Exotic pets

[rubyviewminis]

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.

 

[aBreeze]

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...

 

[Sterling]

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

 

[Horse Feathers]

Just hadto 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.

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

 

[Mona]

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"...

 

[topnotchminis]

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

 

[Boss Mare]

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

 

[Horse Feathers]

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

 

[Indian*R*A*I*N*Dance]

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

 

[Knottymare]

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.

 

[Miniv]

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.

 

[AppyLover2]

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.

 

[Ashley]

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.

 

[O So]

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

 

[MindyLee]

I forgot I still own exotics... DUH LOL

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

 

[REO]

Oso the blue and gold macaw!

I thought O So was your mini horse?

 

[Eohippus]

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!)

 

[gimp]

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.

 

[O So]

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.

 

[Reble]

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