2023_NorthStarVets_Pets_Digital_Issue

RealPets,
RealPeople
■ Amazing real pet stories ■ Adorable photos ■ Tips & tricks
The Wild World of Exotic Pets
CARING FOR REPTILES, RABBITS, BIRDS, RODENTS AND EVEN SKUNKS
PET PHOTOS: SHUTTERSTOCK
A PET SKUNK THAT escaped from
home and was badly attacked by another
animal, requiring stitches and a drain.
A chinchilla that became insulin-resistant
and would not eat, requiring a
two-week stay in the hospital.
Cases like these are all in a day’s
work for Dr. Matthew Grootenboer, a
veterinarian in the Exotics Department
at NorthStar VETS®.
Dr. Grootenboer works with all types
of exotic pets, from small mammals—including
ferrets, rabbits and rodents—to
those as unique as kinkajous, skunks
and sloths, plus a variety of birds and
reptiles, from bearded
dragons to
150-pound sulcata tortoises.
“Exotic pets are fantastic companions.
They are fun and rewarding and
full of more personality than some
people give them credit for,” says Dr.
Grootenboer. “They aren’t really all that
hard to care for, but you need to get the
right information early.”
The first thing to remember: Conduct
research, but don’t trust everything you
read on the Internet. “You’ll read conflicting
ideas and become confused,”
says Dr. Grootenboer.
Once you decide which pet to bring
into your life, make sure to purchase
all supplies (environment, food, toys)
prior to taking your new pal home.
Set up an appointment with a
veterinarian who specializes in
exotics to discuss your pet’s
future care.
“I’m not joking when I
say most of the diseases
Mathew
Grootenboer,
VMD
we see are very preventable
and caused
by a lack of some
essential nutrient or
aspect of husbandry
(animal care),” he says.
“For example, a very
common problem in
reptiles is metabolic
bone disease caused by a deficiency
in calcium and/or vitamin D. Reptiles
require exposure to UVB light from the
sun or the correct type of UV lamp in
order to produce vitamin D precursors
in their skin. ...People find it cute to let
their reptiles free roam their house, but
then those reptiles wouldn’t be getting
enough light!”
For children, some good beginner
exotic pets include rabbits, ferrets,
rats, guinea pigs, hamsters, gerbils,
mice, smaller parrots, bearded
dragons, leopard geckos and turtles.
“I say this because, in general, these
animals would be more handleable,
tamer, and less likely to injure a child,”
explains Dr. Grootenboer.
He notes that parents or caregivers
should always discuss proper care with
a child before allowing the young person
to be in charge of an exotic pet.
“Thinking a rabbit is somehow easier
to care for than a dog or cat just because
it is smaller is the kind of mistake
that leads to disaster, so parents should
still supervise their children and help
them care for their exotic pets,” he says.
As for animals that should not be
kept as pets, Dr. Grootenboer emphasizes
that people should never adopt
wildlife, noting strict laws protecting
species, as well as dangers such as
disease.
Pet Perspective 3