Would it be better to educate keepers rather than campaign for restrictions on selling and keeping exotic pets?
Standard advice from exotic pet sellers is to carry out research before purchasing a pet. However, a great deal of the available information about exotic pet keeping is misleading or incorrect. Much husbandry guidance is produced by the pet industry and is based on what is convenient for the keeper rather than the biological and behavioural needs of the animal. Many species are even mis-marketed as ‘easy to keep’.
As well as campaigning for restrictions on the exotic pet trade and improved conditions for animals, we feel it is important to educate people about the unsuitability of most wild animals as pets. Towards this aim, we helped to develop and promote a scientific system to categorise species in the pet trade according to how challenging they are to keep. Learn more >
