Should I Own An Exotic?

I would like to mention a few points about these wild animals. They are just that - wild. They are not to be confused with domesticated "pets". Each time you enter a cage with a wild animal you place yourself at some risk. And at times that could be life threatening as in the case with the big cats. But even the smaller ones can be very dangerous. Michael Bleyman almost lost his life after an ocelot attack, trainers who raised their animals from birth have been killed, and caretakers have had their arms torn off by big cats. You can never totally trust these animals.

We go in with them because the interaction is beneficial. I discovered a tumor on the ocelot I'm holding in the photo because I did interact with him. Otherwise it might never have been found before it took his life. I do not recommend ever acquiring these exotic animals because you like the prestige, the novelty or the possibility you might be able to make a buck off of them in some way. They take expert care and are expensive to house properly and feed. I abhor roadside zoos that breed animals so they can shoot cuddly photos with paying visitors only to discard the animals after they become large and unmanageable.

I would like to see all owners USDA licensed. In addition I would like them to exceed the minimum regulations set for the safe keeping and care of these exotic animals. Breeding should not be undertaken without expert scientific recommendations so degradation of that particular gene pool can be minimized. If this all sounds Greek to you then you should opt for a nice domestic.