Exotic Pets‪™‬ Tracie Hotchner

#262: Dr. Doug Mader extols the virtues of geckos as perfect first reptiles because they can be as cute in real life as the Geico gecko on TV, with expressive faces (with eyelids) and charming personalities. Plus they can live 10 to 20 years!  

#261: Dr. Micah Kohles talks about how to add a 2nd bunny to your home. Slowly! Go to a shelter for a “bunny speed dating event” but still expect to spend months introducing them slowly. Once they are ready for a face-to-face introduction, the bathtub works great as a neutral territory [and it’s too slippery to get good traction to beat up the other bunny!] 

#260: Starting with a love for dinosaurs as a child, Dayyan evolved into one of the most watched entertaining educators about “herp culture,”  explaining fascinating phenomena like “obligate egg eater frogs!”

#259: Dr. Micah Kohles talks about the importance of "keeping things moving along in your bunny’s G.I. tract" by feeding a variety of fibers, like different hay and grasses and dark leafy greens to avoid shutting down the G.I. tract and causing a serious problem.

#258: Dr. Karen talks about how to choose a pet snake. Corn, King, Milk, and Ball Pythons are all docile snakes costing from $50 to $200. Dr. Karen recommends going to a “reptile expo” to learn about good breeders, veterinary needs, and to join a reptile enthusiast club to learn from those who are passionate.

#256: Annie Petersen speaks about her fascination and love for guinea pigs and how she founded the Association for Human-Animal Bond Studies particularly to promote small animals in classrooms (and in homes like her own!)