If you’re someone who isn’t interested in having the traditional pet such as a dog, cat, fish etc then you aren’t the only one. Many people have rare and exotic pets. I found some information on exotic pets and this is what I found.
Exotic pets can be very interesting from skunk, pigeon, lizard, racoon and flying squirrels. My question before looking for information for this article was can these animals be kept as pets and if so how do you maintain them? What to feed them? and how do they behave when living with humans? this article explores all this.
Skunk
General info:
Skunks are wild animals and generally do not make good pets but there are a variety of domesticated skunks which have been breed to be domestic. The domesticated ones are docile and loving.
Owning one:
At the time of writing this article it was only legal to own one in 17 States, these include Wisconsin, Virginia, West Virginia, South Dakota, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Oklahoma, Ohio, New Mexico, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Massetusis, Indiana, Florida and Alabama to name a few
Diet:
Their diet should consist of lean protein either fish or chicken, various fruits or fresh cooked grains and vegetables. Their natural diet consists of insects, fruits, and snakes. They have issues trying to process junk food
Handling:
Domesticated skunks are trained to sleep at night and to be active during the day. They need a lot of love and attention similar to other animals. They also need lots of stimulation to feed their playful personalities. You should keep an eye on them as their long claws can open cabinets, drawers and refrigerator doors, so be sure to skunk proof your house. Keep packed all your soft sweaters, blankets and towels to prevent them from using it in their den.
Domestication:
As part of domestication the skunks stink glands have to be removed thus making them descended. This process is done when they are very young, between 2 and 5 weeks of age. There have been debates on the ethics of this practice as it removes the natural defenses of the skunk, if left out into the wild it is not capable of protecting itself. Domesticated skunks won’t know how to forage for food if released in the wild.
Health:
Skunks stand a big chance of contracting rabies, this is why other animals steer clear of them, in fear of rabies and the smell. If you notice your skunk is lethargic or acting out of the ordinary take them to a vet.
Lost and found:
If you find a baby skunk without their mother it’s best to find a rehabilitation facility in your area. There are domesticated skunk guides on Amazon you can buy if you get a skunk from a breeder.
Squirrel (flying)
Owning one:
Depending on which state you are in owning a squirrel as a pet can be illegal or legal. You have to have a licence if it’s legal to own one in your state. Be sure to check with your local authority and what your state recommends, in some states you need to have wildlife habitation training.
Diet:
Their diet is a high calcium diet and will include insects. Finding an alternative for this will be in the form of supplements which can get expensive. Although they like junk food this is not good for them, they might try to take the food by force if begging and pleading doesn’t work.
When squirrels are young a good formula for them to eat at 4 weeks old is Day 1 Fox Valley 32/40. This formula is appropriate for squirrels, rabbits and possums. From over 4 weeks of age feed them 20/50 fox valley formula. Between formula meals you can give them puppy chow, sweet potato, green beans (without shell) adding 1 new food to the diet daily. If they get diarrhoea immediately stop the new food.
These animals always need someone to watch over them to avoid them eating nutshells and waste products. They will eat anything they can get their hands on.
Handling:
Note that squirrels have short, sharp nails and strong teeth. The nails are strong enough to dig into bark when climbing trees, so if you aren’t careful they can do some real damage to your skin. If you want to own a squirrel I recommend getting a squirrel glove to avoid their nails breaking into your skin when walking on you.
Racoon
Owning one:
Ensure that you check beforehand with your local authority if it’s legal to own one. At the time of writing this article they were illegal to own in Arizona, Colorado and Idaho
General info:
Raccoons as pets can be an interesting and funny companion. They can be compared to a ferret. Note that a lot of effort is needed to raise raccoons, they are mysterious and require a lot of effort. They are difficult to tame and their health issues are difficult to manage. If you can tame your raccoon they become very social and happy with humans but they can still damage your belongs
Habitat:
It is recommended to house them in a large dog cage when you are not around as they can climb into things knocking your trinkets down and climbing on your shelves. If you can have an outdoor space for your raccoons it must be enclosed. It is good for them to have some fresh air.
Diet:
Their diet consists of vegetables and meats, protein sources, insects, vegetables and fruits. Pet food, nuts and other fatty foods should should be kept at a minimum. Pet stores and online stores offer a milk replacement. Be sure not to give the baby raccoon’s human baby milk or cow’s milk. After the milk stage you can start giving the racoon soft foods
Health:
With regards to the health you might find it difficult to find a vet willing to work with the racoon. They can be vaccinated with a canine rabies vaccine but sometimes this is not as protective. Take note for signs of skin infections, intestinal parasites, urinary tract infection, obesity and fleas
Bats
Owning one:
It is illegal to keep a fruit bat as a pet but if you find yourself in a position where you have one here are some tips
Habitat:
A minimum space for them to live is a 6 foot tall cage. If smaller it can feel claustrophobic. If in a small cage the bat can become less interested in survival. Make sure that the bat cage has mesh to allow for easy clean up. You should sterilize it with a vinegar solution. Use a galvanized cage, ensure that you have a plywood sheet over the mesh to make it dark. You need a temperature of 70 degrees for the bat to feel comfortable.
Diet:
Their diet usually consists of tropical fruits or insects depending on which bat you have. Egyptian flying foxes need tropical fruits to stay healthy.
Training:
It is difficult to train them, they need to use the litter box about 20 minutes into eating, make sure to change the paper in the litterbox regularly.
Health:
Note that they rely on scent and your clean home does not offer what they need. Thus separating them from their natural environment will be detrimental
Pigeon
General info:
Birds desperately need to be adopted. There are many shelters that hold pigeons, doves and other rescues. These birds are domesticated and tamed thus cannot survive in the wild but will fit into your family
Habitat:
When owning pigeons they must be kept in an avery. The avery needs to be secure from predators meaning that it has to be enclosed all the way around. Be sure to include a shady area for the hot days. It ideally should be constructed out of hardware mesh or you can find an avery on Amazon. Try to get an avery that is as big as possible. The smallest you can use is 6 feet by 4 feet deep and 6 feet high
Diet:
Their homes need to be equipped with water and food, they feed on high-quality pigeon feed. Always have the appropriate amount of fresh food in the mornings, I suggest that you start them off with 2 tablespoons and see how they take it, if there is feed left at the end of the night then it’s too much. They also eat vegetables, you can feed them snap peas, carrots, broccoli, kale, cauliflower and spinach, to support healthy egg laying give them calcium gluconate
Health:
Be sure to clean up the poop on a daily basis, healthy droppings have no odour. Conveniently they can be potty trained or be given pigeon pants which is similar to a diaper. Change the diaper every 3 hours
Habits:
They spend most of their time relaxing, lounging in the sun and foraging for seeds. To keep the population down you need to replace the eggs they lay with fake eggs for pigeon bird control. They are very emotional thus they need social interaction either another bird or yourself if you can stay with them all day
If you want to learn more click this link for information on 5 more pests, and if they can be kept as pets
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