The Exotic Pet Trade and Wildlife Trafficking

When buying an exotic pet it is very important that you buy from a reputable breeder. Unfortunately many people simply want an exotic pet and do not check where it came from. In some cases exotic pets are obtained illegally and smuggled into areas where they are offered for sale.

Buying pets that were caught in the wild is never a good idea for the following reasons:

Disease - Wild caught animals could be riddled with disease, even if they appear healthy they could be carrying a disease which could risk their health, or spread to other pets.

Parasites – It is just as likely that a wild caught animal would be full of parasites. These might not even be a problem when the animal is living naturally, but when introduced to the stress of capture and confinement the parasites can easily take over.

Stress – Stress in itself is a huge health risk to an animal. The stress of being captured is enough to kill some animals, as well it lowers their immunity, as does the stress of being confined. Stressed animals do not thrive, many die either from the stress itself, or from not being able to eat as the result of being stressed.

Removal from Natural Breeding Population – In some areas certain exotic animals are at risk, when healthy breeding animals are removed it lowers the genetic pool and the population's ability to sustain itself in a healthy manner.

Habitat Destruction – In some cases habitats are destroyed intentionally to collect certain animals. One of the most common examples of this is pouring cyanide on a coral reef. Many fish, and corals die, while only a few are knocked out and collected to be sold to pet stores.

Poorly Cared For – Animals that are caught wild for the purpose of resale are generally not properly cared for by their captor, other than with the interest of getting them to the store, or point of sale, quickly. Some animals, such as snakes, can go for a while without eating, but need to be kept warm, and this lack of care often leads to some dying before making it to the point of sale, or leaving them stressed when they are resold.

You want a healthy pet, one that came from somebody who knows what they are doing, not from somebody who captured it for profit.  Sadly many people who want exotic pets unknowingly support the cruel industry of wildlife trafficking.

Never Support Unknown Sources– Overall when you buy from anyone that is not a breeder you truly do not know the animals origins. If you buy from a pet store and the pet store bought from a broker, and the broker bought from a wildlife smuggler, you have just supported the wildlife smuggling industry.

A breeder will know more information about the real care needed for such animals, and will provide you with genuine help.

The only other way of being sure your exotic pet purchase does not support illegal wildlife smuggling is by adopting your exotic pet from a pet rescue. The rescues do not make any money, and simply want the pets to get a good home. The people they get the pets from also did not profit when they gave their pet to the shelter – so adopting a pet from an animal shelter does not contribute to illegal animal trafficking.

Further Reading

Snakes on a Bus - hundreds of illegally caught snakes, 186 endangered tortoises, 40 lizards, and an armidillo.

Guide for Buying Exotic Pets

Exotic Pet Hedgehogs

Many people hear about Hedgehogs being kept as exotic pets and wonder about this.  Hedgehogs live wild in the UK and New Zealand, but indeed this is not the only place these spiky little insectivores are from.  There are other species in Africa, and the common pet Hedgehog is typically an African hybrid species, the African Pygmy Hedgehog.

While most areas do not allow capture of wild hedgehogs, keeping a pet African Pygmy Hedgehog may be allowed.

Hedgehogs are sometimes fed cat food but do best on a proper Hedgehog food with meat as a main ingredient (not corn). They can have dried crickets or mealworms as treats.

Probably the biggest issue with keeping a pet Hedgehog, other than laws allowing them, is the fact that they are nocturnal - meaning they are active at night when their owners are trying to sleep.  As well if they get too cold they may try to hibernate and will often die, as this is not natural.  A pet Hedgehog should be taken out of its cage nightly for at least 2 hours. 

Of course, as with any pet, exotic pets like Hedgehogs, are best to be purchased from a breeder, or adopted from an animal shelter, and never bought at a pet store.

8 week old Hedgehog.

This is not a complete guide to Hedgehog care, one should do more research before getting an exotic pet Hedgehog.  Hedgehog Central is a great source of information, and even has a list of breeders.

I will also share with you a link written by my husband with information we gathered, it should be considered a good introductory guide to Pet Hedgehogs, click here.