Exotic animals are becoming the desired object to own nowadays. As a conservation major in college, I see this as a major negative for these species. Cool as it may be to own a fennec fox, a tiger cub, a lynx, or a wolf, it shouldn’t be like that. Unfortunately, social media is spreading the idea of these animals as pets through seemingly cute and funny viral videos. Time and time again, I have seen way too many people in the comments section claiming “I want it!” or “Can we have one (tagged person name here)?” or “Where can I buy one?” These people also sometimes include my own friends and I have to restrain myself from going off on them on why it is such a bad idea.

First off, these animals are wild. No matter how “domesticated” they seem, these animals still have their wild instincts and drives, particularly with predators. It isn’t cute and funny anymore when your little tiger cub becomes an adult with large canine teeth that can and will puncture right through your neck if given the chance. But, you say, what if they are “domesticated?” Well, if you want something domesticated, go to a no-kill shelter and adopt a fuzzy companion that won’t try to kill you when full grown. Exotic animals are tame, which means their wild instincts remain intact and ready to use at a moment’s notice, and should never be your four-legged companion.

Second, most of these exotic animals are endangered. It is likely that a lot of the exotic animals are sold in the black market after being taken right from the wild. Because of this trade and several other factors, a lot of these animals have already gone extinct or are in serious danger of disappearing forever. If you want an “exotic” pet, do your research. Find out everything about the animal whether it be legality, conservation status, habitat, behavior, dietary needs, and social standing. Most of the popular exotic animals wanted for household companions are in serious danger of extinction. Support these animals in other ways instead of buying one for yourself in order to preserve the species for the next couple generations. Furthermore, many zoos have "Adopt an Animal" programs that gives you the chance to adopt a resident zoo animal and have a safe experience with your chosen animal. You could even request that your money goes right to conservation groups and efforts for the animal you "adopted."

Finally, there is the danger element. Most of the viral videos only give you an animal in a cute and heart-melting video. I assume everyone knows of the slow loris tickling video that went around a year or two ago. What you probably didn’t know is that the slow loris has toxin glands under its arms. When this toxin gland is licked and mixed with the saliva, the resulting mixture is toxic to humans. The mixture is passed on through the slow loris’ bite. Black market sellers often surgically remove the toxin gland before selling the animal. Other exotic animals have more obvious ways of endangering their human caretakers. Snakes have a venomous bite, tigers have razor sharp retractable claws and long dagger like canine teeth, and alligators have a powerful jaw and a multitude of pointy conical teeth. If you aren’t willing to potentially sacrifice your life to your pet, please don’t get an exotic animal.

Exotic animals are just that, exotic. The allure of the word “exotic” brings in people’s interest and garners the feeling of “want” and “need.” However, there are alternatives. If you want a small wildcat in your house, get a Savannah cat. These medium-dog sized felines are a cross between a domesticated cat and the serval from Africa. They will cost you a pretty penny, though. Think about the future and if these animals are going to be around for the next generations to enjoy. Keep these animals wild and exotic and leave them where they belong, in nature. Trust me, won’t you be happier with a dog willing to do literally anything for you than an independent wolf who wants absolutely nothing to do with you?