Exotic Pets in the Var

Written by Peter Tunbridge

Mambas in Montauroux? Cobras in Cogolin? Just kidding, but the exotic pet trend is on the rise all over France, with people clamouring for the latest NAC’s (Nouveaux Animaux de Compagnie). From exotic mammals, lizards and snakes to spiders, scorpions and tropical birds, the choice is endless, but many of these exotic creatures need specialist care and handling; something their new owners are not necessarily aware of, or fully competent at providing.

The US was one of the first countries to experience the exotic pet craze and Florida in particular now has quite a problem with non-native animals which were released into the wild and proceeded to flourish.

With winters becoming milder and summers, hotter, exotic species which escape or are released into the wild in Europe have a greater chance of survival.

In the UK, the craze for exotic pets began 10 or 15 years ago and, interestingly, there has been a recent spate of large pythons found wandering around the British countryside. No doubt they looked really cute in the pet shop when their owners purchased them. To our knowledge, there have been no such incidents in the Var, (give it time though - their pythons are probably still at the “cute” stage), but whether it is iguanas, pythons or poison-dart frogs, increasing numbers of people in France are inviting these exotic and sometimes dangerous animals into their homes.

In the last ten years, the Poison Control Centre in Marseille has treated at least 54 cases of non-native animal envenomations, including 2 cases of tarantula bite, one black widow bite and 22 cases of exotic snake bite.

Exotic pets can also mean exotic diseases: bats can carry rabies, prairie dogs, the bubonic plague and reptiles can transmit salmonella.

Vendors and purchasers are required by French law to hold a certificate of capacity but this does not always guarantee the public’s safety. As in the case of venemous tropical fish which are imported into Europe and sold as aquarium fish, such as Pterois volitans, a member of the Scorpion fish family and Amazonian freshwater stingrays. Both these species have been responsible for human envenimations in recent years in France, usually occurring when the owner was cleaning the aquarium.

Tarantulas

Tarantulas are popular exotic pets, but many species have irritative hairs on their bodies which they can release and flick into a person’s face, causing eye irritations and provoking asthma attacks. These spiders can also deliver a painful bite and the nature of their venom can vary from species to species. Hospitals have recorded instances where owners who got bitten did not know the exact species of their pet.

Venemous Snakes

Venomous snakes are high on the list of sensation-seekers’ exotic wishlists, although it is, of course, illegal to sell them to the general public. No worries there, then...except that, of the 22 cases of exotic snakebite reported, the offending species included strictly prohibited fer de lance snakes, rattlesnakes and even members of the elapids family which includes cobras, mambas and taipins.

One assumes these snakes were imported into France clandestinely or reared in captivity by amateur breeders, certain of whom have been known to cross-breed their venomous snakes with other close species, producing hybrids with venom that may not respond to conventional anti-venoms. Marseille treated one “amateur eleveur” who had received an eyeful of hybrid cobra venom.

Worryingly, at least two of the reported snakebites occurred as a result of the reptile escaping from its vivarium and biting members of the family.

Thank Goodness the doors of the house weren’t left open!

Article from The Riviera Reporter Var Supplement, issue August/September 2007

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