Exotic Pets: Are You Ready for a Lifetime Commitment?

Pets are great companions and a good way for kids to learn the responsibility of caring for another animal. But some pets are not the best choice for either children or adults. These pets are in the category of exotic pets.

According to Wikipedia exotic pets can include alligators, wolves, sugar gliders, skunks, raccoons, monkeys and a variety of amphibians.

There are several challenges associated with having an exotic pet. These challenges can include finding adequate veterinary care from veterinarians who specialize in the care of a particular type of exotic pet. Since the vets who do care for an exotic pet are specialists the cost of care is usually higher than that of a traditional pet.

In addition, providing appropriate shelter, diet and socialization for exotic pets can be a problem. Most people buy an exotic pet when it is a baby. Very often the attraction is in the cute often cuddly appeal of the animal. This can change dramatically when the animal grows up and is no longer cute, cuddly and is difficult to manage. Many cities and states do not regulate what animals can and cannot be kept as pets.

The life spans of some exotic pets are much longer than people think. An iguana can live 15 years or longer, a boa constrictor 25 years and a small monkey up to 25 years.

If a person was required to post a bond or some monetary guarantee they would care for the exotic pet or a plan limiting where exotic pets could be kept it might be less of a problem for those of us living in a neighborhood with an exotic pet.

But I'm not sure just a monetary guarantee is enough to pay for the damage associated with some of these pets. In February 2009 a woman in Stamford CT lost her hands, nose, lips and eyelids to a friend's chimp who attacked her. At this time it is not known if the woman has suffered brain damage as a result of the attack. She is currently being evaluated for a face transplant and her family has filed a lawsuit to cover her medical and living expenses.

Other exotic pets are let go in the wild. Many of the released animals die unable to find food for themselves or survive in their new environment. Some survive and others take over the area crowding out other native animals. These released pets then become what is called an invasive species able to take over an area without any natural limitations. The snakehead fish, named for its distinctive head has been found in the Maryland waterway near Fort Washington. The fish was over 30" long and is quickly multiplying in the waterways of the Potomac. The snakehead eats smaller fish and has no known natural enemy in the Potomac waterways.

Another exotic pet which has thrived once released is the Burmese python has been sighted in the Florida Everglades feeding on small animals. One was even sighted trying to eat an alligator. Iguanas are also eating local vegetation in Florida and challenging people who try to run them off their property.

In Hawaii the veiled chameleon population has grown rapidly since their illegal initial release into Hawaii. The chameleon live four to eight years producing 30-95 offspring 3 times a year. They eat not only insects and leaves but also eat native Hawaiian birds and insects. At this time they have no known enemies.

Exotic pets can be properly cared for by owners. However it remains to be seen what regulations need to happen to protect us from those pet owners who choose not to properly care for their pets.