The Student Room Group

Does anyone else own an exotic pet (reptiles, inverterbrate etc.)?

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Reply 40
Original post by Trigger
Mexican Red Knee :yep:


Nice, I really want one of those, they're quite expensive compared to other species though :frown: my Mexican red rump is from the same family, but it's quite aggressive so I don't really like handling it :s-smilie:
Original post by rifle.eyes
Snakes are quite inexpensive. You can pick up a corn snake for around £20-30 or even for free on gumtree. Theres a fair few royal pythons on gumtree too, you can get one with a viv for around £100. But then sell the viv on for £50-80 and keep the snake in a 'Really-useful-box'. Heat mat will set you back a tenner, waterbowl - you can just a little ramekin dish out of the kitchen, hides can be made out of anything, butter tubs etc. The wood chips cost a fiver for a huge bag that will last you ages. And the food only really costs £4 a month at the most.

Hope you get one, they're brilliant pets :biggrin:


Didn't realise they were quite so cheap, particularly for food. I've looked at making RUB's online, and I'm sure I could manage it (I used a few short term in Malawi), but how secure do you have to make them?

My main issue is keeping it at uni though. I'm hoping to go to RVC (london) in september and would be in uni accommodation for the first year. I'm pretty sure they have a no pets policy. Did you (or anyone else on here) keep reptiles in first year, if so was there anything you had to be careful about? And would you advise it?
Reply 42
Original post by lukas1051
Nice, I really want one of those, they're quite expensive compared to other species though :frown: my Mexican red rump is from the same family, but it's quite aggressive so I don't really like handling it :s-smilie:


We don't handle it at all in fairness.
Original post by lightburns
If you kept finding them, then he's doing it wrong. That would make you actually have a rational fear of finding snakes everywhere. I mean, seriously, a kitchen drawer??! That's insane. When I say I hid a snake, I mean that he stayed in my room continuously, and was secured in a proper box, and that all I died to hide him was to put him at the bottom of a wardrobe. Close the door, and voila, the snake is gone. But in my room. Not in communal spaces! Your housemate, even in my opinion, was completely out of order.


Thats what we told him when we threw him out. He ended up moving in with people who liked snakes but by that time he'd moved on to hiding ferrets which was also a problem because one of his new housemates was allergic. Ironically we quite like ferrets, but we don't trust him not to go back to snakes.
Reply 44
Original post by lukas1051
Hey everyone! I thought I'd make this thread because AFAIK there aren't any other threads about exotic pets on TSR, and I know that there is a pretty active community out there on the internet, so it will be good to speak to people with similar interests. If you own any sort of pet that is a bit different, be it a reptile, amphibian, invertebrate, maybe even an exotic mammal species, post here! Admittedly I'm an invertebrate enthusiast, but I love reptiles too and would love to have some snakes and some more lizards one day.

I personally have three tarantulas, a praying mantis and a crested gecko - I only started the hobby in August last year, but I'm already a bit obsessed. I'd love to get some more reptiles in the future (only problem is they're so damn expensive!) and expand my collection of tarantulas.

I'll kick the thread off with some photos.

Here are some pics of my tarantulas: (arachnophobes beware)

Spoiler



Here is my praying mantis:

Spoiler



This is my crested gecko (contender for cutest animal in the world BTW):

Spoiler



So yeah... tl;dr, talk about exotic pets here! :biggrin:


wow that red rump tarantula is amazing!
Original post by Hearty_Beast
Didn't realise they were quite so cheap, particularly for food. I've looked at making RUB's online, and I'm sure I could manage it (I used a few short term in Malawi), but how secure do you have to make them?

My main issue is keeping it at uni though. I'm hoping to go to RVC (london) in september and would be in uni accommodation for the first year. I'm pretty sure they have a no pets policy. Did you (or anyone else on here) keep reptiles in first year, if so was there anything you had to be careful about? And would you advise it?


I hid my snake in private accommodation that had a no pets policy. A baby snake will be able to remain in a small RUB for the duration of the year. You can start snakes off in 9L RUBs. That way, you would be able to keep him/her very well hidden for that time, and try and find a place for the year afterwards that would allow pets.
I come from a family background of sneaking animals through uni. My Aunt kept stick-insects in uni halls. :tongue: If you do it properly, it's fine. But if you get a noisy animal, or have it smelly, or have it escape, that isn't fair on who you're living near. Snakes are very good for the secret pet.

Rally Useful Boxes are very good.Here's one for £2.49 from Staples. Clear, easy to clean, and the hands lock onto the lid, which makes them very very secure. Drill small air-holes all around the top, and voila. Box is finished.

I would suggest getting a second, to use to put snake in when you're cleaning out the first, and to feed the snake in. If you want to be cost-effective, you could get the second in a larger size, so that you switch their purposes when you need to move the snake up to a bigger box.

Final point - you could be in for trouble if you have food stealers. Mice need to be kept in the freezer, and you don't need anyone finding them! An small opaque plastic tub surrounded by a really unappetising cardboard wrapper? I don't know, I didn't have food stealers.
(edited 11 years ago)
Original post by green.tea
Thats what we told him when we threw him out. He ended up moving in with people who liked snakes but by that time he'd moved on to hiding ferrets which was also a problem because one of his new housemates was allergic. Ironically we quite like ferrets, but we don't trust him not to go back to snakes.


Right, I can see why you would react badly to me saying I hid a snake. You have had an extreme situation there. And if I was in your position, I would fear that any pet person would escalate to that. He sounds insane.
Original post by lightburns
Right, I can see why you would react badly to me saying I hid a snake. You have had an extreme situation there. And if I was in your position, I would fear that any pet person would escalate to that. He sounds insane.


Yeah. He lives on his own now so its sorted. Although I did hear through the grapevine that his neighbors have trouble with him posting mice through the letterbox.
i love reptiles!! but mum said i cant have any more pets until i move out lol

loving all the pics of your adorable lil creatures guys :biggrin: x
Original post by green.tea
Yeah. He lives on his own now so its sorted. Although I did hear through the grapevine that his neighbors have trouble with him posting mice through the letterbox.




I'm surprised that he never decided to breed flames and burn your house down.
Reply 50
Original post by Hearty_Beast
Didn't realise they were quite so cheap, particularly for food. I've looked at making RUB's online, and I'm sure I could manage it (I used a few short term in Malawi), but how secure do you have to make them?

My main issue is keeping it at uni though. I'm hoping to go to RVC (london) in september and would be in uni accommodation for the first year. I'm pretty sure they have a no pets policy. Did you (or anyone else on here) keep reptiles in first year, if so was there anything you had to be careful about? And would you advise it?



If you buy in bulk it's super cheap but only really worth it if you've got loads unfortunately. Pets at home do good deals on frozen mice 4 jumbo size for £4 - anything smaller is cheaper. Most RUBs have little latch things on the side, they should be enough to keep whatevers inside, inside.

I kept two while I lived in private accommodation last year, not the same as halls but we weren't meant to have them. They lived in their viv inside the wardrobe so all I had to when the agency came round was to close the wardrobe door. If you do keep them, don't tell your flat mates, someone is bound to not like it and tell on you. A plastic box is pretty easy to hide anyway. Just make sure it's always locked. As for the mice - you can count on students to rake through your food in the freezer so make sure they're hidden in plenty of carrier bags inside some tupperware or something.
Reply 51
Original post by green.tea
Yeah. He lives on his own now so its sorted. Although I did hear through the grapevine that his neighbors have trouble with him posting mice through the letterbox.

The man obviously has mental health issues and no one has done anything?
Reply 52
A bearded dragon and a corn snake, nothing spectacular.

I would have more but I had a bad experience with a royal python which has put me off getting g any more. He died and after the event I researched the shop we bought him from and apparently they have a reputation for importing lots of animals with little care, so animals are sold ill or injured to inexperienced people. The moral of the story is to buy from a reputable breeder and do your research on the breeder before hand.

Although I would really love a royal python again some day :frown:
I don't have an exotic pet because my mother is scared of them ¬¬ and we have a corner pet shop less than a minute walk away :frown: I go in there to look at the gecko's, snakes and lizards ... not much the tarantulas :lol: they also sell rabbits and parrots but they're nothing compared to the others :biggrin:
Original post by lightburns
I hid my snake in private accommodation that had a no pets policy. A baby snake will be able to remain in a small RUB for the duration of the year. You can start snakes off in 9L RUBs. That way, you would be able to keep him/her very well hidden for that time, and try and find a place for the year afterwards that would allow pets.
I come from a family background of sneaking animals through uni. My Aunt kept stick-insects in uni halls. :tongue: If you do it properly, it's fine. But if you get a noisy animal, or have it smelly, or have it escape, that isn't fair on who you're living near. Snakes are very good for the secret pet.

Rally Useful Boxes are very good.Here's one for £2.49 from Staples. Clear, easy to clean, and the hands lock onto the lid, which makes them very very secure. Drill small air-holes all around the top, and voila. Box is finished.

I would suggest getting a second, to use to put snake in when you're cleaning out the first, and to feed the snake in. If you want to be cost-effective, you could get the second in a larger size, so that you switch their purposes when you need to move the snake up to a bigger box.

Final point - you could be in for trouble if you have food stealers. Mice need to be kept in the freezer, and you don't need anyone finding them! An small opaque plastic tub surrounded by a really unappetising cardboard wrapper? I don't know, I didn't have food stealers.


Thanks :smile:
Did the people living near you know about it? And what would the uni do if they found out?


Original post by rifle.eyes
If you buy in bulk it's super cheap but only really worth it if you've got loads unfortunately. Pets at home do good deals on frozen mice 4 jumbo size for £4 - anything smaller is cheaper. Most RUBs have little latch things on the side, they should be enough to keep whatevers inside, inside.

I kept two while I lived in private accommodation last year, not the same as halls but we weren't meant to have them. They lived in their viv inside the wardrobe so all I had to when the agency came round was to close the wardrobe door. If you do keep them, don't tell your flat mates, someone is bound to not like it and tell on you. A plastic box is pretty easy to hide anyway. Just make sure it's always locked. As for the mice - you can count on students to rake through your food in the freezer so make sure they're hidden in plenty of carrier bags inside some tupperware or something.


Keeping them in the wardrobe: Are they ok with that, or do they need to be on the side, somewhere well ventilated? (I assume you stick a light in the RUB?)
And do they let you know before inspection, or is it a surprise?


Original post by green.tea
Yeah. He lives on his own now so its sorted. Although I did hear through the grapevine that his neighbors have trouble with him posting mice through the letterbox.


Really hoping this is a troll... :wink:
(edited 11 years ago)
Original post by Trigger
The man obviously has mental health issues and no one has done anything?


They got a cat apparently. And chucked water over him one time when he was trying to throw lumps of cheese through an open window.
Original post by Hearty_Beast
Thanks :smile:
Did the people living near you know about it? And what would the uni do if they found out?

Keeping them in the wardrobe: Are they ok with that, or do they need to be on the side, somewhere well ventilated? (I assume you stick a light in the RUB?)
And do they let you know before inspection, or is it a surprise?


I kept the wardrobe doors open but would shut them for a short time if someone came in.

I don't know what uni would do - but I assume it would not be worth finding out. You'd need to be very careful to not befound out, but it's quite doable.
Reply 57
Original post by green.tea
They got a cat apparently. And chucked water over him one time when he was trying to throw lumps of cheese through an open window.


That isn't really an answer.
Reply 58
Original post by lightburns
I hid my snake in private accommodation that had a no pets policy. A baby snake will be able to remain in a small RUB for the duration of the year. You can start snakes off in 9L RUBs. That way, you would be able to keep him/her very well hidden for that time, and try and find a place for the year afterwards that would allow pets.
I come from a family background of sneaking animals through uni. My Aunt kept stick-insects in uni halls. :tongue: If you do it properly, it's fine. But if you get a noisy animal, or have it smelly, or have it escape, that isn't fair on who you're living near. Snakes are very good for the secret pet.

Rally Useful Boxes are very good.Here's one for £2.49 from Staples. Clear, easy to clean, and the hands lock onto the lid, which makes them very very secure. Drill small air-holes all around the top, and voila. Box is finished.

I would suggest getting a second, to use to put snake in when you're cleaning out the first, and to feed the snake in. If you want to be cost-effective, you could get the second in a larger size, so that you switch their purposes when you need to move the snake up to a bigger box.

Final point - you could be in for trouble if you have food stealers. Mice need to be kept in the freezer, and you don't need anyone finding them! An small opaque plastic tub surrounded by a really unappetising cardboard wrapper? I don't know, I didn't have food stealers.


How long can you keep snakes in those containers? I'd love some snakes but most of the cost involved is with the vivarium (especially glass vivariums).

Original post by Mr Young
wow that red rump tarantula is amazing!


Thanks :smile: she's even more vibrant in real life, she has a velvet black thorax and legs and a scarlet abdomen (which is why I named her Scarlett :P), the picture really doesn't do her justice. It's hard to get a good one of her though because she's always in her burrow!
Original post by Hearty_Beast
I've really wanted to get a snake since getting back, but with uni looming and the sheer cost of them in the UK, I've kept putting it off :frown:
Maybe if I rent a place in second year... :wink:


You can get good deals at local reptile shops =). I got a baby corn snake, a small plastic viv, water dish, two hides, substrate, heat mat and some frozen mice for £60. I've had to buy him a bigger viv now, but even that was only £45.

As for keeping a snake in halls, I think it's doable. As long as they always inform you before any room inspections you might have (which they should do) and you have a safe place to hide his viv for a while, I don't think they'll be a problem. Talk to your flatmates first though!

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