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Senshokukiba Animalfreak123 |
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So you want to get an exotic pet...
Part1 Before, you even consider purchasing an exotic animal, you need to use your imagination! Imagine yourself with the animal you want. What do you see? Do you see yourself being able to care for the animal properly? Do you see yourself no longer being able to care for the animal any more? Do you see yourself as an irresponsible owner? Do you see your animal dieing? Do you see a huge vet bill you can’t afford? I understand no one can truly predict the future. However, you can get an idea of what it will turn out like. If you purchase an exotic animal and know nothing about it, the outcome’s pretty obvious! You’ll most likely have the animal improperly housed or having the animal die shortly after you purchase it. If you know that you can afford food, an enclosure, a specialized vet, and everything else the animal requires, and have done research, you’ll probably have a happy, healthy animal. Now, there are cases where this doesn’t apply. There are cases where animals develop cancer or another possibly fatal disease that makes their live short-lived or causes them to die. I’m not talking about this though! The future of an exotic pet depends on it’s owner! The future of an animal can be somewhat predicted by looking at how the animal is cared for! My point is that you need to do research, which I will discuss later, and be able to afford the animal you want. You should ask yourself these questions before you read any further. 1. Do I have enough money to afford everything this animal needs? ( Can I afford unexpected vet bills, special diet plans, or improved toys? Can I afford a safe and secure enclosure for my animal?) 2. Will my house make a nice, suitable home for an exotic animal? ( Is my house animal- proof? Are there areas in my house were my animal could get injured? Do I have younger children who might scare the animal? Do I have neighbors who might be scared of the animal?) 3. Do I have a list of phone numbers of animal experts, experienced caregivers, zoos, vets, and other related people I can call about my animal? ( Do I know who to call in an emergency? If I have a question, do I know some one I can ask?) Now, you should ask yourself more questions that are related. These are pretty good questions to start out with though. 4. Why do I want this animal? ( Do I want it because of it’s looks, it’s personality, or because of it’s temperament?) 5. Should I really get this animal? ( Why or why not should I get this animal?) Next, you need to find out whether or not it’s legal to keep the animal you want where you live. To do this, you should call or e-mail your local fish and game department. Just type in the state or country where you live and “fish and game” at Google. Once you find your local fish and game’s website, search for their phone number or find a way to contact them through e-mail. When you message or call them, explain that you’re interested in owning an animal as a pet, but don’t know if it’s legal. If you have questions, go on to ask them. You might ask if you need a specific license or what kind of enclosure you need to prove the animal with. Any other questions you have regarding the animal you want should be asked. I’ve messaged my local game and fish department several times. They responded about a week after each message I sent. You may search other places to find out whether or not the animal is legal. Some exotic breeders can direct you to websites that explain exotic pet laws. If you need a license, contact other sources and find out how to receive one. I think you usually get them from the Department of Natural Recourses. I’ve been told that you may have to have experience with exotics in order to get license. Well, if you found the exotic you want is illegal, your search may end. If not, you should go on to do some research on the animal you want. I don’t mean skimming through several pages of a book. I mean reading several books or care sheets online until you know every thing there is to know about them.. Well, not every thing. You just need to know how to take care of them. I also recommend e-mailing or calling zoos or licensed breeders about the animal you’re interested in. Tell them you’re interested in owning one and ask them things you’re not sure of. After doing all of your research, you should be able to answer these questions. They’re pretty basic. 1. What type of temperament does the animal have? 2. Are they social animals? ( Do they like interacting or playing with other animals? What kinds of animals?) 3. What kind of enclosure or habitat does the animal need? ( Should it be kept outside or inside? Should you keep it in an enclosure? What type of fencing should be used? How big should the cage be? What types of plants should be the cage?) 4. What specific diet do they require? ( Do they need certain types of meat or vegetation? What shouldn’t be given to them? What are some snacks you can give them?) 4. How often should they be groomed? ( Do they require baths monthly? Should they be brushed or combed daily?) 5. What kind of toys should the animal receive? ( What are recommended toys? Can they cause injuries to the animal? Should the animal only play with them when an owner’s around?) 6. Do they like the company of others? ( Should they be housed with others of their species? Do they dislike being in solitude?) 7 How much exercise do they need? ( Do they need some one to rough house with? Do they like going on walks? Do they like to play with other animals or with their owner?) 8. How intelligent are they? ( Can they be trained to do tricks? Can they escape cages easily?) 9. What kind of enrichment does the animal need? ( Does it need somewhere where it can swim? Does it need heat lamps? Does it need areas where I can climb or hide?) 10. Who’s a good vet in my area who can do health checks on my animal? ( Is he or she experienced with the animal? Do you like him? Have you talked to him about the animal?) Now, just because you can answers these, it doesn’t mean you’re ready for exotic animal! You should be able to answer similar questions in a detailed paragraph. Once you do all of your research, you should begin looking for a breeder. Finding an experienced, well educated breeder is important. Don’t just purchase an animal from anywhere! If you find a local breeder, don’t simply choose them and be done! If you want a healthy, quality animal, you need to search more! Besides, your local breeder may not be that great. You want to find a breeder who is honest about the animals he or she keeps. You want some one with experience and knowledge to supply you with an animal. The more experience a person has, the better his or her animals will be. Usually. When looking for a breeder, you should search the web. Google’s a good place to search. You can contact zoos and other facilities and ask them if they know of a good breeder as well. Here are some thing you should know about good breeders. - Good breeders are usually USDA approved or have state licenses. - Good breeders don’t breed or produce offspring for money. - They don’t sale their animals to the first person they meet. - Quality breeders usually have many questions to ask you and require that you fill out an application. - Good breeders show you images and give you detailed information about available animals. - Good breeders like quality over quantity. - Good breeders can tell you what their primary goal of breeding is. - Good breeders have been involved in breeding for awhile. - Good breeders can tell you why they chose to breed two specific animals. - Good breeders will want to stay in contact with you once you make a purchase. - Good breeders will ask about you your personal lifestyle. - Good breeders will give you the option to meet the animal, it’s parents, and siblings in person. - Good breeders will give out advice. - Good breeders will be able to answer your questions. Those are just a few things you should know about good breeders. You should look for breeders who are like this. Don’t just buy an animal from anywhere! Buy an animal from an experienced breeder. Good breeders care about who their animals go to. One exotic animal breeder that meets this description are Julie’s Jungle. Another breeder I like is Arnold’s Exotics. I also like PawStruk, Ken’s Exotics, and Natural Order Animal Husbandry Feline Conservation Center. I’ve never purchased from them, but I’ve heard good things about them. Plus, I’ve contacted them before and they were extremely helpful. I received their e-mails quickly. After locating a good breeder, you should contact them. Make sure you know what to do before requesting to purchase an exotic animal. Make sure you fill out all applications or required forms honestly. Don’t lie. Well, that’s the end. I may post more later. I hope this helps those who are interested in owing an exotic animal. I’ve never personally owned any thing too exotic. I’ve never order an exotic animal, unless you count reptiles and rodents as exotic. My family has owned a few raccoons in the past, however, they were wild caught. I believe my dad was out hunting and he found three of them alone. This was several years ago when my dad lived on a farm. Besides, that I really don’t have that much experience with any thing. I’ve kept various rodents, lagomorphs, reptiles, and amphibians though. I’ve done research on owning animals like Caracals and African Servals though. I used to want some as pets. - Audrey ( Senshokukiba) |
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| 10/04/07 01:46pm |
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Animalfreak123 View Profile |
Message To: Senshokukiba In reference to Message Id: 1467216 So you want to get an exotic pet...
-thx, from the "All Animal Adoption Shelter Club" -from the leader-C.F.(p.s. thats the inisals) |
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| 06/18/08 02:36pm |
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