Exotic mammals

[moey]

I'd like to get exotic mammals, or unusual reptiles as pets...

Does anyone have recommendations as to which make good pets here in Gauteng?

[iiviii]

It all depends on what your definition of an "unusual reptile" is. If you ask any one of my family members they will tell you any reptile is an unusual one. You need to look at different catagories before making a choice. Things like non / venomous, size, aggresiveness, food, housing, vet bills, legalities, your lever of experience, etc (not in that order) are all things that you need to look at before getting any animal. The more unusual usualy means more costly and that means more problems at the end of the day. Also look at why you are getting the animal. It doesn't help buying a african bull frog if you want something to go fetch the morning paper.

[moey]

Thank you iivii. I do not have specfic criteria as to what I would like.
I already own an African Pygmy Hedgeghog and I'd like different animals for different reasons.

For example, my Hedeghog is a social animal that plays but does not demand too much of my time. I'd like a Chameeleon or Axolotl (I know it is illegal to buy, but okay if an Axolotl is gifted to me) as pets to just look at for their beauty.

As far as mammals go, I thought I'd like a Sugar Glider, but apparently they are far too demanding pets for my lifestyle to cater for. It's in the animals best interest for me not to buy one, as I'd not be able to give it what it needs.

I would just like to hear what other members on this forums think, and their past experiences with different animals... Not so I can blindly buy any animal, but so I can do my own research on their opinions and experiences and hopefully get animals that are the best fit for both myself and the animal.

To each his own, and I think it would be fascinating to hear what each user considers to be unusual.

[Westley Price]

Depends a lot on your budget too.

I attended the SOS expo a few years back and saw some exotic mammals which I didnt even know were in the hobby, things like Racoons, Fennec Foxes, some I have probably even forgotten (I think I even saw a Coati bear, but might be my imagination).

On the lower end of the budget is Chinchillas (which I quite like personally), Sugar gliders, Tenrecs, Hedgehogs etc.

On the reptile front, finding something unusual is difficult as most unusual animals carry an "unusual" price tag too. Although not reptilian, you could look at something like Mudskippers which are available from time to time. I recon they could be called unusual.

Then of course the route which I purposely left out is the primate route. There are tons of primates, but I feel it's inhumane as they have requirements which are difficult to meet. Many people want to keep them in a large parrot cage and expect them to thrive, which doesn;t seen right to me.

Good luck finding your next pet and let us know what you decided on.

[moey]

Yeah, those are actually becoming more and more common! I am also considering Fennec Foxes at some point.

Mudskippers are cool, and pretty unusual! Thank you!

I, too, agree that primates should not be kept as pets for that reason!

Thank you. I will let you know what I come across!

[iiviii]

In the reptile side I would say maybe a snake with a morph that not allot of people have would be cool. They don't demand allot of time and could make fantastic show animals. I prefer luecistic texas as they look different to what most people have, they are relatively cheap (when you can find them, you would look at paying about R750 a hatchling). I feel that mammals do require allot of time and energy as opposed to snakes which require feeding every 5 - 7 days. I agree with not having primates as pets not just because of what westley said, but also because they are messy and require allot of time and effort not to mention the costs with feeding and vet bills. Good luck on your venture. Looking forward to seeing what you can find.

[Bushbaby]

If I had the space and means, I would get myself some Chinchillas. My step son has a few. They are very underrated. They have personalities similar to what dogs and cats do. Really awesome animals. If you do want to consider them, get hold of the people at CBASA (Chinchilla Breeders Association of SA).

[moey]

Thanks for the feedback guys. I think I'm going to look for a Short-Tailed Opossum!