Vets – Are They Any Good?

Another fun article. Are exotic vets actually any good? Is it reasonable to remortgage your house to afford a vet bill? More importantly, do the vets actually know what they're talking about?

From personal experience, it's a mixed bag. I've met vets and taken animals into consultation and been absolutely blown away by their knowledge and experience. On the other hand, I've also taken animals in and had to explain what species they were looking at and what treatment it required. There have even been occasions where I've had to politely decline treatment, gather up the animal, and leave before somebody's confidence outpaced their competence.

First, let's look at what an exotics vet actually is.

"In veterinary medicine, an "exotic" pet is broadly defined as any animal that is not a cat, dog, or horse. Because these animals have highly specialized anatomies, dietary needs, and environments, they require expert care from veterinarians who have undertaken additional, advanced qualifications”.

Roughly translated: a guinea pig is an exotic pet. A mouse is an exotic pet. Any kind of herptile is probably considered somewhere between an alien life form and a mythical beast.

The BVA released the following statement on their website:

BVA Senior Vice President and top zoo veterinary surgeon Justine Shotton said: “Reptiles, birds and other less familiar pets are intriguing animals, and we understand why so many people would love to have them as pets as they are often unusual and are a bit different to owning a cat or a dog. But it is so important not to buy exotic species on a whim as they have very complex needs, and it can be both challenging and expensive to look after them properly. We know people who keep these animals have the right intentions to give them the best care they can, but their needs can be difficult to meet, particularly if they are a new pet and owners are not sure exactly what they require. We want potential buyers to take the extra time to really think twice about if they can look after them properly as well as encouraging them to do proper research to ensure they know exactly what the species needs to live a happy and healthy life.”

This is only an excerpt from the full article, but the overall tone is much the same. It almost reads as though exotic pets shouldn't be considered unless there's a qualified vet within a five-mile radius ready to hold your hand and reassure you at every turn.

For keepers such as myself—particularly those who rescue far more animals than they purchase—this feels like a bit of a slap in the face. Especially when experiences like these are regularly circulated within the hobby:

“Has anyone else has a bad vet experience with their crested gecko :(? I took him in for a checkup the other day and they totally manhandled him and told me a whole bunch of misinformation, told me I needed to have a basking area in his tank that reached 32 to 38 degrees? When I was told by pretty much everyone on any forum or group and all the information I’ve read has said a temp over 28 degrees would be fatal for them. Told me I needed a heat rock when I’ve been told they are not good for them as well, idk I feel bad for my gecko, and then gave me a heating pack that heated his little carrier I took him into 28 degrees I was stressing the whole time. I basically took him in to get manhandled for like 15 minutes. I’m scared to try another vet now for checkups, are they all gonna be like that now? I feel terrible”.

And another:

“My issue is veterinarians that claim to be an exotic vet, but don't know enough or keep up on the research even for commonly kept reptiles. I had a vet insist that bearded dragons "drink through their anuses" so just give my dragon baths regularly”.

Now, before anyone writes an angry email, no, bearded dragons cannot absorb water through their cloaca. This is a bit like telling somebody to stop drinking and just stand in the shower occasionally.

For me, stories like these highlight a broader issue: many modern veterinary practices, particularly large chain clinics, simply aren't equipped to deal with anything outside the holy trinity of dogs, cats and horses. Once you wander beyond those boundaries carrying a snake, lizard or amphibian, you can almost hear the veterinary software nervously asking if you've selected the wrong animal from the drop-down menu.

Another point worth noting is that, particularly in America, there isn't a great deal of money in exotics. As one exotic veterinarian put it:

“You also have to keep in mind that most exotics problems boil down to husbandry issues, your exotics appointments are going to be just the exam fee and maybe a medication or two, not the vaccines/heartworm test/prevention/etc that come with dog and cat annuals”.

This is a fairly common theme in veterinary circles, to the point where some vets actively discourage people from keeping exotic species at all, or repeat statements such as:

“We want potential buyers to take the extra time to really think twice about if they can look after them properly as well as encouraging them to do proper research to ensure they know exactly what the species needs to live a happy and healthy life”.

Now, I can't decide whether this attitude stems from genuine concern for animal welfare or whether it conveniently aligns with the growing push for various government "positive lists" that are beginning to circulate. Perhaps it's a bit of both.

Of course, poor keepers exist. I've dealt with enough rescue cases, both privately and through the RSPCA, to know exactly what damage can be done through misinformation, neglect, impulse purchases and a complete refusal to read care guides longer than a TikTok caption.

But there is another side to the hobby.

There are keepers who spare no expense. People who constantly research husbandry advances, invest in the best equipment available, compare dietary options, refine supplementation schedules and continuously improve the lives of the animals in their care.

Then there are people like me: slightly obsessive individuals who spend far too much time reading scientific papers about reptiles, pushing for better husbandry standards, advocating for improved information at the point of sale and recognising the dedicated keepers quietly maintaining near-perfect enclosures while asking for nothing in return except healthy animals.

So, do we as herptile keepers need to rush to the vet every time something looks slightly off?

Not at all. Ninety percent of the time, the problem can be traced back to an errant husbandry issue.

Do we need access to knowledgeable, experienced exotic vets when genuine medical problems arise?

Absolutely.

The challenge isn't convincing people that exotic animals require specialist care. Most responsible keepers already know that. The challenge is ensuring that when we finally do need specialist care, we're actually getting it.