Exotic Pets

Selecting an Exotic Pets

Apart from dogs, cats, birds and fishes, there is a long list of other types of pets which are very wonderful and equally loving. They make excellent pets and they play a very valuable role in our lives. These include rabbits, lizards, iguanas, geckos, turtles, various types of snakes, hamsters, guinea pigs, toads, frogs, scorpions, spiders, hermit crabs, tarantulas, rats, mice, reptiles, hedgehogs, skunks, raccoons, foxes, cockroaches, dragons, monkeys, chinchillas, crocodiles, chimpanzee, and much more.

These pets are very unique in themselves. They need specialized care and extra efforts in some cases to keep them going on a daily basis. Although they may not be common regular pets, the owning, the upkeep, and the benefits we get from them can be quite similar. We do establish a special relationship with each one of them in their own way. All animals have an inherent level of intelligence, and they will relate to you based on how you treat them. They will associate you with some of the same emotions that we go through - pleasure, pain, anger, and so on.   

 Regulations

When getting an exotic pet, proper investigation should be done to learn about them. Are they on an endangered species list? It could be illegal to own a pet that is on an endangered species list. Are they legal to own in the municipality in which you live?  Different Municipalities, States and Provinces may have legislation governing the owning, transporting  and caring for certain types of pets within that jurisdiction. 

It is important to know the laws when it comes to exotic pets especially pet birds. For example, there are twenty-seven States which prohibit owning and transporting the Blue Mcaw within those States. There are some places that consider some pets to be too dangerous and lethal to own. In Ontario, the Pit Bull has been banned. The ban made it mandatory for all pit bulls already in the province to be spayed or neutered, and leashed and muzzled in public. The ultimate goal was to remove pit bulls from the province altogether by preventing them from breeding, and to keep new pit bulls out of Ontario.  Every jurisdiction will have its own laws controlling what kind of pets are allowed to be owned and to be bred. 

Food 

The food that exotic pets need may not be common knowledge. Although the types of food in the wild could range widely, there are lots of alternative types of food available to them which are similar to what they would normally consume in the wild.  Each type of pet will require its own type of food. Some of these pets may need specialized food including live ones which have to be kept on hand.

Exotic pet foods come mainly in four varieties - live, frozen and dried and fresh. Live food for the most part consist of live creepy crawlies sold in tubs or packs of various sizes.  Most reptiles and some amphibious creatures require live creepy crawlies as the dietary staple while creatures like tarantulas and mantis require the movement of a bug to trigger a feeding reaction. Some of the types of live food include crickets, grasshoppers, meal worms, blood worms, cockroaches and  fruit flies. 

Frozen exotic pet food comes in the form of dead rodents  to feed reptiles. Dried exotic pet food which is similar to dry cat food is more easy to deal with and has longer 'shelf' life than live food. However, most exotic pets prefer live food over the others. 

Very few exotic pets are entirely vegetarian. Many of the more popular tortoise species are perfect examples while green iguanas are yet another. In this way it is possible for those who don’t fancy dealing with dead rodents or live insects to still keep an exotic pet if they carefully select one which will feed on the exact same fruits and vegetables they have in their kitchen.

To ensure that your exotic pets gets all the nutrients they need it is recommend to use vitamin supplements when feeding them. This can be done by giving to the feeder insects so that when your exotic pets eat them it also consumes all the vitamins and minerals present in their gut. The dietary supplement in the form of dust can be useful for sprinkling over fresh plant matter for vegetarian exotic pets.

Feeding frequency will depend on the type of exotic pet.  As long as you are feeding a balanced diet it is very difficult to overfeed an exotic pet. You can feed your pet as much exotic pet food as it will consume. Some broad guidelines are that insect-eating reptiles and amphibians should be fed on a daily basis. You should ensure that live food is not present in the cage all the time. It may cause stress to your pets. It is better to feed them once a day. Provide as many insects as they will consume in a short period of time. Adult tarantulas may eat once or twice a week while mantis will eat more often – perhaps as regularly as daily depending on the species. Snakes as adults may only eat once every week or two while exotic pets being fed on plant matter should have fresh food available all the time.

In general, observe your exotic pet and use it’s behaviour as a signal for how often, and how much to feed it. Over time you will determine exactly what sort and frequency of exotic pet food your are required. In addition to food, water should also be provided to them.

Housing and Care

Exotic pets need to be housed, up kept and maintained in their own way. It is necessary to get safe and proper housing for exotic pets. Some of them could be dangerous and can pose a liability to you and others. Some of your unique pets may use traditional housing like aquariums for lizards, frogs and turtles. However, most of them will need their own special types of cages or other enclosures for their living areas. Select the type of housing that will enhance the comfort of your unique pet.part from supplying the correct type of food, providing the the appropriate type of care and creating a physical environment that make them feel at home will go very far in making your pet live as close to a normal life as possible. Each of these pets is unique in its own way, and requires that unique treatment that makes it distinct from others. It is best to be well acquainted with their life style in the wild, and to simulate as much of that as possible for them as your pet. 

Safety

Although some exotic pets pose no danger to anyone, there are many that do not belong in a domestic setting. They do not make good companions, and they require specialized care, housing, diet and maintenance. Some of them are inherently dangerous to their owners and anyone who comes in contact with them. They may carry bacteria and disease that can be very harmful for people. They can escape from their housing and pose a danger to everyone at large. Extra precaution must be taken by anyone who possesses exotic pets.

Shop Here For Food & Supplies For Your Exotic Pet

We are totally responsible for the health and happiness of our exotic pets. Bringing them into our lives is just only the beginning of our relationship with them.  Apart from providing them with good food,  all the other aspects of their lives should be taken care of to make them complete.  At Fuzzy Wuzzy Pet Store, we are here to help you fill that need  so that both you and your pet can be happy. Please take your time and search from a large variety of pet foods, pet products and all the unique pet things you need. You will find things that will excite both you and your pet. 

If you need any type of food or any other item which is not on our side-bar display, then enter it in the Search Box below, using 'key' words starting with the type of pet, for example 'rabbit .....' or 'turtle ......', and describe it as best as you can. You will find plenty of choices for your good friend. Please tell your friends about this site and bookmark it for your next visit. Thanks for shopping at Fuzzy Wuzzy Pet Store.