Article: Consider carefully before adopting exotic pets.(The Seattle Times)

So you're the one with the kid who can't take his eyes off the snakes in the zoo, or grabs every book with something on spiders. Or, yours is the 8-year-old pleading to bring home that big, gorgeous green bird in the pet store.

Maybe you're thinking, "OK, forget about a dog. Let's buy a tarantula!" Perhaps you could. The question is whether you should.

The answer _ well, that depends. When it comes to deciding if an "exotic" creature should become part of the family, opinions vary. But experts, breeders and fanciers all agree that before you do, you've got a lot to learn, and think about.

First, there's the ethics. Can you determine whether the ...

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