Choosing an Exotic Pet - Care of Exotic Pets

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Rabbits come in an array of breeds with different colors, sizes, shapes and coat types. The subtle differences between breeds will be of most interest to those who show their bunnies. The average owner would probably be interested mainly in size and coat type. Keep in mind that a pet store rabbit is not necessarily pure bred or at the very least may not meet the ideal breed standards. This in no way reflects on their quality as a pet, though! This guide is just meant to help potential owners sort through the sometimes confusing array of breeds. Rabbits vary in size from the smaller dwarf breeds (at under 2.5 lbs) to some of the giant breeds (sizes up to 16 pounds). Owners also need to be aware that the longer coated breeds need daily grooming.

 Pigs are very clever, and your pot bellied pig can be house trained with a little patience and lots of treats.

Here's How:

1. Initially confine your pig to a small area when not directly supervising him or her.
2. Take the pig outside frequently (every 2 hours), and especially on waking and after meals.
3. Come up with a command to use when you want your pig to urinate or defecate e.g. 'Do your stuff.'
4. When the pig urinates or defecates outside, use lots of praise and a give a bite of its favorite treat.
5. Establish a routine for eating and going outside, which will help your pig understand the idea of going outside to eliminate.

Most of us, at one time or another in our childhood, caught some kind of bug and put it in a jar with holes in the lid. Most people lose this fascination with insect and other invertebrates as they get older, and often go to great lengths to to keep them away. However, some people never lose that fascination and enjoy keeping insects, spiders, scorpion and millipedes as pets. These are certainly not cuddly pets, but they can still be entertaining and educational.
Before deciding on one of these, read Insects and Spiders 101 for an idea of the factors you should consider before choosing one of these pets. Some of these may be illegal where you live, so you need to check into your local laws as well.

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Your hermit crab will likely start to act a bit different and look a bit different just before molting. Always be prepared for molting as some hermit crabs may surprise you by molting when you least expect it. Keep a close eye out for the following signs and be prepared to support your molting hermit crab through this stressful time. Once you see these signs, you should consider isolating the hermit crab from the other crabs. Signs your Hermit Crab is Getting Ready to Molt

• Digging more than usual (careful: this can also be a sign of improper temperature or humidity, so check your conditions).
• Eating and drinking more than usual for a bit before the molt. In the last few days before starting a molt your crab may stop eating.

Here's How:

1. Get a small plastic tub for a container. Inexpensive clear containers with vented snap on lids are available at pet stores.
2. Place 1-2 inches of substrate (which mealworms will eat) in bottom. Use bran, oats or a mixture of the two.
3. Place 1/2 a potato on substrate or in a small dish (supplies moisture and food).
4. Get around 2 dozen mealworms from the pet store.
5. Place mealworms in container, which should be kept relatively warm.

Life Span: 2-3 years on average, though longer is possible (I recently heard of one who lived to 8 years, though this is exceptional!)
Size: body about 4 inches long, tail another 4 inches.
Appearance: fairly small rodents with long furry tails that have a little tuft of fur at the end. The wild type coloration is "agouti", where each hair is banded with gray, yellowish, and black, with off-white hair on the belly. However, through selective breeding, several lovely color variations are available.

The group of small mammals comprised of hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs, mice and rats are commonly found at pets stores, and favorites as family pets. While they are all rodents (with the possible exception of the guinea pig, whose classification as a rodent is disputed in the scientific community), they have varied requirements for space and social interaction, and have differing qualities as pets. The following comparison can help you decide which of these rodents might be the right pet for you.
Hamsters           

Vulpes zerda is more commonly referred to as the fennec fox.
Fennec foxes are 2-3 lb. canines with ears as large as 6 inches in length from Africa. Fennecs can make great pets since they can be easily trained to use a litter box and are fed an accessible high-quality dog or cat food, such as the Mazuri Exotic Canine Diet.

Quick Facts

-Fennecs can be found purring like a cat when they are happy.
-They are very social animals and live in colonies in the wild of up to 10 other foxes.

In the past, ferrets have received a good deal of negative publicity. As with any pet, poor understanding of their needs and behavior and needs can lead to problems. However, we have to remember that the majority of ferret owners are responsible owners, and there are several common misconceptions about ferrets. Does a ferret make a good family pet? Well, it depends on the ferret and the family. With a commitment to proper care, ferrets make very good pets -- for anyone, including families. They do require exercise, training, attention (they like lots of attention!) and regular veterinary care, including vaccinations. In addition, homes must be thoroughly ferret-proofed. Ferrets are wonderful animals, but they are not low maintenance, inexpensive pets.

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Establishing a good working relationship with a veterinarian can be a challenge for any pet owner, but is a special challenge for the exotic pet owner. The exotic pet owner must find a vet who is willing to see their pet, knows something about their pet, and has the facilities, equipment and materials to treat their pet.
An interest in exotics doesn't necessarily equal proficiency in treating them. I say this from experience, as although I am fascinated with exotic pets, I have no special training in treating them medically. When I was practicing as a veterinarian, except for very routine care, I generally referred exotics to a specialist nearby. Thing may have changed a bit since I went to school, but during my training, exposure to exotics was still very imited even though I sought out extra exposure to exotic pets in my choice of clinical rotations.

The British Greyhound Racing Board is determined to prevent the sport from going to the dogs by taking steps to ensure that off-course bookmakers pay a proper price.

The BGRB is seeking to put right the underfunding it says it has endured during the last 30 years. Up to now greyhound racing has been denied a mandatory levy by government, despite the fact that horseracing, which is used in exactly the same way by bookmakers in betting shops, receives 1.3% of all betting turnover by law.

Examine, if you will, the following scenarios of crimes involving high school students in the small town of Jena, Louisiana:

A student asks to sit under a particular tree on campus, and is told he may sit wherever he likes. He does so, but the following day three nooses are found hanging from the tree. Despite the principal’s recommendation to expel the students involved in hanging the nooses, they receive a three day in-school suspension.

Later that fall, a student tried to enter a party, and was attacked and hit in the head with a beer bottle. The attacker was charged with battery and released on probation.

A Chihuahua dog rescue organization headed by an ex-daughter-in-law of actor Gregory Peck took into custody a pack of nearly 170 wild Chihuahua dogs in Lancaster, California, sparing them from death at a Los Angeles area animal shelter, Reuters News Service reported recently.

The feral dogs were taken into the animal shelter by county animal control officers last November in the desert town of Acton, north of Los Angeles.

The dogs allegedly were found in what a prosecutor described as "abominable" conditions.