5 Things Essential for Keeping Exotic Pets

I have a number of exotic animals (praying mantis, snails, isopods etc), and like to keep things organized so I don’t lose anything I need, and also like to keep everything safe for my pets. Here is a list of 5 things that I find help me with keeping my pets healthy and safe.

Supplies:

Record Sheet (download from pdf version)

I personally like to know when I have last fed a certain animal, bred them etc, and I made a record sheet that helped me with this. This record sheet can be printed out, several copies made, and can be recopied as the need for refill comes to hand. You could personalize this document any way you like, or add any rows you need. When an event happens (molting, feeding, breeding), all you need to do is fill in the sheet and you have a record for that event. You could do this for multiple animals on one sheet, or could create a separate one for each animal you own.

Supplies:

Spray Bottle

Vinegar

Bi – Carb Soda

Cloth (a rag will do)

Cleaned Ice – Cream Bucket (you can use another container if you like)

Place all items into ice – cream bucket (you may need to pour vinegar and bi - carb into smaller containers, so they fit) and place lid on. Whenever you need to clean, put 2 tsp vinegar into spray bottle then add tsp of bi – carb soda, screwing lid on fast so it doesn’t spray everywhere, and shake. Top with hot water once soda has stopped fizzing. Then, remove items, pets from enclosure and spray, wiping off with rag after letting soak for 10minutes. This should remove the nasty smells animals leave behind. This formula can last a while, as long as its kept in the ice – cream container as the sun can evaporate it quickly.

Supplies:

Old Pantyhose

Scissors

Sticky Tape

Hair Elastic/ Tie

This amazing stuff is so versatile, that almost all my enclosures include it in their structure. I personally use it for ventilation holes, grip for helping my animals access all parts of their enclosure and for storing my snails when they hibernate in the winter. Whenever I am in need of this stuff, I pull out my scissors and cut it to size. When creating ventilation holes, grips, I use sticky tape to tape to the inside of my enclosures. When I use it to hibernate my snails, I cut it to size, place my snails in the middle, and tie it off with a hair elastic. I spray with water everyday to keep hydrated and place anywhere out of the sunlight. Once winter is over, the snails are free to go back into their enclosure.

Supplies:

Aquarium Gravel

Hot Water

Towel

Bowl

Sieve

After owning a few fish over the years and having multiple aquariums, I have acquired a lot of aquarium gravel. When I was running only one aquarium, the leftover gravel was stored in a bag, never being of any use. I decided to use it for the enclosures of my exotic pets, and it worked considerably well, made the enclosures seem more natural. When I need to use any, I pour it into a bowl, pour hot water on them and let it sit for 10 -15 minutes. Then I pour them into the sieve. I dry them with a towel, and they are ready to use again.

Supplies:

Driftwood

Shells

Blue Tack

Whenever I go to the beach, I collect various shells, driftwood, rocks and coral and bring them home. I find that I have too many to fit in jars and store them on my desk, in ice – cream buckets. There are many pretty shells and other beach ornaments, that never get to see the light of day for being stuck in ice – cream buckets and I find that wasteful. Whenever I want to use any, I select a few from my collection, get out my blue tack and stick them in place. I use only a little blue tack, so the animals can’t chew or eat it and get sick. Blue tack allows me to be creative and stick shells etc anywhere I like.

Please share decorated enclosures etc. I will be happy to see all your creative ideas. Have fun!