Choosing an Exotic Pet
More unusual animals kept as pets, like snakes, terrapins, frogs and degus, are known as non-domestics or exotics.
These are animals that haven't been domesticated, like traditional pets such as dogs, cats and rabbits; and for this reason, many people think of them as wild animals that are kept in captivity.
The RPSCA has certain concerns about how difficult it is to meet the needs of these animals since their needs are just the same as they would be in the wild.
Because of the need for a specialist environment, diet or a particular behaviour it means that it can be very challenging to look after theses animals properly, which is a necessity under the Animal Welfare Act.
It is extremely important to find out as much as you can about what your chosen pet needs are and whether they are a realistic pet for you and your lifestyle.
Looking after them correctly can be very expensive and time consuming and is not something to be entered into without a lot of careful thought and planning.
Where to start?
The RSPCA has some great starting facts to help you select the right pet for you and your lifestyle.
- How long does the animal live?
- How big does it get?
- What and how much food does it eat?
- How much space does it need? Remember that this may increase as the animal grows!
- Does it need to be kept alone or with others of its kind?
- What does it need in its enclosure? For example, branches for climbing or perching, water or dust for bathing, or rough rocks to help reptiles lose their skin when moulting.
- Is it active at night or during the day?
- Is there a vet nearby who knows about this type of animal?
- Do you need a licence to keep it?
- Are there any legal restrictions on selling this kind of animal?
You can research by reading books and leaflets, and looking on the Internet for a reputable specialist organisation.
We also strongly advise that you visit and talk to a breeder so that you can see the animals and satisfy yourself that they are kept properly. Not only will this give you a specialist point of contact but it could also be a source of 'home-bred' animals rather than specimens taken from the wild, which would be subjected to all the welfare concerns of capture from the wild and transport.
The RSPCA have various care sheets for some of the more commonly kept non-domestic animals.
As a starting point, we examined the animal’s natural life in the wild and looked carefully at how this might be supplied in captivity. We’ve also taken into account good practice from specialist private keepers, zoos and vets.
These only give basic information though so you still need to do some further research!
Courtesy of www.rspca.org.uk