being genetically bettered at all and poor breeding practices are just downright harmful. If you can find a responsible place to get your animals and take care of them properly, fine. I'm against owning some kinds of exotics more than others (chinchillas are pretty much entirely domestic now and are presumed extinct in the wild, for example, so if you can really look after one go for it, but don't go get yourself a tiger or a wolf-dog or anything under any circumstances) but some are all right. It depends on what you consider exotic and how exotic we're talking. In many cases the pet trade hurts exotics. In some cases its acceptable.
Depends on the type of animal weather its dangerous or what quality of life it would have in captivity. I do keep tarantulas I guess they would be considered exotic, most of mine are from Brazil and Chile and are captive bred except for one which was wild caught. I think as long as someone can properly care for and provide a good life for the animal and as long as it can't kill anybody then I think it ok, saying that I do think that there are some animals people shouldn't own. monkeys and wolves for example, monkeys need to be occupied constantly with mental stimulation or they get depressed and aggressive and wolves can travel for miles without a break, I don't believe that people no matter how well intentioned can really provide what these animals need to be happy. So if you are planning on getting an exotic animal, research! research! research!
Yes, and I currently own several. As a side note, it's kinda offensive to say that snake owners "get off" on them.
I don't like exotic animals of the reptile kind (never have, never will). If I could keep any animal on the grounds, it would either be a kangaroo or wallaby, a beaver, a menagerie of ducks of all kids (for both amusement and supper), or a Patagonian Cavy (sort of like a capybara). Of course, I'll be happy just having a couple of Pembroke Welsh corgis.
You mean because they're shaped kinda like a penis? I never heard this before, but people tend to say a lot of crazy things. I do like snakes, though never had one as a pet. As a kid, I used to catch garter snakes and green grass snakes, but I'd let 'em go again. Those snakes had a funny smell, unlike some bigger snakes I've met.
Well then, I apologize. I did not mean "get off" in sexual terms, but in the casual sense as in people getting off on recipes, vintage cars, or anything else of interest to them. It could also be a generational thing, as we used that growing up quite generously. A friend of mine found feeding time for his snake to be perversely exciting, which I couldn't understand. No one in his family liked the snake and the feedings either, as his mom would walk out of his room, roll her eyes, and mutter something to herself. I understand that they have to eat, but his being real keyed up when he put the mouse in the aquarium just didn't seem "right" to me.
I remember seeing these at the zoo when I was little, I thought the rabbits and deer must have had a baby together
No reptiles for me, ever, ever....I remember seeing fennec foxes at the local zoo many times and thinking how cute and graceful they looked. I never realized they were now available as pets. Skunks give me too much of an Ellie Mae Clampett vibe, although I actually always liked the idea of a raccoon. I wonder what that would be like as a pet? And something about a capybara makes me vaguely uneasy, like having a giant version of Ben the rat! I guess when push comes to shove, I'm just a basic dogs and cats guy....
