Exotic Pets™

Please Don't Gift a Snake or a Turtle to Anyone

29 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#341: Doug Mader reminds you that whether it’s a tortoise that lives many decades, or a mouse that only lives a short while, it is never a good idea...

Alfred the Little Albino Tortoise Talks to Tracie

22 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#340: Paul Radice at Angels Hatchery and his wife Judith were the first breeders to create Albino tortoises — and enchanted Tracie by introducing he...

The Sad Fate of the Southern Hognose Snake

15 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#339: Jeff Beane is Herpetology Collections Manager for the North Carolina State Museum of Natural Sciences where he has been documenting the shrinkin...

Meet the Masters of African Cichlids: 50 Years, 45 Varieties, One Legendary Hatchery

08 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#338: Paul Radice and his wife Judith at Angels Hatchery first brought this hardy colorful fish from the 3 largest lakes in Africa 50 years ago and ar...

The Python Huntress in Naples, Florida

01 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#337: Python Huntress on Instagram, Amy Siewe leads guided hunts to kill invasive Burmese pythons, her biggest kill being a 17 foot snake. A “herper...

How About an African Emperor Scorpion as a Pet?

24 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#336: Dr. Doug explains that scorpions — which are over 200 million years old, the oldest living animal on earth, — are unusual as an exotic pet. ...

Play with Beaktivity (and Your Food!)

17 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#335: Avian specialist and house call parrot veterinarian Dr. Ann Bourke talks about having helped Sue & John with the development of the Beaktivi...

Reptile Got Mites? Give your snake a bath in olive oil!

10 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#334: Dr. Doug discusses mites on snakes — and the different mites that get on lizards — and how to treat them with an olive oil rub down, or the ...

The Special Human-Animal Bond With Fish

03 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#333: Dr. Doug Mader talks about his personal history with keeping fish as pets — feeling emotionally attached to them and their responsiveness to h...

Love Your Fish! (and they'll love you back)

27 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#332: Dr Doug Mader talks about "the atypical human-animal bond" and how statistics are showing a new generation of fish and reptile owners ...

How Tiny is Tiny?

20 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#331: Exotic veterinarian Dr Jeff Jenkins in San Diego talks about doing surgery on "tiny things" like a Society Finch (that’s the species...

His Octopus Friend Who Lived With Him

13 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#330: Dr Don Harris really did have an octopus as a pet — in fact a series of them, as they don’t live very long, but are fascinating “companion...

The Clients Are Exotic, Too!

06 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#329: Dr. Jeff Jenkins in San Diego talks about his 40+ years running an Exotic Specialty Practice — the early pioneers of exotic animal medicine on...

My Rat is Crying Blood!

29 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#328: Dr. Doug talks about the red tears and runny nose that look like blood — but are not actually blood, but a symptom of a lowered immune system ...

When Your Snake Has Trouble Shedding His Skin

22 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#327: Dr. Doug Mader describes the monthly process in which a snake slips out of his own skin, like taking off a sock, inside out — and the sorts of...

Ear Mites in Rabbits Hurt Like the Dickens

15 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#326: Dr. Doug describes how to spot ear mites in your rabbit — a  common problem that is easily solved if caught early — and the challenge ahead...

Parrots & Cockatoos All Over Oz!

08 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#325: Dr Rick LeCouteur describes the natural phenomenon in Australia of thousands of kinds of parrots flying free and loose all over the place, causi...

C-Sections on Reptiles? Only as Last Resort!

01 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#324: Dr. Doug discusses what an “egg bound” reptile means and the various ways to prevent and manage a snake whose eggs are stuck inside her.

What is “Normal” in an Exotic Pet?

25 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#323: Dr. Doug Mader explains how you cannot know that something might be amiss with your exotic unless you are well informed on what “normal” loo...

Piggies as Pets

18 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#322: British exotic Pet veterinarian Dr. Madonna Livingstone talks about the joys of living with guinea pigs — and how to keep them happy and healt...

Fighting the Good Fight for Ferrets in California

11 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#321: Pat Wright, CEO of LegalizeFerrets.org has been fighting the California state ban on ferrets for 35 years — but now his group’s petition to ...

Trying to Find A Fellow Exotic Pet Enthusiast?

04 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#320: Murray Forbes in Zurich developed the Scratches social APP to connect people who embrace non-traditional pets — and want to find romantic or p...

Parrots Say “Love is Not Enough”

28 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#313: Dr. Madonna Livingstone, author of the veterinary textbook “Exotics Made Easy,” discusses the brilliance of parrots and how they need activi...

Bugs Bunny Had it All Wrong - No More Carrots!

21 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#319: Claire Hamblion in England talks about how her company, Supreme Pet Foods, is devoted to proper nutrition for small mammals — and debunking th...

Ferret “Deodorant” & Other Ferret Necessaries

14 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#318: Amanda at Marshalls is the first to say that ferrets really are stinky — which is why they created a special odor eliminator just for them, as...

Bad Things Happen to Good Fish

07 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#312: Dr. Greg Lewbart returns to discuss koi ponds and how these ornamental fish (called “living art” by the Japanese) can need medical help from...

Why Does Your Tortoise Need a House of His Own?

30 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#317: Dr. Doug Mader recommends getting your tortoise outdoors as much as possible, but at night they need protection from marauding raccoons who will...

The Emotional Support Hamster Who Went to College

23 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#307: Ethan Haber started the small mammal company https://happyhabitats.net/ and designed an array of amazing products to let you take your hamster o...

I Am Parrot — I Live to Destroy!

16 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#316: Avian specialist Dr. Julia Shakeri says that toys for parrots should be viewed as essential “medical devices,” because they fulfill vital na...

“Ferret Stink” — You Either Love the Musky Smell or You Don’t!

09 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#315: Dr. Madonna Livingstone in Glasgow talks about “descenting ferrets” which is routine in the U.S. but illegal in the UK and elsewhere. Spoile...

The Jumping Spider Craze

02 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

 #314: Dr. Rick LeCouteur is not officially an arachnologist (spider expert) but he has always been fascinated by them and knows a wonderfully amazin...

Are Humans an Invasive Species?

26 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#311: Dr. Gregory Lewbart — Professor of Aquatic, Wildlife & Zoological Medicine at North Carolina State University — talks about his recent (...

Always Demolish Your Sandcastles (for the Sea Turtles)

18 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#310: Brooks Barrett is the senior aquarist at the Key West Aquarium where, amongst other things, she directs placing a prosthetic flipper on a turtle...

Parrots Need Proper Playthings!

12 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#309: Sue Thibeault and her husband John — parrot lovers who foster parrots who need new homes — created their company Beaktivity that makes the a...

Rabbits Are Lying to Us

05 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#308: Dr. Madonna Livingstone in Scotland, author of the textbook “Exotics Made Easy” explains how rabbits — who are prey animals — could lite...

Senior Pet Care — Age Itself is Not a Disease!

28 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#306: Dr. Doug talks about geroscience, the study of the effects of aging. When does a pet become geriatric: at 70% of their expected lifespan. A ferr...

“Walking Dandruff” on Your Bunny?

21 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#305: Dr. Doug Mader talks about mites, which are common on rabbits and sometimes look like dandruff that seems to walk in their fur — or may appear...

"Hedgies" Are the Trendiest Little Pet

14 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#296: Dr Micah Kohles of the Woodland Animal Hospital outside Lincoln, Nebraska, explains how to best care for hedgehogs, who are "charming munch...

Is Your Ferret Grinding His Teeth?

07 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#304: Dr. Doug Mader says teeth grinding in ferrets (whether when asleep or awake) is a red flag that could mean he has stomach ulcers from bacteria, ...

The Insect Jungle in Your House

31 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#292: Dr. Eleanor Spicer Rice (author of “Your Pets’ Secret Lives: the Truth Behind Your Pets’ Wildest Behaviors”) says there are spiders ever...

“Breast Cancer” in Rats — It’s a Thing!

24 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#303: Dr. Doug talks about how rats get mammary gland tumors, a chain of glands that runs from their tail to over their shoulders, but they are benign...

"Chins" Are Ridiculously Cute But Challenging Pets

17 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#298: Dr. Micah Kohles of Woodland Animal Hospital in Nebraska, cautions that chinchillas are not a good starter pet for a child. They are very active...

I Am Mouse, Hear Me Roar

10 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#289: Eleanor Spicer Rice, author of “Your Pets’ Secret Lives: the Truth Behind Your Pets’ Wildest Behaviors,” writes about the wondrous conve...

Do Not Put Your Reptile in the Freezer!

03 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#297: Dr Doug talks about reptile euthanasia which is very tricky, since they can come back to life after being euthanized medically! And people mista...

Sy Montgomery “What the Rooster Knows”

24 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#294: Sy Montgomery talks about her flock of “ladies” in her book “What the Chicken Knows: a New Appreciation of the World’s Most Familiar Bir...

Turtles Always Fly in a Chiquita Banana Box

17 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#302: Michael Schneider founded Pilots to the Rescue to bring dogs and cats from the South, where they aren't wanted, to shelters in the Northeas...

Fresh or Saltwater Fish?

10 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#300: Dr. Doug says freshwater is the easiest way to get into fish ownership but saltwater tanks are the coolest, with puckerfish and lionfish greetin...

Does Having An Exotic Pet Make You Special?

04 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#301: Are people surprised or amazed that you have an exotic pet? Do you ever wonder why you chose the exotic that you did? Do other people make assum...

The Spider Chaser

27 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#290: Chris Buddle has chased spiders his whole life — since childhood, although for academic purposes the past 30 years! and talks about the effect...

Falling in Love With Sea Turtles

13 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

#299: Bette Zirkelbach, General Manager of the non-profit The Turtle Hospital in the Florida Keys, talks about rescuing and rehabilitating Mojo, the 8...

Exotic Emergencies

30 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#295: Dr. Doug Mader talks about breathing difficulties and bleeding being the two symptoms of true emergencies in exotics. Reptile emergencies are ra...

A Baby Bird Needs Only One Friend: You!

16 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#288: Sandi Pipock has been the manager of Walton's Pet Shop in the Florida Keys for 30 years and talks about the value of education and customer...

“What the Chicken Knows”

02 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#294: Sy Montgomery talks about her flock of “ladies” in her book “What the Chicken Knows: a New Appreciation of the World’s Most Familiar Bir...

Cold Weather Warning!

18 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#293: Dr. Doug explains how birds in an outdoor aviary can handle the cold but wind and getting wet feathers are a danger more than the temperature. F...

From ‘Gator Wrestler to Gator Rescuer

04 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#287: Social media star Chris Gillette really did put himself through school wrestling alligators — and now is their rescuer at Bellowing Acres Alli...

Follow the Great Hawk Migration

21 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#291: Mark Hedden — self-described bird geek in the Florida Keys — describes the yearly migration of raptors that has “hawk counters” at the 2...

Did Your Snake have a “Virgin Birth”?

07 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#286: Warren Booth — snake reproduction geneticist and professor at Virginia Tech — discusses discoveries about some snakes' ability to repro...

Is Your Venomous Snake Legal?

23 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#285: Dr. Doug Mader explains that many snakes sold in pet stores have a venomous bite without people knowing it — from garter snakes to hognose sna...

Betta Fish — The Meanest Fish on the Block

16 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#284: Dr. Eleanor Spicer Rice gives context to why betta fish attack others in her book “Your Pets’ Secret Lives: the Truth Behind Your Pets’ Wi...

The Purple Claw and Other Charming Hermit Crabs

09 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#283: Dr. Doug convinces Tracie that hermit crabs make delightful pets — as those who belong to online hermit crab clubs can attest — some of whic...

Goldfish Can Be Taught to Drive a Car

02 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#282: Eleanor Spicer Rice, author of “Your Pets’ Secret Lives: the Truth Behind Your Pets’ Wildest Behaviors,” discusses how truly intelligent...

Canaries Learn Their Songs as Baby Birds

26 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#281: Eleanor Spicer Rice, author of “Your Pets’ Secret Lives: the Truth Behind Your Pets’ Wildest Behaviors,” talks about how lovely little y...

Guppies and Their "Power of the Evil Eye"

19 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#280: Eleanor Spicer Rice — author of “Your Pets’ Secret Lives: the Truth Behind Your Pets’ Wildest Behaviors” — talks about guppies being...

Finches Are Darling Birds — Why have Just One?

12 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#279: Dr. Doug’s grandmother had an aviary with nearly 100 birds in it — you don't have to rival that, but have at least two of these sweet l...

Frizzies or Hairless? So Many Mice to Love!

05 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#278: Dr. Doug talks about the virtues of sweet, affectionate, low-maintenance “house mice” as wonderful “starter pets” for a small child. And...

Reptiles Can’t Feel the Burn

29 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#277: Dr. Doug cautions that faulty hot rocks, human heat pads and heat lamps used improperly can give 3rd degree burns to a reptile who cannot feel t...

33% of Pet Birds Test Positive for Borna Virus

22 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#276: Dr. Jennifer Graham (board certified in Avian and Exotic Companion Animals) talks about this potentially deadly virus that is often in a breeder...

“People Food” Can Harm Exotics

15 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#275: Your ferret wants candy? Don’t do it! Even fruit is merely sugar plus water — give it sparingly to any exotic. Your bird loves cheese? Just ...

Check Your Bird’s Poop!

08 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#273: Avian expert Dr. Jennifer Graham tells you all the ways that your bird’s droppings are a treasure trove of information.

Zoonosis — What Diseases Can Your Exotic Give You?

01 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#273: Dr. Doug wants people to know about — but not be frightened by — the many illnesses exotic animals can transmit to people, especially those ...

Are Neurodiverse People Drawn to Exotic Pets?

24 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#272: Tracie raises this question with the namesake of Jungle Bob’s Reptile World on Long Island, who goes into schools to put reptiles in a positiv...

Small Pet Birds Have Long Lives

14 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#271: Dr. Micah points out that parakeets — also known as budgies — and cockatiels can live 8-10 years. It’s a responsibility and commitment. Th...

Iguanas Have a Dark Side

10 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#270: Dr. Doug says people buy a five INCH pet that becomes a five FOOT creature requiring 80% humidity and 80 degrees. In adolescence, when “in rut...

Anorexia in Exotics: What to do When They Won't Eat

03 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#269: Dr. Kohles says that a decrease in appetite in a small mammal can be a big deal. They are a prey animal and keep problems to themselves for surv...

The Whole Truth About Bearded Dragons

27 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#268: Dr. Stacey Wilkinson teaches us that we don’t know as much as we think we do about Beardies, America’s most popular exotic pet! 

Eh, What's Up Doc? Your Bunny Needs More Than a Carrot!

20 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#267: Dr. Karen Rosenthal describes the proper feeding of a bunny, which means getting the right hay from Oxbow Health and good quality pellets from Z...

Don’t Let Your Small Fur Baby Get Chubby

13 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#266: Dr. Micah Kohles suggests establishing a target weight for your small mammal, then getting a baby scale (even at a yard sale or on Craigslist) s...

Meet the Master Crocodilian

06 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#265: Savannah is the resident Crocodilian at Gatorland in Orlando, with fascinating tales about crocs, especially the “albino” baby.

What Pet Has 8 Eyes & Hairy Legs?

29 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#264: A tarantula! Dr. Doug Mader talks about the fascination of having 8 legs and 8 eyes peering out at you from behind the terrarium glass. These sp...

On the Road Again — Travel with Little Mammals

22 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#263: Dr. Micah talks about practicing beforehand if you're planning on a trip with your exotic, especially get them used to the carrier by putti...

Geckos Will Steal Your Heart

15 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#262: Dr. Doug Mader extols the virtues of geckos as perfect first reptiles because they can be as cute in real life as the Geico gecko on TV, with ex...

Bunny Bonding Tips & Tricks

08 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#261: Dr. Micah Kohles talks about how to add a 2nd bunny to your home. Slowly! Go to a shelter for a “bunny speed dating event” but still expect ...

Meet Dayyan the YouTube Reptiliatus Star!

01 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#260: Starting with a love for dinosaurs as a child, Dayyan evolved into one of the most watched entertaining educators about “herp culture,”  ex...

Gastrointestinal Stasis: What Every Bunny Owner Should Know

25 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#259: Dr. Micah Kohles talks about the importance of "keeping things moving along in your bunny’s G.I. tract" by feeding a variety of fibe...

Decisions, Decisions. How to Choose a Snake?

17 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#258: Dr. Karen talks about how to choose a pet snake. Corn, King, Milk, and Ball Pythons are all docile snakes costing from $50 to $200. Dr. Karen re...

Small Pets in the Classroom

11 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#256: Annie Petersen speaks about her fascination and love for guinea pigs and how she founded the Association for Human-Animal Bond Studies particula...

Exotics Need Vaccinations, Too!

03 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#255: Dr. Doug Mader talks about the value of vaccinations for exotic pets, urging people not to be afraid of vaccines, especially rabies which all ma...

The Turtle Passionate Couple Behind Garden State Tortoise

26 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#257: Chris Leone of Garden State Tortoise on the South Shore of New Jersey, tells how he and his wife Casey bonded over a shared love of turtles and ...

Ferrets are Like Kittens That Never Grow Up

19 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#254: Dr. Karen Rosenthal gives an overview of Ferrets as pets — the highly friendly, social, playful little pets who remain kittenish and will give...

Did Tracie's Childhood Rabbit Need Orthodontics?

12 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#253: Dr. Doug Mader explains how important dental care is for all rabbits and what happens when it is neglected. He answers Tracie's question ab...

Dr. Doug Talks Turtles (and Tortoises)

05 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#252: Doug talks turtles — and the differences between turtles, tortoises and terrapins. Doug and Tracie reminisce about the “penny turtles” [re...

Don't Monkey Around with Monkeys

29 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#251: Dr. Doug rarely says "don't" about exotic pet ownership if you're ready to provide the right environment. But in the case of...

Should People Have Birds as Pets At All?

21 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#250: Leading avian and exotic pet veterinarian Dr Laurie Hess raises the ethical question of whether people should have birds as pets at all.  Are y...

Ralphie, The Guinea Pig Therapy Pet

15 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#249: Nikki talks about her rare therapy pet Ralphie, an Abyssinian guinea pig with a natural Mohawk “hairdo”, who regularly does therapy visits a...

What Kind of Lizard Person are You?

08 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#248: Dr. Karen Rosenthal discusses the ever-popular Australian Bearded Dragon, which stay small, have a pleasing personality (you need to interact wi...

Ball Pythons — America's Favorite Snake

01 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#247: Dr. Doug Mader explains that Ball Pythons are such easy pets, especially as a first snake. For one thing, if they get scared they don't get...

How Sick is Your Bird? The Smaller the bird, the Quicker She'll Get Sick

24 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

#246: Avian specialist Dr. Jennifer Graham discusses how birds are prone to respiratory disease and are very sensitive to pollutants in the air — wh...

Ferrets — the Obligate Hyper-Carnivore

18 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

#245: Dr Micah Kohles, the Chief Veterinary Officer for Compana Pet Brands, talks about the specific nutritional needs of rats and ferrets, which are ...

Annual Exams for Exotics Are "An Ounce of Prevention"

11 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

#244: Dr. Doug Mader, the author of "The Vet at Noah's Ark," explain why an annual exam for exotic pets is so important to catch medica...

Protect Against RDHV — The Rabbit "Ebola Virus”

04 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

#243: Dr. Micah Kohles from Oxbow Animal health discusses how the deadly RDHV virus can have up to a 90% mortality rate in bunnies — therefore the t...