Omega Kirby
Member
Those who have Reptile, Hedgehogs, Skunks, Frogs or anything as those as pets, hows life with them?
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Exotic pet gaf, tell me your experiences
- Thread starter Omega Kirby
- Start date
They aren't pets, but I frequently have opossums, squirrels, pigeons, and other assorted small animals at my house. Opossums are adorable, squirrels are cute till they're a bit older, then they're just a pain in the ass. Had to go buy a butterfly net once to catch one when it got out of the cage. Pigeons are super cute, but they're also super noisy as babies/fledglings. Hummingbirds are always cute too. Had to drive a coyote around once, was kinda neat, he just sat in a big carrier the whole time.
Other than that I have 4 pet rats if that counts, you have to take then to an exotic animal vet anyways. They're all pretty friendly and cute except the one that's mostly blind and thinks you're food sometimes.
Other than that I have 4 pet rats if that counts, you have to take then to an exotic animal vet anyways. They're all pretty friendly and cute except the one that's mostly blind and thinks you're food sometimes.
It was weird, I couldn't get a dog as a very young kid but I had a rabbit. And a chinchilla later. Then finally a Jack Russell that was never trained well. My family didn't give him much rights in the house, so I didn't get to play with him a lot and thus didn't have a very strong bond with him.
Separately, as a kid, I had a 55 gallon terrarium with some leopard frogs from the pond by my house, some newts, and some fish. It was actually pretty cool looking, like a little installation that you would see in a zoo or aquarium. I didn't get emotionally attatched, and I always let the frogs go again once the winter was over. You have to keep crickets to feed those things, and they make a lot of noise.
Really though, I don't get it. If I had kids I'd just get them a cat or dog. The companionship that I have with my dog and cat now, as an adult pet owner, is better than all the newts in the world.
Looking back, I was stocking my parents house with tons of animals, but never got what I desired until I rescued my cat in college and got my dog when I moved out west.
I don't see the draw of getting very expensive animals whose personal needs and attention needs are very high and their interaction with you as an owner is not very high. It seems it really might not be worth it when you can just have a perfect companion animal in a dog or cat.
Separately, as a kid, I had a 55 gallon terrarium with some leopard frogs from the pond by my house, some newts, and some fish. It was actually pretty cool looking, like a little installation that you would see in a zoo or aquarium. I didn't get emotionally attatched, and I always let the frogs go again once the winter was over. You have to keep crickets to feed those things, and they make a lot of noise.
Really though, I don't get it. If I had kids I'd just get them a cat or dog. The companionship that I have with my dog and cat now, as an adult pet owner, is better than all the newts in the world.
Looking back, I was stocking my parents house with tons of animals, but never got what I desired until I rescued my cat in college and got my dog when I moved out west.
I don't see the draw of getting very expensive animals whose personal needs and attention needs are very high and their interaction with you as an owner is not very high. It seems it really might not be worth it when you can just have a perfect companion animal in a dog or cat.
cr0w
Old Member
My wife and I have a bearded dragon, uromastyx, two Tokay geckos, a leopard gecko and a crested gecko.
The beardie is basically a dog, he just likes to hang out and sit on our laps or something and watch TV. If we don't take him out when we get home he gets huffy. The uromastyx is skittish and convinced we're trying to kill him no matter what...he's a grump. One Tokay is wild-caught, but pretty chill as long as we don't get too close to him. He's almost bitten my wife's finger down to the bone, but I won't give him that opportunity with me. I respect his boundaries. Our other Tokay is captive-bred and likes to hang out on our shoulders or jump on our faces. The crested is a total crackhead, she's spastic and a risk to take out because I don't want her jumping and running behind something and never being found. The leopard is a stoner. She just eats and sleeps.
Our Tokays like to call at night, so it's kind of cool hearing them from time to time. They're interesting pets, but if you're at all squeamish about bugs or anything it can be tough to get over. I've had to adjust to having a tank with a full roach colony living in it that we use to feed our geckos and beardie.
This is also a very real issue, but our beardie is a rescue along with one of our Tokays. We only buy from people we know and that we've vetted.
The beardie is basically a dog, he just likes to hang out and sit on our laps or something and watch TV. If we don't take him out when we get home he gets huffy. The uromastyx is skittish and convinced we're trying to kill him no matter what...he's a grump. One Tokay is wild-caught, but pretty chill as long as we don't get too close to him. He's almost bitten my wife's finger down to the bone, but I won't give him that opportunity with me. I respect his boundaries. Our other Tokay is captive-bred and likes to hang out on our shoulders or jump on our faces. The crested is a total crackhead, she's spastic and a risk to take out because I don't want her jumping and running behind something and never being found. The leopard is a stoner. She just eats and sleeps.
Our Tokays like to call at night, so it's kind of cool hearing them from time to time. They're interesting pets, but if you're at all squeamish about bugs or anything it can be tough to get over. I've had to adjust to having a tank with a full roach colony living in it that we use to feed our geckos and beardie.
This is also a very real issue, but our beardie is a rescue along with one of our Tokays. We only buy from people we know and that we've vetted.
Alligatorjandro
Banned
I own frogs, tarantulas, a gecko, a centipede and a scorpion. The frogs,2 pixie and 2 pacmans, and the tarantulas are my favorites. The frogs, especially the pixies, are incredible eaters who attack anything they think is food. The tarantulas all have different personalities, some like to dig, some like to cling and some are just pet rocks. The leopard gecko mostly sleeps but does explore her tank. The scorpion is pretty boring. The centipede is the one I have to be careful around as it has a nasty bite but it's fun to watch it attack and eat its insect prey.
lvl99 Pixel
Member
animals that require live feeding seem well suited for serial killers
You not one of those people that have pets and don't realize their house is stank right?
I had a pacman frog. Sadly, I underestimated the broad array of diet they require and his poor little bones in one leg got disfigured. Someone who knew how to take care of them adopted him from me, and he lived a long happy life for a frog afterwards. I owned him for two years, built him an extravagant habitat that his new owner took along with him. He lived to nine years old, a very long time for a pacman frog. His name was Ghibli.
Little bastard bit me once. Fucker drew blood. They actually have teeth.
Little bastard bit me once. Fucker drew blood. They actually have teeth.
Admiral Woofington
Member
One of my high school friends had two of those gigantic rabbits. Like the kind that grow to the size of a medium dog.
Unfortunately he never potty or socialized them with humans properly so he had to keep them in a corner of a house where they lived/pissed and pooped everywhere.
If you train them correctly they could hop around the house like cute doggos
Unfortunately he never potty or socialized them with humans properly so he had to keep them in a corner of a house where they lived/pissed and pooped everywhere.
If you train them correctly they could hop around the house like cute doggos
Dog Problems
Banned
I had a hedgehog for over four years and had to put her down last week because of wobbly hedgehog syndrome.
The biggest adjustment was having to keep my place warmer than I like since that's the sort of climate they need. She had a tendency to go to the bathroom while running in her wheel so I had to give her baths every couple of weeks. Also had to trim her nails once a month and that required the help of my girlfriend because I couldn't do it on my own.
Overall, I really enjoyed life with her and will probably have another some day.
The biggest adjustment was having to keep my place warmer than I like since that's the sort of climate they need. She had a tendency to go to the bathroom while running in her wheel so I had to give her baths every couple of weeks. Also had to trim her nails once a month and that required the help of my girlfriend because I couldn't do it on my own.
Overall, I really enjoyed life with her and will probably have another some day.
Alligatorjandro
Banned
Lol these things don't really have much of a smell
Neighbor had turtles and they smelled like hell if you don't stay on top of them
Alligatorjandro
Banned
Yeah those require a lot of upkeep
Wag
Member
Rushersauce
Banned
Haven't you turned into Spider Monkey Man yet?
Astral Dog
Member
I want a squirrel 🐿
Wag
Member
He'll eat your nuts off.
Rentahamster
Rodent Whores
Hamsters are less likely to betray your ancestors.
Parmadillo Marshmallow
Member
Ball Python, easiest pet ever if you get an adult. Very little maintenance and very hearty beasts.
We've had her for 7 years and she is now 13. Feed a large rat once a month, keep her water up about once a week, clean cage probably twice a month. She has maintained 2100g on this diet for all those years. She has a very low metabolism so doesn't eat or defecate much. Great pet.
We've had her for 7 years and she is now 13. Feed a large rat once a month, keep her water up about once a week, clean cage probably twice a month. She has maintained 2100g on this diet for all those years. She has a very low metabolism so doesn't eat or defecate much. Great pet.
lvl99 Pixel
Member
With all the experiments being done on rodents we'll eventually create some that are really smart. And then they will comprehend all the things we have done to them and we're basically fucked.
Dubbedinenglish
Banned
I'd love to have a pygmy goat but the smell, dear god the smell.
Omega Kirby
Member
That sounds so cute and awesome, I've always been curious about bearded dragons as pets
lvl99 Pixel
Member
could just be the person imagining anthropomorphic qualities that arent there
I refuse to believe reptiles are capable of more than just death and being stationary. Afaik they dont even express pain because theres no social benefit to.
people complaining about their birds always makes me think of this bird
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLwGfoybuPw
I had a friend who had birds growing up, and while fun for a while they can be extremely annoying.
Wag
Member
people complaining about their birds always makes me think of this bird
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLwGfoybuPw
I had a friend who had birds growing up, and while fun for a while they can be extremely annoying.
When I was younger I worked at a mental health facility that had a cockatoo. During my downtime I taught it how to say "Redrum".
Thank you for that link, as now I know what happened to mine. It looks exactly what mine had. I had one for several years when I was young, and she had a hard time walking a few years into her life. I lived in a small town where the vets didn't have experience with exotic animals, so we didn't know what to do
It ended up getting worse and she ended up passing away one morning. At least now I know what it was. I sometimes wish I could get another, but for some reason they ard illegal in California for some reason (same with ferrets).
It's not all that it's cracked up to be. I can fling poo with unerring accuracy, and...that's about it.
Prax
Member
Just chinchillas!
They were adopted from a cousin, who adopted them from somewhere else?
They are not very cuddly or friendly. They are generally skittish and because of their adoption story, probably aren't properly socialized to love humans lol. It's been about 3 years and only tolerate being pet a little bit. They also poop a lot!
But so cutes!
They were adopted from a cousin, who adopted them from somewhere else?
They are not very cuddly or friendly. They are generally skittish and because of their adoption story, probably aren't properly socialized to love humans lol. It's been about 3 years and only tolerate being pet a little bit. They also poop a lot!
But so cutes!
You dodged a bullet. I owned one for almost a year and then I had to give her away to a family because I just couldn't take care of her anymore. They are cute as hell and if you bond with them correctly and can devote the time needed they are supposedly very nice pets. The problem is they are entirely nocturnal, she literally slept all day long and heaven help you if you don't get them back into their cage by morning because you will never find out where they crawled into to sleep for the day (SURPRISE! I was sleeping in the shirt you just picked out of the closet to wear to work!).
The deal breaker is the nocturnal activity, that part cannot be stressed enough and its a life long commitment for the pet that is non-negotiable. If you do not stay up all night with the sugar glider it will start emitting this horrific guttaral, hellish squawk repeatedly over and over in a rhythmic beat. This squawk is so loud you will at first be in wonderment it is coming out of something so tiny. Then you realize its not going to stop. It is going to do it, all night long. You will not sleep, you will play with the sugar glider, there is no choice. And this is every night, you don't get to take weekends off.
Daw, so adorable (and soooft) =s