Within an ever-changing world if one thing stays constant it is the companionship of our beloved pets. Whether it be the furry dogs or the purring cats, pet keeping has always been a common practice. But what if the options weren’t limited there?  

In 2023, there was research published by BornFree that showed that more than 27,000 wild animals were being kept as pets in the UK under licenses issued under the Dangerous Wild Animals Act in 1976. Nettle also had the chance to speak to someone who is a part of this community, Dr. Darsh Chaudhri. He is a practicing veterinarian, and in the conversation with the magazine, he talked about the wide range of eclectic pets he owns.  

His love for pets began at a very young age when he saw a snake on the road which had been ran over by a car. There were no NGOs ready to take the snake in, nor any veterinarian was willing to help the poor reptile. Darsh’s parents were doctors, so they tried their best to help out the snake. The snake eventually succumbed to its injuries, unfortunately. It was since then he has become empathetic towards these animals and decided to do his best to help them out.  

Darsh’s journey began as a pet owner of unusual pets when he bought 2 budgie birds. It was followed by five different species of cockroaches: Lobster, Red runner, Dubia, Madagascan hissing and Suryanam. He also has an African pygmy dormouse, white rats, hedgehogs, a hamster, guinea pigs, rabbits, a tarantula spider, a sugar glider, a cat which is a hybrid of an Asian leopard cat and a domestic cat, snakes, iguanas, a leopard gecko, turtles, Siamese fighting fish and Pacman frogs. In total, he has fifteen pets! 

“The pets aren’t all store-bought and are mainly rescues and surrendered pets that the owners couldn’t take care of. Once, one of my client’s snakes got stuck inside the toilet and ended up in the sewage. I was called to the rescue, and I somehow managed to break the sewage line and help the snake. After this episode, the owner decided to give me the snake and is now one of my favourite pets and I named it Medusa.” Medusa is an albino ball python.  

Nettle also asked Dr. Chaudhri about the challenges he faces while keeping these pets. “It is not an easy job to keep all of them as they are very unconventional pets who take up a lot of space and time,” he says. Darsh explains that there is difficulty in maintaining these exotic animals as the owners cannot go on a vacation leaving behind animals with special needs. The food preferences for each of them are quite different and sometimes even difficult to obtain. He has domesticated mealworms and super worms which are used to feed the other pets such as snakes and cockroaches. They all need individual attention and care. The only good thing about keeping them is that they are exotic pets hence they enjoy their own space and do not need much of the owner’s love and affection. “I would personally not recommend anyone to keep these pets, it is easier for me as I am a vet but for a regular person it won’t be the same,” he says.  

Darsh explains how keeping such pets makes him feel closer to nature. They always give him company and he gets to learn a lot about different creatures and their behaviour which helps him become a better veterinarian also. “I believe this is my contribution towards the conservation of the endangered by keeping these pets and looking after them,” he said. Darsh also organises awareness programmes by visiting schools and learning centres and teaching more about animals and how to look after them in our day-to-day lives.  

“I want to take care of as many animals as possible as I think we all live in an eco-system where we are co-dependent and thus have a responsibility towards each other. I hope that someday my efforts will pay off and I get to make a huge impact,” he concludes.