Exotic pets - who would have them? The recent tragic case of the 2 young boys who were killed by a pet shop snake, reminded me of how ridiculous exotic pets are. I realise this snake escaped through an air vent, as opposed to being let out, but still. It was almost always in its vivarium, which is cruel and pointless. Why have a pet which you don't pet or at least allow some fresh air and space? This was a pet shop snake, but clearly the owner thought it unsuitable as a pet, I assume, since he described it as viscous. In that case, he should have passed it on to a sanctuary or zoo that could care for it appropriately. His failure to do so ultimately lead to the boys' deaths.
A 60-year old woman in Australia met an undignified end in 2007, when she was smothered by her pet camel. The creature had been her birthday present 5 month earlier, but she was either smothered to death by it or the attack brought on heart failure. The camel had knocked her down, stomped on her head and then sat on her face. Bizarrely, the cruel creature had previously tried to smother the family's pet goat on several occasions. At least a chihuahua couldn't do that.
Unfortunately, amongst the exotic pet lovers, you will sometimes find the kind of lonely people who decide that these wild animals are really their friends. That they have a special bond, and can enjoy play-fighting with their tigers, for example. Except these are not just slightly chubby, overgrown tabbies. Unless you fancy becoming a tiger titbit, or a snake snack, perhaps leave the exotic pets where they belong - in the wild or, at a push, a safari park. They are wild animals rather than our playthings.
As www.bigcatrescue.org points out, big cats are wired in such a way, that they no longer feel any love towards their mother, once they are fully grown. From then on, should they bump into her in the wild, they will kill her, as she is a territorial rival. The same could happen to the owner of a big cat. Why on earth would you want a pet like that?!
Also, sadly, according to the site, 98% of exotic pets die within the first 2 years (I am assuming they just mean big cats). Reading on, the article reveals the mind-boggling expense ($22.000.00/£14.195.00 in the first year) and hard work of keeping big cats healthy and safely confined, which is presumably why most of them die so young. If you choose to minimise costs and just keep them in your New York flat, like the 180 kg Bengal Tiger which was discovered, and rescued, in 2003, perhaps you deserve to meet a grizzly end.
Petsathome.com offer a freakishly large and cheap selection of reptiles. Why do they, and others, feel that anybody needs to welcome a Poison Dart Frog (£45), a Pink Toe Tarantula (£35) or an Albino Royal Python (£450) into their home? Again, these are wild animals. Admittedly, our daughters have got great pleasure out of interacting with reptiles at children's parties where professional companies bring them out and carefully monitor the animals during the sessions, but nobody really needs to interact with these animals. Let them live where they were meant to. I realise there is a conservation argument, but it is better to support the charities working to conserve the animals in the wild rather than spending money on the animals as pets.
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