Exotic Pets™

#297: Dr Doug talks about reptile euthanasia which is very tricky, since they can come back to life after being euthanized medically! And people mistakenly think they can euthanize their reptile in the freezer but it is a terrible, painful death.

#294: Sy Montgomery talks about her flock of “ladies” in her book “What the Chicken Knows: a New Appreciation of the World’s Most Familiar Bird” and all the ways that chickens are delightful, intelligent, long-lasting pets (with the added bonus of eggs!)

#302: Michael Schneider founded Pilots to the Rescue to bring dogs and cats from the South, where they aren't wanted, to shelters in the Northeast that can place them in homes — but he never expected to be filling his Kodiak 100 plane with Chiquita banana boxes, the preferred transport method for endangered sea turtles that are cold stunned in New England, and fly them to the safety of waters in Florida.

#300: Dr. Doug says freshwater is the easiest way to get into fish ownership but saltwater tanks are the coolest, with puckerfish and lionfish greeting you when you come home!

#301: Are people surprised or amazed that you have an exotic pet? Do you ever wonder why you chose the exotic that you did? Do other people make assumptions about you — positive or critical — because of the pet who shares your home? Does that unusual pet make you feel special?

#290: Chris Buddle has chased spiders his whole life — since childhood, although for academic purposes the past 30 years! and talks about the effect on visitors of his own lovely long haired tarantula.

#299: Bette Zirkelbach, General Manager of the non-profit The Turtle Hospital in the Florida Keys, talks about rescuing and rehabilitating Mojo, the 800 lb. Leatherback Sea Turtle and explains how “compassion is contagious" and ecotourism helps these endangered creatures.

#295: Dr. Doug Mader talks about breathing difficulties and bleeding being the two symptoms of true emergencies in exotics. Reptile emergencies are rare but with birds, breaking a blood feather that causes more than 6 drops of bright red blood is an emergency.

#288: Sandi Pipock has been the manager of Walton's Pet Shop in the Florida Keys for 30 years and talks about the value of education and customer service at a small privately owned store.

#294: Sy Montgomery talks about her flock of “ladies” in her book “What the Chicken Knows: a New Appreciation of the World’s Most Familiar Bird” and all the ways that chickens are delightful, intelligent, long-lasting pets (with the added bonus of eggs!)