Asklemmy

Parrots need the same level of commitment and resources as a child. Think of having a permanent 3 year old that welds scissors constantly (beak) for a minimum of 30 years.

Pet rats are awesome! They're domesticated and used to interacting with people. They have distinct personalities and are very loving. Sadly, they only live about 2.5 to 3 years.

I don't have them currently, but people really need to experience owning ferrets for a couple of weeks before deciding to purchase them (and I do mean THEM - don't just purchase one). They are like playful and adventurous kittens 24/7 between naps, which seems awesome, but they need vet check-ups, diligent cage cleaning, and tons of play time.

Giant African snails can hibernate. Do not simply throw them in the trash, because their shell is dried shut. They can quickly infest the entire neighbourhood

Hedgehogs shit while they run. Sonic doesn't eat chili dogs, he lays them.

Lifespan: Chinchillas have a long lifespan, and potential owners should be prepared for a commitment that could last 10 to 20 years.

Social creatures: Chinchillas are social animals and may benefit from having a same-sex companion to prevent loneliness and boredom.

Special diet: They require a specialized diet consisting of high-fiber hay, chinchilla pellets, and occasional treats. They should not be fed sugary or fatty foods.

Dust baths: Chinchillas need regular dust baths to keep their fur clean and healthy. The dust absorbs excess oils and moisture from their fur.

Temperature sensitivity: Chinchillas are sensitive to heat and should be kept in a cool environment, ideally between 60-70 degrees Fahrenheit (15-21 degrees Celsius).

No water baths: They should never be bathed with water as their dense fur takes a long time to dry and can lead to health issues.

Chewing habits: Chinchillas have constantly growing teeth, and they need appropriate chew toys to prevent dental problems.

Escape artists: Chinchillas are excellent escape artists, so their cages and play areas need to be secure.

Regular exercise: They need opportunities for exercise and playtime outside of their cage.

Veterinary care: Regular check-ups with an exotic pet veterinarian are crucial to monitor their health and catch any potential issues early on.

Quiet and calm environment: Chinchillas are sensitive to loud noises and sudden movements, so a calm living environment is beneficial for their well-being.

Time and attention: Chinchillas are active and curious animals, requiring daily interaction and mental stimulation.

So. Much. Poop.

• Despite being desert-dwelling animals in the wild, bearded dragons should not be kept in enclosures with sand (or other particulates) as a substrate. They'll ingest it with their food, and it can get stuck in their digestive system and can kill them.
• They enter a hibernation-like state (called brumation) typically once a year, and it can last up to 3 months or so. They stop eating and spend most / all of their time asleep in their hide, and if you're not expecting it, can look like they've died. It's normal, healthy, and they'll wake up and go back to normal again.
• Bearded dragons are frequently carriers of salmonella, which they can pass on to humans. Always wash your hands thoroughly after handling one.

I breed various species of roaches (Emerald roaches, Madagascar hissing roaches, glowspot roaches and Simandoa conserfariam). They are very social creatures with favourite sitting spots and fights when someone challenges that. There are also only very few species that infest homes (about 20-30 out of 4600) the rest live in forests and caves and don’t want to have anything to do with humans. They also clean themselves a lot. There are also a lot of very pretty species.

African Pigmy Hedgehogs are incredibly cute and have a lot of personality but are incredibly sensitive to it to their environment and will die unless properly taken care of.

For instance!

1. They need to exercise or else they will gain weight and die from obesity.
2. But don't get the kind of rodent wheels with supporting bars because they'll turn their head while running and potentially break their neck.
3. Also, don't get the wheels with mesh/holes on their running surface as their toes or paws can get stuck and lead to injury.
4. They will poop and pee constantly in their area, which means daily cleaning.
5. Their nails/claws grow fast and must be clipped or they will start to grow back up into the bottom of their paws.
6. They need 8 hours of "day light" in the form of a lamp or their body will think it's hibernation time.
7. They must be kept around 65°F-90°F or they'll either think it is winter and try hibernating, or they will overheat and die.
8. They can be tumor machines. Our one hedgehog Prickles had a hysterectomy after developing tumors in her uterus. She also developed multiple mouth tumors.

Picture for reference: https://imgur.com/a/nBkbHpA

I'm not sure if leopard geckos really count as exotic, given they're about as close to domesticated as lizards get currently, but they're more exotic than cats and dogs. In any case, I with people in general would understand that pet stores, especially large chain ones, but the smaller ones are often included too, cannot be trusted to give accurate advice on how to set up and care for an animal, and as such, asking the employee for what to get to go with the animal while buying it does not constitute adequate research into that animal's care.

I've seen way too many posts on the leopard gecko subreddit, before I left reddit, from people with wildly insufficient or actively harmful setups, based on advice from a pet shop, or "starter kits" marketed as being for the species. Many were well meaning people who simply assumed that the pet store employees were professional and therefore must know what they were talking about, and while most ultimately seemed to listen when everyone warned them that they were doing something wrong, some stubbornly would insist on trusting what they had been told to buy.

I'm usually a snake owner (although not at the moment), the amount of people who have horrible misconceptions about snakes genuinely frighten me

People see snakes and assume they're bitey monsters that just want to hurt you, this could not be further from the case, snakes have relatively fragile teeth, and their venom is precious, furthermore they cannot tear chunks out of their prey, they must swallow them whole. These few things combined means that biting humans is not really high on their list of things to do. Some snakes can be rather defensive, but there's no snake that will chase a human, and you can tame almost any snake down from defensiveness relatively easily (much easier than you could if a giant grabbed you)

There's no such thing as a snake that chases humans, they aren't slimy, they aren't all venomous, and the venomous ones know they will still lose a fight with a human, so, they will run away, furthermore it is no consolation prize to the snake that they kill you TOMORROW if you've been bit, when their head has been stomped today.

I kept turtles back in the 90s. I had a fantastic setup: a blocked off room, with a kiddie pool in it, with ramps leading in & out of the pool.

Not an exotic pet owner but wanted to say this post was thoroughly enjoyable. I'd like to own an iguana one day, possibly birds again, and it's cool learning about others exotic oet experiences!