Exotic Pet Ideas

[hivedragon]

Lately I've been wanting to get a pet, I'm open to new ideas. It can't be a "snake or a bug" what that constitutes is up to debate as my little sister has a pair of hermit crabs. I have a closet 5'Hx3.5'Wx2'D, If I move the TV & video game stuff into the closet I'd open up a space of about 7'Hx4'Wx3'D. I'd like to stay within a total budget of roughly $300.

[LaZodiac]

Jellyfish.

[Xefas]

Toothless baby alligator.
http://i925.photobucket.com/albums/ad91/bluejanus/250px-Gummy.png

[Traab]

I had a prairie dog as a pet. They are pretty cool guys. Give em a cage with some stuff to run around on and they are happy. They dont mind being pet much either and will acclimate to your scent fairly quickly.

[onthetown]

What about a frog or a turtle? They're kind of cute.

[wxdruid]

catlover has a leopard gecko. They require a 10 gallon aquarium, bedding, a heat lamp and a supply of crickets and repticalcium. They are pretty low maintenance, but they're not exactly the hold and cuddle sort of critter. :smalltongue: She bought him from the Tye Dyed Iguana as a package deal and I think the total cost for the setup and animal was $120. For food, he goes through about 5 dozen medium crickets in about 2-3 weeks and they cost about $5 and they have their own little cricket container and you can buy special food/water for them.

Or, we also have 2 rats. They live in a large wire cage and the main cost with them, is the purchase of the cage, but they're not very exotic.

[Moglorosh]

Hedgehogs and sugar gliders are awesome.

[sparkyinbozo]

Panther chameleons ftw.

[LOTRfan]

Pigs and armadillos can be pets, if you have the proper license. Keep in mind that pigs are rather demanding, and that armadillos are loud nocturnal pets.

In Ethiopia, a shepherd actually learned how to domesticate spotted hyenas by training them from birth and giving them special pills to sterilize them. Something tells me you cannot/don't want one of these guys, though. If they go feral, they'll bite your face off (literally) as you sleep.

[Agamid]

i have several bearded dragons, 2 rats, a frog and a salamander. they are all awesome pets, but the frog and salamander you can't really interact with except with regards to feeding them.
the lizards are fantastic though. each with its own unique personality and really affectionate (despite what one might think). Be prepared to be scratched to pieces on a regular basis though. i have scars up my arms from my big male, but i don't clip his claws at all and i encourage him to climb.
The rats are awesome too. been keeping rats for as long as lizards (sooo... 15 years..? yeah 15). they are sooo much fun! but they are nocturnal, so having them in your room can keep you awake at night (i can sleep through anything but my boyfriend can't), they start playing about 10 minutes after you turn your light off at night. and they are prone to cancer and only live a maximum of 3 years (generally, unless you're lucky enough to get one that doesn't get tumours).

[Savannah]

Rats, while not exactly "exotic", are awesome pets. They're a truly domesticated animal, and so are easy to handle, don't bite although they will nibble when they're grooming you (if properly socialized), tend to come find you if they escape their cage instead of disappearing forever, have interesting personalities, and generally love to be petted. They're definitely a very easy option for a pet and tend to be quite hardy, so they're a good pet to get started with.

Whatever you end up going with, do your research!* Exotic pets, pretty much by definition, have special needs. It's pretty common for people to get an exotic without understanding its needs and then kill it through unintentional neglect or be forced to find a new home for it (which isn't easy, usually). I, for example, would love a bearded dragon, but after researching their needs, they're not a pet I can properly care for right now.

*And I don't mean asking us on here. Go to the library and get 2-5 books that were published within the last 5-10 years on the animal you're looking at and read them. You can probably substitute web research if you don't have a good library around, but do check the credentials of whoever's writing the site.

[ScottishDragon]

Get a skunk.:smallcool: Like cats, only 5x cuter. Exact same as cats,cept u gotta get rid of the stink gland and their omnivores.

[druid91]

Ferrets are pretty cool.

Hyperactive though.

And bitey.

[Crow]

Get a crow. People will hate it, but you can teach it to talk!

[Ajadea]

Rats, while not exactly "exotic", are awesome pets. They're a truly domesticated animal, and so are easy to handle, don't bite although they will nibble when they're grooming you (if properly socialized), tend to come find you if they escape their cage instead of disappearing forever, have interesting personalities, and generally love to be petted. They're definitely a very easy option for a pet and tend to be quite hardy, so they're a good pet to get started with.

Seconding rats. Cute, cuddly, and very intelligent. You can carry them in a pocket or on your shoulder, teach them to do tricks, and each is unique and wonderful. I'd suggest female rats-smaller, sleeker, and you can keep multiple females in the same cage and they won't kill each other.

Though they are definitely very tough (look, I dropped mine a few times and she was fine), they don't have naturally long lifespans. 3-4 years is average and mine only lasted 2. It was worth every moment, though, and I'm planning on getting another.

[Savannah]

I'd suggest female rats-smaller, sleeker, and you can keep multiple females in the same cage and they won't kill each other.

You can keep males together as well (you can even introduce strange males - I've done it - but it generally works best if you start with litter mates). In fact, you need to keep rats in pairs (or more, but pairs is easiest) of the same gender together in the same cage unless you're prepared to spend 18+ hours cuddling and wrestle at 3am to keep them happy. They're very social creatures.

As for males vs females, males are bigger and lazier, and so are more likely to make lap pets. Females are smaller, slightly less smelly (if you clean the cage regularly, it's not a noticeable difference, but I did have to clean my boys slightly more often than my girls), and much more active and playful. In my experience, males have slightly fewer health problems and my males lived about 6 months longer than my females, as they're less likely to get the mammary tumors that most females get in their old age (the tumors are usually benign, but they are a drain on the girl's body).

[Lyndworm]

My grandfather's cousin had a pet raccoon. She had her own barstool and little mug at the bar. I'm fairly certain it's illegal to give an animal alcohol, but that didn't stop her from enjoying a little beer now and again.

Sadly, this was all before my time and I never met Patsy ****.

Note:
This story has been told for entertainment only and raccoons usually make horrible, horrible pets because they're smart, mean and have thumbs. They eventually released Patsy into the wild.

[_Zoot_]

Bearded Dragons! The're awesome! And while mine are asleep at the moment (I don't know how they know that it is winter, seeing as their arena is heated, but they do!) they are otherwise awesome pets!

My two are called Snap and Sleepy. :smallbiggrin:

[Amiel]

I really wish pet stores sold miniature Cthulhus. Alas.

As for exotic pets, perhaps a pet rock, civet, or bear.
Fennec foxes, sugar gliders (they're in vogue), or some form of reptile or amphibian (like an axolotol; legless skink)

[SuperFerret]

As said above, I'd recommend thoroughly researching the animal first.

Sugar gliders make terrible pets unless you're in a tropical area, and even then they're difficult to keep. Hedgehogs are cool, but very short lived and prone to cancers. Reptiles are generally low maintenance once you get them set up, but can get expensive over time. Ferrets are my all-time favorite (surprise, surprise) but they're not for everyone and are illegal in many places (they also have a bunch of common health problems too).

Also, be sure you know of a vet in your area that sees the species you plan to get. Many vets are cat/dog only.

[drakir_nosslin]

And remember that turtles can (and probably will if you take care of them) live at least as long as you do...

I've always wanted a raccoon or a red panda as a pet, since they seem to have so much personality (and they are stunningly cute!), but I suspect that it's going to remain a dream.

[Amiel]

As said above, I'd recommend thoroughly researching the animal first.

I very much third this.


Sugar gliders make terrible pets unless you're in a tropical area, and even then they're difficult to keep.

Unless you're mentioning an unknown species of sugar glider, they are generally relatively easy to care for as pets (you will need to research their care requirements), and exist happily in cooler climates; people keep sugar gliders in temperate Melbourne for example (not as pets though; as a special permit is required). With sugar gliders, as they are communal social animals, you should ideally house several in the one place.

[Asthix]

You should consider getting a Chinchilla. They are one of the softest creatures in the world and they take dust baths. I have yet to meet a person that doesn't want to watch Chinchillas taking a dust bath for ever and ever.

[thubby]

chameleon!
they're cute and change colors (which makes them just awesome)

of course, they get kinda big (2 feet-ish) and are reptiles, so kinda finicky with the environment and all.

[Asta Kask]

A girlfriend! They generally clean themselves and are very social. :smallbiggrin:

[phoenixineohp]

You might need to narrow this down for us a bit more. Mammal? Reptile? Bird? Level of desired interaction? Desired lifespan? Do you have experience with any types of animals?

[polity4life]

I have a Russian Tortoise and those things appear to be mostly hit with some miss. They sometimes arbitrarily starve themselves to death, according to the proprietor who sold me mine. However, they have very low water needs and that helps keep the pen clean and free of moisture.

[Agamid]

I really wish pet stores sold miniature Cthulhus. Alas.


my landlord and his girlfriend (who live in the downstairs half of the house) have a new puppy called Cthulhu. possibly the cutest puppy you ever did see. could drive you insane with cuteness.

[Mauve Shirt]

When you make the (usually bad) decision to get an exotic pet, make sure it won't shriek, poop everywhere and live for 50 years. *glares at the African Grey parrot in her kitchen*

[Kislath]

Opossum!
I had a passel of possums once, and they were awesome. You have to get them very young, but once tame they're the best. My favorite, Que, ( que possum, get it? ) would sit on my shoulder like a pirate's parrot and wrap her tail around my neck. She would run 3-D mazes for treats.

[super dark33]

Theres always an Ostrich you know, hwen they are not kicking you they are very nice and cute. (treat them as chickens, but be careful of them as they were horses). you can take thier eggs (yum yum) and when they are large enough or when you just want to, you can take them to the local butcher and get some food for a few months.
I may be jokeing,or not?

[Juggling Goth]

What kind of pet can you realistically care for?

- Can you confidently expect to look after something that lives 2 years? 10 years? 70?

- How about their social needs? Parrots for instance are destructive to themselves and everything around them when neglected - think of them as a toddler that will live for decades and can bite through furniture or put you in hospital. Equally, if you get an animal that just wants to be left alone, will you be able to not cuddle it?

- Related to the above, how potentially injured are you prepared to get, and how many people nearby are likely to poke the animal until it lashes out at them?

- What kind of environment can you provide? Humidity? Temperature? Swimming? Sufficient exercise? Plus the more exotic a pet gets, generally, the more expensive suitable housing gets.

- What foods are you prepared to feed? Meat? Whole dead animals? Live invertebrates?

- What can the vets in your area deal with?

[Alchemistmerlin]

Crayfish. They're like tiny lake torpedoes.

[SuperFerret]

I very much third this.



Unless you're mentioning an unknown species of sugar glider, they are generally relatively easy to care for as pets (you will need to research their care requirements), and exist happily in cooler climates; people keep sugar gliders in temperate Melbourne for example (not as pets though; as a special permit is required). With sugar gliders, as they are communal social animals, you should ideally house several in the one place.

The bolded shows exactly what I mean. Call me cynical, but working in the vet field for about 7 or so years (more if you count my experience working at pet stores), most people don't do any research when getting any pet and that seems to go double for exotics.

And I haven't met a sugar glider that hasn't been miserable and their basic living requirements seem out of even my league and I medicate animals for a living.

[userpay]

Cool we've got at least one vet in the thread. I myself work at a pet retailer as well as volunteer at a Wildlife Shelter (we also get the exotic pets) so I've gotten the chance to interact with various animals. I can't emphasize enough, as others already have, is do your research. While we can offer suggestions you have a much better idea of your living situation and limitations than you'll beable to tell us. When people come in to get a new pet we almost always try to tell them as much as possible about said pet and try to get them to go home and think about it first, particularly when they aren't quite sure which pet they want to get coming in.

Anyway exotic wise my favorites thus far (though honestly I haven't actually owned them) are the chameleons and bearded dragons. Now I don't recall the needed dimensions off the top of my head but realistically out of those two the chameleon is your best bet space wise as I know beardies need more horizontal space than chameleons do.

On the not so exotic side (again haven't owned one) a rat would be a very good option. Space wise you'd probably have to get one of those multileveled cages but I've found its much easier to handle them than, say, the hamsters.

[Juggling Goth]

Cool we've got at least one vet in the thread. I myself work at a pet retailer as well as volunteer at a Wildlife Shelter (we also get the exotic pets) so I've gotten the chance to interact with various animals.

I have a pet corn snake, and I work with birds. It's kind of opposite ends of the exotic animal spectrum. The snake is much, much lower maintenance, even though she needs temperature control. The parrots all have their own individual neuroses. One will fly (no pun intended) into a rage at the sight of a hat. I think she interprets it as the human doing a threat display with head-feathers. The things you have to think about.

Shame the OP can't get a snake, really, since corn snakes are excellent exotic pets for beginners. Their environmental requirements aren't too strict; they don't get huge; they're about as friendly as snakes get; they don't have much in the way of social needs; they're mostly good eaters; they're not dangerous. Ah well.

[aart lover]

1.)ocelot
2.)octopus

[SuperFerret]

Cool we've got at least one vet in the thread.

More like vet tech, but thanks for the recognition.

[userpay]

More like vet tech, but thanks for the recognition.

My folks wanted me to go into the vet field, I've always been good with pets, but I don't know if I could handle having to be involved in doing all the surgeries and such. More power to ya. My retail job is probably the closest I'd get to that since we occasionally get sick animals amongst the ones we sell (and occasionally returned to us sick) and we medicate them in back after being evaluated at a vet till they're better. Pity the vet department of the store is shut down.

[Yanagi]

Another caution:

Know where your exotic pets are coming from and how they've been obtained/raised and transported. There's a lot of animal poaching and smuggling out there, and also forced breeding in unwholesome conditions, and not every pet store bothers to ask questions. The former practice is devastating to local environments--particularly since poachers go after juveniles...generally by killing the parents. The latter makes for sick, skittish animals that suffer a great deal before they die young...and your money funds the creation of more animals that will suffer.

[Traab]

My folks wanted me to go into the vet field, I've always been good with pets, but I don't know if I could handle having to be involved in doing all the surgeries and such. More power to ya. My retail job is probably the closest I'd get to that since we occasionally get sick animals amongst the ones we sell (and occasionally returned to us sick) and we medicate them in back after being evaluated at a vet till they're better. Pity the vet department of the store is shut down.

I wanted to be a vet but im deathly allergic to cats. Might cause problems in the long run. People get creeped out when their vet wears an old fashioned diving bell.

[CrimsonAngel]

Fly over to Japan and catch a pokemon.

I am on fire today. :smallcool:

[Traab]

Fly over to Japan and catch a pokemon.

I am on fire today. :smallcool:

Squirtle, use watergun! There, all better now.

[Kislath]

Octopuses are awesome, but they have very demanding requirements and only live less than a year. ( except for a handful of huge coldwater species) Real heartbreakers. Ocelots are getting popular, though.
One thing I always wanted is a Flying Fox fruit bat.

[hivedragon]

- Can you confidently expect to look after something that lives 2 years? 10 years? 70?

I am willing to take care of a pet indefinitely.


- How about their social needs? Parrots for instance are destructive to themselves and everything around them when neglected - think of them as a toddler that will live for decades and can bite through furniture or put you in hospital. Equally, if you get an animal that just wants to be left alone, will you be able to not cuddle it?

Someone will be there to feed it every day, but I myself won't be there to interact with it everyday. But I am willing to purchase a pair of animals so they won't get lonely.


- Related to the above, how potentially injured are you prepared to get, and how many people nearby are likely to poke the animal until it lashes out at them?

I'm fine if I never can hold it, so jaws claws spines and stings are all right.


- What kind of environment can you provide? Humidity? Temperature? Swimming? Sufficient exercise? Plus the more exotic a pet gets, generally, the more expensive suitable housing gets.

I want something that doesn't need to leave it's enclosure to get enough exercise. But I can provide any temperature within reason. I'd prefer it not be from a jungle though as hot and moist is fungi friendly.


- What foods are you prepared to feed? Meat? Whole dead animals? Live invertebrates?

I will not be feeding it any live crickets, tried that, they are smelly, noisy and hard to catch. Also I won't be allowed to feed it any whole (possibly frozen) mice. live worms/shrimp might be on the table.


- What can the vets in your area deal with?

I know of a local vet, I'm not really sure what you mean by what he can deal with.

[userpay]

I will not be feeding it any live crickets, tried that, they are smelly, noisy and hard to catch. Also I won't be allowed to feed it any whole (possibly frozen) mice. live worms/shrimp might be on the table.

Well that does kinda limit exotic pets a lot since quite a few of them (reptile wise at least) eat crickets/bugs as a staple.


I know of a local vet, I'm not really sure what you mean by what he can deal with.

What was meant is can the vet handle exotic animals as many vets are cat/dog only.

[Savannah]

Someone will be there to feed it every day, but I myself won't be there to interact with it everyday. But I am willing to purchase a pair of animals so they won't get lonely.

Don't get a rat. In fact, don't get anything that wants actual social interaction with humans. If you can't be there for it every day, that won't be fair to it. This combined with:


I'm fine if I never can hold it, so jaws claws spines and stings are all right.

I want something that doesn't need to leave it's enclosure to get enough exercise. But I can provide any temperature within reason. I'd prefer it not be from a jungle though as hot and moist is fungi friendly.

makes me think that you want to look into a lizard or fish tank. (And rats do need to leave their cage for exercise and attention, by the way.)


I know of a local vet, I'm not really sure what you mean by what he can deal with.

Most vets are dog/cat only. Finding a local vet who can deal with exotics can be difficult.

[aart lover]

Octopuses are awesome, but they have very demanding requirements and only live less than a year. ( except for a handful of huge coldwater species) Real heartbreakers. Ocelots are getting popular, though.
One thing I always wanted is a Flying Fox fruit bat.

actually, it's octopi :smallwink:

[Asta Kask]

Nope, that's a fake plural. You mistake Greek -pus for Latin -us. If you must stick with the Classical endings (and I advise against it), the correct form is octopodes. But a professional editor I know over the net recommended octopuses.

[aart lover]

Nope, that's a fake plural. You mistake Greek -pus for Latin -us. If you must stick with the Classical endings (and I advise against it), the correct form is octopodes. But a professional editor I know over the net recommended octopuses.

huh. i just assumed the plural form of anything endind in 'S' was pi. thanks :)

[Juggling Goth]

Someone will be there to feed it every day, but I myself won't be there to interact with it everyday. But I am willing to purchase a pair of animals so they won't get lonely. [...]

I want something that doesn't need to leave it's enclosure to get enough exercise. But I can provide any temperature within reason. I'd prefer it not be from a jungle though as hot and moist is fungi friendly. [...]

I will not be feeding it any live crickets, tried that, they are smelly, noisy and hard to catch. Also I won't be allowed to feed it any whole (possibly frozen) mice. live worms/shrimp might be on the table.

Hmm. Unfortunately, it sounds to me like your setup for its emotional/habitat needs is reptile but you don't want a snake and you can't feed what a lot of reptiles eat. I mean, generally, animals that live in cages need a lot of socialising and playtime to be happy, and the ones that don't either freak people out or eat stuff that freaks people out.


I know of a local vet, I'm not really sure what you mean by what he can deal with.

A lot of vets won't do 'exotics', and their definition of 'exotics' can be ridiculously broad. This can get worse if you need out-of-hours help. I once had a vet freak out at the possibility of a lovebird with an injured claw (I'm thinking, "That's not exotic. Old ladies keep them. If old ladies have them, they're not exotic. And it's basically just a short fat angry budgie...") and I ended up doing first aid on it myself.

[The_Admiral]

An Iguana:smallbiggrin:

[Savannah]

Iguanas have very specific dietary and other needs as well as getting quite large and therefore needing either a huge cage or lots of time out of their cage. Probably not a good fit.

[Asta Kask]

A Komodo dragon.

[The_Admiral]

Iguanas have very specific dietary and other needs as well as getting quite large and therefore needing either a huge cage or lots of time out of their cage. Probably not a good fit.

Oh my dad was not planning to have a cage for it. How about a turtle, they are very low maintinance and they eat raw vegetables that you would not want to eat.

[Asta Kask]

IIRC, Konrad Lorent's take on turtles as pets was that it was not that they were easy to care for, it's just that they take a long time to die.

Perhaps it's better nowadays, since he said this 70 years ago or so.

[wxdruid]

catlovers leopard gecko eats either mealworms or crickets. I think he prefers the crickets and contrary to what I first believed, crickets are easy to keep and easy to feed.

You buy a 10-20 dollar cricket hut complete with black tubes that go with it. You buy cricket water and cricket food for 5 dollars a tub and it lasts for a few months. You buy one container of repti-calcium to dust the crickets with. We usually go to the reptile store once every 2-3 weeks to buy new crickets. We get 5 dozen medium crickets each time for about 5 dollars. Into the cricket hut they go and they love the black tubes. When we want to feed the leopard gecko, we take out one of the black tubes (they slide in and out) and put a little repti-calcium inside, cap both ends, shake it up and attempt to shake out only 5 or so crickets into the cage. I never have to actually touch the crickets. Sometimes one or two escape but we find them and feed them to the leopard gecko. Sometimes one of our cats finds it and disables it for us. :smallamused:

[SuperFerret]

A lot of vets won't do 'exotics', and their definition of 'exotics' can be ridiculously broad. This can get worse if you need out-of-hours help. I once had a vet freak out at the possibility of a lovebird with an injured claw (I'm thinking, "That's not exotic. Old ladies keep them. If old ladies have them, they're not exotic. And it's basically just a short fat angry budgie...") and I ended up doing first aid on it myself.

"Exotics" are basically anything that's not a dog or a cat or some farm related mammalian livestock (i.e. horses, cattle, goats, sheep, pigs). Birds, reptiles, ferrets, rodents, fruit bats, orangutans, breakfast cereals, spiders, fish, etc. are all "exotics".

For the most part, this is due to a need for more specialized training. A ferret or a hamster may be mammals, but they're still very different from dogs and cats. As for the aforementioned love bird, birds have delicate bones and an injured claw can be very serious and tricky to fix if you don't know how to handle them. A vet refusing to deal with it is covering their ass in case a wrong move prompts a malpractice suit.

[bluewind95]

If you're willing to spend some time learning how to nitrogen-cycle a tank, you may want to look into fish. They don't NEED interaction much, but can provide some, especially if you get an intelligent fish. In a 5-gallon or 10-gallon, I would recommend a betta fish. They are solitary, you won't really get to give them tank mates (unless you want to risk a sorority, but I wouldn't advise it. They WILL attack, MAY kill each other, and if you do get one male, they ARE much flashier-looking). They're somewhat trainable, they will actually interact somewhat with you, they're pretty amazing little critters.

(No, they do NOT fare well on bowls. IT's a lie. They can survive, but not live well.)

[userpay]

If you're willing to spend some time learning how to nitrogen-cycle a tank, you may want to look into fish. They don't NEED interaction much, but can provide some, especially if you get an intelligent fish. In a 5-gallon or 10-gallon, I would recommend a betta fish. They are solitary, you won't really get to give them tank mates (unless you want to risk a sorority, but I wouldn't advise it. They WILL attack, MAY kill each other, and if you do get one male, they ARE much flashier-looking). They're somewhat trainable, they will actually interact somewhat with you, they're pretty amazing little critters.

(No, they do NOT fare well on bowls. IT's a lie. They can survive, but not live well.)

Compared to other fish a betta does better in a bowl no? Doesn't mean that they do well just better/best compared to other options.

[bluewind95]

Compared to other fish a betta does better in a bowl no? Doesn't mean that they do well just better/best compared to other options.

They can breathe water from the surface, so in terms of breathing, yeah. In terms of ammonia, they will fare VERY badly, especially with their beautiful, long fins. The ammonia builds up fast in a bowl (in less than a day, it can get to toxic levels!) and will burn their gills and bodies. Think about any time you've vomited and the raw, burning feeling in your throat. Imagine that in your lungs. That's how the betta is going to be feeling. Only he can't talk, so you might THINK he's faring okay, when he really isn't. They tend to be sturdy, so they will take a while to die... but they will die a long and torturous death.

[userpay]

They can breathe water from the surface, so in terms of breathing, yeah. In terms of ammonia, they will fare VERY badly, especially with their beautiful, long fins. The ammonia builds up fast in a bowl (in less than a day, it can get to toxic levels!) and will burn their gills and bodies. Think about any time you've vomited and the raw, burning feeling in your throat. Imagine that in your lungs. That's how the betta is going to be feeling. Only he can't talk, so you might THINK he's faring okay, when he really isn't. They tend to be sturdy, so they will take a while to die... but they will die a long and torturous death.

Hmm good to know considering my job. But sometimes people want those little bowls regardless... Bah it drives me nuts sometimes how when you tell customers one thing and they still want to do what they're not suppose to do.

[bluewind95]

Hmm good to know considering my job. But sometimes people want those little bowls regardless... Bah it drives me nuts sometimes how when you tell customers one thing and they still want to do what they're not suppose to do.

Those of us that keep aquariums... we call those bowls death traps, because that's really what they are. They're okay if you want to take a picture of a betta. And if you're REALLY committed, you MIGHT be able to keep one in a 1-2 gallon container.... but you'll need to change the water daily, perhaps more often. That won't be especially good for the betta either, though. They get REALLY spooked when you get them out of their water, and stress makes them prone to getting ill.

[Lady Tialait]

My mom kept a betta in a filtered tank, and used to breed them. She told me once the when the eggs hatched, the male broke through the netting she had there, and she had to grab it out...she didn't have anything ready and ended up dropping it the toilet...



As for an Exotic Pet, personally I love Iquanas

[Jallorn]

Of the top of my head I'm going to go with Chinchilla and Otter. Specifically a River Otter. I've always wanted to get one of those as a pet.

[ImaginaryGirl]

Sugar gliders make for really affectionate pets from what I hear, but you do have to make sure they stay warm and have enough room. Also they're social, so it's not a good idea to get just one.

I guess that whatever you get be sure you can care for it properly. I don't mean to be condescending...but some exotic pets get neglected because their owners aren't aware of their exotic needs. Or other factors, for that matter. For example, some parrots live to be 80 years old so if someone were to get one, I highly recommend they willing them to a family member. ;D

Other exotic animals just don't make good pets. Like monkeys. They can be nasty, it's hard to care for them properly, and they carry diseases. Plus, some of the REALLY exotic animals are imported illegally. So...you know...do research!

As a side note, don't be tempted by those domestic cat/wild cat hybrids that have become all the rage...where they breed domestic cats with servals or the like. A looot of cats die in that breeding process. The whole business is shady, really.

Edit: I've kept bettas for years now, with varrying success. THey are GORGEOUS, especially if you get them from a good breeder. I kept mine in a small tank, but with good filtration and frequent water changes. Even so, I'm going to wait to get my next one until I get a larger tank. They're just a lot more stable. When I do...I'll be getting mine from http://www.nicebettas.com/Stock_Shop/. She's a wonderful lady, has gorgeous fish, and knows how to treat them well.

[Asthix]

Chinchillas can make very good pets, they just need a big cage and someone who'll clean it out regularly. And of course the awesome, awesome dust baths.

[ImaginaryGirl]

Reminds me of the documentary on domestic foxes that they've bread in Russia. 'Course those cost thousands. But there were some very interesting genetics behind it.

[userpay]

Reminds me of the documentary on domestic foxes that they've bread in Russia. 'Course those cost thousands. But there were some very interesting genetics behind it.

Ah yes I saw that to. Interesting how quickly they managed that and probably illegal in the US. I'd still be interested in one if they're as tame as claimed.

[Rising Phoenix]

Know where your exotic pets are coming from and how they've been obtained/raised and transported.

THIS

Also (as others said) do your research and remember, when in doubt get a cat or dog. Plenty of these beautiful, loving animals in animal shelters because their human owners were ..... lets not go there

I can offer advise on birds if you're interested, been living with birds since I can remember. I'll tell you this bout large parrots from the start though

- DON'T BUY ONE unless you can look after it for the rest of your life. They are extremely social creatures that you will have to pay attention every waking hour.

[Traab]

I put a beta in my aquarium once, poor thing got torn to shreds by the other fish. Its tail got eaten away before we even knew it was happening. I freaking hate my fish. They have a serious objection to anything attractive being put in there. I can only keep three steel grey/blue gouramis and a single half blind angel fish, (one of its eyes is solid white) Everything else dies, either on its own, or... helped along. Mollies got nibbled to death, tiger barbs got yanked because they kept attacking everything, the other angel fish got chunks bitten off their heads, dont even ask about the neon tetras, (the albino frogs loved the snack food) My scum eater keeps dying, not sure why. Last one was nearly trout sized it got so big, nothing else has survived since. Even the GOLDFISH dont make it!

[bluewind95]

Sounds like water parameters, Traab. Each kind of fish needs a different temperature range and other such things and that can vary wildly between fish. Just putting water into an aquarium and a bunch of fish in it won't do it.

In fact, putting a bunch of fish into an aquarium will likely just overstock it, and the ammonia and possible nitrites will kill them all.

As for the goldfish... many people feel impressed when their goldfish lives a year or two in a bowl and they feel warm and fuzzy inside because it lived so long. Well. Goldfish kept in proper conditions can live 20-30 YEARS. This might give you an idea of just how BAD bowls are.

[Zea mays]

On the lizard front, how about a chuckwalla? They mainly eat greens, flowers and fruits.

[Pheehelm]

Reminds me of the documentary on domestic foxes that they've bread in Russia. 'Course those cost thousands. But there were some very interesting genetics behind it.I read about those in National Geographic and have wanted one of my own ever since.

[phoenixineohp]

Is there a good reptile pet store near you? That would solve the cricket problem, unless you are adverse to them in general. What did you try them with?


If there is a vet near you that specializes in birds, a pair of budgies might be good for you. Otherwise it's sounding like a fish. Maybe a dwarf hamster? They are really cute, live about 2 years, and either like human interaction or don't. They are nocturnal and easy to care for. It's only one per cage though. No matter what anyone in the store says. Trust me on that one. :smallannoyed:

One thing to factor in is if you go for a bird, you will need annual vet trips. Those are expensive. And with them, by the time you know it's sick, it is usually too late. Hence the regular check up every 6-12 months.

[Juggling Goth]

And with them, by the time you know it's sick, it is usually too late.

Oooh yeah. That's a problem with animals that haven't been domesticated since forever. Looking sick, in the wild, means "I am weak, please feel free to kill and eat me". So they just don't do it until they're too far gone.

[Rising Phoenix]

Sounds like water parameters, Traab. Each kind of fish needs a different temperature range and other such things and that can vary wildly between fish. Just putting water into an aquarium and a bunch of fish in it won't do it.

In fact, putting a bunch of fish into an aquarium will likely just overstock it, and the ammonia and possible nitrites will kill them all.

As for the goldfish... many people feel impressed when their goldfish lives a year or two in a bowl and they feel warm and fuzzy inside because it lived so long. Well. Goldfish kept in proper conditions can live 20-30 YEARS. This might give you an idea of just how BAD bowls are.

I also got the vibe that his fish are territorial and thus kill disoriented new comers. I suggest you get fish of similar size and dominance... Avoid mixing little species with bigger species unless the bigger ones are placid vegetarians/prefer slower prey.

[Traab]

Yeah, ive already figured most of that out, the hard way. At its best, I had two albino frogs, three guramis, an angel fish, an algae eater and a couple gold fish all alive and relatively happy. The frogs LOVED the tetras. Poor little guys. They got eaten before the last one got dumped into the tank. I looked down in time to see the frogs play hungry hungry hippos as their heads and arms would shoot up and snag the little fish and gobble them down.

Now though, everything in the tank is full grown, and they seem surly. The gold fish didnt get attacked, but thats because they were already a decent size. Baby algae eaters tend to last a week tops before they vanish and I havent been able to get one thats already a good size. (Im about to rob the chinese buffet near the pet shop, they have an indoor lake with big goldfish and algae eaters inside, lol) Any other fish either dies or is eaten by the others. Ah well, worst case ill wait for these guys to die then refill the entire tank with a new generation of babies after making sure they all get along with the same temp tank and each other.

[Fera Tian]

A Komodo dragon.

i have a feeling you arent taking this thread very seriously
get a goblin

[bluewind95]

... That's like a 50-gallon tank, right? :smalleek:

[Wayril]

Having a falcon is awesome, but not cheap by any stretch of the imagination. Sorry not trying to really by helpful here, but falcons are awesome. I would go with a cat though.

If you get a good one it's pretty much the perfect pet, not exotic, but you'll probably still have enough money left for a can of glow-in-the-dark spray paint. jk jk. I do not condone animal cruelty. Especially not toward cats. (I know you wouldn't do that either)

[ImaginaryGirl]

Ah yes I saw that to. Interesting how quickly they managed that and probably illegal in the US. I'd still be interested in one if they're as tame as claimed.

Yeah. They got away with it because it was Soviet era Russia. Was originally done for the fur trade. :{ Now I believe they sell domestic foxes to care for the others? Not sure, though.


I put a beta in my aquarium once, poor thing got torn to shreds by the other fish. Its tail got eaten away before we even knew it was happening. I freaking hate my fish. T

Yeah, you can only put bettas in with docile fish. Need to check on fish temperment first. Often schooling fish like tetras will rip their fins. I've been considering getting a short finned plakat betta, though, which might not have the same problem. That or just put it with docile fish.

Also, about the exotic pet thing...ditto on knowing where the pet comes from. And really...cats and dogs are nice. There are plenty of them out there who need homes. And they're popular for a reason- they dont' need as much care, aren't as expensive to care for bar illness, care and they're usually much more affectionate than most exotic animals.

[The Succubus]

Be very, very careful.

A lot of endangered species are often taken by the exotic pet trade and many die while trying to be smuggled through customs. Ask your pet supplier where the animal was sourced from and whether they have any documented evidence to back it up.

Pets are great but wrecking species just because people want something other than a dog or a cat is seriously not cool.

[Kislath]

Have any of you ever heard of a Civetlike critter called a Cacomistle, or possibly know where to find one?
A Kinkajoo might be nice, too, but I'd still prefer a Flying fox.

[Rising Phoenix]

Have any of you ever heard of a Civetlike critter called a Cacomistle, or possibly know where to find one?
A Kinkajoo might be nice, too, but I'd still prefer a Flying fox.

*Does wiki search*... Both of these critters are endangered. I really suggest leaving them to the zoos, better still in the wild. Even if you did find a dealer, then they would almost certainly make bad pets as a) they're wild animals b) they're traumatized c) likely to be difficult to look after as they're not kept as pets and are not domesticated, d) because of these your pet will likely die or you will abandon it cause its too difficult to look after.


As for Flying Foxes, they really are not suitable as pets. Due to dietary requirements and biology.

Just get a cat, dog or common bird species. :smallsmile:

[Juggling Goth]

Things to look for when buying exotic pets:

- is it captive-bred? There is no excuse for buying/selling wild-caught animals. None. Horrible business. Boycott places that support it. End of.

- does it have a good record of doing the things it's meant to do? It's hard to tell if an exotic animal is healthy or not. You want it to be eating well and behaving normally, or something is wrong.

[Gullintanni]

Yeah, ive already figured most of that out, the hard way. At its best, I had two albino frogs, three guramis, an angel fish, an algae eater and a couple gold fish all alive and relatively happy. The frogs LOVED the tetras. Poor little guys. They got eaten before the last one got dumped into the tank. I looked down in time to see the frogs play hungry hungry hippos as their heads and arms would shoot up and snag the little fish and gobble them down.

Now though, everything in the tank is full grown, and they seem surly. The gold fish didnt get attacked, but thats because they were already a decent size. Baby algae eaters tend to last a week tops before they vanish and I havent been able to get one thats already a good size. (Im about to rob the chinese buffet near the pet shop, they have an indoor lake with big goldfish and algae eaters inside, lol) Any other fish either dies or is eaten by the others. Ah well, worst case ill wait for these guys to die then refill the entire tank with a new generation of babies after making sure they all get along with the same temp tank and each other.

Have you tried a Plecostomus? They'll clean the tank and they're pretty much unkillable in my experience.

[Syka]

Reminds me of the documentary on domestic foxes that they've bread in Russia. 'Course those cost thousands. But there were some very interesting genetics behind it.

I read...


I read about those in National Geographic and have wanted one of my own ever since.

Yeah, that. :smallbiggrin: Given my...penchant for foxes, I was squeeing. Boyfriend quickly shot down the idea (despite the fact they aren't even adoptable yet).


Maybe a dwarf hamster? They are really cute, live about 2 years, and either like human interaction or don't. They are nocturnal and easy to care for. It's only one per cage though. No matter what anyone in the store says. Trust me on that one. :smallannoyed:

They are also mean as sin. I thought Saffron (RIP) was an anomaly, but after talking with the pet store folk dwarf hamsters much prefer to be left alone than their larger cousins.

That said, for a fairly low maintenance pet, I recommend Russian dwarf hamsters. I adopted mine from a pet store where she'd been left when she was about a year old. She was nearly 3 when she finally kicked the bucket. Weekly cage cleanings, new food every night, fresh water every couple days, treats of carrots/lettuce/etc once or twice a week, and a card board tube (formerly a toilet paper roll) to push around and she was happy. As I said, I had her for over a year and a half. Doesn't require much socialization unless you want to interact (then you need to do it every day), but Saffron seemed perfectly happy to only interact with us by trying to maul our fingers through the cage.

The vet thing is simple with dwarf hamsters- unless they get stuff like wet tail and all, it's kinda pointless. Mine got a stomach tumor. Recommendation? If she's still eating/drinking, don't worry. Surgery would likely kill her, anyway. When she was dying and I asked about euthenasia? They could, but it would probably stress her out more (she didn't like to be touched and would viciously try to attack any human coming near until she lost coordination), and a death at home would probably be best (horrible for me to watch, but best for her I think...It was only 2 or so days from when I noticed her health dive to when she died).

If you are worried, call the vet and look online, but for a lot of stuff...there just isn't much you can do with such a teeny animal.


Yeah. They got away with it because it was Soviet era Russia. Was originally done for the fur trade. :{ Now I believe they sell domestic foxes to care for the others? Not sure, though.

Well, they sold some of the foxes to the fur trade to fund the research. But it was started in order to see if it was possible to domesticate animals and see how it happens. Some species lend themselves to it more than others; foxes were wildly successful at it. The foxes that weren't aggressive enough (yeah, they did an opposite experiment to to breed aggression) or docile enough were sold to fund the entire thing. :-( They even have piebald foxes now!

They only recently were able to adopt two of their foxes out, I believe to someone influential who visited the project or some such. They are trying to get permission to adopt out the animals, now. The scientists don't exactly like selling the 'not good enough' specimens to the fur trade. That's what I remember from the article off hand, anyway.



Also, about the exotic pet thing...ditto on knowing where the pet comes from. And really...cats and dogs are nice. There are plenty of them out there who need homes. And they're popular for a reason- they dont' need as much care, aren't as expensive to care for bar illness, care and they're usually much more affectionate than most exotic animals.

You can get exotic pets at shelters, too. Ferrets, hamsters, rabbits, reptiles, etc.

[Lady Tialait]

This (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2q_dAay1qw&feature=related) fish is something I want....think about it. You don't have to walk anywhere anymore, you just have your pet fold space for you!

[Savannah]

Have you tried a Plecostomus? They'll clean the tank and they're pretty much unkillable in my experience.

They can also grow up to 2' long, so they're not suitable for most aquariums.

[Elder Tsofu]

Ah well, worst case ill wait for these guys to die then refill the entire tank with a new generation of babies after making sure they all get along with the same temp tank and each other.

Last time I refilled fish in my aquarium was uhm, 5 or 6 years ago? (not counting an algea-eater since my mother accidentally flushed out my almost 10 year old veteran a few years back).
The aquarium is at my mothers house and we haven't really touched it except feeding and uhm occasional cleaning, and it has become a sort of project to see how long they survive.

Just to point out that with even minimal care those fishes can hang on quite well if you're (un)lucky. :smalltongue:

[valadil]

I'll put in another vote for hedgehogs. They're not as long lived as dogs, but 3-5 years isn't bad for a caged pet. Ours came from here: http://www.hamorhollow.com/

[bluewind95]

Last time I refilled fish in my aquarium was uhm, 5 or 6 years ago? (not counting an algea-eater since my mother accidentally flushed out my almost 10 year old veteran a few years back).
The aquarium is at my mothers house and we haven't really touched it except feeding and uhm occasional cleaning, and it has become a sort of project to see how long they survive.

Just to point out that with even minimal care those fishes can hang on quite well if you're (un)lucky. :smalltongue:

Considering how much those animals can suffer due to toxic buildup of ammonia, nitrites and nitrates, that is just horrible... :smallfrown:

If you want them dead, just euthanize them humanely, no? There are ways to do that that don't make them suffer. Clove oil, for example, just makes them go to sleep, rather than burn their gills and fins...

[SuperFerret]

Oooh yeah. That's a problem with animals that haven't been domesticated since forever. Looking sick, in the wild, means "I am weak, please feel free to kill and eat me". So they just don't do it until they're too far gone.

That's the case with domesticated animals too. Ever see a dog the afternoon after a spay? They're running around like normal, because if they were acting like they just had major abdominal surgery, they'd be vulnerable to predation.


They can also grow up to 2' long, so they're not suitable for most aquariums.

They self-limit their growth based on the size of their environment. Most fish do.

[Elder Tsofu]

Don't worry, its a large aquarium, lots of greenery and a moderate amount of fishes. They seem happy enough with clear colours and perfect fins truth be told.
We're interested to see how long they survive with our minimal care*, not tormenting them to the bitter end. We're actually reluctant to add in any new fish as that would probably shift the perfect balance achieved.

*Your minimal care might be different than ours.

[Kislath]

Not quite true, Superferret, but a common misconception. All of you with fishy issues could try a really good fish forum to get the help needed to be better fishkeepers. fishforums.com, for example, is a beauty.

[Juggling Goth]

That's the case with domesticated animals too. Ever see a dog the afternoon after a spay? They're running around like normal, because if they were acting like they just had major abdominal surgery, they'd be vulnerable to predation.


True that. The first, last and only time my parents' cat clawed her way up a coat and ran along a set of coat hooks six feet off the ground? The day after she was spayed.

[phoenixineohp]

They are also mean as sin. I thought Saffron (RIP) was an anomaly, but after talking with the pet store folk dwarf hamsters much prefer to be left alone than their larger cousins.


I've had...7 regulars and 2 robos? It's mixed on the temperament. I had one that tried to chew my fingers off and she was the only insanely mean one. I bought her with 2 of her sisters and she started to bully them. I was getting ready to split them when I found her with a chunk of her nose bitten off. Apparently one of the smaller ones fought back. So she did get vet care; antibiotics by oral syringe every day for a while. I figure that combined with her natural personality lead to the rabid like attacks. Then one day she just chilled out. Never bit me again.

The other have all been pretty good. With moderate training, they can be fun. I love a pic I have of one peaking out of the chest pocket of my dad's shirt, while he wore it. Super cute.

The Robos were too fast to take out though. They would be gone in a second. Made cage cleaning more 'interesting'.