Chelsey
Valuable Member
I am hoping that I'm not the only one, but seeing as I'm a pre-vet student it wouldn't suprise me :p Does anyone keep exotics as pets?
Prior to going to college (and having to live in the dorms for a year) I was a USDA licensed hedgehog and sugar glider breeder. Since I could not bring my hedgehog herd and the gliders with me to the dorm and didn't think it fair to my mom to take care of all of them I sold them to a competent breeder. Here's a pic of one of the baby hedgies bred by me:
At one time I was owned by a white-nosed coatimundi. I should not have listened to the breeder when she told me that they make great pets...in my experience they do not. Nik became very aggressive and I have some scars from him. He is now living with a wildlife rescuer that also runs an exotic animal sanctuary and has his own very large outdoor cage with a small indoor heated area that he can go into. This was the first (and last) time that I did not thoroughly research an exotic prior to buying one, I just relied on the breeder for information (bad bad bad idea). Here's Nik as an 8 week old baby:
Now that I am in my own house and off campus I can have whatever I'd like (within reason). I am owned by two short tailed opossums, Daisy and Duke. They're amazing little critters that are great fun to watch. Duke does not like to be held much but Daisy will sit on my shoulder and just watch EVERYTHING! They're nocturnal and love running in their wheels. Here's Duke running in his wheel:
The second week in December I will become the mom of a southern flying squirrel that I will be naming Nemo...I am SO excited and cannot wait to be able to carry her around with me all day!
Back at home on the "farm" I share a potbellied pig with my family. His name is Hubert and he is just the cutest, smartest, most hilarious little critter! Hubert has his own stall in the barn (if you want to call it that, it's more like a piggy palace!) that opens into his very own paddock. When my family is out working in the yard Hubert likes to help, whether it be rooting around in the garden with my mom or weed-whacking the fencerow with my dad. Here's a piglet pic of Hubert (he's about 3 months old now):
I love having exotic pets, they're absolutely amazing and it's fun to be different :) I DEFINATELY recommend doing your homework for a SIGNIFICANT amount of time prior to acquiring them...be a responsible pet owner! Does anyone share the love of exotics with me? :)
Prior to going to college (and having to live in the dorms for a year) I was a USDA licensed hedgehog and sugar glider breeder. Since I could not bring my hedgehog herd and the gliders with me to the dorm and didn't think it fair to my mom to take care of all of them I sold them to a competent breeder. Here's a pic of one of the baby hedgies bred by me:
At one time I was owned by a white-nosed coatimundi. I should not have listened to the breeder when she told me that they make great pets...in my experience they do not. Nik became very aggressive and I have some scars from him. He is now living with a wildlife rescuer that also runs an exotic animal sanctuary and has his own very large outdoor cage with a small indoor heated area that he can go into. This was the first (and last) time that I did not thoroughly research an exotic prior to buying one, I just relied on the breeder for information (bad bad bad idea). Here's Nik as an 8 week old baby:
Now that I am in my own house and off campus I can have whatever I'd like (within reason). I am owned by two short tailed opossums, Daisy and Duke. They're amazing little critters that are great fun to watch. Duke does not like to be held much but Daisy will sit on my shoulder and just watch EVERYTHING! They're nocturnal and love running in their wheels. Here's Duke running in his wheel:
The second week in December I will become the mom of a southern flying squirrel that I will be naming Nemo...I am SO excited and cannot wait to be able to carry her around with me all day!
Back at home on the "farm" I share a potbellied pig with my family. His name is Hubert and he is just the cutest, smartest, most hilarious little critter! Hubert has his own stall in the barn (if you want to call it that, it's more like a piggy palace!) that opens into his very own paddock. When my family is out working in the yard Hubert likes to help, whether it be rooting around in the garden with my mom or weed-whacking the fencerow with my dad. Here's a piglet pic of Hubert (he's about 3 months old now):
I love having exotic pets, they're absolutely amazing and it's fun to be different :) I DEFINATELY recommend doing your homework for a SIGNIFICANT amount of time prior to acquiring them...be a responsible pet owner! Does anyone share the love of exotics with me? :)
