Exotic Pets™

About Exotic Pets™

The show for people interested in pets that slither, hop, creep, fly or swim: from bunnies to iguanas, parrots to ferrets, snakes to tortoises. Information on the physical requirements of these exotic pets and how to manage the often challenging environment and correct diet essential to their welfare. Co-hosted by Dr. Doug Mader, author of "The Vet at Noah's Ark: Stories of Survival from an Inner-City Animal Hospital,"who is a world-renowned specialist on exotic animals, author of four major veterinary textbooks on reptile and amphibians, and a passionate educator. Early episodes of this show were co-hosted by Dr. Karen Rosenthal, Director of Exotic Animal Medicine at several institutions of higher learning.

Publisher

Tracie Hotchner

Category

kids & family

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

2 May 2023

Latest episode

16 Feb 2026

Latest episodes

138 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   16 Feb 2026

   A Spiky Ball of Love — the African Pygmy Hedgie

   #348: Dr. Dan Johnson explains the appeal of African pygmy hedgehogs, noting their quiet nature, small size, low maintenance, lack of odor. He recommends scattering hedgehog kibble in a tray with ping-pong balls and other objects for foraging enrichment — along with small pieces of every imaginable fruit or vegetable.

2. 

   9 Feb 2026

   Amazing Creatures in the Briny Deep

   #347: Cara Giaimo tells the story of many fascinating creatures in the sea, along with glorious illustrations of them, in her precious little book “Leaving the Ocean was a Mistake: Life Lessons from Sixty Sea Creatures” including the Vampire Squid, the Sea Mouse and the Blobfish.

3. 

   2 Feb 2026

   Rabbits, Rabbits Everywhere!

   #346: Dr Dan Johnson sees more rabbits than any other untraditional pet at his Avian and Exotic Clinic in Raleigh, North Carolina — and sees many every day, mostly for digestive problems caused by not feeding the right timothy hay.

Who has been a guest on Exotic Pets™

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Dr Greg Lewbart
• Doug Mader
• Ethan Haber
• Dr Julia Shakeri
• Dr Madonna Livingstone

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.4 / 5

10 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

2 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 55 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

77

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

84

Contact Exotic Pets™

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.