# Exotic pets



## MindyLee (Feb 5, 2011)

*Past or present*

* *

*What's to most exotic pet you have owned?*

Mine would be a female american florida alligator named Flea.

I bought her when she was only 3 days old at a local pet shop. She was only about 5 inchs long. Pretty neat and wow did I learn everything there is to know about a alligator. I had her about 4 1/2 yrs befor she ran away, yes I did say she ran away BUT not to worry, because it still got cold at night back then, she unfortuntely passed away where ever she was that night. I was so upset and felt so bad for her and looked everywhere but could not find her. I did learn a lesson out of it, now even tho she never bit me, it was a matter of time when she would and can say to others out there... Alligators do not make great pets! Even tho I did love her I knew I most like should'nt have gotten her.

NOW I do want to own reindeer in the future, and will someday






*How about any of you?*


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## Matt73 (Feb 5, 2011)

I can't believe they sell alligators in pet shops



How ridiculous.


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## Charley (Feb 5, 2011)

Many years ago a friend gave us a baby skunk that he found. We had him descented and he was always nocturnal.


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## Relic (Feb 5, 2011)

l married an exotic pet..don't know if that counts


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## REO (Feb 5, 2011)

*I'm* nocturnal, but I'm not entirely sure I've been descented





I had a lil catapillar and I raised him into a tiny orange butterfly. Let him go. His name was Fred. I was 8.

Now my exotic pet is one adult male Couch Snoozer.


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## MindyLee (Feb 5, 2011)

Matt73 said:


> I can't believe they sell alligators in pet shops
> 
> 
> 
> How ridiculous.



Now that its been over 10 yrs since I bought her, I too agree with this as it is a shame. I dont know of anyone local or near by the sells them anymore so thats a good thing now of days.


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## ohmt (Feb 6, 2011)

We have a fawn that we rescued this past summer who is still with us. He is so darn funny. We had him on the yard as he healed up and one of our stallion's pens was adjacent to it and I the fawn either slept right up against the stallions (Dream) pen or was nose to nose with him. Eventually he snuck in there and we left them together because we want to keep the deer as 'wild' as possible which means we try not to get close and we don't touch him. We thought once he figured out how to jump the fences he'd leave us, but what he does is jump the fence, go eat with the preggie mares and weanling on the yard, go eat with another stallion, and then when he's full he goes back into his pen with Dream. They cuddle together in Dream's barn.

I'm really hoping the fawn, Merry, decides to leave in the spring. I'd really rather not have a large (he's already big and fat!) buck on the farm.

That's as exotic as we go though...and isn't really exotic. I know if my grandma had her way we'd have a whole bunch of zebras and wallabies though! Surprisingly grandpa keeps saying no??


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## Marty (Feb 6, 2011)

Without a doubt my first husband, Bigfoot. He was really huge, a pro football player, and all big and hairy and strong and stinky and mean. What a rotten pet. yuk





Besides that, I had a little octopus when I was a little girl we bought while we were on vacation someplace I thought I loved him and then I quicky changed my mind when we got him home I decided he was gross. My dad gave him away to the college.


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## Sonya (Feb 6, 2011)

I had a raccoon when I was about 10-14. He was found in a trash can when he was just a couple weeks old. I hand fed him and loved that thing like there was no tomorrow, his name was Scruffy.

Just like an alligator, he was not a good pet, he got mean and aggressive over food as he got older and he went to a park where they are protected.

I also had a true blackfooted Ferret...not the kind you see in the petstore, but one that was captured (not by us, we just happened to come upon him). He was also not a good pet, he was not like your petstore ferrets, much larger and more aggressive.

Some animals are just not meant to be pets, no matter how hard we try.


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## Jill (Feb 6, 2011)

You realize to anyone other than this group of friends on LB, I could say "miniature horses" !!!







Or even dwarf goats. To most crowds, those are plenty exotic!

I'm gonna say flowerhorn cichlid fish. We have one and they are really neat and highly interactive fish. It amazes me how much ours notices what's going on in the room. Also, she knows when I grab a hand mirror, her "rival" is on the way. She starts putting on a show even before she sees her refection. Just sees the frame in my hand and knows what's coming. She also pushes driftwood sticks and plants around her tank. Way "smarter" than we ever realized fish could be.


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## TheCaseFamily00 (Feb 6, 2011)

I'm in Indiana and they have a baby alligator at our local pet store,I think it's very irresposible of the store. Our farrier does work for a lady not far from me who has ,kangaroo,and all kinds of exotic animals. I told him if she needs a hand I''d love to go visit one day.


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## CharlesFamily (Feb 6, 2011)

I've never owned anything exotic. But my college roommate's family really became involved in exotic animals and ended up even opening a small, private zoo. Her Dad had always owned a kennel and bred and showed different types of dogs (bloodhounds, GSD). He went to an exotic animal auction one day and bid on a baby tiger because of the horrendous way it was being kept, and that started it all.

They have since come to their senses and placed all of the animals they collected into reputable rescues....I never agreed with what they were doing, but I did go visit a couple of times and I understand the thrill of owning these animals that most people will never get that close to. If you stood next to the tiger's pen and laid your hand flat along the outside, she would come up and rub against it like a cat and "chuff" in her throat. She enjoyed being "petted" and that was a pretty amazing thing to be standing that close to an animal that large!

They also had zebras, camels, wolves, bears, arctic foxes, otters, monkeys, lions and a leopard. They ended up with a couple of wallabies which I had to be in on a roundup once after they escaped their pen. They are fast little critters! Then they had your more "traditional" exotics - miniature donkeys, a miniature stallion, and pot bellied pigs.

Again, while I never believed people shoud own these animals privately (I think it is an accident waiting to happen), I could not ignore the thrill from being able to be so close to these animals. It was a definite experience I will never forget.

Barbara


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## Riverrose28 (Feb 6, 2011)

I have a pet crow, I've had him for 15 years. A co worker found him as a baby under a tree he didn't even have any feathers. I hand feed him until he was able to eat on his own. He can't fly, some thing is wrong with one wing. He bows for me and screams when the dogs get into some thing. His name is Poe.


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## cretahillsgal (Feb 6, 2011)

Nothing exotic here, but I would love to own a whitetailed deer.


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## StarRidgeAcres (Feb 6, 2011)

I had an African pygmy hedgehog years ago. He was fun, sweet, easy to keep. His health started failing so we found a specialist from the St. Louis Zoo to see him. His teeth had grown too long and could no longer eat properly. Nothing we read or where told warned us of this. We had his teeth pulled and ground all his food after that and he lived several more years.

If it was a good idea, I would LOVE a fennec fox. But I know they shouldn't be pets although many people have them.

The people I'm leasing this home and farm from run the National Tiger Sanctuary. We've gotten a behind the scenes tour and big cats are magical! I don't want one as a pet but wow are they amazing and beautiful creatures.


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## Horse Feathers (Feb 6, 2011)

My husband raises exotic waterfowl- Black Swans, Canada Geese, Snow Geese, and about 20 kinds of duck. I have my mean and noisy Blue and Gold Macaw (she can be nice, but she don't like to be touched) and I had a saltwater Lion Fish for about 5 months (hard to feed right and they are poisonous) and A Snowflake Morey Eel-2 years (bit me while cleaning tank) . Now I have easy saltwater fish (wont hurt you while cleaning the tank).


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## LindaL (Feb 6, 2011)

When I was 18 I bought a tarantula at a pet store. I named "her" (not even sure she was a she...lol



) Charlotte and had her for about 4 years. She got loose from her aquarium a few times and I would find her in my closet or someplace hiding...lol Also, one morning I woke up and looked in her house and there were TWO of her (freaked me out at 1st...lol) but she had molted, which was actually kind of cool to see that they do it in "one piece" (wish I could have seen her do it).

I finally gave her away to someone when I got married. Should have gave HIM away then...lmao...but that's another story!


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## leeapachemoon (Feb 6, 2011)

I've had many, many exotic pets because I worked at a pet store that sold them. (Never an alligator.) And I've been bitten by almost everyone of them at one time or another, including an albino burmese Python!

But the most exotic one that I own was probably the Degu. He was very cute and like a small squirrel.


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## Reignmaker Miniatures (Feb 6, 2011)

Horse Feathers said:


> My husband raises exotic waterfowl- Black Swans, Canada Geese, Snow Geese, and about 20 kinds of duck. I have my mean and noisy Blue and Gold Macaw (she can be nice, but she don't like to be touched) and I had a saltwater Lion Fish for about 5 months (hard to feed right and they are poisonous) and A Snowflake Morey Eel-2 years (bit me while cleaning tank) . Now I have easy saltwater fish (wont hurt you while cleaning the tank).


Just *ha**d*to coment on this ....lol, Canada geese are so NOT exotic (unless you live on the other side of the world ) Just ask anyone who frequents a park where they congregate.





I'd love to have seen your Lion fish. I love to look but couldn't imagine having to worry about being bitten or poisoned Yikes, I'll stick to my pond fish, nothing exotic for me.


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## Katiean (Feb 6, 2011)

This was a young male ostrich that I had






No he does not have a proper fence. However this was before he reached breeding age and got aggressive. They get aggressive even if you hand raise them. They are wild animals and will always be even though they are being used for meat. A male ostrich can kick a chain link fence post out of the cement and ground. A full grown Ostrich can KILL a large man. When we changed the fence to a taller fence we still handled the birds with 10' 2x4's. It was the only way to collect the eggs.

We also had Emu's. They are a bit easier to handle and not as mean. Emu's do form bonds with humans. At least ours did. I would recommend that if you are going to raise ostrich you need a proper Ostrich farm setting as you can get hurt. They are not pets.


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## rubyviewminis (Feb 6, 2011)

I didn't own but was caretaker/zookeeper (I called it) of the Biosphere II exotic animals. My favorites were the Greater Galagos, they are the large (Bushbabies) and always reminded me of a cross between a squirrel and a monkey with no prehensile tail. They each had a name, and all of them would climb on me when I went in to feed and clean. There was also the blue-tongued skink, pygmy goats, and later Nigerian Dwarfs that were not as available as now. They were very expensive, very tiny and colorful, two were imports. And then the Muskovey Ducks (sp), a large variety of Silky chickens and Jungle Fowl. There is a Veterinarian in Tucson who specialized in Raptors and Camelids who trained me.

Thankfully the Galagoes and skink were donated to the San Diego Zoo eventually, and I inherited most of the goats and chickens, which started people dropping off injured peacocks, neglected burros, an iguana that wasn't properly fed, and malnourished horses from Mexico. It was quite the adventure.


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## aBreeze (Feb 6, 2011)

Riverrose28 said:


> I have a pet crow, I've had him for 15 years. A co worker found him as a baby under a tree he didn't even have any feathers. I hand feed him until he was able to eat on his own. He can't fly, some thing is wrong with one wing. He bows for me and screams when the dogs get into some thing. His name is Poe.


I've never heard of anyone else with a pet crow before. Hi!

Neighbors of ours brought us a very young crow after her nest was blown into their arena during a storm. Her sibling did not survive the fall. Raising her was one of the greatest things Iv ever had the oppportunity to do. She was always causing chaos, even stealing my mothers wedding ring. Eventually she met a man and joined his family. Success, a human raised bird that lived a natural life. One spring she brought EVERYONE home with her. Early in the morning were woken up to her squwaking at the bedroom window. Head out to say hi, and it was like a scene out of Birds. The forest was _black_ with crows. All morning we were dethawing ground beef and serving it to her, and she would bring it out to her family. There wasnt enough so we had to go to the grocery store for more. We went through about $100 worth of ground beef in that one morning. I will never complain about the cost of seed mixes again, lol. That was the last we saw of Baby.

We also raised a Canadian Goose gosling whom turned out too much like a dog. She followed land surveyors off our property one day while no one was home and that was the last we saw of her. I raised a Grackle a few years ago. Meanest bird.

Right now our most "exotic" animal would probably be the peacocks...


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## Sterling (Feb 6, 2011)

Peacocks. I sold them faster than I could keep them so I never kept an adult. Would love to one day...maybe......


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## Horse Feathers (Feb 6, 2011)

Reignmaker Miniatures said:


> Just *ha**d*to coment on this ....lol, Canada geese are so NOT exotic (unless you live on the other side of the world ) Just ask anyone who frequents a park where they congregate.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



In southeast Texas they are not common, I wish they where.


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## Mona (Feb 6, 2011)

The most "exotic" pet I have ever owned (other than miniature horses) is "Monkey". He is not really exotic, just kind of exotic looking! LOL! He is a Chinese Crested/Chihuahua mix.






*EDITED TO ADD:* Although we did not "own" it, we were also fortunate enough to have a fairly new fawn choose our Miniature Horse herd to raise herself in. She was estimated to be about a month or so old, and she just appeared early in July one year. She felt safe I guess in with the horses and remained there for nearly a full year. Then I think she was shot by a hunter the following Fall. I never did attemmpt to tame her, never did lay a finger on her. Just went out to feed the horses as I always did and gave her a little pile of grain that she would come to when I walked away. I could get to within about 20 feet of her or so, but I never wanted to tame her, as I knew that would make her an easy target come hunting season.



This is "Fawnie"...


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## topnotchminis (Feb 6, 2011)

I had an African Pygmy hedgehog and loved him! I would have one again.


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## Boss Mare (Feb 6, 2011)

Not too exotic, but I own 19 snakes of various kinds.


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## Horse Feathers (Feb 6, 2011)

..............


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## Indian*R*A*I*N*Dance (Feb 6, 2011)

Horse Feathers said:


> My husband raises exotic waterfowl- Black Swans, Canada Geese, Snow Geese, and about 20 kinds of duck. I have my mean and noisy Blue and Gold Macaw (she can be nice, but she don't like to be touched) and I had a saltwater Lion Fish for about 5 months (hard to feed right and they are poisonous) and A Snowflake Morey Eel-2 years (bit me while cleaning tank) . Now I have easy saltwater fish (wont hurt you while cleaning the tank).


So this is where all the Canada Geese are coming from! lol jk. We have about 50 at school that stay here all winter long, want them?





I dont really have an 'exotic' pets...but I do work at a pet store dealing with chinchillas, bearded dragons, many different kinds of snakes, frogs, skinks, spiders (yuckk), geckos..etc. hahah


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## Knottymare (Feb 6, 2011)

I've always enjoyed the challenge of keeping fish and reptiles - for me the test was always if I was doing a good enough job that they would breed and raise young. We've had all different kinds of both but the ones I enjoyed the most were my cornsnakes - so many colors. The genetics are amazing. Guess not too exotic though. I bred Western Hognose snakes as well. We've had ball pythons, many types of boas, bearded dragons, veiled chameleons, anoles... and fish! Love fish. I grew up with a house that was actually a field trip for my elementary school. My dad was an amateur Marine Biologist and got some grants to do some interesting work on Garibaldis We had a gigantic tank of baby leopard sharks, too. My fave, however, were to octopi.


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## Miniv (Feb 6, 2011)

Does raising a nestling Starling count? I didn't intend for it to happen but the little thing (dubbed "Baby") would sit on my finger during feeding time.......And as I was weaning it off of us by puting a feeding station OUTSIDE, it would fly into the house demanding a meal. Eventually Baby came less and less for the easy meals and turned wild....which was the plan.

We also rescued a young female Redtail Hawk that same year, but only had her a short time. She still comes and flies low over the house and barn and I call up to her. We have a screeching discussion, LOL. Her nest is in a tall juniper tree at our neighbor's.


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## AppyLover2 (Feb 6, 2011)

I'm not sure how "exotic" they were but through the years we've had both a raccoon and a coyote. The raccoon was Charlie; and he was really cute. It was funny the way he would run up your pant leg but when summer came and we were in shorts, it wasn't quite as "cute".

The coyote didn't last long, but the short time he was with us it was really startling to wake up in the middle of the night and hear him howling in the other room.


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## Ashley (Feb 6, 2011)

I used to raise hedghogs and sugar gliders. I have since sold them and go to my aunts for exotics. She has more than enough for me. Zebra, camels, reindeer, wallabies, fox, skunk, otter an many more.


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## O So (Feb 6, 2011)

Here are my exotic pets!

Oso the blue and gold macaw!






Poppy the double yellow head amazon.






Bill and Lill. Blue and gold macaws, breeding pair. Never produced anything for us. Had them for almost 4 years now.






Bonnie and Clyde. Blue and gold macaws, breeding pair. They have produced baby's for a friend of mine, but since I have had them, 2 years, they have only laid eggs.






Last but not least is Malachi. Wolf/Malamute mix.






Here is Malachi with Tiga the chihuahua/jack russel mix. You can see how gentle he is. They are both chewing on bones! Tiga can actually go take a bone right out of Malachi's mouth!






I have several cockatiels and Doves and fenches too, but not sure how exotic they are! lol


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## MindyLee (Feb 6, 2011)

I forgot I still own exotics... DUH LOL

If mute swans count. I have a breeding pair named Jack & Josie.


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## REO (Feb 7, 2011)

*Oso the blue and gold macaw!*

I thought O So was your mini horse?


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## Eohippus (Feb 7, 2011)

I've helped bottle raise wallabies when my Mom worked as an accountant for a hotel chain and one of her coworkers raised them. It was a lot of fun. I was going to buy one but I ended up getting Kinson instead and although he tries my patience sometimes (but that's what all little boys do, right?) I don't regret it for the world! I did, however, go out and adopt some other marsupials...






Rico (the one facing up) and Zoe (the one looking down) two sugar gliders










Zoe is a "black beauty" and her markings are more extensive and darker than Rico's and her coat, with the exception of the top of her head, is darker too. I wish I had more pictures of them but they're nocturnal and a camera flash can really hurt their eyes. They're such fun little guys to have around and have earned the affectionate nickname of "stinky little monkeys" because Rico does have a very manly musk to him!






This is "Sly" their baby. I adopted him out to a lady who needed a little boy for her girl. He's now neutered and living the best life (he has an entire room in the hosue devoted to him and his girlfriend!)


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## gimp (Feb 7, 2011)

Horse Feathers said:


> In southeast Texas they are not common, I wish they where.


wow...around here they are considered pests and rounded up in the dead of night (to avoid the AR activists) due to parasites and diseases. There is nothing cooler than to see a flock flying in their "V" formation over head, well, over the neighbor's house, but not so nice when they touch down. Be careful what you wish for.


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## O So (Feb 7, 2011)

REO said:


> *Oso the blue and gold macaw!*
> 
> I thought O So was your mini horse?


LOL Yah, that is true too. Let me explain! LOL

I got my blue and gold macaw a couple years before I got my horse. I named him (the bird) Oso, because he is Oso cute or Oso loud, so on and so on. Then flash forward to July of last year. I met O So the horse. The owner named him, Lay's I'm O So Big. O So for short! So that is how I ended up with Oso (notices spelling) the bird and O So (spelling has a space and capital letter for the S) the horse. LOL

It works out good in one way. When Oso the bird is outside, he will talk to O So the horse, without realizing he is doing so! He will say things like Oso funny. Oso a good boy, and so on. I guess I lucked out that O So the horse is a male too. LOL Only bad thing is when we as humans talk about them, we have to distinguish which we are talking about all the time. So we have pretty much come up with saying O So the horse when we talk about him and just Oso for the bird.


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## Reble (Feb 7, 2011)

Our Exotic Pets





We raised mute swans for many years, but do not have them now.

Hubby got tired every spring going down creek

to bring them home





Our Swans Alphie & Angel






Alphie






Muscovy Ducks






Our Fallow Deer and Pygmy Goat Angelina






Picture this winter. Dream Catcher, and Prince Rupert


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## Sixstardanes (Feb 7, 2011)

I'd guess the most "exotic" critters I've had in my care have been a Savannah Monitor Lizard (it was given to me so I could find it a home) a wild weasel that had been attacked by a dog that I was tending to (he was a very sweet animal.. sadly he died from eating a poisoned gopher) and a trio of Acorn Woodpeckers babies that I tended to for a wildlife center

as I got my wildlife rehab certification.


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## mad for mini's (Feb 7, 2011)

My unique and exotic treasures have been Orange Weaver finches, Saffron finches and Silver Zebra finches. And I used to have a 75 gallon saltwater reef aquarium, I had to sell it when we moved, I sure miss it and will have another someday. A few of the most unusual and favorite tank inhabitants I had were Lionfish and a Jeweled Morey Eel.


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## anoki (Feb 7, 2011)

I've had degus (loved them!!!), ferrets, hedgehogs (loved them too!!), had a sugar glider-but adopted him when he was over a year old...he was really cool and I'd love to have another one, but he never bonded with me well. Some people thing the corgis are exotic





My most favourite of all the 'odd' critters I've had, and really not so exotic to me, was my chinchilla. I miss my Oliver-the-elephant...he was such a cool critter, very VERY friendly.

~kathryn


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## Katiean (Feb 7, 2011)

I forgot. When I was a kid in Oregon we had a Collie/coyote mix named Monkey. He got bit by a rattle snake and after he healed up from it he killed every snake, lizard, mouse, squirrel, etc... that dared to move around him. He even killed those evil stick snakes (a stick that we would move in the grass) that would pop up at the darnedest times.


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## Eohippus (Feb 8, 2011)

anoki said:


> I've had degus (loved them!!!), ferrets, hedgehogs (loved them too!!), had a sugar glider-but adopted him when he was over a year old...he was really cool and I'd love to have another one, but he never bonded with me well. Some people thing the corgis are exotic
> 
> 
> 
> ...


They bond better if kept in pairs (it goes against normal logic but its true!). Those single gliders never really adjust well since they don't have a buddy. I've only ever seen one glider who was far happier on their own than with another one. My female warmed up to me instantly and my male took longer but was sooo much better because my female was so friendly. It takes a lot of time and dedication if you rescue them/don't get them from when they're weaned


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## MountainMeadows (Feb 8, 2011)

I have always wanted a Walleroo (cross between wallaby and kangaroo) - not quite as skittish as the wallaby, and not quite as aggresive as the kangaroos can be.

I had a 150 gal saltwater tank that I just loved - huge lionfish, snowflake morey eel, pinatus bat, lots of different clown fish and tangs - beautiful carpet anemone -- sadly after a couple of differnt major power outages, it was just too sad to have a salt tank, lose power and come home to a totally dead tank because the water temp had dropped too low


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## dgrminis (Feb 8, 2011)

When I was in Highschool I had a Leopard Gecko - he was very friendly but sadly passed away from Smoke Inhalation when my dad's house caught fire. After that I bought an Albino Hedgehog - she was the sweetest lil gal - and quite the escape artist - would get out at night and run around the house - then wait for you to put her back in her cage in the morning - we finally just had a ramp made for her to go in and out of her cage without having to have help. She passed away due to old age. I then took in a pair of sugar gliders that the owner couldn't keep and had them for just over a year before I rehomed them - they were also very interesting creatures. Very playful, but the male was by far the tamest. I rehomed them to someone who was up more at night to play with them more.

Not sure that they are really exotic but we also have pygmy goats and a longhorn calf.


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## markadoodle (Feb 9, 2011)

I used to have Angel Fish, and I am going to get more soon. I have also always wanted a Chinchilla. And when I say always- I mean ALWAYS sense I was 3 I would took about them, and look at pictures of them . . . someday... someday


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## Ashley (Feb 9, 2011)

MountainMeadows said:


> I have always wanted a Walleroo (cross between wallaby and kangaroo) - not quite as skittish as the wallaby, and not quite as aggresive as the kangaroos can be.
> 
> I had a 150 gal saltwater tank that I just loved - huge lionfish, snowflake morey eel, pinatus bat, lots of different clown fish and tangs - beautiful carpet anemone -- sadly after a couple of differnt major power outages, it was just too sad to have a salt tank, lose power and come home to a totally dead tank because the water temp had dropped too low



There not always wild. My aunt had the best wallaby I had ever seen. She was friendly as could be. You could walk up to her and pet her. She was used in petting exhibits and the kids could reach through the chain link and pet her. She would even let people pet her baby if it was sticking out of the pouch, even when it was still hairless. Unfortunatly old age got the best of her. Havent seen another one like her yet.


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## MountainMeadows (Feb 9, 2011)

Ashley - thanks for the info -- I have been to several wallaby & kangaroo farms and rarely find that the wallaby's are all that friendly -- cute as buttons -- but I really wanted something that would like to be cuddled and that wasn't too skittish of dogs --- needlesstosay, I don't have a wallaroo yet, probably never will - but I do really love them


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## SHANA (Feb 10, 2011)

I have had ferrets and a chinchilla in the past. My ferrets died of old age, they were Tink, Bo Jangles and Sparky. My chinchilla was named Chinka. I had to give him away as I was at college and could not give him the time he needed. He went to a great home and was very spoiled until he died of old age. He loved sleeping in boots or shoes and loved to sit on your shoulder and chatter in your ear.


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## heartkranch (Feb 10, 2011)

A corn snake and a ferret. haha


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## Ashley (Feb 10, 2011)

MountainMeadows said:


> Ashley - thanks for the info -- I have been to several wallaby & kangaroo farms and rarely find that the wallaby's are all that friendly -- cute as buttons -- but I really wanted something that would like to be cuddled and that wasn't too skittish of dogs --- needlesstosay, I don't have a wallaroo yet, probably never will - but I do really love them



If you do decide to get one, I would go with a wallaby. Kangaroos are more agressive, and alot stronger for breaking bones(yes know of a girl that had her arm broke by a baby one), they can be just as wild. Also if you get one, go for a bottle baby, that will help with the calming of it.


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## phoebeq (Feb 10, 2011)

The most exotic pets I have owned, I guess would have to be my Senegalus Bichir Eels, my rats, and my Rosy Boa...

This was Stewart, my Rosy Boa...I unfortunately lost him in my house when we moved here from Louisiana. He showed up 6 months later, skinny and had some shed left on him. He sadly never did fully recover from lack of food, and he eventually died










This is Earl and Fran, my two Senegalus Bichir Eels (Dinosaur Eels)...get it? Fran and Earl...Dinosaurs? The TV show?  They were really cool fish. I had to rehome them when I moved here, and the guy didn't heat the water in his tank and killed them



I was not a happy person










These are my two pet rats that I had in College. Fuji (hairless) and Kodak (black and white)











And these are the two that I had before I moved up here. Mama on the left and Dory on the right


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## ~Dan (Feb 10, 2011)

Everyone has beautiful pets and I am really enjoying reading and seeing everyone's posts!

Now, even tho they aren't technically considered "exotic", the most exotic thing I have ever dealt with are the llamas I care for and show. They once were exotics in the United States, and are still considered exotics by some.

Here is a picture of some of the female llamas at the farm where I work in the pasture this past summer...






My dream is to some day have camels along with my horses and llamas



what a strange ranch we will be





Dan.


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## Watcheye (Feb 11, 2011)

There was an iguana in my family at one time. I had a chinchilla for many years. He died of old age. I have exotic breed guinea pigs and lion head rabbits.



We also raised a possum once.


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## rockin r (Feb 12, 2011)

Exotic, no. Hybrid yes. But she is the closest that we will get to it. She is 1/2 Coyote and 1/2 Aussie. She is the best dog I have ever owned, trust her with my life and Cubby's. She is very loyal and even keeled. All the farmers love her, but tell us if they see her in there pastures at a distance, they will shoot her, for fear she would be a Coyote. So we have hot wire up along the fence line, that is turned off. We leave the driveway gate open sometimes, and she has never in her adult life walked thru the gate. She is very content to guard her property withihn the fence lines. This is Okie, our beautiful baby who will be 11 yrs old next Christmas Day. We have had her since she was 6 weeks old. I do beleive however, if she felt threatened, she would give you that look, "I can make it to the gate in 3 seconds, can you"!


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## ohmt (Feb 12, 2011)

rockin r, I think I've told you this before on facebook, but I just LOVE Okie's eyes. They are beautiful, eerie, and you can just see how intelligent she is by looking at them.


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## O So (Feb 13, 2011)

rockin r said:


> Exotic, no. Hybrid yes. But she is the closest that we will get to it. She is 1/2 Coyote and 1/2 Aussie. She is the best dog I have ever owned, trust her with my life and Cubby's. She is very loyal and even keeled. All the farmers love her, but tell us if they see her in there pastures at a distance, they will shoot her, for fear she would be a Coyote. So we have hot wire up along the fence line, that is turned off. We leave the driveway gate open sometimes, and she has never in her adult life walked thru the gate. She is very content to guard her property withihn the fence lines. This is Okie, our beautiful baby who will be 11 yrs old next Christmas Day. We have had her since she was 6 weeks old. I do beleive however, if she felt threatened, she would give you that look, "I can make it to the gate in 3 seconds, can you"!


Hey Rockin r,

I am the one that has a hybrid wolf. Isn't it amazing on how these hybrids are? I mean the word on them is they are not to be trusted and such. My guy is the best dog I have ever had. Better then the other dogs I have. This is the first dog that I have owned that I have ever seen act like this. He will allow my little dog, Tiga, just about crawl in his food dish and just let her have what she wants. I have no other dog that will do that. The 2 play all the time and Malachi, will always let Tiga do want she wants to him. It's just amazing!

I love my hybrid and don't regret getting him at all! I wish all my other dogs were as good as him!





I know I shared this pic a bit further back in this post, but thought I'd share it again to show how good this dog is!

Tiga and Malachi chewing on bones, side by side!


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## phoebeq (Feb 13, 2011)

I have to say that Malachi is absolutely beautiful!! What a great dog


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## ~Dan (Feb 13, 2011)

Rockin R, Okie's eyes are hypnotizing.

O So, that picture is just adorable!

Dan.


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## Knottymare (Feb 13, 2011)

Some really beautiful animals in this thread. I love how diverse this group is.


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## Seashells (Feb 14, 2011)

I hand raised an orphaned pigeon when I was in grade school. He was found by my best friend at the time, and she brought him to my house. He was so tiny and didn't have feathers. I didn't know what to do so I just made him a warm nest, and feed him blue berry baby food. He grew feathers, and I use to gentley toss him into the sky, so he learned to use his wings. He was like a boomerang and would fly right back to me. Later, he would follow me to school. I'd look up in the sky and see him flying in a circle above me, but he would lose sight of me in the playground and go back home. He was the neatest pet, and I could share some fun loving stories about his character. We had him 3 years when my father found him half eaten by a black cat in our back yard. Very sad. Raising him, and having him in our lives was great fun.


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## Margo_C-T (Feb 14, 2011)

This is a fun thread; I'm enjoying reading each story!

Not sure which would be considered the 'most exotic', but in my lifetime, I've had: hamsters(bred and raised them, actually), domestic rats(they can and do make lovely pets!); a wooley monkey(long years ago; he was fun and gentle, but had nasty habits...);guinea pigs; a Southern flying squirrel; a deer mouse I'd found as a tiny baby in my barn(he went to the State Fair horseshow with me that year so I could care for him, as he had to 'nurse'often; my husband messed w/ his box/heating pad and left the pad cord angled so that the little guy was able to crawl up it and out, and he got lost in my house...I could have strangled hubby! Searched and searched, but never found Mousey...months later found his mummified little body in one of the the baseboard heaters... . Also had a parrotlet, raised a litter of cottontails, keeping them as wild as possible, and released them in some good 'cover' nearby. I've been around for a long time, so may have forgotten some along the way! Have reached the point where I am not inclined to 'take on' the responsibility of stewardship of any more 'critters', though I love cattle and would love a miniature Jersey cow!

Love the 'coyote/cross' dog, Okie, Rockin R. To me, she has the coyote eyes---intense and 'deep'!!

Margo


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