Exotic Pet Clinic of Santa Cruz

03/27/2025

Enzo delivers a poster of Dr. Stern and staff to thank them for their care.

03/21/2025

Desert tortoises are native to southeastern California and parts of Arizona, Nevada, and Utah. They are a protected species and are illegal to own and breed. Once in captivity, they cannot be released. Possession of a desert tortoise requires a permit and a permit sticker from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW). If you already have one, please apply for a permit (https://www.tortoise.org/index.html). The climate here is not appropriate to house these species outdoors and will require specializedcare.

01/17/2025

Have you ever seen an opossum wearing a sweater? No? Well now you have! This opossum was rescued as a baby and is now an old lady here for surgery. We hope she recovers well!
(Please contact wildlife rescues if you find any wild baby animals, we do not recommend keeping these guys as pets)

12/18/2024

This is an Indian peahen. Did you know that the babies are called peachicks? There are 3 species of peafowl: the Indian/blue peafowl, green peafowl, and the Congo peafowl.

12/03/2024

Next window please. Hope everyone enjoyed the holiday weekend.

11/26/2024

Olivia Twist and her mini me recovering together! She is all dressed up for the occasion, and is doing well. Happy holidays!

11/18/2024

Fluffy the bearded dragon is all dressed up and ready for his blood draw

11/13/2024

What do you call a snake that builds things?

A boa constructor!
We would love to hear your good (and bad) snake jokes 🙃

11/05/2024

Thyroid cancers are not uncommon in guinea pigs. They can show up on xrays with mineralization.

11/01/2024

Happy Halloween!

10/07/2024

What happens when animals board here? They get their photo taken! This cutie is silently observing us and all the other creatures coming through.

10/03/2024

We were closed for a week in August so that Dr. Deng and Dr. Stern could attend the annual conference of the Association of Exotic Mammal Veterinarians and Association of Reptile and Amphibian Veterinarians in New Orleans. Continuing education is essential, as our clinic sees hundreds of different species on a regular basis. Plus, they met some larger cousins of the pet lizards that we see!

09/30/2024

Fun photos from the Bay Area Pignic (and costume contest)! We had a great time hanging with all the piggies.

09/28/2024

09/25/2024

Darwin the African grey parrot is lowering his head to get some head scritches! Bird eye irises are controlled by skeletal muscle which means that birds can dilate and constrict their pupils voluntarily!

09/24/2024

Xanthomas are masses composed of cholesterol, fat, and scar tissue. They are commonly seen in cockatiels on a high fat (seed) diet. Small xanthomas can sometimes resolve after the diet is improved, but larger ones like this usually require amputation of the wing tip.

08/11/2024

No, it's not a feather duster!

08/09/2024

Glaucoma occurs when the eye overfills with fluid and becomes enlarged. This in turn leads to a cloudy cornea, blindness, and pain. If you seen any of these symptoms in your pet is it time for a trip to the vet!