Exotic pet 1139637 225970084 2008-07-16T07:11:28Z Chaldor 7312839 change primate to NHP in caption [[Image:Cebus capucinus.png|thumb|right|250px|[[Capuchin monkey]]s are among the non-human primates kept as exotic pets]] An '''exotic pet''' is a rare or unusual creature kept as a [[pet]], or a creature kept as a pet which is not commonly thought of as a pet. The definition is an evolving one; some [[rodent]]s, [[reptile]]s, and [[Amphibia|amphibians]] have become firmly enough established in the world of [[animal fancy]] to no longer be considered exotic.{{Fact|date=May 2008}} Sometimes any unique or wild-looking pet (including common domestic animals such as the [[ferret]] and the [[domestic rat]]) is called an exotic pet. "Exotic" may also be used for a species which is non-indigenous to the owner's locale. Many major pet stores and service providers (such as veterinary insurance carriers or online retailers) tend to classify any animal besides cats, dogs, or fish as "exotic". ==Issues== ===Legal issues=== The Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna, or [[CITES]], moderates the trade of some exotic pets around the world, to prevent any threats to their survival and ecological damage. Certain animals may be strictly regulated or restricted outright due to both their [[conservation status]], as well as the possibility of the animal becoming an [[invasive species]]. In some cases laws are circumvented by breeding the animals in captivity. The [[United States Department of Agriculture|USDA]] issues permits for keeping and breeding certain exotic species, whether captured from the wild or bred. In the [[United States]], for example, it is illegal to import [[non-human primates]] for the pet trade, but a flourishing breeding industry exists, using animals descended from those brought in legally before the ban was enacted.{{Fact|date=May 2008}} In 2003, the US Captive Wild Animal Safety Act became law and in September of 2007 the US Fish and Wildlife Service enacted rules to enforce the CWASA. The law now bans the sale or transport of big cats, which includes lions, tigers, leopards, jaguars, cougars, snow leopards, clouded leopards, cheetahs and their hybrids across state lines for the pet trade. <ref>[http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/E7-16085.htm Federal Register: August 16, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 158]</ref> ===Health=== Veterinary costs for treatment of exotic animals may be significantly higher than for a more conventional pet due to the increased specialization. Some animals are known to carry diseases that can affect humans, such as [[salmonellosis]] and [[rabies]]. Similarly, some human diseases can be dangerous for certain animals (like [[strep throat]]). Many animals have [[Zoonosis|zoonotic]] potential. Some of the most lethal viruses, the hemorrhagic fevers, are spread through contact with exotic pets, resulting in high death rates and disabilities for those who survive. The American Veterinary Medical Association, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the National Animal Control Association, the American Zoo and Aquarium Association and the CDC all discourage the private ownership of certain exotic animals.<ref>[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15919624/ Exotic animals bringing health risks with them]</ref> ===Husbandry=== Providing appropriate environmental conditions, housing and diet for an exotic animal may be difficult for several reasons: * insufficient information may be available on caring for such animals in captivity * adequate housing may be difficult and/or expensive to procure or build * it may be difficult to provide the correct environment (such as temperature or amount of sunlight) * feeding the correct diet may be difficult or impossible * providing the right social environment for highly social species may be impossible in a home setting ===Domestication=== Unlike cats and dogs, most exotic animals have not been domesticated by humans; they are still wild animals. Even if they are bred for the pet trade and raised by humans, they may be unpredictable, largely untrainable, and in some cases, dangerous, especially as full-grown adults. ==Species kept as exotic pets== *[[Alligator]]s *[[Arctic Fox]] *[[wolf|Wolves]] and [[Wolfdog|wolf/dog hybrids]] *[[Fennec_Fox|Fennec foxes]] *[[Ferrets]] *[[Tame Silver Fox|Tame Silver Foxes]] *[[Sugar Glider]]s *[[Skunk]]s *[[Degu]]s *[[Kinkajou]]s *[[Raccoon]]s *[[Chinchilla]]s *[[Hedgehog]]s *Wild cat cubs such as [[lion]]s, [[tiger]]s, [[bobcat]]s, [[serval]]s, and [[ocelot]]s *Reptiles such as [[snake]]s, [[tortoise]]s, and [[lizard]]s *Arthropods like [[spider]]s, [[praying mantis]]es, and [[scorpion]]s *Extremely rare [[bird]]s *[[Non-human primates]] ''(see below)'' Some exotics may be considered to be less "wild" than others; [[dingo]]es have been in a relationship with humans for generations and are thought to be an early [[dog breed|breed]], and the [[Bengal cat]] descends from a hybrid of wild and domestic species. [[Llama]]s and [[pot-bellied pig]]s, though still present in the wild, have been raised in captivity for centuries.{{Fact|date=May 2008}} ===Non-human Primates=== {{globalize|section}} It has been estimated that as many as 15,000 [[non-human primates]] are kept by private individuals as pets in the United States.<ref name=ng_petmonkey>{{cite web|title=The Perils of Keeping Monkeys as Pets|url=http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/pf/94367643.html|accessdate=2008-07-13}}</ref> Nine states ban the keeping of non-human primates, but no federal law regulates ownership. In 1975, the [[Centers for Disease Control and Prevention|Center for Disease Control]] prohibited their import into the US for use as pets. The breeding industry uses descendants of animals imported before 1975. Non-human primates of various species, including those listed as [[endangered species|endangered]], such as [[cottontop tamarin]]s, [[Diana Monkey|Diana monkeys]], [[lemur]]s and [[gibbon]]s are still available for purchase in the US. Many professionals, including veterinarians, zoologists, humane societies and others, strongly discourage the keeping of non-human primates as pets, as their complex emotional and social needs and other highly specialized requirements cannot be met by the average owner. <ref name=about_petmonkey>{{cite web|title=The Problem with Pet Monkeys - Keeping Monkeys as Pets|url=http://exoticpets.about.com/cs/primates/a/primatesaspets.htm|accessdate=2008-07-13}}</ref> Although the breeding population has been largely isolated from wild populations outside the US, they still have the potential to transmit [[Zoonosis|zoonotic disease]]. There is a considerable risk of [[Monkey B virus]] from [[rhesus macaques]]. Research workers have died from this disease contracted from non-human primate research subjects.<ref name=cdc_bvirus>{{cite web|title=B Virus (Cercopithecine herpesvirus 1) Infection CDC NCID|url=http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/bvirus.htm|accessdate=2008-07-13}}</ref> Additionally, their is considerable risk to the non-human primate pet through transmission of human disease. One such example is [[herpes simplex virus]], which can be deadly to certain smaller monkeys.<ref name=ng_petmonkey /> ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== *[http://www.bigcatrescue.org/000news/0articlesbybcr/zoonosis.htm Big Cat Rescue] [[Category:Pets]] [[Category:1920s fads]] [[fr:Nouveaux animaux de compagnie]]