Exotic pets abandoned in Scotland

By Michael Baggs | January 11, 2012 12:58 PM

According to the Scottish SPCA, more than a hundred unwanted exotic creatures have been taken in by the animal charity in 2011. 48 reptiles, 42 snakes, 7 amphibians and 3 arachnids were either found abandoned or handed in as unwanted.

Unfortunately the charity directly links the numbers to owners who no longer want or can cope with exotic animals because of the time, work and expense involved in looking after them.

Scottish SPCA Chief Inspector Fiona Greig said: "Often a lot of it's down to financial burden, people just can't afford to look after them the way they should be. I think they maybe buy them on a whim and then when they get them they realise how much expense is actually involved whether it be through buying the initial set-up or the actual feeding costs and husbandry costs."

"Some of them are very specialist and if you neglect to get the specialist equipment, whether it be the UV light or the feeding, it can affect husbandry, you're going to then lead into health problems which is then going to be quite a large financial burden for you. There is a lot more to them than looking after a cat or a dog for example."

Fiona continues to urge people considering an exotic pet to think carefully before committing. She said "Do your homework, make sure you know exactly what you're after, don't just go out and buy one. Make sure that you really want it and that you have the husbandry and the correct set-up for them."

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