Dogs and Cats Are Not For Everyone

I cannot imagine living in a home without pets. I am sure my house would be much cleaner, my gardens more pristine, but it just would not be the same without them.  It would be so quiet, so dull. The sound of the cats as they move about. The dogs as they jostle for position on the couch. The sound of the sugar gliders on their wheel. Yes, I said sugar gliders. We have two and two tortoises as well. 

There are so many different animals that you might adopt, depending on who appeals to you the most.The first thing to remember about the exotic pet is that there is more care and up keep than your average dog or cat. Just because they are not as demanding and they live in a cage this does not mean that they don’t require daily care. They need companionship, variety in their environment, special diets, and often specific environmental temperatures in order to flourish. Typically, these pets are not appropriate for children since they are fragile and need special care. If you are planning on caring for the pet with your children, making it a group project, that’s great! But remember, many of these pets, as long as they are well cared for, can live for 10, 20, 50 + years. Make sure you all are prepared for a long term commitment.  

Exotic pets, just like dogs sand cats, require regular veterinary care with annual examinations and check-ups when ever you feel they are not well. As I mentioned these creatures are fragile and get sick very quickly. Nutritional deficiencies are common problems and are difficult to correct once the pet is sick. Visiting with a veterinarian that has special training in exotic pet care can help get you and your pet on the right track. 

At our hospital there are staff members that work with reptile and amphibian rescue groups. It is amazing how many of these expensive and at times rare pets are surrendered or even released by owners that were not prepared for the responsibility of caring for these pets. Be sure you are well educated and willing to accept all the responsibilities that are included in caring for another living creature!

Here is some brief information about some of the exotic pets we see at our office. It is certainly not a complete list and be sure to visit many web sites and check out books at your local library so you are well informed. Let’s begin with the sugar gliders, ours are named Violet and Lizzie.

Sugar Gliders are nocturnal and marsupials. They are originally from the rain forests of Australia, Papua New Guinea and Indonesia. However, they are bred in captivity here in the U.S. They have a furry section of skin that extends from their ankles to their wrists and it allows them to glide through the air. They can be very tame and great companions, but they must be handled and entertained often. They are very social and it is best that they be housed with other gliders. They can live 12-14 years in captivity. They need a diet that has a great deal of variety, eating fruits, nuts, commercial kibbles, and protein from worms and eggs. Sugar gliders need a large cage with lots of toys and room to climb and jump (or glide!). When angered or stressed they do bite and even as youngsters you must work to acclimate them to being handled. I would suggest purchasing from a private breeder that hand raises the gliders or adopting from a rescue. 

The tortoise is an ancient species that can live more than a hundred years. Turtles can live several decades as well. Each animal needs a very specific environment with strictly controlled temperature and moisture. Diets must also be very specific and they must be fed, cleaned and interacted with daily! Tortoises enjoy getting outside or roaming the house, but safety measures must be taken. No animal wants to be confined to a cage all day, every day. All enclosures and tanks have to be sized appropriately and they need the appropriate bedding or water filtration for their 'house'. Make sure you understand the needs of the type of turtle or tortoise you are adopting. Some can be very difficult  and costly to maintain. 

Chinchillas can live 10 to 20 years and are originally from South America. They prefer a warm environment and enjoy the periodic dust bath. They too are nocturnal and require a special cage, periodic teeth trimming and a specific diet. They are very social. Rabbits are also social and live 10-15 years. They too do best when kept indoors and in a regulated environment. They enjoy being out with their people, but like chinchillas and sugar gliders, they must be supervised. Both have commercially available pelleted diets. The chinchilla enjoys hay and does not tolerate great variety in it's diet. Rabbits are able to have additional vegetables, hay and fruits. 

Snakes and lizards are very popular pets. I think they are among the ones that are either the most poorly cared for or the most likely to be surrendered. This is usually as a result of their owners tiring of them or the pet has become ill due to mismanagement. Snakes can live decades. They require special housing, temperature regulation and regular cleaning. They are typically fed live food. Lizards can be vegetarians or eat meal worms, bugs and sometimes birds, other lizards and snakes! Some lizards can live up to 50 years. They require very specific housing, temperature regulation and diets. 

Birds are wonderful pets and have very specific cage, temperature and feeding requirements. Birds, particularly parrots can be so long lived they survive longer than their original owners. They can be very social and enjoy interacting with people. Many birds can be taught to talk and sing songs. However, they are delicate and stress, poor diet and drafts can be fatal for birds.

The fact is, no pet is without major responsibilities. However, for all your hard work you can reap the benefit of their companionship. Be sure you do your homework before adopting one of these pets and have appropriate housing and food available for them when they arrive at their new home. Also, have them examined by a veterinarian skilled in caring for exotic pets and review with them how you are caring for your new pet, making sure you are both getting off to a good start.

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