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One of the questions we get asked most often is "Is
this animal a good pet?"
We don't feel
this is really a fair question. No animal really "makes" a good pet.
What makes a good pet is a good pet steward. This means understanding the
type of pet you are getting including all of that pet's needs, not just diet and
habitat, but what kind of social interaction it needs to be happy and safe.
Many animals need almost round the clock contact to really be a safe and happy
"pet".
Most of the species that we maintain here and take out
to our educational programs, we do not ever
consider to be "pets". They are wonderful educational
animals, in our opinion, and we love them all but without the proper training
and experience, they can be quite dangerous to live with.
Another thing we see a lot is that people believe that if
they get one of these animals as a "pet" and realize they can't handle it, a zoo
will take it in. The majority of zoos do not take animals from private
owners and especially not animals that have been altered in any way (declawing,
spaying/neutering) and have had a lot of human contact.
There are so many things to consider prior to
getting any pet, whether it be a particular breed of dog, or an exotic species.
Some things to consider prior to bringing
any pet home are:
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Is this
species legal where you live? If not, you could be endangering the life
of the animal by taking it into your home?
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What is the lifespan of the animal? If
its long, say 20 years, do you know that you will be able to, or have friends
or family that you know without a doubt can, provide for this animal for it's
entire life?
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If you are young, will you still want or be
able to live with this animal if/when you have children?
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Can you afford basic vet care? Basic vet
care for exotic animals is typically much more expensive than other animals.
For instance, one yearly well check up for a fox, with fecals, shots, blood
work, would cost (this depends on the vet, of course) approximately $360.
That is for a WELL check! Can you afford this? What about if they
get sick? Can you afford that?
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What kind
of space does this species need? If it needs a lot, do you live in an
area/home where you can provide the type of space it needs, even once it's
grown?
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Do you own or rent your home? Many rental
places do not allow exotic pets. While the one you are living in now
might, what happens when you have to move? Can you be certain the next
place will. This is one of the most common things we are told when a
person explains why they need to send their animal to rescue "We are moving to
an apartment that will not allow these pets."
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Are there
temperature requirements for this species? Some animals require their
environment to be at a constant temperature range. Can you provide this,
even in the case of a power outage?
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Are you
looking for an animal that likes to "cuddle"? Some species don't really
like to be held, but are still fun to watch. Can you respect this type
of species needs?
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Is this a
noisy species? If so, can you or your neighbors deal with this?
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Do you
have access to a veterinarian who is willing/able to deal with this species?
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Can you
afford veterinarian care? Often times, exotic animal vets are more
expensive than "regular" vets, as they have to specialize in so many more
species, many of which have little to no information on them.
-
Is this a
social species? If so, are you able to provide this animal with plenty
of attention and/or a friend?
-
Are you
capable of keeping this species contained? Some species are so fast that
if they got out of your home, you could never catch them and they could not
survive in the wild or could be detrimental to the local environment.
-
Are you
prepared to provide for a new home for this animal, in case there is some
reason that you are no longer able to care for it? Most people assume
that a zoo will take in an animal should they no longer be able to care for
it, and this is untrue. Most zoos have policies against taking animals
from private owners.
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Do you
expect this animal to be litter box trained? Many species are very iffy
on litter box training. Can you live with it if it will not train?
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Will this
species get along with the humans and other species in your home? Many
people end up setting up a "food chain" in their home without meaning to, this
can have catastrophic results.
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Does this
animal require a cage? If so, do you know and can you afford just what
type of cage it needs to be happy?
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Are you
capable of meeting the dietary needs of this animal? Many species have
very special and sometimes time consuming dietary requirements.
How can you be certain a species is right for you?
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RESEARCH!!! We can't stress this enough. Do not just speak to a
breeder. There are many ethical breeders out there, but remember, they
live with this species and are obviously fine with its idiosyncrasies.
Read books, but pay attention to who wrote the book. Many books are
written by people who have never owned the species. Join some online
forums or email lists about the specific species, this is where you usually
can learn a lot about the typical problems with each species.
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Work with
both juveniles and adults of the species and not just once, but many times and
at all times of the day. Many animals act differently at different times
of the day. Try to find private owners who will let you visit, or
rescues that will let you volunteer.
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Find as
many internet sites as you can. Each may provide different information,
so you need several, this way you can tell which have the same information in
common.
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Speak to
a vet who has experience with the species you are interested in.
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