Exotic Pets and Domestic Pets (How To...)
Contents:
Ring-tailed lemurs, for example, are highly social and predisposed to form relationships, so are more likely to develop a bond with their owners than a solitary animal like a crocodile which also regards its owner as potential dinner! But even social species will never form the same kind of bond as domesticated pets. Dogs and cats have certain traits that are very different to wild animals.
The most significant of these is their eagerness to bond with us and the level of mutual understanding we share, which are products of around 15, years of selective breeding. In contrast to our traditional pets, we know very little about the natural behaviours and needs of most exotic species, so it is hard to know what stresses them and how to prevent it. Moreover, dangerous exotic pets are often operated on to make them safer — servals may be declawed and venomous snakes defanged. Unlike zoos, private enclosures are generally self-funded and self-managed. While some exotic animals are certainly easier to keep than others, I believe that very few can thrive in human homes.
Presented by Helen Skelton. This page is no longer being updated. Licensed exotic pets in the UK. Out of the wild Scientists have discovered a lot about the development and behaviour of captive exotic species by monitoring them in zoos but studying animals in private homes is challenging. Charlotte's conclusion Many of us choose to keep domestic pets because of the close bond we can develop with them.
Cats are commensal and retain more natural behavior, but again, there has been a long and mutually beneficial relationship with human beings [ 3 ]. Dogs and cats are not generally confined to small enclosures, information about their care and welfare is plentiful, and there are numerous veterinary practices that have the expertise and facilities to treat them [ 4 ]. In the past two decades, non-domesticated species of pets such as reptiles, exotic mammals e. These pets are not always easy to care for as they may retain more wild behavior than, for example, dogs and cats, which are adapted to live with humans.
While dogs and cats do exhibit behavioral problems and are not always treated in ways conducive to optimum welfare, they are not fundamentally unsuitable as pets, and large amounts of information is available on their proper care. In contrast, many exotic pets have specialized requirements in captivity that are beyond the scope of many pet keepers to provide [ 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 ].
The welfare of these exotic pets is often at risk through a combination of factors, including a lack of accurate information available on their care, incorrect husbandry, and the unrealistic expectations of owners. This is often compounded by a lack of specialist veterinary care [ 4 ] and a lower propensity for owners to avail themselves of such care [ 10 ]. In this commentary, we review the suitability of a range of exotic species, from the point of view of animal welfare and owner satisfaction, and make recommendations on which taxa can make suitable companion animals.
This means that it would be difficult to provide for their needs in captivity, and as companion animals they are likely to suffer reduced welfare to some extent [ 8 , 9 , 14 ]. African Grey parrots Psittacus erithacus have been the subject of several studies on intelligence, cognition and referential communication, [ 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 ] and providing for their advanced cognitive and social needs can only be achieved by the most dedicated of pet keepers. Amazon parrots Amazona spp.
Can exotic animals make good pets?
Unsurprisingly, the aforementioned large parrot species are also the most prone to stereotypic feather mutilation, an indication of psychological distress and poor welfare [ 8 , 9 , 21 , 22 ]. The larger parrots and cockatoos also have a long lifespan up to 80 years , meaning they may need to be rehomed several times during their lives [ 9 ].
Pet parrots vary in the extent of their domestication, with most being either wild caught or first or second generation [ 9 , 23 ]. There is an illegal trade in wild parrots that continues to cause significant welfare issues during capture, transport and at the eventual destination [ 24 , 25 ]; therefore, keeping wild-caught parrots is unethical and is not recommended for any reason.
First or second generation captive bred parrots cannot be considered domesticated and are genetically identical to wild parrots; as such, their ethological needs coincide with those of wild birds [ 9 ]. Wild parrots spend most of their time flying, foraging and interacting with conspecifics [ 26 ], and although there are species-specific differences in behavior, their needs in captivity are broadly similar.
Most wild parrots are highly social and these prey species are protected from predation by flocking through predator dilution and vigilance [ 9 , 26 ]; therefore social isolation is likely to cause severe psychological distress. The flock is important not just for protection from predation but also for mate choice, communal foraging, allogrooming, and offspring socialization. Several studies have found solo housing to be linked to stereotypic behavior and poor welfare, and there is evidence that parrots suffer less when kept in pairs or groups [ 27 , 28 ].
Based on their natural history, parrots have ethological requirements for space to fly and social interaction, and the authors recommend that psittacines need a minimum of 4—6 hours of daily flight time out of the cage, preferably socializing with other parrots. Owners may want to consider housing psittacines in indoor or outdoor aviary-style accommodation instead of a cage. Wing clipping, as well as being a threat to welfare, is also unnecessary as birds can easily be trained to obey most requests from their owners [ 29 , 30 ].
Although safety is cited as the main justification for wing clipping [ 31 ], wing-clipped birds may be less safe, as they are unable to escape from danger. Wing clipping also deprives parrots of a source of exercise and the ability to carry out natural and highly motivated behavior [ 30 ].
Accessibility links
Expression of normal behavior such as flight is a criterion for adequate welfare; therefore, we believe that wing clipping is generally undesirable, but must be considered on a case-by-case basis. Parrots also have specialized dietary needs, which many owners are not aware of. Captive diets consisting of all-seed traditional parrot mix are nutritionally inadequate [ 32 ].
Furthermore, appropriate levels of enrichment, in particular foraging enrichment, are not always provided for pet parrots, which can cause abnormal behavior and impaired welfare [ 9 , 20 ]. Hand rearing is the practice of deliberately raising and feeding the parrot chick away from its parents and other conspecifics and is mainly done to increase the tameness of the parrot, and make it imprinted onto humans and more dependent on human companionship [ 33 ].
However, on reaching sexual maturity they do not behave normally [ 34 ], and may be more interested in human companionship than that of other psittacines [ 35 ]. Indeed, although hand-reared birds are preferred by owners initially, later there can be reduced owner satisfaction due to behavioral problems such as aggression, fear and unwanted sexual behavior directed towards owners [ 36 ].
Birds generally are scored as moderately to extremely difficult to keep, and parrot-type birds, especially those with a long life span and that have been imprinted onto humans have a high score using this method, meaning it would be difficult to fully meet their needs in captivity. The needs of parrots are likely to vary by species, but few studies have investigated species-specific personality and behavior differences in psittacines.
It is clear that the larger parrot species are fundamentally unsuitable as pets for reasons already outlined [ 8 ]. As long as the ethological needs for social interaction, space, enrichment, flight and diet are provided for, some of the smaller parrot species such as lories, lorikeets, caiques, Pionus and Poicephalus species, cockatiels, conures and budgerigars may make suitable pets [ 8 , 22 ]. As the smaller species are also more economical to buy and feed, it becomes easier for owners to address their social and spatial needs [ 38 ].
Having said that, the individual species must be researched fully, since for example, some conure species are extremely vocal, and lorikeets require a specialist nectar diet. Also, smaller birds may be seen as disposable because of their lower cost, and therefore the threats to their welfare may be different, yet as acute as the larger parrots [ 9 ]. The Netherlands has banned hand-rearing psittacine birds [ 39 ], but other European countries have not yet followed suit. Wing-clipping, over-use of a cage and social isolation are clearly contrary to this, but the law is highly unenforceable, with many parrots being kept this way pers obs and few prosecutions occurring to date.
United States legislation is inadequate at both state and federal levels [ 9 ]. Clearer, species-specific legal guidelines are required for parrots. It is difficult to quantify the extent of herpetological pet keeping, but it is thought to be extensive and involve at the very least tens of millions of animals [ 6 ].
The European Union is also a large market for the reptile trade, with estimated imports of 6. Many authors have expressed concern in terms of ethics and welfare about the growing trend for keeping these animals [ 6 , 41 , 42 ], which has created demand for their removal from the wild and is responsible for huge mortality and morbidity [ 6 , 41 ]. As well as the ethical concerns surrounding the trade of these animals, reptiles and amphibians require specialized care and do not make suitable pets.
Reptiles and amphibians have species-specific thermal, hydrological, dietary and behavioral requirements, and most owners lack a basic understanding of their needs in captivity. Whilst there are a number of exceptional hobbyists who are knowledgeable and scrupulous about providing for the needs of their animals, the vast majority of pet reptiles are kept in inadequate enclosures with poor husbandry and a lack of understanding of their biological needs [ 43 ].
The issues are multiple, but include calcium deficiency and associated metabolic bone disease , incorrect humidity levels, trauma due to escape attempts, thermal stress, inappropriate handling, and poor diet. Unlike dogs and cats, reptiles and amphibians are usually restricted in their movements in inadequately sized enclosures [ 6 , 43 ]. Social isolation, however, is less of a problem with amphibians and reptiles than with other, more social taxa. In addition to the welfare threats to the animals, reptiles and amphibians often carry zoonotic diseases, primarily salmonellosis, which is a particular concern if there are children or pregnant women in the household [ 45 , 46 , 47 ].
The Internet contains numerous care sheets and other information on keeping reptiles and amphibians in captivity, but misinformation and erroneous statements abound, particularly relating to the ease and suitability of keeping the animals [ 6 , 43 ]. There is the perception that certain species are easy to keep, and that they may be less demanding than larger pets and require less space, none of which are supported by the available evidence [ 6 , 43 ].
Owners are not generally knowledgeable enough to recognize the signs of stress and poor welfare in reptiles and amphibians, and many veterinarians do not have the specialized knowledge required to treat these species [ 4 ]. Rabbits are a popular pet in the UK [ 48 ] and the USA [ 49 ], with the estimated pet population ranging from 0.
Rabbits are also becoming popular companion animals in Mediterranean countries such as Spain, where traditionally they have been kept for meat or fur [ 51 ]. These dimensions are proposed to allow rabbits to move, stand up and separate feeding, resting and excretion areas [ 52 ]. It has been reported that smaller enclosures 0. A survey of the English population by Rooney et al. These are clear areas of concern considering the RWAF recommendations [ 52 ] and the detrimental welfare effects of restricted enclosures [ 53 ].
Rabbits commonly contract a range of diseases including dental disease, gastrointestinal diseases, skin conditions and myiasis fly strike [ 55 , 56 , 57 ]. Many of these issues can be addressed if they are detected early on via health checking by owners. The UK Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals RSPCA [ 58 ] advises daily general health checks and more thorough weekly checks, but currently the prevalence and frequency of rabbit health checking by owners is unknown. Myxomatosis and Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease are usually fatal to rabbits, and also result in pain and suffering prior to death [ 59 ].
Rabbits should have a diet predominantly consisting of hay [ 61 , 62 ]. Rabbit muesli should be avoided due to concerns regarding selective feeding, obesity and dental disease [ 63 , 64 , 65 ].
You might also be interested in...
Within the UK, whilst the majority of owners feed their rabbits hay, fresh greens or pellets, This is a clear concern, as the diet that the rabbit receives can influence the development of dental disease and obesity, as well as diseases such as myiasis [ 64 , 65 , 66 ]. In the wild, rabbits are prey to many other animals, and this can be an important consideration when handling pet rabbits. Rabbits should be approached and picked up in a non-threatening manner, ideally not from above in order to avoid inducing fear [ 67 ].
Full support of rabbits when handling is necessary to help avoid stress in the rabbit and prevent falling [ 68 ]. Correct handling and restraint is also important to avoid back injuries in rabbits [ 69 ]. Unfortunately owners may use inappropriate handling techniques, which induce stress or provide inadequate support. Wild rabbits live in large social groups, are very active [ 61 ], dig extensive warrens [ 7 ] and have relatively large home ranges [ 70 , 71 ]. Domestic rabbits display similar behaviors to wild rabbits [ 72 , 73 ] and are likely to have similar behavioral needs.
Issues can arise from solitary housing, such as abnormal behaviors [ 76 ] and a reduced lifespan [ 77 ]. Meeting the behavioral needs of rabbits is crucial to avoid abnormal behaviors and behavioral problems, and enhance their welfare [ 76 , 79 , 81 ]. Whilst there are a number of concerns associated with keeping domestic rabbits, they are not fundamentally unsuitable as pets as long as potential owners research rabbits and appropriately consider their health and husbandry needs. Degus Octodon degus are social, long-lived, diurnal rodents native to Chile [ 82 ], although most pet animals are captive bred.
As with all species, requirements in captivity reflect wild behavioral ecology. In particular, they are susceptible to heat stroke. They also need to be kept away from draughts, as they are susceptible to respiratory disease. As a prey species, degus may suffer fear of being swooped on from above, so a solid cage top is recommended. Degus are highly social [ 84 ], and, like parrots, rely on vigilance and the collective detection of predators [ 85 ], so should not be kept singly. Degus also require a specialized diet low in sugar to prevent diabetes.
A study of degus presented to a veterinary clinic found that most disease in the species was caused by poor husbandry and handling, including acquired dental disease, alopecia caused by fur chewing self-mutilation , cataracts, trauma, diabetes mellitus, and hyperthermia [ 86 ]. Degus may be suitable companion animals, but only for someone willing and able to devote significant time and resources to learn about and cater for their complex requirements.
We particularly do not recommend degus as family pets; other rodent species may be more suitable as pets for families with children. Guinea pigs are popular pets, with 0. Guinea pigs are also often selected as pets for children due to their placid, docile temperament and ease of handling.
As guineas pigs are socially tolerant animals [ 89 ], most reputable pet stores will only sell guinea pigs in pairs to avoid welfare concerns associated with social isolation. Although not strictly classed as exotic pets, guinea pigs have specific husbandry requirements that differ from those of other rodent species and rabbits.
Now, it is basically any animal kept as a pet that is not a cat or dog. That can mean a rodent, rabbit, amphibian, bird, reptile, and a wide variety. Typically anything that isn't a dog, cat, or domesticated farm animal like a cow or horse is considered exotic. Some governments consider.
When their physiological and behavioral needs are adequately met, guinea pigs can make rewarding pets that are neither expensive nor difficult to keep. Guinea pigs require a dietary source of Vitamin C; however, a number of recent studies have reported that owners are aware of this and many supplement their animals in addition to providing dietary materials high in Vitamin C [ 90 , 91 ].
Similarly to rabbits, guinea pigs require a high fiber diet in order to maintain good gastrointestinal health and avoid gastrointestinal stasis [ 92 ].
- Here Are 15 Exotic Animals Trying To Take The Best Pet Title Away From Dogs.
- Search form.
- .
- Here Are 15 Exotic Animals Trying To Take The Best Pet Title Away From Dogs;
Owners need to be aware that guinea pigs require constant access to high quality hay in order to prevent the development of disease. Other common issues that affect guinea pigs include dental disease, ocular disorders and ectoparasitic infections [ 91 ]. Whilst some of the common disorders affecting guinea pigs are relatively simple and cost effective to treat e. This is particularly the case when affected animals have a guarded prognosis, which may lead owners to believe that euthanasia is the best option.
Problems such as dental disease are most successfully treated when diagnosed early, but when guinea pigs live in an outdoor hutch with conspecifics, it may be difficult for owners to identify subtle signs, such as a decrease in food consumption [ 94 ]. Further issues include the lack of confidence of some veterinarians in diagnosing and treating dental disease in guinea pigs [ 91 , 95 ].
It has been reported that a lack of dietary fiber is the primary cause of dental disease in rodents [ 94 ]; however, the only experimental study to investigate this in guinea pigs failed to relate tooth wear to dietary abrasiveness [ 96 ]. It is recommended that guinea pig owners consult a veterinarian experienced in treating exotic pets if their animals show signs of ill health. Many of the health problems that affect guinea pigs occur in older animals [ 97 ].
Exotic pets are so different from cats and dogs that owning one can be an incredible learning experience. But even social species will never form the same kind of bond as domesticated pets. As a prey species, degus may suffer fear of being swooped on from above, so a solid cage top is recommended. This means that it would be difficult to provide for their needs in captivity, and as companion animals they are likely to suffer reduced welfare to some extent [ 8 , 9 , 14 ]. Diseases of Geriatric Guinea Pigs and Chinchillas. Cognition and communication in an African Grey parrot Psittacus erithacus: In contrast, many exotic pets have specialized requirements in captivity that are beyond the scope of many pet keepers to provide [ 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 ].
By this point children may have lost interest in their pets, and if animals are not routinely handled, signs of ill health may not be observed. The incidence of oral cavity disease is higher in older animals [ 98 ] and geriatric males often suffer impaction, which may require daily owner intervention to manage.
Guinea pigs are also susceptible to respiratory tract infections, but the reported prevalence varies quite considerably. It has been identified that the development of pneumonia is linked to housing animals in damp or dusty conditions [ 99 ]. Pathogenic causes of respiratory disease include viruses and bacteria, but mortality rates are high regardless of the etiological agent [ ]. There is limited research on whether owners prefer to house their guinea pigs indoors or outdoors, but it could be hypothesized that an indoor environment protects against the fluctuations in temperature that can lead to the development of disease.
It would seem likely that most outdoor-housed guinea pigs are not routinely brought indoors when the weather is colder. Unlike rabbits, guinea pigs are not readily litter trained, which means that they cannot be kept as house animals. However, guinea pigs still require space to exercise and their welfare may be compromised if they are predominantly left in their hutch or enclosure.
Exotic, Domesticated, and Wild Pets
The floor of guinea pig cages should be smooth and solid as housing guinea pigs on wire mesh can cause injury to the feet and subsequent pododermatitis [ ]. Behavioral problems are uncommon in guinea pigs [ 89 ]; therefore, these seem an unlikely cause of owner dissatisfaction. Bonding mature males can be challenging, but this can be easily overcome by keeping neutered males with females or by introducing same sex pairs when young. We recommend that guinea pigs can make good pets if they are kept by interested adults who are aware of their potential lifespan and husbandry requirements.
Whilst the temperament of guinea pigs makes them a good pet for children, it is imperative that an adult takes responsibility for their welfare and appreciates the potential costs associated with health problems that they may experience in later life. In conclusion, whilst there are increasing numbers of exotics being kept as pets, this unfortunately does not reflect increased public understanding of their needs. The difficulties of keeping these animals are also often underestimated by owners.
Whilst some exotic animal species such as budgerigars, parakeets, rabbits and guinea pigs are likely to be suitable as pets as long as owners conduct research into their lifespan, husbandry, ethological and health requirements, meeting the needs of exotic pets such as large parrots, reptiles and amphibians is likely to be challenging in captivity. In particular, we feel that the lack of accurate and comprehensive information on keeping these pets and the difficulty in finding specialist veterinary care for exotics puts them at risk of both behavioral and physical problems.
Whilst exotics are not the only pets that can suffer welfare problems when not properly cared for, there is much more information available on the needs and proper care of cats and dogs.