Don’t you just love owning an adorable pet that could kill you at any time?

If are you thinking of getting an exotic animal, I’m here to make you think twice. Most exotic animals are difficult to take care of. While there are many which are just as easy to take care of as a domesticated animal, owning an exotic animal tends to be a lot harder than it seems, with plenty of expenses and maintenance you might not have thought of, including, but not limited to, picking up rhino feces.

 

DISEASES

First off there’s the health risk of housing an exotic animal. Many of them have zoonotic diseases–those are diseases that can be spread from animals to people, such as Herpes B, Monkeypox, and Salmonellosis. Around 90% of reptiles’ skin–including their shedded skin–carries salmonellosis. If you’re ever thinking of taking in a monkey as a pet remember this: 80 to 90 percent of monkeys carry the herpes virus B. The monkey can either shed it through saliva or genital secretions so don’t go making out with your beloved monkey.

 

AGGRESSION

Many exotic animals are potentially vicious. An article on LiveScience points out that a kid in Texas was mauled by his aunt’s pet mountain lion and hospitalized with serious injuries, and that another account from a 30-year-old man in Nebraska got choked out by his boa constrictor. Don’t get me wrong, if your going to die it’s a great way to go, but how stupid would you need to be to let your nephew play with a lion or a deadly snake that is known to choke people chill on your neck?

Speaking of snakes, did you know that a oppossum, a little, cute, fuzzy creature, CAN BITE HARDER THAN A 15 LB SNAKE? HONESTLY WTF. It’s like, “Awe, look at this cute little guy let me just pick you up… well there goes my finger, oh well.”

A kangaroo–what’s not awesome about a kangaroo? They’re super cute, they can probably dunk in basketball like nobody’s business and they have a pouch you can put your lunch into or you know, if the cops are pulling up on you while you’re smoking a doobie you can put your stash in the Kangaroo and the cops will be caught totally off guard. (Editor’s note: please do not put anything in a kangaroo’s pouch.) On the downside, Kangaroos can kick you to heaven and back… or hell — depends where you’re going.

 

CAPTIVITY

Jokes aside if you’re taking purchasing an exotic animal seriously, you’re probably aware of the health risks and the need to purchase aggressive animals at a young age so you can train it to not be aggressive. If, for some reason that doesn’t work out, I’d recommend giving it to a zoo rather than keeping it in a little cage because it is inhumane to keep an animal in a small cage when they’re meant to be in the wild.

Many animals, like guinea pigs, need a partner to stay healthy. If you are thinking of getting an exotic animal that needs a partner to be happy, maybe try maybe something easier to take care of like a skunk or five. Now I know you may be thinking they are stinky but, you can get them de-scented. They make for a good pet because they’re fairly low maintenance and like the emo version of a ferret. I have owned one and they’re super cute and love to play but as soon as they stop playing they just fall asleep and you will have some time to relax.  

 

SOURCES AND COSTS  

Sometimes the places you’re using to purchase an exotic animal might not deliver to your country, depending on the laws or how far the animal needs to be delivered from. Costs vary depending on the website your purchasing from and the breed and sex of the animal. The males tend to be much cheaper because with females you may purchase the sperm of the male you wish to breed your animal with.

At the end of the day, owning an exotic animal a cool idea but the cost, time and many tasks that come with owning an exotic animal makes it perfect for someone with way too much spare time on their hands.