Are we breeding too many exotic pets?

When we consider the gap between the amount of exotic pets being turned out every year vs the demand & there potential long lifespans there is a clear & worrying problem.

To put it into perspective 👇

👉 It is estimated there are now around 1.5 million reptiles kept as pets in the UK which equals roughly 2% of the population 🐢🦎🐍

And it is estimated 30% of the UK population own a dog 🐶

Now lets think about how readily available reptiles are to obtain compared to dogs.....

👉 You no longer see numerous pet shops full of dogs & there is no herp show equivalent selling dogs of all colours & sizes.

So why are we breeding & selling so many reptiles, when compared to dog ownership the demand is far less?

We know the majority of people who want a dog go to established licenced breeders or go through rigorous procedures in rescue centres.

The problems caused by this👇

👉 For us this raises a number of concerning questions about what happens to so many of these animals, (many of which have lifespans which far exceed that of dogs).

👉 Perhaps easy availability means Impulse buying is significantly higher leading to substandard care, abandonment & early death.

👉 Because exotic pet breeding is mostly not governed, anyone can take an interest in the hobby & label them selves a breeder. Lack of experience & knowledge from novice breeders can lead to poor advice & husbandry dripping into the wider population.

👉 This Is also likely why many rescue centres are full to capacity with unwanted or abandoned exotic pets & unfortunately, this is expected to get worse....