How to Raise Exotic Pets

Exotic pets are often difficult to raise because they have special dietary and environmental needs. Sometimes an exotic pet owner is unable to keep a pet alive because the conditions it lives in are too different from the conditions that it need. It is possible to raise them, however, if special care is taken to duplicate some aspects of their natural environment.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Pay attention to the climate of your exotic pet's natural environment. You may need to change the temperature of your cage or terrarium to match that climate. It is possible to raise the temperature by installing extra lighting in the cage, using a hot rock or to place the cage next to a sunny window. Lowering the temperature can be done with a fan or by placing the cage near an air conditioning vent.

2. Create humidity if the pet needs it. Some exotic pets need a high humidity level in order to thrive. To do this, keep water in the cage and keep ventilation low. You can do this by spraying the inside of the cage with water or leaving a wet towel inside it. If the cage has air holes, try blocking some of them with a wet towel for part of the day.

3. Make sure you know the exact food that the animal eats. Many animals have a narrow range of food that will sustain them. You may need to special order food or make your own.

4. Keep exotic pets in a cage that mimics their natural environment. This includes adding a flooring cover that the pet will feel comfortable in. Use sand, gravel, wood chips or whatever else is present in their natural habitat. Add sticks, rocks or the types of hiding places that the animal could expect to find in the wild. Snakes like warm rocks to sit on, hermit crabs like to have a hole in which to hide, and lizards like to have sticks to climb. Find out what your specific animal can expect to find in the wild.