There used to be a time when animal lovers would pretty much be classified into one of two categories. You were either a cat person or a dog person, depending on your preference for house pets. But today that arrangement seems overly simplistic, especially when you consider how many people now keep Capuchin monkeys, pot-bellied pigs, hedgehogs and other unusual animals as pets. It seems there's always a blurb in the news about someone's pig escaping the yard or someone else trying to smuggle rare birds into the country by stuffing them down his pants. Apparently, dealing in rare pets is big business today -- which probably also explains the rise in stores selling exotic pet supplies.
I always wondered how people feed and take care of their rare animals. I mean, a pig probably eats just about anything, but what do you feed a chinchilla? Does a raccoon need to be groomed regularly? Does anyone make toys for genets? You can't just find exotic pet supplies right alongside the dog food and catnip at the corner store, so where does the stuff come from? The place where you can find everything, of course: the internet!
Yes, if you're in the market for exotic pet supplies, your best bet is to go online and start searching for specific products for whatever critter, reptile, or bird you happen to own. A Kansas resident who's raising a wallaroo might have to grow specialized grasses or brush from seeds ordered in Australia. An Iowa resident might have to order a hedgehog habitat or food mix from a web retailer based in Florida. Regardless of what kind of item you're shopping for, it's a lot easier to find exotic pet supplies online than to try to rustle up the same products from stores near your home.
But just because exotic pet supplies are widely available, that doesn't mean you should run right out and try to adopt one of the exotics that I mentioned above. There are still a number of other things to consider first, such as your state laws. Many states expressly prohibit keeping animals like pot-bellied pigs or monkeys in residential areas, and trying to circumvent the law could end up with you in jail and your beloved companion confiscated by authorities. Furthermore, you have to give serious thought to veterinary care. Your animal will need routine checkups for sure, and could need emergency care during its lifetime. Not every vet is capable of handling exotics, so you could end up with a very sick animal on your hands at some point.
The bottom line is that finding a place to purchase discount exotic pet supplies is just part of the equation. Before you rush into any big decisions about bringing a rare animal into your home, please do yourself a favor by evaluating whether or not you have the resources to care for one of these pets.