Health Care Tips for Your Exotic Pet

Having your exotic pet on a regular check up with a veterinarian is an important part on your exotic pet’s health. There could be important things that you would like to know in order to maintain the quality of health of your exotic pet. 

Make sure that you develop good communication with your veterinarian so that it would be easier for you to contact him in case your pet needs a check up or treatment. You may find your exotic pets having problems with their health. 

The most common illness for most exotic pets like snakes is anorexia. This is caused by factors like the husbandry where low temperature may cause exotic pets to lose their appetite. Snakes have the tendency to lessen metabolism when it is fall. 

Anorexia among snakes is also caused by the low quality of food fed to them. Another reason could be the wrong way you present food to the pet. It is important that you should know the right way on how to serve the right food for your pets to make them eat well.

If anorexia isn't properly treated, this may lead to other diseases for your exotic pet. It is important that you should have knowledge on how to give your pet good health. Here are some tips in order to keep your exotic pet healthy.

1. Make sure that you bring your snake to your community veterinarian if symptoms of lost appetite is seen.
   
2. Observe the snake whether there are changes in his eating habits and if it can eat the same amount of food that you usually give.
   
3. Make sure that you supply heat in its cage by setting up a heating system that will provide the needed temperature for its body metabolism. Low temperature is the common reason why snakes lose their appetite. Their body metabolism tends to fall.
   
4. You should know the proper manner of serving food to your exotic pet. You should also pay attention to the quality of food that you serve.
   
5. Make sure that your husbandry is properly maintained and you have to keep it clean.
   

Exotic pets like snakes should be examined if there is no progress in its appetite. Your veterinarian may reevaluate his findings and make new clinical diagnosis to check if there are parasites affecting the health of your exotic pet. If necessary, x-rays and ultrasounds may be conducted to determine the real health problem of your exotic pet. 

Knowing the Temperature Requirements of Exotic Pets

So, you want to get an exotic pet, huh? Maybe you are tired of your regular dog and your good old cat. Maybe the bird joyfully chirping outside your window isn't good enough for you anymore. 

You want more challenge and adventure, as a pet owner. You want to take on the challenge of taking care of exotic animals as pets. Yes, exotic animals like skunks, spiders, and snakes. 

But before you do just that, you have to know the proper condition of the type of exotic pet you intend to take care of. Mostly, exotic pets can't live in the same condition such as yours. You first have to know its habitat temperature requirements.

For starters, try to research things about the pet and the particular species that you want. From where do these animals come from? Do they come from cold countries like Antarctica? Or hot ones like Kenya and South Africa?

The room temperature of the animals you intend to take care of should be maintained to match their natural habitat. If they are used to cold weather and you are in an equally cold country, like the U.S., then you should be fine. What about if they are used to a hot, humid place? That is going to be a problem, for sure. 

If you intend to take care of an exotic pet that is used to weather not similar to yours, then the pets will definitely not survive long. The only thing that you can do is to set up a room and make its temperature akin to what the animal is used to.

Temperature is really important. So the next time you intend to take an oriental exotic animal to your relatively cold country, think twice. You might not be making a good decision. The pet you intend to take care of may not even last for a few days. It is just going to be a waste. 

So the main thing here is, don't get exotic pets originating from relatively hot countries, unless you really wanted to go into great heights simulating their natural habitat for them. If you are fine with that, then you can go ahead and take care of that pet. But if that is simply too much of a hassle for you, then don’t do it. It may not be worth it.

Choosing the Best Cage for Your Exotic Pet

When owning an exotic pet, the first thing you should consider is the cage. You should find the right materials when making a cage for your exotic pet. You may also find ready-made cages that have installed housing systems. 

If you prefer buying a snake as your pet, you should prepare a cage that can suit the size and shape of your snake. The size of the cage may depend on the age of the snake. You should also consider the environmental living conditions of the snake.

You may also consider using aquarium tanks as your extra cage for snakes that are less than six to seven feet in length and are required to have swim breaks. For desert snakes, you may prepare a screen top cage to provide ventilation. Tropical snakes may need a cage that has a top raise cover screen to sustain average temperature. 

Make sure that your cage has glass-based screens so that you can view your pet clearly. You won't have a hard time in cleaning glass aquariums. However, they are heavy since they are solid and should be placed on a steel stand. You may put solid round castors so that you can move it easily. 

You may also find melamine cages that are easier to clean. They are perfect for bigger snakes since they are usually made with large space. It is designed to resist moisture. You can also find plastic-made rubber tubs that are used as breeding cages. This will also serve as your secondary cage in case you need to clean or repair your primary cage.

If you can't afford these kinds of cages, you may have the option of using plywood made cages that are cheaper and easier to find. You can create your own design using good grades of plywood, which can give you a nice finish to your snake cage. 

For those snake owners who make their own cages, they always prefer using plywood and melamine crafts since they provide the cage with good insulating properties. 

Cages made from glass may have the tendency to lose heat fast especially on its front portion. You may also find a hard time working on glass cages since you will need special tools for cutting edges and portions of the glass. 

Always keep in mind that your cage should provide security for your snake as well as to smaller kids. Make sure that you find the right place in your house where you will place the cage. Your cage should provide the same environmental conditions that your exotic pet needs in order to survive.

Buying Necessities at the Exotic Pet Supply Shop

George was fascinated with reptiles at a very young age. This all started when the school went on a field trip to the zoo and was immediately followed a book entitled “Creepy Crawly Things” given at the end of the tour.  

This fascination became a reality when George’s parents purchased a tarantula at the local pet store. This creature belongs to the arachnid family because of the venomous fangs that are used to kill prey. 

The tarantula loves to eat fresh meat. Unlike other spiders that usually eat whatever gets trapped in the web, this one waits in a certain spot and ambushes the prey. The victims are usually insects, other spiders, birds and amphibians. 

Since it is quite difficult to catch these creatures, the best place to get them is from an exotic pet supply shop. 

The first thing any owner must provide is shelter for the pet. The tarantula should be placed in a glass aquarium with some rocks or old wood to make it feel comfortable in its environment. This will cost an average of $40 and is very easy for anyone to set up. 

Some jell should also be purchased to give the spider some liquids together with live insects such as crickets or worms as part of its diet. This doesn’t hurt the wallet that much since the tarantula is only fed once a week. 

Tarantulas are nocturnal animals so having a small lamp installed will be just right to give it some warmth in its home. The owner should make sure that it doesn't exceed 30 degrees, which could be too much for the spider to handle. 

Even if many Americans prefer to have dogs, cats or fish as pets, there are many who prefer to have spiders instead. These eight-legged creatures are not noisy compared to other animals, don't produce any harmful odors from urine or feces and are easy to maintain. 

The price for a tarantula on the market ranges from $20 to $50. This will depend on the type, the gender and age when it was purchased. The exotic pet supply store also carries books of how to take care of this kind of spider.  

Deciding to own a tarantula or any other exotic pet is a huge responsibility. It will be a good idea to do some research first and know the dos and don’ts in order to have fun with this creature around. 

 

A Guide on Comparing Retail Prices for Exotic Pets

When selecting your exotic pet, you have to make sure that exotic doesn't equate with overpriced! Checking out some websites online which specialize in comparing retail prices of the exotic pet you intend to buy is one good way to start a proper canvassing. Make sure that the said website is a legitimate source. 

Actually, you can save more money if you know someone who breeds the exotic pet. Of course, to find an exotic pet breeder may be more exotic than the pet itself! But if you do find one in your network, you are in luck! That person will also help you in long-term maintenance of the exotic pet—something not all stores can guarantee for your pet’s lifetime! 

When you compare retail prices, you have to check everything, including transportation allowance. You might find a cheaper ferret in a place that is geographically farther in your area. Transporting the said exotic pet when you buy it from there might even be more expensive than if you purchase the pet from within your area at a slightly higher buying price. 

Make sure you have visited at least five stores selling the specific exotic pet you intend to buy before you decide to buy. Having less than five and then making your decision from there doesn't constitute good canvassing. Make sure you have exhausted all possible means to compare prices. This is tedious work, but it will really save you more money in the long run.

Also, as you canvass, make the initial research on what are the indicators of good health of your exotic pet of choice, and seek to check them along with the retail prices. For example, one store would be selling you the pet at a higher price, but you would see that the pets there are in much better shape than in the other store which sells them at a lower price. From here you can take cues that the pet is already well-fed and is less likely to be aggressive and dangerous. 

Another thing to consider is the legality of the said exotic pet in your area. If it is illegal, you might be coughing up more bills just to keep the care for the animal in wraps. There are some states which don’t allow certain species of exotic pets, and with good reason. You can never underestimate the ability of these exotic pets to incite more danger to the people within the area.