I own red eared slider turtles, while not exactly exotic it’s funny that the three things they are known for by owners are things normal folks would not expect.
- Turtles are escape artists. Because they need so much water to swim in and need basking areas, you’ll generally want to fill your tank up as high as you can, and then have a basking platform up there. They will use those and filters to try to escape. They may succeed. There are a ton of questions/guides online to address this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHbV5nsDCb8&ab_channel=TheTurtleGirl
- They are destructive. You will want to have a filter for them, and they will attack the filter with the fury of a bored creature attacking the thing making a noise. Many filters will fall to their wrath. If you google it you’ll find ton of stories of turtles destroying filters/water heaters. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnD3cKuFOa0&ab_channel=HMoore
- They smell. How can such a small creature smell so powerfully? Magic.
Any other pet owners have secrets about their type of pet?
Pet rats are awesome! They’re domesticated and used to interacting with people. They have distinct personalities and are very loving. Sadly, they only live about 2.5 to 3 years.
Cute!
Sadly, they only live about 2.5 to 3 years.
To some this is an advantage, if you are not ready to commit to 15-20 years for a dog or cat.
Rats carry all the personality of dogs and cats. In theory, you get a pet that you’ll enjoy for 2-3 years. In practice, you’ll be devastated after your intelligent best friends start dying one by one. Most people cope by buying rats constantly.
Yes, they really are the heartbreak pet. My best friend had some for most of her adulthood, and the recurring heartbreak, feelings of responsibility for them and also just vet bills both took a toll on her. All of them were awesome, intelligent, full of character and cute, but it is an emotionally taxing pet to have, for those reasons.
Yeah, we’re in a position now where we’ve got the last of our five ratty boys living on his own as a cranky old bachelor because we don’t want to get any more, but he’s too old to rehome. I do feel bad that he’s in there on his own, but I keep him topped up with Cheerios and bits of cucumber, and he seems happy enough.
But yeah, all four of the lost rats so far have made me cry like a baby. Number four, Feegle, had to be put to sleep a few months ago, and the nurse at the vet asked if I wanted to wait in a private room for my appointment because I was dribbling and snorting while Feegle was looking up at me from inside my hoody.
I can’t keep doing that to myself, so Mr Wilbur is spending his twilight months in peaceful solitude.
Parrots need the same level of commitment and resources as a child. Think of having a permanent 3 year old that welds scissors constantly (beak) for a minimum of 30 years.
My neighbor has one parrot, and it’s her baby! I think she had it for more than a decade now, and it’s beautiful to see him flying around the apartment (it’s a big place, and all the windows are screened, so he’s free to roam around), but it’s such a commitment.
I actually started socializing with them because when I moved in they sent me a small basket with snacks and stuff, with a letter explaining about Kiwi (the parrot), and how he can be a bit loud sometimes.
I don’t really mind tho, I actually love hearing him sing, joke, laugh. Such a happy bird!
Also, don’t make the mistake that smaller parrots mean less commitment. Parrotlets and lovebirds are smart, feisty, bite pretty hard, are extremely loud, and still live like 25 years. Budgies are a bit dumber and nicer, but still live a long ass time. Cockatiels have a very nice personality and are musical, but they have 25 year life spans. Consider any small parrot to be a “25 to life” deal.
Also chances are, your parrot (of any kind) either won’t talk, or won’t shut up about the wrong things. Hope you like hearing the Teams call music at all hours.
So don’t buy a parrot and a welder, got it.
Yeah they’re so smart! I know some are considered to be as smart as a 5 year old.
So they deserve all the love and enrichment of a 5 year old, which would mean a variety of food, new toys, lots of exercise, and lots of interaction.
I never had one but I still feel bad for all the birds that just end up in a cage for 70% of their lives because they are so smart.
Not really adding anything, just agreeing with you whole heartedly.
My ex had two sun conures.
The thing I would like people to know is that they make the kind of noise that will literally drive you insane if your brain doesn’t adapt to tune it out. It’s loud, high-pitched, and constant.
It’s not about just making phone calls difficult or making it hard to hear what your friends are saying (especially if the parrots decided they hate your friend, which is a whole 'nother parrot problem). It’s so pervasive that it actively changes how your senses perceive your environment.
Years after they both died (at about 20 years old, the female died from getting eggbound and the male died of a broken heart soon after), my brain was still putting parrot noises into the background sounds of my house. I’d be doing my normal daily thing, then stop and be like “Wait, why have I been listening to parrots screeching for the past two hours? They’ve been dead for three years” and my brain would go “Oops, sorry,” and I’d stop hearing it for a while.
This week my African grey has decided that the smoke alarm beep is his noise of choice and there is nothing I can do about it.
Hedgehogs shit while they run. Sonic doesn’t eat chili dogs, he lays them.
I don’t have them currently, but people really need to experience owning ferrets for a couple of weeks before deciding to purchase them (and I do mean THEM - don’t just purchase one). They are like playful and adventurous kittens 24/7 between naps, which seems awesome, but they need vet check-ups, diligent cage cleaning, and tons of play time.
An ex had ferrets. They were fantastic. I don’t think I’ll ever have any of my own though.
…and that’s why I suggested spending time with ferrets before owning them. They are so much fun and full of energy, but they take as much energy as they give.
Huh. This comment and the other below just made me realise I won’t have a ferret. I love cats, but kittens wear me out, not so much because of their energy but because they don’t understand they are being annoying (I guess that’s why one can’t be mad at them ha). I love the smart, energetic cat breeds though. I’ve heard a lot of praise for ferrets from ferret owners, but nobody mentioned their smell or that they would be like kittens.
kittens wear me out
100% this. They’re cute as fuck, but there’s a reason why my wife and I just adopted a pair of 6yo cats. Might get a few years less with them, but as least they won’t drive me insane for a year.
Nobody mentioned the smell? Holy shit, that sounds like the setup to an awful prank.
The smell is an intense sensory experience. We had ferrets for a few years, and at no point did I ever go nose-blind to them. They are the stinkiest things anyone otherwise sane has ever willingly let into their home. Cleaning their litter boxes practically requires a respirator. And that’s after their musk glands have been removed (which, at the time, was standard practice; you couldn’t hardly get ferrets from anywhere with their musk glands intact).
They’re fuckin’ adorable, and playful, and fun, but man, the smell. All the other problems with them being only-just-barely-domesticated wild animals aside, the smell is probably the most important thing to know about them.
Well! Thanks for clarifying. I just crossed out ferrets from the list of potential future pets in my life :)
My brother had ferrets. I loved them, awesome personalities and adorable, but ferret-proofing your flat seems like more work than child-proofing. Even then they can and would get absolutely anywhere they weren’t supposed to be. They’d always get out again, but not after making you stress for fifteen minutes trying to figure out how to extricate them.
The smell was omnipresent too.
Lifespan: Chinchillas have a long lifespan, and potential owners should be prepared for a commitment that could last 10 to 20 years.
Social creatures: Chinchillas are social animals and may benefit from having a same-sex companion to prevent loneliness and boredom.
Special diet: They require a specialized diet consisting of high-fiber hay, chinchilla pellets, and occasional treats. They should not be fed sugary or fatty foods.
Dust baths: Chinchillas need regular dust baths to keep their fur clean and healthy. The dust absorbs excess oils and moisture from their fur.
Temperature sensitivity: Chinchillas are sensitive to heat and should be kept in a cool environment, ideally between 60-70 degrees Fahrenheit (15-21 degrees Celsius).
No water baths: They should never be bathed with water as their dense fur takes a long time to dry and can lead to health issues.
Chewing habits: Chinchillas have constantly growing teeth, and they need appropriate chew toys to prevent dental problems.
Escape artists: Chinchillas are excellent escape artists, so their cages and play areas need to be secure.
Regular exercise: They need opportunities for exercise and playtime outside of their cage.
Veterinary care: Regular check-ups with an exotic pet veterinarian are crucial to monitor their health and catch any potential issues early on.
Quiet and calm environment: Chinchillas are sensitive to loud noises and sudden movements, so a calm living environment is beneficial for their well-being.
Time and attention: Chinchillas are active and curious animals, requiring daily interaction and mental stimulation.
So. Much. Poop.
Oh wait, so if they don’t have chew toys, can it grow long enough to harm themselves?
That’s super sad! They are the cutest little things.
That’s my understanding of it. It is apparently common in the rodent family.
Most rodents have continuously growing teeth. Like fingernails. In the wild, they constantly gnaw on stuff to sharpen and wear down those teeth.
As pets, if they are fed only soft food, and aren’t given something tough to gnaw on, the teeth won’t wear, and will just keep growing until the animal can no longer close their mouths.
This can be addressed by a visit to the vet, who will grind down the teeth, but you can only get to this point by seriusly neglecting your pet.
African Pigmy Hedgehogs are incredibly cute and have a lot of personality but are incredibly sensitive to it to their environment and will die unless properly taken care of.
For instance!
- They need to exercise or else they will gain weight and die from obesity.
- But don’t get the kind of rodent wheels with supporting bars because they’ll turn their head while running and potentially break their neck.
- Also, don’t get the wheels with mesh/holes on their running surface as their toes or paws can get stuck and lead to injury.
- They will poop and pee constantly in their area, which means daily cleaning.
- Their nails/claws grow fast and must be clipped or they will start to grow back up into the bottom of their paws.
- They need 8 hours of “day light” in the form of a lamp or their body will think it’s hibernation time.
- They must be kept around 65°F-90°F or they’ll either think it is winter and try hibernating, or they will overheat and die.
- They can be tumor machines. Our one hedgehog Prickles had a hysterectomy after developing tumors in her uterus. She also developed multiple mouth tumors.
Picture for reference: https://imgur.com/a/nBkbHpA
Aww they are so cute!
I didn’t realize they are so prone to getting themselves killed though :( Poor little dummies.
I’m usually a snake owner (although not at the moment), the amount of people who have horrible misconceptions about snakes genuinely frighten me
People see snakes and assume they’re bitey monsters that just want to hurt you, this could not be further from the case, snakes have relatively fragile teeth, and their venom is precious, furthermore they cannot tear chunks out of their prey, they must swallow them whole. These few things combined means that biting humans is not really high on their list of things to do. Some snakes can be rather defensive, but there’s no snake that will chase a human, and you can tame almost any snake down from defensiveness relatively easily (much easier than you could if a giant grabbed you)
There’s no such thing as a snake that chases humans, they aren’t slimy, they aren’t all venomous, and the venomous ones know they will still lose a fight with a human, so, they will run away, furthermore it is no consolation prize to the snake that they kill you TOMORROW if you’ve been bit, when their head has been stomped today.
I used to keep snakes, they are so misunderstood. The couple times I was bit (non-venomous) over several years of having snakes were honestly both my fault; once I had fed her and didn’t wash my hands properly afterwards, and once I didn’t notice she had started shedding and so was a bit more defensive than usual. They’re not typically aggressive at all and are usually content to just chill with you as much as anything else. Humans are way too large for a snake to ever consider you food, so they’re not really going to be trying to hurt you except as a last resort in self-defense.
I especially hate the slimy stereotypes because I always found my snakes super pleasant to hold, snakeskin feels great. I’d like to get one again, it has been a long time.
Not an exotic pet owner but wanted to say this post was thoroughly enjoyable. I’d like to own an iguana one day, possibly birds again, and it’s cool learning about others exotic oet experiences!
I kept turtles back in the 90s. I had a fantastic setup: a blocked off room, with a kiddie pool in it, with ramps leading in & out of the pool.
Oh man that would be sick!..
I do have a spare tiled room in my basement… maybe one day as that would be awesome! No more escaping for them (unless they escape the room some how, which I know they will try.)
