Most exotic animals seen on the pet trade

Was just browsing the exotic animals for sale website and found the following:
-0.1 juvenile Northern Common Cuscus for sale in Michigan
-1.0 Booted Macaque for sale in Florida
-1.0 Derby's Woolly-Opossum for sale in Florida

~Thylo

 

Yep, there are lots of exotic pet breeders in Florida. The one in Michigan is also very well-known.

 

Indeed, Panhandle Exotics (not the seller of either of the above species) and the Michigan dealer are ones I've come across a lot. It's more the species I wanted to draw attention to. The cuscus listing implies there's been captive breeding, the macaque is a surprise due to their rarity in captivity (also the ad says he's a proven breeder), and the opossum is a different species to the woolly-opossums already known in the trade.

~Thylo

 

I agree there's some cool stuff here. Yes, that Michigan dealer is quite famous for breeding marsupials, they've had several successful breedings of cuscus and even Yapok. I've suspected for a long time now that Booted Macaques were not as rare as everyone thought (after all Special Memories doesn't even know that one of their "Sulawesi Crested Macaques" is actually a Booted).

But I am shocked at the woolly-opossum.

 

One time, I saw someone walking their "Cat" down the street in Pennsylvania. As an animal nerd, I am pretty sure it was a Black footed cat. No Idea how she got it, Illegaly. Perhaps.

 

CJG Exotics - man in Michigan - is a very well-known importer. He's got loads of rare species, but the Cuscus is the craziest thing I've seen from him yet. (I've got him as a friend on Facebook, I should hit him up and get myself a Cuscus )

 

Maybe! LOL.

 

I've met quite a few people with exotic herpetiles personally through the Chicago Herpetological Society. I know of at least one member who owns a juvie anaconda, a few who own crocodilians, a few with rare monitors, etc. And afaik these are all owned legally, with proper documentation if needed.

I'm also aware of several exotic mammal pets like lemurs, monkeys, sloths, exotic hoofstock...they sometimes show up dead of natural causes in the Oddities Community. I think the most exotic I've seen that came from private owners were mandrills, sloths, and a red ruffed lemur (although the page that was processing the lemur was -rightfully- nuked for violating Instagram guidelines because the page owner was attempting to sell it. This would have potentially violated the Endangered Species Act.) I actually know of quite a few people who got educational osteological specimens from private zoos.

 

Generally most reptiles should probably be excluded from the "most exotic" list IMO as they are so commonly and generally manageable. With the exception of most endangered species you can get just about anything legally, and decent chances are that there is a sustained private breeding population in the states... Just check out Fauna Classifieds to scratch the surface.

Ruffed lemurs are indeed very endangered, however after ringtailed they are the most commonly bred in the US, much more common that brown lemurs for that matter. Mandrills are quite exciting, not sure if I have ever heard of private mandrills although a quick search brings up some listings.

Just checking recent posts on this thread, some exciting stuff , cheers from the Seattle herp community.

 

Sometimes I hate my species, what the hell have we done to the proud wildcat

 

Just a few of interesting species listed right now

Cuscus

Fishing Cat?! (no idea these were on the market)

Red-Handed Tamarin

 

I've seen Mandrill available before.

None of the species in the photos you posted are uncommon in the U.S. captive trade. (Besides the Cuscus.)

 

I wasnt suggesting they were all that rare, just throwing up a few interesting examples. I had seen the tamarins for sale before, but never fishing cats so that was pretty interesting.

 

I wonder if any spider-tailed horned viper (Pseudocerastes urarachnoides) are in the pet trade and whether they breed?

There was some fear that it can be over-collected for the pet trade, but I never heard of an actual example. And very good.

 

I'm not surprised about the fishing cats, they seem to be a pretty common species in small, unaccredited zoos and get passed around a lot.

 

I have heard strong rumors but nothing concrete, I would be very surprised if they wernt be bred for the trade already tbh...

 

Found a pretty rediculous scam website for exotic wildlife advertising a "crowned sifaka", quick image search shows its actually a baby Coquerels Sifaka named Nero born at the Maryland zoo born in 2011 . Not gonna lie my heart skipped a beat for a second.

Link for those morbidly curious: Buy Young Crowned Sifaka Online | Young Crowned Sifaka For Sale

 

Given the generally reliable site that comes from, I would assume it's legitimate, just with a stolen photograph.