Introduction to Owning an Exotic Animal

Presented by the members of Pacific NorthWest Exotics
a Branch of the LIOC Endangered Species Conservation Federation
PO Box 205 - Gresham, OR 97030

Do you remember what you were like, and what you thought, 20 or even 15 years ago?

Before you embark on this new journey, think ahead 15 or 20 years and try and imagine what you will feel and think that far in the future. For 15 to 20 years is how long many of the exotic mammals who are being born today will live, and some reptiles and birds live far longer than do mammals.

If you are prepared to share your life with your chosen animal for the next 20 years, or more, we would like you to read this information so you will have some idea of the joys and problems of owning an exotic animal. The information here is somewhat slanted toward exotic cats, in that much of it came from the collected articles presented in the daily Email postings of the "catbox" exotic feline list. If your interest is in another type of animal, please do at least read this "with a grain of salt" to gain the "flavor" of exotics.

Jumping right in, here's what one member says about living with a Canadian Lynx:

This refrigerator incident reminded me of our first cat, a C.lynx named Alexis. She loved to get on top of the kitchen cabinets. The old house we live in has those horrible foam tiles on the ceiling. Alexis would reach out, pull one off & watch it float to the floor, kind of like a feather. Then she'd do it again. All the ceiling tiles are gone over the cabinets and for about 2 feet out from them.

She also used to get on top of the bookcase/mirror on our dresser, watch for any movement of the covers on the bed when we were in it, & leeeaaaap, all spread out like a flying squirrel, onto the bed, usually on my husband, who was desperately trying to protect his sensitive areas.

Cute image aren't they? If you aren't put off by the idea of being a "bed mouse" when your cat decides to play, and the idea of picking up after a "forever 2 year old" is OK, then you just may be ready to join our wonderfully populated club!!!

Before you get an exotic animal, or reptile or "whatever" you need to check with your local Government (start with the Animal Control Officer) to be sure you may legally have the exotic you wish to own. Do NOT think you can "get away with" having any of these animals without a proper permit, for if you are "turned in" by an unhappy neighbor, your exotic will more than likely be taken away from you, and very likely destroyed. We don't want to scare you out of sharing your life with the exotic of your choice, but please go in with your eyes open and do everything "by the book" so you don't have problems later.

Once you have determined that you may legally own an exotic where you live, and that you are able to provide a proper enclosure (again, check your local laws & regulations) you need to decide on the animal you are going to bring home. It is beyond this short introduction to attempt to help you choose the type of exotic, much less any individual animal, but one thing you should consider is to adopt a baby!

Exotic animals have not been selected by mankind for thousand's of generations for a pleasing personality, they have been naturally selected by survival in the wild to be the strongest and smartest possible examples of their particular type of animal, and that natural selection does NOT include the idea of instantly becoming a docile pet!!!

Having said that, and realizing that the debate over "nature -vs- nurture" is a long one that is not going to be settled here, it IS the consensus of exotic owners that the best way to have a socialized exotic is to start young. So prepare to lose sleep as you take the place of mother and provide a warm bottle every 2-to-4 hours!

Some comments about that from a member:

In my opinion, pulling at 12 to 14 days produces the best results - a kitten who's mother did the hardest part (editor's note: important immune system ingredients are passed along with the mother's milk, so 10 days is the usual minimum with a mother) but young enough that it's eyes haven't fully focused so you can take over. It will IMPRINT on you.

Pulling kittens after their eyes have focused (which is several days to a week or more after they open) results in a kitten that knows it has been stolen. It will try to hold out for it's natural mother's return, and eventually learn to bond to you, but chances are, it will not be not as intense a love as if it IMPRINTED on you.

Establishing a bond takes more than a couple days/weeks of bottle feeding. A bond is reinforced by bottle feeding by the prospective owner, but is not the sole action for establishing the bond. (At least in my experience) It is a daily thing, how you interact with the kitten, how you play with the kitten etc..

OK, you have your baby at home and you've figured out a feeding schedule that keeps the baby happy and you don't stumble around at work too much (did you know that with a kitten you have to "help" it go potty for the first few weeks? The mother cat does this by licking the kitten, most humans substitute a warmly wet paper towel to gently pat or rub the baby's "pooper end" to stimulate the little muscles into working) so now it is time to start thinking about training your mammal (do reptiles train?) as it grows.

The FIRST thing to remember is that what is cute now, may not be so cute when baby is full grown! One club member with a Tiger thought it was just wonderful for the baby to run up and "throw herself into his lap in love" but now that she is 400 pounds of BIG Tiger, he doesn't think it is so great for this type of lap love! As another member is known to say "Being loved by a Tiger is a lot like being mugged by a human"

Your baby is going to want to chew on EVERYTHING in the house, including you! You need to discourage chewing, or even "mouthing" while your exotic is still a baby, or you run the risk of being punctured by much bigger teeth in a year or two. A firm NO, at the same time as little nostrils are gently squeezed shut, works with some animals. A spray bottle of water, or water with a small amount of vinegar, works with other animals. The actions you take will depend on the individual animal, but you MUST start early!

You will also need to "pet proof" your house if you are going to have an exotic that runs loose inside the house. If something can be broken, put it away! Plan on going to the electrical or automotive section at the hardware store and buying wire covers to keep your animal from chewing on electric or phone wires. If any other animals live in the house, supervise! There are members who have exotic animals sharing the space with other animals, but this does not work in all cases.

Plan on buying a good odor remover, because your exotic animal WILL make messes by peeing/pooping in the wrong places. Check your local pet store or cleaning supplies in a grocery store. A product with "enzymes" is usually the best to buy.

Now that your baby is "growing up" you are going to have to think about shots and other medical matters. Do you have a doctor? You should have actually made arrangements with an animal doctor before you brought your baby home, since the average doctor is NOT equipped or trained to deal with an exotic animal.

One of the things you need to think about when you do find a doctor, is that many of the medicines commonly used for domestic animals have NOT been tested on exotics, and your exotic animal "may" have a severe reaction to something like a simple anesthesia.

Please be sure your exotic's doctor knows which vaccines and medicines are proper to use with your chosen exotic animal.

Besides permits and inspections to legally own an exotic, be aware that most insurance companies will NOT write a homeowner's policy if you have an exotic. In fact, there are many insurance companies which will no longer issue a policy for some large breeds of dog!

One last thing to think about is making provision in your Will for the care of your exotic animal in case something happens to you. An exotic animal is usually NOT one that is accepted for adoption by the Humane Society, and your "Aunt Minnie" may not want to have a Tiger or Monkey roaming around in her back yard!

The subject of a good, balanced diet for an adult (Cat) is the subject of much debate in the exotic community, but here are some examples.

Smaller cats may be fed ZuPreem (see address on the Baby Formula page) or a raw food diet (note: do not try feeding a raw meat diet and then go back to ZuPreem, as most cats will not switch)

If you do decide to feed a raw food diet, some possible recipes are below:

2kg meat (Example: horse, turkey, beef, chicken, etc.)
1 crushed Centrum tablet (human vitamin supplement) (or Chaparral Vitamins)
15 grams steamed bone meal

If you can't find Centrum tables use some other high quality human vitamin supplement. If you can't find steamed bone meal you can substitute 5 grams calcium carbonate plus 10 grams dicalcium phosphate. Mix vitamins and bone meal with chopped meat, serve to the cat's appetite. (don't over feed, fat cats are not healthy cats)

Another member's formulation:
120 # whole ground turkey
100 # whole ground chicken
100 # fortified commercial mink cereal
60 # beef liver
30 # cheese
15 # powdered egg
1 1/2 cup biotin (to neutralize the effects of the aviden present in the eggs)
1 cup phosphoric acid (to retain freshness and retard bacterial growth)

water added to desired consistency

This diet works out to about 40% protein and 20% fat. Fat levels may be increased in winter for extra energy. I feed my lions, which are very large framed, 12# to males and 9# to females, medium sized cats get about 3 pounds, and small cats 3/4 pound.

Checklist Ask yourself these questions before you buy!
Directed at exotic cats, but apply to ALL exotic animals

· Do you have small children?
· Do you have enough space for the exotic to run?
· Do you have enough knowledge about the cat that you want to buy?
· Have you thought of joining exotic cat clubs to learn more?
· Do you have an emergency plan in case of disaster?
· Do you have other animals in the home that will accept this new creature that will out grow them by at least 100%?
· Where will the cat sleep and where will the cat eat?
· What will the cat eat?
· How much will it cost to feed this animal?
· Do you know what agencies you must contact to purchase this kind of animal?
· Do you have the time to spend?
· Do you have close neighbors?
· How do you feel about getting bit?
· Will this be a pet, companion animal or business venture?
· Will you use this animal to educate the public?
· Did you know you have to have a veterinarian inspect your home?
· Do you know that several agencies will be inspecting your home?
· How do you feel about de-clawing?
· Are you buying a cat because you have always dreamed of owning an exotic cat?
· Do you want to walk your cat down the street to impress friends and family?
· Maybe your idea is to do conservation work or to breed. Maybe you think you are going to make a million dollars breeding? (Ha ha ha!)
· Is it just a whim that will pass for the next whimsical trend?
· Are you buying it as a gift?

ARROGANCE HAS NO PLACE IN OWNING AN EXOTIC ANIMAL!

There is a lot to think about. Please think before you buy. Be a responsible person. This animal will depend only on you to take care of it for LIFE!

Club Email pnwe@effectnet.com