What Is A Good Age To Own An "Exotic"?

i was 5 when i got bitten by a rattle snake...


does that count?

no i dont think so but :rockon: hey thats pretty hardcore

I agree that is shoud be based on willingness to accept the responsibility long term and the intelligence to care for the animal - not age.


A case in point. A friend of the family wanted a hatchling because he's really into ball pythons. He has the ability to care for the animal, but he lives at home (just got out of the Army, back from Iraq). His Mom said no way. He went ahead and bought a snake and hid it in his room. Mom found it about 2 weeks later when he was away for the day. She took the 10 gallon aquarium and put it out on the front porch and called him and told him what she had done. He called us because he was in school and couldn't get home for an hour or two. Here in central Florida, an animal can bake in an aquarium in less than an hour. We rushed over to rescue the snake.

Multiple problems in this example IMHO. Son should not have bought a snake without parents permission when living at home, no matter what his age. Mom should not have put this living creature outside in the sun (I know she would have freaked if her small dog was put outside in the heat.) Neither showed much responsibility in my opinion regardless of the age.