Most people are happy to own common household pets like cats, rabbits, and dogs. While they all make excellent pets, there are other options – many of which are exotic.
Exotic pets like snakes, geckos, and tarantulas are undeniably interesting. For the right pet owner with a genuine love for these creatures, they make a brilliant addition to a home. That doesn’t mean they are the right choice for everyone, though.
Before you invest in an expensive habitat for your scorpion or snake, consider these seven things first.
1: Can You Afford It?
If you have a common pet like a cat or a dog and you live in Tennessee, for example,, you can go to an affordable veterinarian in Knoxville Tennessee. While these pets are costly, you don’t have to search for a specialized vet.
With an exotic pet, there are many costs to consider. Think about how much the vet costs will be, how expensive the enclosure is to buy and run, and how much you’ll need to spend on food each month. Depending on the animal, it can cost a lot of money, so be sure you have the funds first.
2: Do You Have Prior Experience?
While you don’t necessarily need experience handling a snake or lizard to own one, it does help. If you’re considering an exotic pet, see if you can handle one first, whether at an animal encounter experience or at your friend’s home.
3: Do You Have the Correct Setup?
The correct setup is crucial when it comes to exotic pets. Get something wrong, like the temperature or the size, and you could seriously harm your pet’s physical and mental state.
For example, a snake enclosure needs:
. Ventilation
. Heat Mat or Lamp
. Water Dish
. Thermostat
. Snake Hides
4: What Other Pets Do You Have?
Will the presence of an exotic pet disturb the pets you already own? Your job is to keep the pets you own as content and healthy as possible, even if that means not purchasing an exotic pet.
If you have other pets, you should separate them – if possible, keep your exotic pet in a room your other pets cannot enter.
5: Is the Seller Trustworthy?
When purchasing an exotic pet, you must ensure the seller is reputable. Don’t just look at the picture and assume they are trustworthy – look at other buyers’ reviews and how well they treat their pets. Before you buy, you should know how long they’ve been in business, where the animals are kept, and what health guarantees they offer.
6: Have You Done Plenty of Research?
Getting an exotic pet should never be a spur-of-the-moment decision. To be a responsible pet owner, you must do thorough research into the pet you wish to buy beforehand. You need to know everything, from the food it eats to the temperature it requires. Only then will you be able to provide it with a comfortable and suitable environment to thrive in.
Want to read more of our latest posts? Check out the 4 stages of the Reptile Life Cycle.
