Nontraditional Pets: Issues and trends

Question 1

What factors are influencing the surge in nontraditional pet ownership?

Answer 1

• Lenient restrictions in urban areas
• Exotics more compatible with our mobile/active lifestyles
• Media
• The “cool” factor
• Acquiring an animal on a “whim”

Question 2

What are the considerations of owning Nontraditional pets?

Answer 2

• Legal aspects
• Ethical/Moral issues
• Behavior
  
  • aggression, unpredictability
  • Burrowing/digging, chewing
  • social
  • unique diseases
• Public Health
  
  • safety (i.e. venomous reptiles)
  • Zoonotic diseases

Question 3

Are zoonotic diseases common to nontraditional species?

Answer 3

• not common
  
  • salmonellosis
  • ringworm
• May increase as popularity increases

Question 4

What are emerging zoonotic diseases? examples?

Answer 4

• Caused by “new” agents or by known microorganisms now occurring in new species or places
• Most of the emerging infectious diseases are zoonotic
• Examples:
  
  • Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)
    
    • originated from civets bred as exotic meat in China
  • Human Monkey pox
    
    • flu-like symptoms and pustular rash

Question 5

How can Emerging Zoonotic Diseases be controlled?

Answer 5

• Better diagnostic tests
• Increased awareness / education
• Interdisciplinary communication and research

Question 6

What are some recommended nontraditional pets? Why these pets?

Answer 6

• Captive-reared freshwater fish
• Selective species of invertebrates (tarantulas)
• Captive-reared amphibians and reptiles
  
  • bearded dragons
  • small boids and colubrids
• Captive-reared small mammals
  
  • guinea pigs, ferrets, rabbits
• Captive-reared psittacines and passerines
• “much” is known about the biology and captive management

Question 7

Why should most wild and other exotic species be avoided?

Answer 7

• Limited knowledge on biology and husbandry
• Varies with individual’s experience
• Legal, ethical, moral issues

Question 8

Which reptiles should be avoided? (unless experienced)

Answer 8

• Lizards (iguanas, chameleons, most monitors)
• Snakes (large constrictors, venomous species
• Chelonians (large species, most aquatic species

Question 9

Which birds should be avoided?

Answer 9

• Wild-caught birds
• Large psittacine (unless experienced)

Question 10

What mammals should be avoided?

Answer 10

• Wildlife
• Exotic cats
• wolves
• wolf-hybrids
• all primates

Question 11

What are some considerations in recommending exotic pets to clients?

Answer 11

• Clients’ experience, maturity, commitment, and financial resources
• Legal or ethical issues
• Difficulty in providing proper care, housing, or feed
• Animal’s behavior and stress level
• public health issues