CHICAGO EXOTICS ANIMAL HOSPITAL
  • Home
  • Emergency Care
  • Care Sheets
    • General Care >
      • Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM)
      • Heating Reptile Enclosures
      • Health Veggie Shopping for Reptiles
      • Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
      • Metabolic Bone Disease Care
      • Vaccines in Exotic Animals
    • Birds >
      • Amazon Care
      • Avian Influenza Fact Sheet
      • Avian Influenza for Poultry Fact Sheet
      • Avian Bornavirus Testing
      • Budgie Care
      • Canaries
      • Chicken Care
      • Chronic Egg Laying
      • Cleaning and Disinfecting
      • Cockatiels (and other small Psittacines)
      • Cockatoo Care
      • ​Converting Your Bird to a Pelleted Diet
      • Feather Picking
      • General Parrot Care
      • Handfeeding Baby Parrots
      • Healthy Shopping for your Birds
      • Infectious Diseases of Parrots
      • Instructions for Physical Therapy in Birds
      • Lead Poisoning
      • McWatters Diet (Homemade Mash)
      • Macaw Care
      • Parrot Precautions
      • Polyoma Virus
      • Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease
      • Proventricular Dilatation Disease
      • Spiroform Pharangitis (Spirochetes)
      • Baby Starling and Sparrow guidelines
      • Territorial Aggression
      • Unsafe Plants for Birds
      • Weaning Baby Birds
      • What to Feed Your Pet Bird
      • Wing Injury and Rehabilitation
      • Wing Trims
      • Your Overly Reproductive Female Bird
      • Zinc Toxicity
    • Caiman Care
    • Ferret and Fox Care >
      • Your Ferret’s First Visit to the Vet
      • An Overview of Ferret Adrenal Disease
      • Chronic Diarrhea in Ferrets
      • Ferret Dentistry
      • Heart Disease in Ferrets
      • Heartworm Disease in Ferrets
      • Insulinoma in Ferrets
      • Lymphoma In Ferrets
      • Bob’s Chicken Gravy
      • Fennec Foxes
      • Red Foxes
    • Fish >
      • Algae in your Freshwater Aquarium
      • Eel Care
      • Freshwater Tropical Fish Care
      • Beginning a Freshwater Aquarium
      • Cleaning your Freshwater Aquarium
      • How to Feed your Fish
      • Aquarium Corals
      • Koi Care
      • General Goldfish Care
      • Hermit Crab Care
    • Invertebrate Care
    • Frogs, Toads, and Other Amphibians >
      • Argentine Horned Frogs
      • Bullfrog Care
      • Dart Frog Care
      • Feeding Pet Frogs and Toads
      • Fire Bellied Toad Care
      • Pixie Frog Care
      • Red Eyed Tree Frog Care
      • Short Tongue Syndrome
      • Tiger Salamander Care
      • Axolotl Care
      • White Lipped Tree Frog Care
      • White's Tree Frog Care
      • Ranavirus
    • Guinea Pigs and Rodents >
      • Chinchilla Care
      • Cuy Criollo (Giant Guinea Pig)
      • Health Problems with Guinea Pigs
      • Degu Care
      • Gerbil Care
      • Guinea Pig Care
      • Hamster Care
      • Diabetic Hamster Diet
      • Mice Care
      • Rat Care
      • Health Problems with Rats
      • Prairie Dog Care
      • Odontoma
      • Veggies For Guinea Pigs
      • Visible Tumors in Rodents
      • Vitamin C Deficiency In Guinea Pigs
    • Hedgehog Care >
      • Baby Hedgehog (Hoglet) Care
    • Kinkajoos and Armadillos >
      • Kinkajou Care
      • Nine Banded Armadillo Care
    • Lizards >
      • Anole Care
      • Bearded Dragon Care
      • Blue Tongued Skink Care
      • Crested Gecko Care
      • Geckos of New Caledonia
      • Crocodile Monitor Care
      • Frilled Lizard Care
      • Green Iguana Care
      • Jackson's Chameleon Care
      • Leopard Gecko Care
      • Nile Monitor Care
      • Old World Chameleon Care
      • Panther Chameleon Care
      • Red-Eyed Crocodile Skink Care
      • Savannah Monitor Care
      • Tegu Care
      • Thai Water Dragon Care
      • Uromastyx Care
      • Veiled Chameleon Care
    • Potbellied Pigs >
      • Pot Belly Pigs
      • Diamond Skin Disease
    • Rabbits >
      • Bonding Rabbits Bullet Point Checklist
      • Healthy Shopping for Rabbits
      • Complete Rabbit Care
      • Getting To Know Your New Bunny
      • Training Your Bunny
      • What To Feed Your Rabbit
      • Learning to Use the Litter Box
      • What To Expect From Your New Rabbit
      • Dental Disease in Rabbits
      • Heart Disease in Rabbits
      • Healthy Stool in Rabbits
      • Gastrointestinal Stasis in Rabbits
      • RHDV2 Fact Sheet
      • Parasites of Rabbits
      • Sore Hocks in Rabbits
      • Pasteurella in Rabbits
      • Medicating Your Rabbit or Guinea Pig
    • Snakes >
      • Amazon Tree Boa Care
      • Ball Python Care
      • Black Rat Snake Care
      • Boa Constrictor Care
      • Brazilian Rainbow Boa Care
      • Burmese Python Care
      • California Kingsnake Care
      • Cornsnake Care
      • Dumeril's Boa Care
      • Eastern Kingsnake Care
      • Emerald Tree Boa Care
      • Garter Snake Care
      • Green Tree Python Care
      • Western Hognose Care
      • Mexican Black Kingsnake Care
      • Rosy Boa Care
      • Sand Boa Care
      • Western Fox Snake Care
      • Inclusion Body Disease
    • Sugar Gliders and Marsupials
    • Turtles and Tortoises >
      • Alligator Snapping Turtle Care
      • Bell's Hingeback Care
      • Box Turtle Care
      • Chinese Box Turtle Care
      • Common Snapping Turtle Care
      • General Tortoise Husbandry
      • Leopard Tortoise Care
      • Mud Turtle Care
      • Musk Turtle Care
      • Painted Turtle Care
      • Red Eared Slider Care
      • Russian Tortoise Care
      • Soft Shelled Turtle Care
      • Sulcata Care >
        • Diet For Sulcata Tortoises
      • Common Health Problems
      • General Care of Aquatic Turtles
      • Redfoot tortoise Care
  • Contact
    • Referrals
  • Vets, Externs & Shelters
    • Xoran CT
    • Acupuncture and Chiropratic Medicine
    • Erchonia Laser
    • Vet Day Camp >
      • Heart Supplement Formula
      • Avian Hemotology
    • Shelters
    • Externships
    • Jobs
  • Products
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  • About Us
  • Chicago Exotics Blog
    • About Us April Fools Page
  • Happy Turtle Stories
  • Tour
  • ADV Testing Information
  • Lacy Act Summary
Avian and Exotic Animal Medicine
with a passion!
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​Externships

We accept 3rd and 4th year veterinary students for externships. We recommend that you spend 4-6 weeks with us in order to give you exposure to a wide variety of pets. If your schedule does not allow this extended period, we may schedule externships of shorter duration where possible. If you are interested, please submit a letter of intent along with a curriculum vitae to externsce@earthlink.net.

General Job Description for Externship in Exotic Animal Medicine

Externs are typically 3rd or 4th year veterinary students that have a strong interest in the care of nontraditional pets. Externs are expected to spend a 6 week rotation at the hospital but exceptions may be made for shorter or longer stays. Externs are ancillary positions to the hospital’s veterinarians, technicians, and customer service staff. The externs will assist the doctor and technicians with a patient during the taking of a medical history, examination, diagnosis, and treatment phases. The externs will help maintain the veterinary facilities, equipment, veterinary records, and supplies. They also assist in the care of boarding animals. The externs are expected to participate fully in all aspects of patient care under the supervision of the hospital staff. The hospital is open 6 days a week with some evening hours. Externs are expected to work 40+ hrs/week.

Qualifications / Requirements
  1. Currently enrolled in veterinary school as a junior or senior with prior experience in a clinical setting
  2. AVMA PLIT Insurance for externs (or its equivalent for international students)
  3. Preference given to students with demonstrable experience in the fields of exotic animal husbandry, medical care, or natural history
  4. Work requires lifting and carrying animals and equipment up to forty (40) pounds (will be assisted by other staff members in lifting items over 40 pounds). Walks or stands for extended periods of time; frequently works in a bent position. No impairment of sight, smell, hearing, touch, balance and agility of movement which might interfere with ability to work. No allergies to plants or animals which might interfere with ability to work. No immunocompetence issues which might interfere with ability to work.
  5. Working Conditions: May be exposed to: unpleasant odors; loud harsh noises; zoonotic and other contagious diseases; animal feces; animal urine and other bodily fluids; animal dander; potentially dangerous and unpredictable animal species; dust; potentially dangerous chemicals (including but not limited to acid fast stain, Gram stain, cytology stains, polyvinyl alcohol, ammonia, chlorine bleach, quaternary ammonium compounds, Cidex and related gluteraldehyde products, and 10% buffered formalin); potentially dangerous drugs (including, but not limited to, opioids, chloramphenicol, and occasional waste gas such as isoflurane); radiology equipment (produces x-ray radiation); potentially dangerous machinery; etc. Frequent use of protective clothing (i.e. goggles, masks, gloves, gowns) is required.
  6. During the COVID - 19 pandemic, externs are expected to have tested negative within the week before the externship starts and maintain a COVID safe stay while in our hospital.

Credits & Wages 

Externs will receive credit only if their school has approved the program. The extern is responsible for coordinating any paperwork that must be completed for the school’s requirements. At this time no wages are paid to externs and no housing is provided. There are a variety of extended stay hotels in the area.

If you are interested in an externship with Chicago Exotics Animal Hospital, send us an e-mail containing a cover letter, three letters of reference,  and your CV to externsce@earthlink.net.  We will then contact you to arrange things!  You should be in veterinary school or veterinary technician school to qualify.
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Samantha Sotillo Iowa State University CVM Class of 2022
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Madison Taylor Auburn University CVM Class of 2022
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Cailyn Darling University of Minnesota CVM Class of 2022
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Cody Mullins University of Illinois CVM Class of 2022
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Cameron Carter University of Missoury CVM Class of 2022
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Amanda Duke Louisiana State University CVM Class of 2021
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Kimberly Hodgson Michigan State University CVM Class of 2021
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Kelly Pandolpho St. George's University Class of 2021
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Nguyen Than University of Illinois CVM Class of 2021
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Leslie Juarez University of Illinois CVM Class of 2021
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Mollie Miszkewicz Wisconsin CVM Class of 2020
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Danielle Ostrowski Royal Veterinary College University of London Class of 2020
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Alyssa Karklus University of Wisconsin CVM Class of 2020
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Kelsey Duensing University of Missouri CVM Class of 2020
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Katherine Fischback Purdue CVM Class of 2020
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Joseph Richard University of Missouri Class of 2019
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Ashlyn Spring University of Illinois Class of 2020
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Alex Kozysa University of Illinois Class of 2019
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Jennifer Kaczor Midwestern College of Veterinary Medicine 2020
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Jesse William University of Illinois Class of 2020
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Estaban Barajas Michigan State University Class of 2019
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Eleanor Itzkow University of Minnesota CVM Class of 2019
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Amelia Matczak Glascow 2023
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Anthony Barnstable University of Wisconsin Class of 2019
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Lauren Fockler, The Ohio State University CVM 2019
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Katelynn Bagg, University of Illinois CVM 2019
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Geneva Kernaghan, Kansas State University CVM Class of 2019
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Katelynn Johnson Ross University Class of 2019
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Lauren Rodriguez, LSU class of 2018
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Sarah Dobin UICVM Class of 2019
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Alison Geisser Michigan State University Class of 2018
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Schuyler Paaymans Mississippi State Class of 2018
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Kaitlyn Ferguson North Carolina State University Class of 2018
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Kacey Solotoff Kansas State University Class of 2019
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Mable Je Northwestern University Class of 2019
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Rachel Hobgood Auburn University Class of 2018
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Hunter Goldsmith University of Georgia class of 2018
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Chelsea Randall UICVM class of 2018
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Erin Newman UICVM class of 2018
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Emily Mettenburg, Iowa State CVM Class of 2018
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Lydia Bolduc, Midwestern University Class of 2018
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Deanna Miller, Purdue CVM Class of 2017
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Allie Urbanik UICVM Class of 2017
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Maryssa Beckman, UICVM
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Ashlea Ownes, Oklahoma State CVM
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Nick Yohanna, UICVM
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Amanda Igeta, Colorado State CVM Class of 2016
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Steve Zachar, UICVM
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Zach Coston, Purdue CVM class of 2016
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Rachel Mozurez, Oregon CVM Class of 2016
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Britany Childs, UICVM Class of 2016
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Jessica Byerly, UICVM Class of 2015
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Ross Gottlieb, Ohio CVM Class of 2015
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Michelle Kushner, UICVM Class of 2015
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Lauren Kane, UICVM Class of 2016
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Nikita Docken, University College of Dublin Class of 2015
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Dan Loper, UICVM Class of 2015
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Holly Richards, UICVM Class of 2015
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Amanda Hernandez, Purdue CVM Class of 2014
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Christina Hartnet, UMCVM Class of 2014
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Ian Sweeny, UICVM Class of 2014
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Courtney Harsey, Purdue CVM Class of 2014
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Jackie Ferdig, Iowa CVM Class of 2015
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Stuart James, Purdue CVM Class of 2014
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Dave Miller, Oklahoma CVM Class of 2013
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Jessica Yousif, St. George's Class of 2015
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Matt Levinson, OSU CVM Class of 2015
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Becky Bravo, University of Missouri CVM Class of 2013
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Mary Hes, University of Tennessee CVM Class of 2012
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Erica Giles, Ohio CVM Class of 2012
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Ashley Forti, Glasgow CVMS Class of 2015 with Erica, CVT
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Jen, Parkland Junior College Vet Tech School Class of 2011
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Robert Gonzalez, Ohio CVM Class of 2012
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Michael Miller, UICVM Class of 2011
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Randi Timmons, UTCVM Class of 2010
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Ann Hoang, LSUSVM Class of 2009
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Vet Tech Intern, Erica, Class of 2009
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Stephanie, UICVM Class of 2009
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Mary Grabowski, UICVM Class of 2008
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Taylor O'Brien, UICVM Class of 2009
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Rachel Sparky, Class of 2004

​To all the interns and externs whose pictures I've misplaced, I'm sorry!  Send me your photo and I will put it up here!

If you have any NON-EMERGENT questions, please feel free to call us at 847-329-8709
​sEE OUR lINKS PAGE TO FIND A VET NEAR YOU

  • Home
  • Emergency Care
  • Care Sheets
    • General Care >
      • Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM)
      • Heating Reptile Enclosures
      • Health Veggie Shopping for Reptiles
      • Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
      • Metabolic Bone Disease Care
      • Vaccines in Exotic Animals
    • Birds >
      • Amazon Care
      • Avian Influenza Fact Sheet
      • Avian Influenza for Poultry Fact Sheet
      • Avian Bornavirus Testing
      • Budgie Care
      • Canaries
      • Chicken Care
      • Chronic Egg Laying
      • Cleaning and Disinfecting
      • Cockatiels (and other small Psittacines)
      • Cockatoo Care
      • ​Converting Your Bird to a Pelleted Diet
      • Feather Picking
      • General Parrot Care
      • Handfeeding Baby Parrots
      • Healthy Shopping for your Birds
      • Infectious Diseases of Parrots
      • Instructions for Physical Therapy in Birds
      • Lead Poisoning
      • McWatters Diet (Homemade Mash)
      • Macaw Care
      • Parrot Precautions
      • Polyoma Virus
      • Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease
      • Proventricular Dilatation Disease
      • Spiroform Pharangitis (Spirochetes)
      • Baby Starling and Sparrow guidelines
      • Territorial Aggression
      • Unsafe Plants for Birds
      • Weaning Baby Birds
      • What to Feed Your Pet Bird
      • Wing Injury and Rehabilitation
      • Wing Trims
      • Your Overly Reproductive Female Bird
      • Zinc Toxicity
    • Caiman Care
    • Ferret and Fox Care >
      • Your Ferret’s First Visit to the Vet
      • An Overview of Ferret Adrenal Disease
      • Chronic Diarrhea in Ferrets
      • Ferret Dentistry
      • Heart Disease in Ferrets
      • Heartworm Disease in Ferrets
      • Insulinoma in Ferrets
      • Lymphoma In Ferrets
      • Bob’s Chicken Gravy
      • Fennec Foxes
      • Red Foxes
    • Fish >
      • Algae in your Freshwater Aquarium
      • Eel Care
      • Freshwater Tropical Fish Care
      • Beginning a Freshwater Aquarium
      • Cleaning your Freshwater Aquarium
      • How to Feed your Fish
      • Aquarium Corals
      • Koi Care
      • General Goldfish Care
      • Hermit Crab Care
    • Invertebrate Care
    • Frogs, Toads, and Other Amphibians >
      • Argentine Horned Frogs
      • Bullfrog Care
      • Dart Frog Care
      • Feeding Pet Frogs and Toads
      • Fire Bellied Toad Care
      • Pixie Frog Care
      • Red Eyed Tree Frog Care
      • Short Tongue Syndrome
      • Tiger Salamander Care
      • Axolotl Care
      • White Lipped Tree Frog Care
      • White's Tree Frog Care
      • Ranavirus
    • Guinea Pigs and Rodents >
      • Chinchilla Care
      • Cuy Criollo (Giant Guinea Pig)
      • Health Problems with Guinea Pigs
      • Degu Care
      • Gerbil Care
      • Guinea Pig Care
      • Hamster Care
      • Diabetic Hamster Diet
      • Mice Care
      • Rat Care
      • Health Problems with Rats
      • Prairie Dog Care
      • Odontoma
      • Veggies For Guinea Pigs
      • Visible Tumors in Rodents
      • Vitamin C Deficiency In Guinea Pigs
    • Hedgehog Care >
      • Baby Hedgehog (Hoglet) Care
    • Kinkajoos and Armadillos >
      • Kinkajou Care
      • Nine Banded Armadillo Care
    • Lizards >
      • Anole Care
      • Bearded Dragon Care
      • Blue Tongued Skink Care
      • Crested Gecko Care
      • Geckos of New Caledonia
      • Crocodile Monitor Care
      • Frilled Lizard Care
      • Green Iguana Care
      • Jackson's Chameleon Care
      • Leopard Gecko Care
      • Nile Monitor Care
      • Old World Chameleon Care
      • Panther Chameleon Care
      • Red-Eyed Crocodile Skink Care
      • Savannah Monitor Care
      • Tegu Care
      • Thai Water Dragon Care
      • Uromastyx Care
      • Veiled Chameleon Care
    • Potbellied Pigs >
      • Pot Belly Pigs
      • Diamond Skin Disease
    • Rabbits >
      • Bonding Rabbits Bullet Point Checklist
      • Healthy Shopping for Rabbits
      • Complete Rabbit Care
      • Getting To Know Your New Bunny
      • Training Your Bunny
      • What To Feed Your Rabbit
      • Learning to Use the Litter Box
      • What To Expect From Your New Rabbit
      • Dental Disease in Rabbits
      • Heart Disease in Rabbits
      • Healthy Stool in Rabbits
      • Gastrointestinal Stasis in Rabbits
      • RHDV2 Fact Sheet
      • Parasites of Rabbits
      • Sore Hocks in Rabbits
      • Pasteurella in Rabbits
      • Medicating Your Rabbit or Guinea Pig
    • Snakes >
      • Amazon Tree Boa Care
      • Ball Python Care
      • Black Rat Snake Care
      • Boa Constrictor Care
      • Brazilian Rainbow Boa Care
      • Burmese Python Care
      • California Kingsnake Care
      • Cornsnake Care
      • Dumeril's Boa Care
      • Eastern Kingsnake Care
      • Emerald Tree Boa Care
      • Garter Snake Care
      • Green Tree Python Care
      • Western Hognose Care
      • Mexican Black Kingsnake Care
      • Rosy Boa Care
      • Sand Boa Care
      • Western Fox Snake Care
      • Inclusion Body Disease
    • Sugar Gliders and Marsupials
    • Turtles and Tortoises >
      • Alligator Snapping Turtle Care
      • Bell's Hingeback Care
      • Box Turtle Care
      • Chinese Box Turtle Care
      • Common Snapping Turtle Care
      • General Tortoise Husbandry
      • Leopard Tortoise Care
      • Mud Turtle Care
      • Musk Turtle Care
      • Painted Turtle Care
      • Red Eared Slider Care
      • Russian Tortoise Care
      • Soft Shelled Turtle Care
      • Sulcata Care >
        • Diet For Sulcata Tortoises
      • Common Health Problems
      • General Care of Aquatic Turtles
      • Redfoot tortoise Care
  • Contact
    • Referrals
  • Vets, Externs & Shelters
    • Xoran CT
    • Acupuncture and Chiropratic Medicine
    • Erchonia Laser
    • Vet Day Camp >
      • Heart Supplement Formula
      • Avian Hemotology
    • Shelters
    • Externships
    • Jobs
  • Products
  • Links
  • About Us
  • Chicago Exotics Blog
    • About Us April Fools Page
  • Happy Turtle Stories
  • Tour
  • ADV Testing Information
  • Lacy Act Summary