Exotic pets at a store in Beijing: sugar gliders. WANG JING/CHINA DAILY
Booming market
Having bred rare tortoises for 30 years, 45-year-old Luo Peng, from the southwestern province of Sichuan, is a loyal exotic pet fan. The balcony of his apartment in downtown Chengdu, the provincial capital, is home to more than 100 tortoises.
As an enthusiast, Luo has collected nearly every subspecies of box turtle－a rare tortoise with a domed shell that is hinged at the bottom, which enables it to be closed to keep predators at bay. A baby box turtle is priced at 60,000 to 80,000 yuan.
"China's exotic pets market has boomed in the past five to 10 years. For example, in the 1990s there was no domestically made food for tortoises－imported brands didn't appear until 2000," he said.
From 2009, some fans sold homemade tortoise food, based on their own experience, according to Luo. "Now, at least seven domestic companies are making tortoise food, providing more than 20 kinds for different species and ages. Compared with imported foods, domestic brands are far more diverse," he said.
Data from the National Bureau of Statistics show that annual per capita disposable income soared from 18,311 yuan in 2013 to 28,228 yuan last year, and Luo believes the rise in living standards has been a major driver of the booming pet market.
"People can easily satisfy their basic needs, and that gives them more freedom to develop hobbies and spend their extra cash on pets," he said.
Exotic pets at a store in Beijing: a marmot. WANG JING/CHINA DAILY
Millennial identities
Many Chinese fans of exotic pets are ages 20 to 35, the so-called millennial generation, who are passionate about exploring new things and seeking a unique identity.
"Young people are our major customers. Instead of raising a traditional pet, they want something special to show off to their friends, especially via social media. Also, many enjoy the experience of learning and knowing more about a certain wild animal by raising it as a pet," said Liu Yiyan, who owns a store that sells lizards, snakes, African hedgehogs, marmots and flying squirrels.
Liu, 25, loves exotic pets. At age 21, he started raising a central bearded dragon, a lizard native to the woodland and deserts of central Australia.
"It was cool to have a lizard as a pet when most of my friends had cats and dogs. Nowadays, young people want to be different, and having an exotic pet is a good way to stand out," he said. "When I discovered that many people had a strong interest in exotic pets, it gave me the confidence to start my business."
Together with his 29-year-old sister, Liu runs his store at the Laiguangying Pet Market near Beijing's North Fifth Ring Road. In the two years since it opened, the 35-square-meter store has seen a steady rise in customer numbers, earning the siblings a combined monthly income of about 25,000 yuan.
Prices range from 300 to 5,000 yuan for each animal, but those that exhibit rare colors, have great affinity for human contact or are happy to interact with their owners cost more. "Snakes are easiest for beginners, but women prefer flying squirrels because of their cute appearance," Liu said.
He said many purchasers are novices in the exotic pets market and have barely heard of the animals. "Most brick-and-mortar stores like mine prefer to sell exotic pets that have been popular for several years. That makes it much easier for novices," he said.
