# Do you have any exotic pets? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 24, 2011, 8:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-any-exotic-pets/593881 "2011-08-24T08:47:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![AndrewL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@AndrewL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AndrewL)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2011, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-any-exotic-pets/593881/41 "2011-08-26T19:20:33Z")
My wife and I have three Chinchillas. They live in a gigantic cage that takes up much of the spare bedroom, and don’t like humans much. They’re getting pretty old now - the oldest is 15 years old, the younger are 11-ish - so we’re not sure how much longer we’ll have them. ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2011, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-any-exotic-pets/593881/42 "2011-08-27T03:27:02Z")
> [@miss\_elizabeth](#): > > Your bearded dragon is lovely! That’s what she said! ---
**Author:** ![BaneSidhe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c5a1d2/32.png) [@BaneSidhe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BaneSidhe)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2011, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-any-exotic-pets/593881/43 "2011-08-27T05:04:42Z")
Ooo, chinnies! I have a friend in Germany who has a pair and getting “Jake and Woody-Mail” is always a treat. ---
**Author:** ![Feyrat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/fbc32d/32.png) [@Feyrat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Feyrat)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2011, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-any-exotic-pets/593881/44 "2011-08-27T05:40:33Z")
I’ve got 41 (current residents) rats in my rattery, plus 2 litters (total of 25 babies, 5 of which will stay here) and a betta. I’ve had rabbits for most of my life (not a lot of rabbits, just really nicely long-lived ones) but don’t have any currently. My parents had a cockatoo and a blue and gold macaw I loved dearly, and I really want to get a B&G of my own at some point. ---
**Author:** ![ecseas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ecseas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ecseas)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2011, 8:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-any-exotic-pets/593881/45 "2011-08-27T08:53:18Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > I’m a thousand times his size. I don’t think he has much say in the matter! > > They do have distinct personalities though. Ours likes to stomp around waving his claws like he’s the king of Crab Town. Waving his claw is a sign of aggression. He thinks he is able to scare you 😃 They are funny things, my smallest one is dominant over my largest. Do you know what species it is? if you don’t know, here’s a link that might help [Hermit Crab Paradise » Crab Care » Species » Identifier](http://www.hermitcrabparadise.com/crabcare/species/identifier.php) I have Aussies XD it’s so unfair how other countries have so much more choice! How big is your tank? If it’s large enough, you should think about getting another one, they are social creatures unlike their name suggests. In the wild they’ll be in groups upwards of 100! ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2011, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-any-exotic-pets/593881/46 "2011-08-27T12:14:05Z")
I have a [Rottweiler with an intact tail.](https://picasaweb.google.com/100939988229793064247/Royce#5645504717152152898) Is that exotic? I also owned a long-haired Rottweiler. ---
**Author:** ![ecseas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ecseas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ecseas)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2011, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-any-exotic-pets/593881/47 "2011-08-27T12:53:11Z")
> [@chiroptera](#): > > I have a [Rottweiler with an intact tail.](https://picasaweb.google.com/100939988229793064247/Royce#5645504717152152898) Is that exotic? I also owned a long-haired Rottweiler. Do you live somewhere that docking is illegal? that dog is sooo cute! My dog like that too. ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2011, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-any-exotic-pets/593881/48 "2011-08-27T12:56:55Z")
> [@ecseas](#): > > Do you live somewhere that docking is illegal? > that dog is sooo cute! My dog like that too. Nope. Midwest USA. 🙂 But I bought him from someone who has import Rottweilers, and many of his puppies go back to Europe (where it’s mostly illegal) to be shown so he leaves the tails on. ---
**Author:** ![ecseas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ecseas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ecseas)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2011, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-any-exotic-pets/593881/49 "2011-08-27T12:58:49Z")
lays like that, rather. Rotties are so awesome. ---
**Author:** ![miss\_elizabeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@miss\_elizabeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/miss_elizabeth)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2011, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-any-exotic-pets/593881/50 "2011-08-27T16:30:07Z")
> [@ecseas](#): > > Do you live somewhere that docking is illegal? > that dog is sooo cute! My dog like that too. I think it is rather exotic, and a very good practice. And an adorable little guy! ---
**Author:** ![StarsApart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecc23a/32.png) [@StarsApart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarsApart)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2011, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-any-exotic-pets/593881/51 "2011-08-28T04:16:01Z")
> [@miss\_elizabeth](#): > > Your bearded dragon is lovely! Thank you! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Snake\_Plissken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/41988e/32.png) [@Snake\_Plissken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snake_Plissken)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2011, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-any-exotic-pets/593881/52 "2011-08-29T04:33:18Z")
I used to breed Tanganyikan, and Victorian cichlids. Most of the Vics I was breeding are thought to be extinct in the wild. I have had a couple of anenomii for about 5 years, that I never would have bought once I found out that they can live for a couple hundred years in the wild. I’ve also had 2 octopi, which were my favorite marine pets I’ve ever had. They have short life-spans, and I was pretty upset when they died, so I doubt I’ll get another. My dog is a Slovakian Rough Haired Pointer, which is a fairly rare breed in the US. ---
**Author:** ![Maiira](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Maiira](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maiira)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2011, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-any-exotic-pets/593881/53 "2011-08-29T06:28:18Z")
> [@miss\_elizabeth](#): > > …a Kenyan sand boa (small, cute snake)… I just googled pictures. WANT. Also, the most exotic things I ever owned were guinea pigs, and I don’t think that counts. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2011, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-any-exotic-pets/593881/54 "2011-08-29T12:31:24Z")
Currently: 2 dogs (a pit bull and a pit bull/hound mix), 1 cat, 2 cockatiels, 1 budgie, 1 teddy bear hamster. Of that list, the cat is far and away the most dangerous and expensive; he’s a “recovering semi-feral” and quite uninhibited about biting humans if we mishandle him, make him do something he doesn’t want to do, are nearby when he’s moody, or it’s Thursday. The dogs, by contrast, are total sweeties. Prior to that, several more cockatiels and budgies, a chinchilla, and before that a tragic attempt at fishkeeping. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2011, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-any-exotic-pets/593881/55 "2011-09-08T23:14:11Z")
> [@ecseas](#): > > Waving his claw is a sign of aggression. He thinks he is able to scare you 😃 They are funny things, my smallest one is dominant over my largest. They are pretty funny. We put a big conch shell in his tank for him to climb on. Now he spends all day perched on top of it overseeing everything. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-any-exotic-pets/593881.md?page=2)