Exotic Pets Up for Grabs in Florida

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has put its own spin on animal adoptions. Instead of fluffy puppies and cute kittens, it’s offering snakes, lizards and hedgehogs to potential new owners free of charge.

The adoptions are offered through the state’s Exotic Pet Amnesty Program. That program lets pet owners turn in their exotic pets rather than releasing them in the wild. The idea is to help those who find caring for an exotic, such as a Burmese python, is just too much to handle. Rather than let these critters end up in the wild where they can wreak havoc on native animal populations, the state decided to give pet owners an out.

There’s a hitch though: Once the state takes in an exotic, it has to find a home for it. That’s where the adoption program comes in, a state media release said.

Since the critters offered aren’t run-of-the-mill pets, potential adoptive families must apply for approval.

“To be approved, you must show you are knowledgeable about the care and safe caging requirements for the species you wish to adopt,” the release said. “While adopting an animal through this program is free, be aware of the costs associated with maintaining the care of an exotic pet.”

Potential adoptive families can attend an Exotic Pet Amnesty Day event to find their next critter, or they may be contacted directly by the state when a desired pet becomes available.

The next Exotic Pet Amnesty Day event is set for Oct. 4 at West Palm Beach’s Dreher Park Garden Club, 4800 Dreher Trail North from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. To find out more about the program and for other dates, check out the full calendar of events.

The state began the amnesty program in 2006 and has taken 1,947 exotic animals into custody since then, according to FWC records.

To find out more about adopting or to apply, visit FWC’s website for information.

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Photo Credit: This hedgehog is one of the hundreds of exotic pets surrendered to the state during Exotic Pet Amnesty Day events. Photo by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.