Exotic and wildlife veterinarian Dr Tittu Abraham answers questions on exotic pet care, avian medicine, wildlife cases, and veterinary careers in WildlifeBuzz’s first AMA.

Key Takeaways: - Dr Tittu Abraham is an Avian and Exotic Pet Practitioner and Director of BirdinEx Avian and Exotic Pet Speciality Hospital, specializing in avian/exotic care, orthopedic surgery, and fish medicine. - The biggest challenge in avian and exotic medicine is diagnosis, since these animals mask illness until critically ill. - Before getting an exotic pet, the entire family must be prepared for how the animal's needs and behavior change as it grows. - The most dangerous animals Dr Abraham has worked with include Russell's vipers, cobras, an albino cobra, and pet caimans. - Indian veterinary universities do not currently offer a dedicated course in avian/exotic medicine; students must pursue postgraduate study abroad or GP certifications after a BVSc. - For marine wildlife vet careers, Dr Abraham recommends starting with books and volunteering with coastal conservation organizations. - Antibiotic resistance is a growing problem in veterinary practice, even against reserve antibiotics.

A butterfly with a fractured wing. Venomous snakes rescued by wildlife authorities. Exotic reptiles kept as pets. Birds that hide serious illness until they are critically unwell.

These sound like stories from the field of wildlife documentary video. But in reality, they are all real experiences shared by Dr Tittu Abraham during WildLifeBuzz's first Ask Me Anything (AMA) session on its Wildlife Veterinary Network.

Wildlife professionals, veterinary students, researchers, zookeepers, wildlife enthusiasts, and WLB community members from all over the world came together to ask Dr Abraham about everything. From becoming an exotic-animal veterinarian to treating fragile avian patients, and from managing dangerous animals to preparing for the realities of owning an exotic pet, different people had different curiosities, and the doctor ensured that they all left satisfied with thorough answers. 

For WildLifeBuzz, it was more than the launch of a new community format.

It was a glimpse into what happens when people, equally passionate about wildlife conservation and with genuine questions, get direct access to someone with years of specialized experience.

Meet Dr Tittu Abraham

Dr Tittu Abraham is an Avian and Exotic Pet Practitioner and the Director of BirdinEx Avian and Exotic Pet Speciality Hospital.

He specializes in multiple areas of veterinary medicine, including avian and exotic pet care, orthopedic surgery, and fish medicine. It means that when it comes to his patients, they are usually not friendly dogs and cats, which most people associate with veterinary practice.

Think birds, reptiles, fish, exotic wild animals, and venomous snakes! Even animals that most people would never expect to see in a veterinary clinic at all.

(PC: Instagram)

During the AMA, Dr Abraham shared that one of his most memorable cases involved a Jezebel butterfly with a fractured wing. It could still fly, but its balance was affected by the injury. Treating it required an unconventional approach and, as Dr Abraham put it, thinking outside the box.

It is precisely this kind of expansive experience that makes direct conversations with specialists so valuable. Textbooks can teach theory and veterinary principles. But interacting with professionals who have actually encountered such unusual cases can vicariously make you experience what those principles look like in practice. Apart from this, there were many other notable questions that gave WLB members the chance to learn something new and share knowledge.

Exotic Pet Care Advice: What to Consider Before Your First Pet

Q: What should you consider before getting an exotic pet?

A: The entire family needs to be ready, not just the individual owner. Because an exotic animal's needs can change dramatically as it grows.

One of the most practical questions came from WildlifeBuzz Founder and CEO Ravi Kumar Sapata, who asked what someone should consider before choosing their first exotic pet.

Dr Abraham's answer went far beyond simply asking whether the owner was personally prepared.

“The entire family needs to be ready,” answered Dr Abraham.

An exotic animal may look manageable when it is young, but its needs can change dramatically as it grows.

Dr Abraham advised owners to understand the animal's entire lifecycle, including:

• Dietary requirements

• Sexual maturity

• Temperament

• Breeding behavior

• Microclimate requirements

• How the animal may change as it grows

The last part is especially important because many species of animals, especially reptiles, can look cute when they’re young, but become extremely dangerous-looking when they grow old. This can sometimes result in abandonment when owners realize that the animal they chose is not exactly how they imagined.

He emphasized the importance of informed decision-making and understanding the long-term commitment that comes with keeping an exotic species.

Dangerous Wild Animal Cases: Venomous Snakes and Exotic Animal Care

Q: What's the most dangerous animal Dr Abraham has worked with?

A: Venomous snakes. Specifically Russell's vipers and cobras rescued by the wildlife department, along with an albino cobra. Pet caimans are another high-risk category he regularly encounters.

A zookeeper from Tiergarten Worms in Germany asked a much more direct question:

What was the most dangerous animal Dr Abraham had ever worked with?

The answer?

Venomous snakes, including Russell's vipers and cobras rescued by the wildlife department.

He also recalled working around an albino cobra and mentioned another category of animals that can present serious challenges: caimans kept as pets.

For a specialist working with exotic wildlife animals and cases related to them, they are part of the reality of the profession.

The AMA offered the community a rare opportunity to hear about these experiences directly from someone who has actually encountered them.

Challenges in Exotic and Avian Veterinary Medicine

Q: What's the biggest challenge in avian and exotic veterinary medicine?

A: Diagnosis. Birds and exotic animals are fragile, poor at tolerating stress, and instinctively mask illness. So by the time they reach a vet, their condition is often already critical.

Perhaps the most important insight from the AMA came when Dr Abraham was asked about the challenges of caring for exotic and avian patients.

His answer was simple:

Diagnosis is one of the biggest challenges.

Exotic and avian patients can be extremely fragile and may not be great at tolerating or managing stress. In fact, birds have a hard time taking an injection as it can be quite painful for them and oral medication might not be super effective on morbid animals. His approach in such cases is to establish IV access and prioritize stabilization. Avian patients usually mask their diseases, and hence, by the time they are presented to a veterinarian, their situations are already critical. However, once the diagnosis is completed successfully, veterinarians can start the treatments effectively. 

It is a small glimpse into a much larger reality: with exotic and avian medicine, how you treat the patient can be just as important as what you treat the patient with.

While talking about treatments, he also mentioned the lack of comprehensive data for many exotic species, which makes treating them a little difficult, as they have records of hematology and serum values. He also highlighted another emerging challenge: antibiotic resistance. Dr Abraham noted that resistance is emerging in veterinary practice even against reserve antibiotics, adding another layer of complexity to treatment.

How to Become a Wildlife and Exotic Animal Veterinarian

Q: How can you start a career in marine wildlife veterinary medicine?

A: Start with books, then volunteer. Dr Abraham recommends building a foundation through reading before seeking hands-on exposure with coastal conservation organizations.

The AMA wasn't only about unusual cases. WildLifeBuzz community members, especially veterinary students, took this opportunity to get some career advice that gave them much-needed insight.

One student from TANUVAS asked how to start building a career in marine wildlife veterinary medicine when university curricula may not provide much exposure to fish and wildlife medicine.

Dr Abraham's advice was refreshingly practical: start with books.

He shared that the books that were available in his college library were extremely helpful for this and played a vital role in his career by laying the foundation of his practice. He even encouraged students to participate in volunteer organizations in the coastal regions that are dedicated to the conservation of animals and marine species such as dugongs, dolphins and sea turtles.

He also explained that marine biology is quite a vast subject so it would be suitable for students to specialize in one specific field.

Q: How can you become an avian or exotic animal veterinarian in India?

A: Complete a BVSc, then pursue postgraduate study abroad or a GP certification, since Indian veterinary universities don't currently offer a dedicated course in avian or exotic medicine.

Another student asked about becoming an exotic and avian specialist.

Dr Abraham candidly explained that Indian veterinary universities did not, at the time of the AMA, offer a dedicated course in the field. So, after completing a BVSc, students can pursue postgraduate studies in avian medicine abroad or GP certifications in exotic and avian medicine.

For students trying to figure out what their veterinary careers could look like, these answers offered something that a generic career guide cannot easily provide: advice from someone who has actually built a career in the field.

Wildlife Veterinary AMA: Learning Through Expert Conversation

The WildLifeBuzz AMA highlighted the power of professional conversation over static content. By bringing together a diverse ecosystem that included veterinary students, zookeepers, researchers, and wildlife conservation enthusiasts, the session provided a shared learning opportunity. Direct access to Dr Abraham allowed participants to engage in a collaborative knowledge exchange, where even a single question from one field provided valuable and nuanced insights for everyone involved. Whether answering questions, sharing research, or engaging organizations, these AMA Sessions on WildLifeBuzz make specialized expertise accessible to everyone. 

The Conversation Is Only Beginning

From fractured butterfly wings to marine veterinary advice, these diverse stories came together because the WildLifeBuzz community provided a place to ask. Head over to the WildLifeBuzz app or web platform and dive into the full thread. Trust us, it's worth it.

See wildlife conversations that are buzzing @ www.wildlife.buzz!