MagiStream

yes I ride dressage with a horse scared of whips. I plan on working with him as far as the levels go. So far some luck. He gets nervous quick but some how manages to pull him self together in shows. He trys his best at least. He placed third place in trail riding and fourth in dressage so far.

Hey all, I'm kind of considering a new pet and I was wondering if anyone could give me some tips/info? I'm looking into possibly buying a fennec fox. From what I've read, for "wild" animals they make great pets if you can handle their energy, if you hand-raise them. Has anyone here ever owned one, who could possibly tell me a little about them from the point of view of an owner? I've read many FAQs and info/care sheets, and it seems like something I could handle, almost like a cat mixed with a dog in the most adorable little body, with the energy of a puppy that never grows up.

Also, does anyone know of any breeders in or around Ohio?

Lazuli: the first thing you'll want to check is whether or not your state requires a permit or allows private ownership of the animals. Many states do not when it comes to exotics (I have a bobcat hybrid I brought out from Colorado, for instance, and I'm required to maintain a special wildlife permit for him which I have to renew every year and which has certain conditions upon it which have to be met).

At one point in time, we were looking into getting fennecs. That's the first thing you need to consider: they don't do well alone and generally need to be bought in pairs. The breeder we talked to wanted $2500 US per pup. The permits to own one, if your state even allows it, are costly. I pay about $200 annually to keep my bobcat hybrid; they can go higher if your state has a non-native species act or if the pet is considered zoo-type exotic.

It's very important to remember that, domesticated or not, they're not and never will be pets exactly. They're still wild animals and need to be treated as such. Fennecs are carnivores; they need a fresh supply of meat and do not do well on standard dog food. As they are desert dwellers, they also like to dig...a lot. Be prepared to have your carpets and floors damaged and to have furniture full of holes. In terms of destructiveness, I would say they're on par and possibly surpassing ferrets. They also have very sensitive hearing; loud noises and vibrations bother them and can make them so nervous they get sick.

Vet care is another consideration. You will need to find someone who specializes in zoo animals because your standard vet has no idea how to care for a fennec (again: they're not dogs and may not even need some of the shots and care a dog would require). Sometimes your local college or university might have a veterinary branch which deals with zoo animals and they may hold a clinic. Be prepared to pay quite a bit for care, though.

Fennecs need space. They're extremely active and like to run and climb. They don't walk well on leashes and you cannot turn them loose outside. The friends I have who own them spend about four hours a day playing with and exercising their two fennecs, who have an entire room in the house converted for their use. You can't leave them out or unattended because they do get into things and they are so destructive. I definitely don't recommend fennecs as pets if you live in an apartment or in a city and you do not own your home. I have known these critters to even chew through walls and they seem to love electronics and other types of cords.

My only recommendation is, if you feel you can handle it, to go forward slowly. Have a place for the fennecs ready before you buy them. Have the vet care and feeding arrangements lined up and in place. Get your permits. Take the time to find a reputable breeder and talk to several before making your choice. DO NOT buy from people who 'specialize' in several exotics or who seem to breed animals which shouldn't be considered pets (big cats, large canids, many types of monkeys, etc). Ask to see the facilities and meet the parents of your potential pups. A legitimate breeder will not refuse. Ask to see their permits and registry from the USDA (that's who controls the breeders of animals, including exotics) and take the time to look them up to make certain they're legitimate. Be prepared to travel, perhaps several states away, to find the right breeder who is legitimate and ethical.

Good luck! If you can handle a wild animal, they do make good companions (though I would not call them pets). It's an interesting opportunity for close interaction with a wild animal as well. Not many get that chance to bond. The friends I have who own them really enjoy theirs and I'm sure by now you've seen some of the clips on YouTube and other places.

Also, you may want to check city bylaws(or whatever you call them) to see if your city allows owning such animals.
Ohio does allow the ownership of Fennecs(and quick google search told me that) but apparently it varies from city to city.
I mean, Ontario allows the ownership of Tarantulas, but city bylaw for my city says I'm not allowed to own them(as an example). Just something to could keep in mind.

You might even want to consider ferrets as a step up to the fennecs. From what Tx says, they would have similar habits and needs while being fully domestic and generally legal, and the benefit of being a bit easier to feed and find care for.
You might also want to consider the domestic foxes out of Russia. Unlike the fennecs, these are fully domesticated and thus, easier to care for and going to be a pet, not a wild animal kept in captivity.

I also have a clydesdale named Deauthch's Feuer. He is 18.1 hands and is 17 years old. He loves to lay in the pasture. He thinks it is game when he takes my riding helment. He runs around the pasture with it.

Anyone know about keeping millipedes as pets? Dee found one outside and now he's interested in either keeping a giant African variety or collecting some from the wild. All the care sheets say they are sweet natured, can recognize their owners, and mae fantastic pets. This one was a beauty --- earthy red and black with some yellow coloration and about the size of my palm and thickness of my little finger. We did not bring it in because we did not know what it needed.

This article seemed to cover all of the information I know about their care from when I worked both in the pet store and the veterinary clinic, TX. http://exoticpets.about.com/cs/centiped ... ipedes.htm

It says here that the temperature opinions vary, and I know that is true. At the pet store we kept them in the same room as the birds, which was kept at around 75 F. They always seemed very content at that temperature with us. Once they're used to being handled, they can actually be very friendly and if they know the person getting them out of the habitat, they won't ball up at all.

One thing the article lists that I would NOT suggest is leaf lettuce. As with many pets, an animal can become very partial to the taste of it, and then refuse other food - which means they won't get all the nutrients they are needing. We fed the ones at the pet store a mixture of fresh fruits, kale, and spinach as well as supplementing with small amounts of a wet iguana food.

Sorry I don't know more about them - the pet store didn't carry them very often mainly because they weren't popular in the area.

To those with Budgies:

Page or two back I was telling yall about how my dad's male budgie got out and escaped, well found him dead. Our cats caught him. Anyway, now dad is wanting to get a new male to go with our female since she's just kind of... flying solo with the eggs. However, I don't know if they're... territorial or whatever you'd call it and hurt the eggs. So should we hold off getting a new male until the eggs hatch?