FAQ

Literally, husbandry is defined as “the cultivation or production of plants or animals”. In reference to exotic pets, the term is used more specifically to describe the care, habitat, and environmental maintenance necessary to keep your pet healthy.

Your pet’s life literally depends upon your ability to provide for its needs. After millennia of domestication, caring for our dog and cat family members has become almost second nature to many of us. However, the exotic pet trade making its way into the mainstream is a fairly modern development and we are only now able to appreciate the magnitude of the negative impact that our inability to properly care for these animals has had. Many of the exotic species that we keep in our homes are adapted to very specific environments and these environments vary tremendously from one to the next. It is paramount to the physical and mental health of your pet to mimic its natural habitat as closely as possible. When those needs are not met, we witness suffering, preventable decline, and in many cases the death of the animals under our care. Our approach factors in years of field research (observing these animals in their natural habitat), decades of clinical exotics veterinary practice (seeing what brings non-traditional pets through the doors), and a combined half a century of captive husbandry and maintenance in zoological and private collections.

Ambient (effecting immediate surroundings) lighting is important as it dictates the natural behavior and life cycles of most species. A normal photo-period (day/night light cycle) triggers bio-appropriate activity and can affect reproductive cycles, health, and lifespan.

With exposure to ultraviolet B radiation (sunlight or a synthetic form) the body converts cholesterol into vitamin D, which is utilized to metabolize calcium and phosphorus and maintain skeletal and metabolic health. So without UVB radiation, many species will suffer muscle weakness, boney loss and fractures, and a compromised immune system – making them more susceptible to illness and disease.

We certainly can.

Of course! We view this as a partnership and understand that medical intervention is often necessary when an animal’s husbandry and care are not meeting their biological needs. We also believe that if your patient’s captive environment is not optimal, medical intervention will not garner a long-term successful outcome.

To generalize – all exotics, but some of the more common species that we work with include bearded dragons, prairie dogs, cockatiels, green iguanas, foxes, parakeets, ball pythons, ferrets, budgies, common and red-tail boas, hamsters, cockatoos, leopard geckos, guinea pigs, eclectus, crested geckos, gerbils, African grays, box turtles, degus, Amazon parrots, slider turtles, rabbits, parrotlets, monitor lizards, sugar gliders, macaws, tegus, rats, finches, various tree frogs, squirrels, conures, various toads, kinkajous, canaries, various salamanders, coatimundi, toucans, axolotl, chinchillas, aracaris, sulcatas, marmosets, hornbills, Russian tortoises, tamarins, raptors, hognose snakes, chameleons, and many, many more! Please understand that this list is nowhere near comprehensive. We work with all species of exotic pets, but if there is any question or special circumstance, feel free to reach out to us!