The Odd Lot — Outwriter Books & Travel

"In 1990 my husband, Richard and I were in search of a companionable animal to raise with llamas on our seven acre farm. We found no written resource for raising the animals we were considering namely serval cats, sika deer or wallabies. Only through word of mouth and visiting various farms did we glean the information we sought," L.C. Beattie Inlow explains in the introduction to her guide to raising exotic animals.

Much of the information compiled for this guide came from exotic animal owners across the U.S. who responded to a survey of 6,000 pet owners that the Inlows mailed out in 1990. From owners with actual husbandry experience they learned about feeding programs, housing and fencing, vaccinations and vitamins, as well as financial and environmental and legal concerns. Ownership of an exotic animals often requires permits and inspection by local and state agencies; sometimes it is prohibited altogether.

"Although more than 4,000 species of mammals exist in the world, a mere 18 have been domesticated for commercial purposes and 15 for farms or pets," Dr. Inlow points out. Information on the care and feeding of all the others is specialized, rare and difficult to acquire, which makes this book all the more valuable, both for the advice it shares and for the resources it catalogs.

The chapter on Wild Cats, for instance, provides histories and descriptions of servals and ocelots along with specifics on care and feeding. There are practical suggestions from actual owners, such as "If diarrhea occurs at any stage switch to a bland diet for one week then start mixing with canned food. Use Gerber's poultry mix only, Gerber's Rice Cereal and KMR." Along with advice on vaccinations and blood tests and mating and fleas, there's also a suprisingly large list of breeders and associations and publications and websites.

As rare and unusual as the creatures it covers, this is an essential reference for anyone interested in raising exotic animals.