Exotic Pets™
sponsored by Zoo Med
The show for people interested in pets that slither, hop, creep, fly or swim: from bunnies to iguanas, parrots to ferrets, snakes to tortoises. Information on the physical requirements of these exotic pets and how to manage the often challenging environment and correct diet essential to their welfare.
Co-hosted by Dr. Doug Mader, author of “The Vet at Noah’s Ark: Stories of Survival from an Inner-City Animal Hospital,”who is a world-renowned specialist on exotic animals, author of four major veterinary textbooks on reptile and amphibians, and a passionate educator.
Sponsored by:
Is Your Venomous Snake Legal?
#285: Dr. Doug Mader explains that many snakes sold in pet stores have a venomous bite without people knowing it — from garter snakes to hognose snakes — which you should research before buying. The legalities differ by state, but obtaining a legal license to have a venomous snake has requirements nobody could realistically fulfill. Find out the amnesty date in your state for relinquishing your venomous snake and take advantage of it!
Betta Fish — The Meanest Fish on the Block
#284: Dr. Eleanor Spicer Rice gives context to why betta fish attack others in her book “Your Pets’ Secret Lives: the Truth Behind Your Pets’ Wildest Behaviors,” explaining that humans breeding for ever more exotic colors in Betta fish have made them increasingly aggressive.
The Purple Claw and Other Charming Hermit Crabs
#283: Dr. Doug convinces Tracie that hermit crabs make delightful pets — as those who belong to online hermit crab clubs can attest — some of which can grow as big as a grapefruit and live 25 years! He explains how they need ever-larger shells as they grow, adapting to discarded shells in the wild, as well as human detritus that can meet their housing needs.
Goldfish Can Be Taught to Drive a Car
#282: Eleanor Spicer Rice, author of “Your Pets’ Secret Lives: the Truth Behind Your Pets’ Wildest Behaviors,” discusses how truly intelligent goldfish are, with good memories — recognizing you and music they have heard — and have even been taught to drive a little goldfish car by Israeli scientists exploring their capabilities.
Canaries Learn Their Songs as Baby Birds
#281: Eleanor Spicer Rice, author of “Your Pets’ Secret Lives: the Truth Behind Your Pets’ Wildest Behaviors,” talks about how lovely little yellow canaries were once used to detect deadly gasses in mines (“the canary in the coal mine”) but actually have a natural “invisible force field” that protects them when others in their flock become ill.
Guppies and Their "Power of the Evil Eye"
#280: Eleanor Spicer Rice — author of “Your Pets’ Secret Lives: the Truth Behind Your Pets’ Wildest Behaviors” — talks about guppies being the most popular pet fish which are easy prey in the wild for all the other fish, since the only defense a guppy has is the ability to turn their eyes jet black to lure a predator directly to them, then dart out of the way at the last minute.
Finches Are Darling Birds — Why have Just One?
#279: Dr. Doug’s grandmother had an aviary with nearly 100 birds in it — you don't have to rival that, but have at least two of these sweet little birdies with their elaborate coloring, easy management and generous lifespans of five to 10 years.
Frizzies or Hairless? So Many Mice to Love!
#278: Dr. Doug talks about the virtues of sweet, affectionate, low-maintenance “house mice” as wonderful “starter pets” for a small child. And they come in so many varieties now (he calls the hairless mouse “creepily adorable.”)
Reptiles Can’t Feel the Burn
#277: Dr. Doug cautions that faulty hot rocks, human heat pads and heat lamps used improperly can give 3rd degree burns to a reptile who cannot feel the damage.
33% of Pet Birds Test Positive for Borna Virus
#276: Dr. Jennifer Graham (board certified in Avian and Exotic Companion Animals) talks about this potentially deadly virus that is often in a breeder’s whole flock. Birds can be shedding borna virus without clinical signs — it’s not easily transmitted to other birds yet still contagious. The disease is costly to treat and sadly, once your bird has symptoms it is a death sentence.