Should You Keep Exotic Animals As Pets?

By Leslie Brown

Animals that aren’t commonly kept as pets are usually considered “exotic.” Some animals that you see at the zoo, such as alligators, lions, tigers, monkeys, and very large snakes are sometimes kept as exotic pets. A dog, cat, fish, small bird, or horse is considered to be a domesticated pet, although some domestic animals fall into the category of exotic pets, such as the wolf or the ferret, even though they might have been domesticated for thousands of years.

Why keep an exotic animal as a pet? Maybe you want an exotic pet just to be different, are bored with common pets, or enjoy the danger and challenges of keeping a pet that is out of the ordinary. You might find it difficult to see an interesting or adorable wild animal and can’t resist the urge to take it home. However, bringing a wild animal into your home can be harmful to the animal, or it can be harmful to you. Keeping wild or exotic animals as pets can be tempting, but it is important to know that there can be many potential problems, such as with legal, ethical, medical, and safety issues.

Exotic animals are interesting to watch and they often give you back a lot of attention. While the initial cost might be less than buying a breed of dog or cat, they often cost far more in veterinary fees. This is especially true of animals that are not native to a region. They can be difficult for you to keep alive, so the joy of having them can become frustrating and even tragic. Wild animals are wild for a reason, and if you try to domesticate one, it can be very difficult to live with. They are not domesticated simply by being captive born or hand-raised. By nature, they are self-sufficient and do best without our interference.

Posing a threat from bites and scratches, their diseases and parasites can be natural enemies to domestic animals that are already in your home. These diseases, such as rabies, herpes B virus, and salmonella, are also dangerous and potentially fatal to people.

Try to resist capturing even the tamest of wild animals on an impulse. Get to know the laws in your area. Keeping certain wild animals in areas where it is illegal can result in large fines and usually in harm to the animal, because they often must be turned loose, often in less than ideal locations. This is particularly true if the animal is not a native species and might compete with indigenous animals if it escapes.

If you aren’t extremely knowledgeable about exotic animals, you most likely cannot meet their needs in captivity. The little you know of exotic animals can prove that you simply cannot meet their needs in captivity. For example, many monkeys, birds, and wild cats can all travel several miles in a day. A walk outside on a leash just won't do it. Sometimes, people will have an animal's teeth or claws removed so the animal cannot harm the owner. This is an unacceptable way to treat an animal of any kind.

It takes appropriate housing, diet, and medical care to keep a wild or exotic pet. Their nutritional and social needs are demanding to meet, and exotic animals often grow to be larger, stronger, and more dangerous than owners expect or can manage. Malnutrition, stress, trauma, and behavioral disorders are common in exotics kept as pets, and getting medical care is extremely difficult, not just because it might be illegal to have them. Many exotic animals hide their symptoms of illness. And even when you suspect an illness, finding a proper vet could require a visit to the zoo.

The Humane Society of the United States strongly opposes keeping wild or exotic animals as pets. They think that the majority of people who get and house these animals are unable to provide the care they require. Whether caught in the wild or bred in captivity, it is difficult, if not impossible, to recreate the environment in which the animal was meant to be. The instinctive behavior of these animals can make them unsuitable as pets.

Most exotic animals are better off in their natural habitat, and not in your home. Having any animal as a pet means being responsible for providing appropriate care. Where wild or exotic animals are concerned, this responsibility can be impossible unless you are extremely knowledgeable about and sensitive to needs of these animals.

If you have any comments to share, please add them here.