By Brittany Cotton
Interest in ownership of exotic pets is growing as potential owners are drawn in by their uniqueness and different companionship styles. Exotic pets range from lizards to rats, chinchillas to parrots, and everything in-between. They offer an opportunity to understand more about different species, many are easy to live with, and caring for them isn’t much more difficult than caring for cats and dogs.
Owning exotic pets isn’t for everyone, but it can be fun and stimulating for those who are dedicated to adapting to living with a non-traditional housemate. Read on to learn more about how exotic pets are defined, what to understand about owning one or more of them, and why you should research your chosen exotic before acquiring one.
What Defines a Pet as Exotic?
The differences between a non-exotic pet and an exotic pet come down to their level of domestication. Cats, dogs, and horses have been keeping humans company for millennia, and help make life better through rodent control, hunting, and agriculture. Humans have bred non-exotic, or domestic animals to display certain traits and abilities since man started cohabitating with them. The result is an animal that performs as expected with relatively little in the way of surprises.
In contrast, an exotic animal is of a species that resisted domestication, didn’t possess abilities that made them useful, or originated from a different country. There are a few ways to describe an exotic animal, but the core concept is one of it being an animal that adapts to domestic life while retaining its wild or feral nature to a degree.
The Importance of Understanding What It’s Like to Own an Exotic
Once you’ve decided you want to own an exotic pet, you need to learn about their care, what to expect from their personality, and the things that make them tick. Exotics don’t act the same way as domesticated pets, and you can’t expect one to roll over on its back on command. Some exotics, such as lizards, have limited learning capacity and don’t relate to humans other than a source of warmth and food. In contrast, parrots are intelligent and their gears turn quickly as they figure out how to get into trouble.
It’s important to have more than general knowledge about owning an exotic as this can help you recognize when it’s thriving, needs veterinary care, and how to maintain a healthy habitat that meets its needs. You may find that the amount of work that goes into caring for an exotic is more than you want to take on. But if you decide to get an exotic pet, you can deliver it an excellent quality of life because you understand what you are getting into.
Why Get an Exotic Pet?
There are many good reasons why you should get an exotic pet including living in an apartment, a desire to understand more about a certain species, or simply having a companion that makes you happy. The term exotic pet covers a wide range of animals that possess fin, fur, and scale, and many of them work well for living arrangements that don’t allow for domestic animals. It’s also not unusual for exotics to live in harmony with domestics, which means you can expand your menagerie as you like.
Ultimately, exotic pets are capable of delivering a feeling of connection and compatible companionship the same as a domestic animal. Make sure to put in the time to learn as much as you can before adopting or buying one to provide the best care and give them a great home.
-Brittany Cotton is a writer who focuses on health, wellness, and a variety of other topics. In her free time, you can find her reading, trying new recipes, or playing with her dog.