Resident Stories 5 Stories of Exotic Animals Rescued by Éducazoo

Why are exotic animals abandoned in Quebec? What should you know before adopting an exotic animal? What happens to an animal when it is entrusted to a sanctuary?

Behind every exotic animal rescued in Quebec is a different story. An unexpected litter, needs that are more complex than anticipated, a change in family circumstances or even an animal found alone outdoors can lead to relocation.

In this blog article, our biologist Roxanne Brunelle introduces you to five stories of residents from our Éducazoo animal sanctuaries: Ti Coco and Gros Coco, Jafar, Coco, Léonie and Tracy. Five very different journeys that also help us better understand the responsibilities associated with adopting an exotic animal.

Ti Coco and Gros Coco: two little dormice with big needs

In 2025, Ti Coco and Gros Coco, two African pygmy dormice, arrived at the Terrebonne sanctuary. They had already been rescued from a situation where their needs were not being adequately met. Their new owner wanted to provide them with better conditions, but a change in circumstances and limited financial resources ultimately led her to entrust them to us.

Still relatively unknown, the African pygmy dormouse is gaining popularity as a pet. However, its small size does not necessarily mean that its needs are simple. Its diet, environment and required care must be considered before adoption.

How much does an African pygmy dormouse cost? What does it eat? What kind of habitat does it need? These are important questions to ask before welcoming a new animal. The purchase price is only a small part of the commitment: food, habitat, enrichment and veterinary care must also be planned for.

Jafar: when two boas suddenly become… 29

Imagine waking up one morning and discovering 27 baby boa constrictors in your snakes’ habitat. That is exactly what happened to Jafar’s owner.

Two adult boas were living together when a completely unexpected litter was born. The boa constrictor has a fascinating characteristic: the babies develop inside the female and are born already formed. This type of reproduction is called ovoviviparous. 

It was impossible for the owner to keep 27 new snakes. They therefore had to be relocated and Jafar joined our Terrebonne sanctuary when he was only a few weeks old.

His story raises an important question: can two boa constrictors live together? Before placing several reptiles together, it is important to know their sex, behaviour and biology. Cohabitation can sometimes lead to consequences the owner did not expect, such as reproduction.

Coco: from a parrot chained to his perch to an Éducazoo star

Today, Coco makes our visitors laugh, charms our Naturalists and quickly attracts attention when he participates in an activity. Yet, before becoming one of Éducazoo’s best-known residents, this cockatoo had a much more difficult journey.

Coco arrived at the Terrebonne sanctuary in May 2018. In about ten years, we were already his third family. Before us, a woman had rescued him after discovering that he was living chained to his perch by a chain attached to the ring on his leg. In her home, Coco had finally regained his freedom. However, this woman welcomed people living with post-traumatic stress disorder into her home. A cockatoo can scream very loudly and sometimes without warning. Coco’s sudden screams could trigger significant reactions in some participants. She therefore made the decision to entrust him to us.

Since then, Coco has adapted to the sanctuary as though he had always been part of the family. Very sociable with humans and always ready to attract attention, he has even participated in more than twenty television shows, productions and campaigns, including Salut Bonjour, Les Poilus, Les Petits Tannants, Sucré Salé and SAAQ awareness campaigns.

Is a cockatoo a good pet? Its highly social nature can be appealing, but having a cockatoo as a pet requires an enormous amount of attention, stimulation, time and a good tolerance for noise. It is therefore a decision that deserves a great deal of thought.

Léonie, the green iguana: a peaceful retirement after a difficult past

Since 2017, Léonie, a green iguana, has been part of the large Éducazoo Quebec family. She was entrusted to us so that we could provide her with a more stable environment, more space and all the peace and quiet she needed.

When she arrived, her body still showed signs of her difficult past. Léonie had been involved in an altercation with a husky: bite marks were still visible, some wounds were slow to heal and she had lost part of her tail through caudectomy, meaning because it was trapped, probably, in the animal's mouth. A mechanical mechanism therefore allowed her to lose this part of her tail for her survival. An iguana’s tail also plays a role in its movement and can be used for defense.

Thanks to the attentive care and patience of our Director of Care and Adoptions at Éducazoo Quebec, Léonie gradually regained her strength. Today, she enjoys a peaceful retirement at the sanctuary, in an environment adapted to her needs.

What does a green iguana need? How large can an adult iguana grow? Can an iguana lose its tail? Léonie’s story reminds us that keeping a green iguana as a pet requires space, appropriate facilities and a long-term commitment.

Tracy: a ferret found alone outdoors

In April 2026, Tracy, a domestic ferret, was found alone outdoors. Cold temperatures, lack of shelter, hunger and contact with other animals: the outdoors can quickly present several risks for an animal accustomed to living under human care.

Since her history was unknown, we did not want to take any risks. Like the other Éducazoo ferrets, Tracy is vaccinated against rabies and treated for potential fungal infections. Since our animals can meet the public as part of our educational activities, their health and the safety of participants are among our priorities.

Rabies is a zoonosis, meaning a disease that can be transmitted between animals and humans. Tracy’s story therefore also reminds us why an animal found outdoors with an unknown history must be cared for with certain precautions.

What should you do if you find a ferret outside? Can a ferret get cold? Should a ferret be vaccinated against rabies? These are all questions that show that even a small domestic animal has specific health and safety needs.

Adopting an exotic animal: a decision that requires preparation

Which exotic animal should you choose? How much does an exotic animal cost? What is its life expectancy? Where can you find a veterinarian who can care for it? How much space will it need once fully grown?

Ideally, these questions should be asked before adoption, not when a problem arises. Ti Coco and Gros Coco teach us about the resources required to meet the needs of a species. Jafar reminds us of the possible consequences of unexpected reproduction. Coco illustrates the commitment that some parrots represent. Léonie shows the importance of an appropriate habitat for an exotic animal, while Tracy reminds us of the vulnerability of a domestic animal found alone outdoors.

Every story is different, but they all have one thing in common: welcoming an animal means thinking about its needs today, but also about the needs it will have in five, ten or sometimes several decades.