(Exotic) pets...

[singledad]

I have something that I want to get off my chest.

It seems to me that “exotic pets” are becoming more and more fashionable, and these days every little kid wants a pet frog, snake or iguana, or even something like a monkey or chinchilla. The problem is, people don’t seem to think twice about where these animals come from, and what they lose when they become pets. Let me start with linking the article that prompted me to post this:

http://www.iol.co.za/scitech/science/environment/what-this-is-is-a-massacre-1.1639778#.Uu8-4fmCkj4[/URL]. Yup – a crate full of animals, many of which are endangered, cruelly packaged up like inanimate objects, and shipped off, so that the few percent that are expected to survived can be sold as pets. Not cool at all.

Some more information on exotic pets:

http://www.nspca.co.za/page/20552/Exotic-Pets

I really want to think that this post is pointless, and that the members on this site have nice, old-fashioned dog, cats and goldfish as pets, or perhaps something like a hamster, but I have a feeling that many kids want something different, and many parents will indulge that need, either out of ignorance, or because they simply don’t care. I suppose all I’m asking is this:

When you get your kid a pet -

- Keep in mind where the chosen pet came from and how it got to your local pet-shop. Decide if the trade in the specific species is something you want to support. (Remember that in buying that fluffy chinchilla, you may be saving one from a pet-shop cage, but you are also fuelling the trade that is fast driving its species to extinction.)
- Take into account the needs of the pet you are buy – if you can’t provide for it properly, don’t buy it. Don’t buy a Parrot is no one is home between 8 and 5 daily.
- Make sure you truly understand what it’s need are! For example, tortoises (how cute!), are driven by instinct to roam over vast areas of land. That is why you will almost always find a pet tortoise up against a boundary fence. Is that fair?
- Make sure you would still want that animal when it reaches adulthood, and that you would still be able to provide for it
- Never, ever get any kind of primate. Primates aren’t pets – period. If you think I’m being overly emphatic about this, feel free to ask me to post the many, many links I have to pages that back up my opinion.

But what if your child has his heart set on a chameleon? Well, perhaps this is the perfect opportunity for a lesson about conservation, protection of endangered species, and the ethics surrounding how we treat animals. Not everything that is legal is necessarily the right thing to do

 

[TabascoNatalie]

Very very good topic.

I think, people have to think a lot about even when they get a regular cat, dog, or hamster. Exotic pets... Depends on what you call exotic. But nothing wild belongs in a household.

I also think, wildlife abused as pets are not children's fault. Its the adults who have more money than sense :sad:

 

[cybele]

I also think, wildlife abused as pets are not children's fault. Its the adults who have more money than sense :sad:

Agree 100%


My little personal one that kills me to see is sulphur crested cockatoos, not so much here, that fizzled out in the 70's and 80's, but I know they are still a popular 'pet' overseas. They're popular because they're very intelligent and are quite comical, they're more common than a pigeon where I live and they are very entertaining, but they're very social and they need other cockatoos, they stay in large flocks, one human who goes to work during the day is not satisfactory. Not to mention that they have an average lifespan of 70 years, the oldest recorded being over 100, is it really smart to have a pet who has the potential to out-live you? Not to mention that they are destructive my nature.

 

[singledad]

<r>Yes, it’s the parents – the kids don’t know any better, but to be fair, I don’t think it’s stupidity as much as that people simply don’t realise the true impact. I believe if you were to ask them, most owners of exotic pets will tell* you that they truly love their pets, and take good care of them. Many people really believe that you can take a wild animal, tame it, turn it into a house pet, and that if they put in enough effort, said wild animal would be healthy and happy. Or, especially with reptiles/amphibians/etc, they simply don’t realise that while these animals don’t show/feel emotion that we can recognise as such, not being able to satisfy its instincts still has a negative effect on its health.<br/>
<br/>
Of course, the owners of the pet-shops that sell these animals don’t help either. Of course they will tell you how to “care properly” for your new exotic pet, as if that is possible. Of course they won’t tell you that it came from Africa in a crate, surrounded by its dead and dying fellows. Of course they won’t remind you that this is a critically endangered animal, and another few dozen have just been removed from the wild to sell in their shop. The sad truth is that pet shops, that have a vested interest in fuelling the trade in these animals, are the main source of information for many parents looking for a pet.<br/>
<br/>
That is why it’s so important to get on a soap box every now and then and spread some awareness. <E></E></r>

 

[cybele]

I think there is a perceived level of ease to owning an exotic pet too, which ups the appeal when little Johnny wants a pet and the parents aren't big animal people.

I've mentioned before that I volunteer at an animal shelter, we take in any animal that has been a pet, but we only put dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, small birds and chickens up for adoption, anything else we receive we pass on to relevant authorities.
We've had a few snakes, lizards and so on in my time there, but the ones we get that have the exact same story every time is turtles. At least once a month someone will come along with a turtle and say "My child wanted a pet and we thought a turtle would be easy because they just swim around all day but it keeps having problems with it's shell and it's costing a fortune in vet bills and I can't afford it any more".
You know the story as soon as you see the turtle.

 

[cybele]

Double post.

 

[Palomita]

I think that every animal has its place in nature. Pets are good, but we need to be respectful to them and understand their needs. The theme is good and many people have to think.

Keep exotic pets and give them freedom.

Sorry for my bad english.

 

[superman]

so true