Question:
What do you think?

Choices:
Yes! Anyone who likes animals should be able to own one.
Yes, but only exotic pet owners who are certified after passing a test examining the potential owner's knowledge of the animal and how to care for it
It depends on what the exotic animal is; some may be better housepets than others
No! Exotic animals belong in the wild.
other answer (please post it here)

 

In an ideal society, people who would purchase and keep exotic pets would have to be educated and accountable for having these creatures. They should WANT to be as informed and prepared to manage behaviors and needs as situations would crop up.

However, I sincerely doubt that it would happen often.

sure, as long as they know how to care for them.

most of the time, its very easy to have an exotic pet, you just have to know a few simple things, like what they eat, if they need clean water to swim in, a heating rock or light, or any thing like that.

i was spoiled in junior high, we had a class that was dedicated to learing about animals, and it was full of exotic animals, so i know how easy it is to care for them if you know how to.

I’m assuming this poll might have to do with the recent tragic injury of Roy Horn whose tiger lunged up dragged him off stage by the neck during one of the magic shows at the Mirage hotel in Las Vegas.

Animals are unpredictable, especially exotic animals. As soon as an animal becomes unpredictable or unmanageable people very quickly want to get rid of them. I have to agree with sher that it is unlikely that most people will become quite educated before making a purchase regardless of what type of animal it is or its disposition.

The notion that some exotic animals make better pets than others is a false one. People who have purchased and have cared for an exotic pet have had their share of problems. Some are quite serious and very troublesome. We don’t hear about those problems because they don’t make sensational headline news.

quote:

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Originally posted by piggins:
I’m assuming this poll might have to do with the recent tragic injury of Roy Horn

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In spite of what has been said, Horn's tigers are not pets. They are employees or property. They are made to perform on a schedule that could only be called rigorous and none of the pets I have lived with have ever been required to do more than 'roll over' or 'shake hands' a few times, if they felt like it.

Also there have been cases throughout time of people keeping exotics and being killed by them. They are wild and dangerous animials. When an animal is stronger than it's master, you have a potential problem.

No. Exotic pets may seem like a good idea but they can not disobey their natural instincts. If it was an animial like a tiger, someone would be hurt.

No, I don't think they should. Sooner or later, unless you own a lot of acreage, with most exotic pets, they will outgrow the territory. And no matter how careful you are, the "wild" cannot be bred or trained out of them. Here, they are having trouble with people who have cougars as pets, and then abandon them in the woods when they get too big. Unfortunately, then what happens is they don't have a fear of humans, and end up back in civilization anyway, where they're as dangerous if not more so than a wild one.

Exotic pets are better left in the wild where they belong.

I say leave them in the wild unless you have the land and place to keep them under strict regulations.

i want to clarify my answer.
when thinking exotic, im not thinking things like wolves, bears or cougars (we have these right here in our backyards, even in town, just passing through, so i dont think of them as exotic. i guess other people would though.)
im thinking of exotic snakes, lizards, birds etc.
we had both caymens and boa constrictors in our grade 7/8 science alive class, along with sulpher crested cockatoos, a tucan, and sugar gliders. these exotic pets are very easy to care for, as long as you know what the heck you are doing.
they are NOT for novelty pets, and i despise people who want one for a few months until the 'show off' factor runs out, then neglect them.
there should be licensing laws for owning exotic pets, and it should be that you can only get one if you pass a series of tests to make sure you will actually care for the animal.

when the teacher (who by the way had a zoology liscence) who ran the 'zoo' as it was called retired, he made very sure that the animals went to good homes; usually to people who were past students and he knew he could trust.