I have a lot of exotic animals AMA

[Newnamefor2021]

Reptiles mostly, including snakes, lizards etc. I have rabbits, guinea pigs, quails, parrots, inverts, fish etc too. I "run" an animal education and experience business. Still very early days of the business and not Covid friendly hence why it's not actually running. I'm pretty busy most days, I have a licence from the council, that included inspections and questions etc. I mostly go into schools, but my business started early 2020 so I've had very little paid work at all. Prior to this I had lots of bookings and/or interest though.

What do you think of Joe exotic?

Haha! I don't think much of him as a person and I think his treatment of animals is abhorrent! I think the same about big cat rescue too. A massive part of my education is respecting animals. Those cats were bred and sold for profit there was no moral responsibly to those animals and it wasn't breeding to repopulate the declining population. The opposite really.

Do you live anywhere near Hampshire?

Do you think pet shops should be more vigilant about selling to the public? Would licencing work in UK? When I was on holiday ds bought an iguana that after my research showed an adult 6 foot reptile... We remodelled a wardrobe as a home. Sadly he bit me quite badly and lucky for him a 5 * home was then found...

@TeenPlusTwenties

Do you live anywhere near Hampshire?

No, I live in Wales

What's your rarest animal and how much do you spend on food for them all a month?

What is your favourite animal( of the ones you keep) and why?

Do you think these animals have a good quality of life in such an unnatural environment? Do you think it is ethically right to keep animals like these as pets?

(We've considered 'caged' animals many times as pets when dc have asked, but I can never get past the feeling that is is totally selfish to force animals into this environment just for human pleasure. How can they ever be 'happy' so far outside the situation they would have evolved for?)

My children would like to come and live with you.

Hope that's ok.

I "run" an animal education and experience business
What exactly do you mean by ‘experience’? As in, how are participants ‘experiencing’ the animals?

Do you discourage people from keeping these types of animals as pets?

So many people think it’s cool to have a snake or a lizard or a parrot and so few people seem to realise the work and knowledge involved.

I had an African grey parrot who very much had the run of the house etc etc was very interactive and talkative, but hard work. Unfortunately I fell seriously ill and as I was unable to give him the kind of home he needed any more I rehomed him but refused to rehome him to someone who wanted a pet because they thought it would be cool to own a talking parrot, so he now lives in the Lincolnshire wildlife park where they have a sanctuary where all the parrots live together.

I have always advised people that owning a parrot is a really bad idea. They are messy, noisy, they have the intelligence of a 4 year old, and if they bite you will bloody know about it.

@Santaiscovidfree

Do you think pet shops should be more vigilant about selling to the public? Would licencing work in UK? When I was on holiday ds bought an iguana that after my research showed an adult 6 foot reptile... We remodelled a wardrobe as a home. Sadly he bit me quite badly and lucky for him a 5 * home was then found...

There are good pet shops and bad pet shops, but at the end of the day they have to sell to remain in business so I suspect high numbers of animals are sold to less than ideal homes and often with subpar equipment.

My business encourages reasonable ownership, we do sessions so people know what they are committing to. I discourage more than I encourage for sure. Not everyone can care for an exotic pet or any pet for that matter.

I think licenses would be a good idea but completely unmanageable I think in reality. I think people should have a good knowledge BFEORE purchase.

Your example is a perfect example of what I see often, people see a really cute small reptile and purchase without the knowledge and long term ability to care for it. I literally told someone NOT to get an iguana yesterday. Unfortunately some larger reptiles like iguanas and monitors are prices so low people purchase without the ability to care long term or the knowledge and experience. I think licences for those types of reptiles or higher prices would help a lot with abandoned reptiles.

Oh, and they live for 50+ years so you’d better make provision for it in your will...

@vivariumvivariumsvivaria

My children would like to come and live with you.

Hope that's ok.

😂😂😂

Luckily I was able to rehome him with a reptile expert - who owns the biggest monitors in the country. Very lucky lizard!

@ShesMadeATwatOfMePam

What's your rarest animal and how much do you spend on food for them all a month?

I've never priced it up, I tend to bulk buy things when I can. Veg/salad/fruit is just part of my shopping bill. Rats I spend probably £200 a quarter. It's pricey though. It's probably easily over £200 but my electric bill is also £260 a month too so it's not cheap. Obviously usually there is some income, not enough to offset the actual cost but it's not ever intended to be a profit making thing, it was simply to educate and fascinate others.

This guy is one of of my favourites, he's a leachie or leachianus gecko, it's a less commonly kept gecko and can be pricer. I also have Chameleon geckos, not related to chameleons (have one of those too), and they aren't seem much but mostly because they are little. I have some emperor scorpions which are pretty rare too. Nothing massively rare, but certainly things people are surprised to know I own and ask questions about. We have a lot of less common exotics. Nothing too crazy though.

@Thedramasummer

What is your favourite animal( of the ones you keep) and why?

Probably the leachy. He will get big and he feels quite like what I imagined dinosaurs looking like. He's pretty chill although he may change as they tend to get grumpy as they get older. He is about 2 years old now, but still has a lot of growing to do. He lives in my bedroom 😂 so I see him a lot. His colours and pattern change with his mood, temperature and colour.

@icesnowrain

Do you think these animals have a good quality of life in such an unnatural environment? Do you think it is ethically right to keep animals like these as pets?

(We've considered 'caged' animals many times as pets when dc have asked, but I can never get past the feeling that is is totally selfish to force animals into this environment just for human pleasure. How can they ever be 'happy' so far outside the situation they would have evolved for?)

I have prepared work to do ethics classes with children because I believe it's a really good point and something that should be discussed.

I think we have a tendency to anthropomorphise animals and think how we would and wouldn't like that. I think animals should be kept as natural as possible to their own environment. I think it's applies to all animals though, we have cats which have been domesticated for thousands of years but at some point someone took a wild animal and decided to call it a pet. We still see breeds like the Bengal which are only a few generations away from a wild cat.

There are lots of debates within the hobby about how to keep animals and what is the best way going forward. I personally advocate for bio active setups when possible. I encourage people to consider the animals natural environment and listen to all sides of debates regarding keeping.

Is it ethical? I don't know know. They have been bred and kept in captivity. Animals like crested geckos who are common in the trade were thought extinct several years back because they hadn't been seen in the wilds for years, it was due to deforestation and invasive ants which eat them and their food. So there was efforts to get them back into the wild. Fortunately they were found in a storm and while they are still endangered they aren't as endangered they are doing much better.

(Sorry it this doesn't make sense, home schooling, phone calls etc all while writing this)
😆

@vivariumvivariumsvivaria

My children would like to come and live with you.

Hope that's ok.

Haha, I get asked that a lot. I have four of my own 😆 although for the most part the children are used to it but they always have something interesting to share for show and tell type exercises 😆

@Judashascomeintosomemoney

I "run" an animal education and experience business What exactly do you mean by ‘experience’? As in, how are participants ‘experiencing’ the animals?

As in I take animals with me, it's immersive, it's more than be just talking, they children and Handle eggs (unfertilised), snake skills and some animals can be held, although the vast majority aren't. Scorpions glow in the dark for example and so we take them (they are not held by anyone myself included as it's stressful for them).

I have had requests for parties etc which I have thus far avoided doing and it's definitely not what I see myself doing. Although I would happily go to a "party" or 5 children who are having a quiet time at home, less so a church hall full of sugared up children.

But yes, it's a whole experience, I take stickers and worksheets, each session for schools is tailored to ten school and class needs, their choice of topic.

@AlternativePerspective

Do you discourage people from keeping these types of animals as pets?

So many people think it’s cool to have a snake or a lizard or a parrot and so few people seem to realise the work and knowledge involved.

I had an African grey parrot who very much had the run of the house etc etc was very interactive and talkative, but hard work. Unfortunately I fell seriously ill and as I was unable to give him the kind of home he needed any more I rehomed him but refused to rehome him to someone who wanted a pet because they thought it would be cool to own a talking parrot, so he now lives in the Lincolnshire wildlife park where they have a sanctuary where all the parrots live together.

I have always advised people that owning a parrot is a really bad idea. They are messy, noisy, they have the intelligence of a 4 year old, and if they bite you will bloody know about it.

Yes, I actively discourage people from getting most pets if I'm honest. I get asked a lot of advice and people rarely understand the long term commitment and costs associated.

I think I'd like to create some video content to talk about the costs and commitment associated with each animal eventually.

Animals like rabbits are common pets but rarely treated right. They are often in tiny cages, with poor diet and poor veterinary care.

People don't think about vets either, there is forever people begging for money to pay vets costs or asking advice when clearly the animal needs a vet. Exotic vets aren't common or are not cheap either. People don't consider that.

I have conures, so smaller parrots, they are hard work, I knew what we were taking on and to be honest it was the animal I have most second guessed if we should. They are fine though, but like you say, people don't consider the cost, the cleaning, the noisy, and the training and commitment they require.

@Santaiscovidfree

Luckily I was able to rehome him with a reptile expert - who owns the biggest monitors in the country. Very lucky lizard!

That's brilliant. There some amazing reptile keepers out there. With amazing collections.

One day I would like a tegu but I don't currently have the space.

@AlternativePerspective

Oh, and they live for 50+ years so you’d better make provision for it in your will...

Yes, we have a tortoise, we specifically chose that breed as they live for 40 years not 80 like others. 😆 it's actually my sons anyway, but he has additional needs and likely to still be here in 40 years too 😆

The man lives in Harrogate, the reptiles live in a double converted garage.. He actually goes and lies with his monitor and it lays on his legs for a cuddle and a scratch!! He is about the same size! His dw says she hardly sees him. In summer he lets it roam his garden although his ndn was a bit apprehensive! He had an amazing set up ready for Frank. I was very grateful....

@Santaiscovidfree

The man lives in Harrogate, the reptiles live in a double converted garage.. He actually goes and lies with his monitor and it lays on his legs for a cuddle and a scratch!! He is about the same size! His dw says she hardly sees him. In summer he lets it roam his garden although his ndn was a bit apprehensive! He had an amazing set up ready for Frank. I was very grateful....

I think I've seen him around posting on different forums, yeah, it does take up a lot of time. Thankfully both my husband and I enjoy it so we both help out cleaning up and feeding etc. The children help too, they will go see to the rabbits most days, and will spray some of the reptiles who aren't on a system.