Laura Anderson
Society has gone exotic-mad and more and more people are following their footsteps into the exotic pet craze, with little awareness for the problems that surround it.
Exotic pets; from a stick insect to a bengal tiger, society has seen a rise in popularity and adoration for these peculiar critters, but it appears some people have crossed the line, and many others are following in their footsteps. Social media has become the core of our society, we use it for practically everything. From keeping in contact with friends, reading the news and doing our weekly shopping, it has given us omniscient power. But with this, comes the knowledge of some of the world’s more interesting individuals with wacky and weird lives that sit well out of society’s norms. While dogs and cats have been man’s best friend for centuries, people have begun to show interest in some of the more whimsical creatures of the world, and have embraced the life of an exotic pet owner - me included!
From hissing cockroaches to water dragons, exotic pets are animals not typically seen in the pet trade, which began to boom in popularity during the 20th century. To this day, people are welcoming these bizarre beasts into their homes, but some people have gone exotic-mad and left reason far far behind when deciding which exotic pet is best for them. Since the beginning of time people have been speaking loudly about their shocking opinions and their luxurious lifestyles in a way of swooning the crowd. After all, everyone wants to impress their peers, but sometimes a few individuals have let it get to their heads, and with the help of social media, it is so much easier to flaunt your life and make a statement. And what better way to do that than show off your fabulous, new, one of a kind, pet? Yet sometimes these one of a kind pets come packed with quite a deadly set of jaws. From big cats, to bears and blundering apes, people keep on finding new ways to interfere with our world’s beauties. In the US alone, people have been keeping big cats as part of roadside zoos and attractions, or passing them off as “domesticated” pets. Young cubs are dragged from their mothers before they can even see, and it is estimated that there are more tigers kept in captivity than there are in the wild. These animals aren’t cared for or observed by experts or veterinarians, neither are they part of any conservation programme, they are simply tokens of entertainment for the average joe.
To add to this, shows like the Tiger King, and celebrities, like Justin Bieber and his former pet capuchin monkey, endorse the exotic life, and bring more attention to the exotic pet trade.
But of course, not everyone has completely lost their mind and delved into dangerous territory. Some settle for reptiles, insects, birds and other little creatures; but don’t think for one moment that there isn’t any problem with this either.
As social media pushes the dream, the more people that try to cash in on these new “trends.” They set up beastly little businesses that have little care for the buyers and about half of that for the animals themselves. They overbreed the animals, creating sick animals, and an excess of others with no suitable homes to go to. These vulgar “breeders” overshadow the work of small businesses of which reputable breeders have worked hard to maintain. These small businesses have been ensuring the health and safety of these animals for years only to be pushed to the side.
But these people are nothing compared to the poachers who go out of their way to tear animals away from their home in the wild, placing them on a market to live the rest of their lives in fear and misery. These wild-caught animals are usually riddled with disease, so are sold at cheap and affordable prices, making them more desirable to those who probably can’t even afford the proper care. Alone and afraid, these animals rarely reach their life expectancy.
Further down the exotic cycle, they then pass into the hands of the general public. These individuals, infatuated with impressing their peers, spend little time researching the specific care, throwing them away into small enclosures with little enrichment like a display in a museum. The creatures sit there, surviving, not thriving, watching their days pass by slowly, hour by hour, second by second. Many realise the mistake they have made, but are too far in to do anything, and try to find a way to get rid of these creatures. “Released” into the wild, these animals may become invasive due to their own natural instincts and completely ruin the native ecosystem, like the invasive Green Iguanas and Burmese Pythons of Florida, putting other species at risk.
So, how do we control this? As a member of the exotic pet trade, and a proud owner of a leopard gecko, this is my word of advice : be responsible. Remain aware when people have become drunk with boasting, and understand where the line of exotic pets lies; large wild animals should never be kept as pets, and should remain as creatures of the wild, left to scientists to observe and conserve. If you are interested or know somebody who is interested in the exotic pet trade, take the time to ensure that research is carried out, and to listen to the experts, like Emily from Snake Discovery on Youtube! The welfare of these animals should always be the priority; they’ve captured our hearts, and it’s time we started treating them like they have.
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