An exotic pet is a pet which is relatively rare or unusual to keep, or is generally thought of as a wild species rather than as a domesticated pet. The definition varies by culture, location, and over time—as animals become firmly enough established in the world of animal fancy—they may no longer be considered exotic.
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👉 Exotic pet in the context of Moral vegetarianism
Veganism is the practice of abstaining from the use of animal products and the consumption of animal source foods, and an associated philosophy that rejects the commodity status of animals. A person who practices veganism is known as a vegan; the word is also used to describe foods and materials that are compatible with veganism.
Ethical veganism excludes all forms of animal use, whether in agriculture for labour or food (e.g., meat, fish and other animal seafood, eggs, honey, and dairy products such as milk or cheese), in clothing and fashion (e.g., leather, wool, fur, and some cosmetics), in entertainment (e.g., rodeos, bullfighting, zoos, exotic pets, circuses, dolphinariums and horse racing), in services (e.g., mounted police, working animals, K9s and animal testing), and in medicine (e.g, bile bear farms, wildlife trade). People who follow a vegan diet for the benefits to the environment, their health or for religion are regularly also described as vegans.
In this Dossier
Exotic pet in the context of Veganism
Veganism is the practice of abstaining from the use of animal products and the consumption of animal source foods, and an associated philosophy that rejects the commodity status of animals. A person who practices veganism is known as a vegan; the word is also used to describe foods and materials that are compatible with veganism.
Ethical veganism excludes all forms of animal use, whether in agriculture for labour or food (e.g., meat, fish and other animal seafood, eggs, honey, and dairy products such as milk or cheese), in clothing and industry (e.g., leather, wool, fur, and some cosmetics), in entertainment (e.g., zoos, exotic pets, and circuses), or in services (e.g., mounted police, working animals, and animal testing). People who follow a vegan diet for the benefits to the environment, their health or for religion are regularly also described as vegans.
Exotic pet in the context of Wildlife smuggling
Wildlife smuggling or wildlife trafficking concerns the illegal gathering and trade of endangered species and protected wildlife, including plants and byproducts or products utilizing a species. Research on wildlife smuggling has increased, however, knowledge of the illicit trade remains limited. The differences between international policies and tendencies likely contribute to the extensive estimated range of wildlife smuggling, anywhere from $5-$23 billion, with an additional $67-$193 billion when timber and fish are included. The prolific growth of wildlife smuggling makes it the fourth-largest criminal enterprise globally after drug, firearm, and human trafficking. Products demanded by the trade include but are not limited to ivory, bushmeat, traditional medicine, and exotic pets. China and the United States are the largest buyers in the illegal wildlife trade. It often involves other illegal activities such as tranquilizing animals without proper authorization.
Exotic pet in the context of Tarantula
Tarantulas comprise a group of large and often hairy spiders of the family Theraphosidae. As of 2025, more than 1,100 species have been identified, within 177 genera. The term "tarantula" is usually used to describe members of the family Theraphosidae, although many other members of the same infraorder (Mygalomorphae) are commonly referred to as "tarantulas" or "false tarantulas". Some of the more common species have become popular in the exotic pet trade. Many New World species kept as pets have setae known as urticating hairs that can cause irritation to the skin, and in extreme cases, cause damage to the eyes.
Exotic pet in the context of Live food
Live food is living animals used as food for feeding other carnivorous or omnivorous animals kept in captivity; in other words, small preys that are artificially presented to larger predators kept as exotic pets, livestocks, or display animals in zoo or aquaria. The idea behind using live food is to provide lively feeds that stimulate the proactive hunting instinct in the captive animals, thus retaining their "wildness" state that are often lost in prolonged captivity.
Live food is used to feed a variety of captive animals, typically those are naturally insectivorous, piscivorous or vermivorous, such as spiders, ornamental fish, songbirds and landfowls, small frogs and lizards. Those that are fed larger, tougher and more mobile live prey such as crustaceans, bivalves and rodents are typically hypercarnivorous predators such as mantis shrimps, octopuses, predatory fish, bullfrogs, large reptiles (e.g. crocodiles and alligators, snakes, large varanids such as Komodo dragon and monitor lizards, and snapping turtles), predatory birds and various carnivoran mammals such as great cats, canines and mustelids. Occasionally mesocarnivorous/hypocarnivorous animals such as bears and foxes, who are more generalist and less dietarily dependent on fresh meat, are also fed live food. For instance, pet skunks, who are omnivorous, can technically be fed a limited amount of live food, although this is not known to be a common practice.
Exotic pet in the context of Fennec fox
The fennec fox (Vulpes zerda) is a small fox native to the deserts of North Africa, ranging from Western Sahara and Mauritania to the Sinai Peninsula. Its most distinctive feature is its unusually large ears, which serve to dissipate heat and listen for underground prey. The fennec is the smallest fox species. Its coat, ears, and kidney functions have adapted to the desert environment with high temperatures and little water.
The fennec fox mainly eats insects, small mammals and birds. It has a life span of up to 14 years in captivity and about 10 years in the wild. Pups are preyed upon by the Pharaoh eagle-owl; both adults and pups may fall prey to jackals and striped hyenas. Fennec families dig out burrows in the sand for habitation and protection, which can be as large as 120 m (1,300 sq ft) and adjoin the burrows of other families. Precise population figures are not known but are estimated from the frequency of sightings; these indicate that the fennec fox is currently not threatened by extinction. Knowledge of social interactions is limited to information gathered from captive animals. The fennec fox is commonly trapped for exhibition or sale in North Africa, and it is considered an exotic pet in some parts of the world.