Exotic Pets

#341: Doug Mader reminds you that whether it’s a tortoise that lives many decades, or a mouse that only lives a short while, it is never a good idea to give anyone a living thing — other than a houseplant! 

#340: Paul Radice at Angels Hatchery and his wife Judith were the first breeders to create Albino tortoises — and enchanted Tracie by introducing her to Albert, the great grandson of their first breeder Norman, who is now 130 lbs and still lives with them.

#339: Jeff Beane is Herpetology Collections Manager for the North Carolina State Museum of Natural Sciences where he has been documenting the shrinking populations since 1985. He talks about the Southern Hognose Snake in particular, which has lost 97% of its habitat and is on the "Threatened" list but without the environment it requires is unlikely to rebound (and is quite a different creature from the eastern Hognose Snake which James Taylor featured in a song!).

#338: Paul Radice and his wife Judith at Angels Hatchery first brought this hardy colorful fish from the 3 largest lakes in Africa 50 years ago and are still breeding the 45 most popular varieties.

#337: Python Huntress on Instagram, Amy Siewe leads guided hunts to kill invasive Burmese pythons, her biggest kill being a 17 foot snake. A “herper” who loves snakes and used to breed small ones, Amy has eliminated over 750 of these snakes that have decimated the mammals in the Everglades — one python even had a deer and two fawns inside it when they caught it. 

#336: Dr. Doug explains that scorpions — which are over 200 million years old, the oldest living animal on earth, — are unusual as an exotic pet. African Emperor scorpions — "ominous looking, yet fairly gentle with grasping pincers" — carry their young on their back like a taxi service.

#335: Avian specialist and house call parrot veterinarian Dr. Ann Bourke talks about having helped Sue & John with the development of the Beaktivity hanging parrot toy, which makes parrots happy because they can destroy a toy made with his physical and mental needs in mind. 

#334: Dr. Doug discusses mites on snakes — and the different mites that get on lizards — and how to treat them with an olive oil rub down, or the medication Provent-a-mite.  

#333: Dr. Doug Mader talks about his personal history with keeping fish as pets — feeling emotionally attached to them and their responsiveness to him as their caregiver. Another facet of the human-animal bond that is increasingly recognized in the pet keeping world.

#332: Dr Doug Mader talks about "the atypical human-animal bond" and how statistics are showing a new generation of fish and reptile owners who are forming bonds and interactions with their exotic pets. Tracie explains how Scratches, the new APP for atypical pet owners (that is a sponsor of EXOTIC PETS), allows enthusiasts of atypical pets to find each other for romance, friendship or just a feeling of belonging to a larger family.

#331: Exotic veterinarian Dr Jeff Jenkins in San Diego talks about doing surgery on "tiny things" like a Society Finch (that’s the species actual name, not an adjective!), spaying guinea pigs and neutering rats — all through surprising locations on their bodies. 

#330: Dr Don Harris really did have an octopus as a pet — in fact a series of them, as they don’t live very long, but are fascinating “companions.” Note: Octopuses are not actually pets for sale. You'd have to dive and find them as babies, as Dr Don did!

#329: Dr. Jeff Jenkins in San Diego talks about his 40+ years running an Exotic Specialty Practice — the early pioneers of exotic animal medicine on whose shoulders he stands —  and how he also enjoys the unusual humans who own unusual pets.

#328: Dr. Doug talks about the red tears and runny nose that look like blood — but are not actually blood, but a symptom of a lowered immune system in a stressed ratty. Most rats purchased from pet stores have dormant viruses that get triggered by stress — but there are SPF colonies of rats (Specific Pathogen Free) which do not carry these conditions and cause you the stress of treating these conditions.

#327: Dr. Doug Mader describes the monthly process in which a snake slips out of his own skin, like taking off a sock, inside out — and the sorts of problems to be aware of and to avoid (like never handling a snake that is molting).

#326: Dr. Doug describes how to spot ear mites in your rabbit — a  common problem that is easily solved if caught early — and the challenge ahead of you if you’ve let the crusty result of ear mites clog up your rabbit’s ear opening, causing a great deal of discomfort to your bunny.

#325: Dr Rick LeCouteur describes the natural phenomenon in Australia of thousands of kinds of parrots flying free and loose all over the place, causing havoc with their destructive beaks, and delight with their beauty.

#324: Dr. Doug discusses what an “egg bound” reptile means and the various ways to prevent and manage a snake whose eggs are stuck inside her.

#323: Dr. Doug Mader explains how you cannot know that something might be amiss with your exotic unless you are well informed on what “normal” looks like.

#322: British exotic Pet veterinarian Dr. Madonna Livingstone talks about the joys of living with guinea pigs — and how to keep them happy and healthy.