From the cute to the creepy, and the scaly to the spiky, the exotic pets at the Edmonton Humane Society all share one thing.

They're waiting to go home.

Miranda Jordan-Smith, the Humane Society's CEO, says they initially received about 200 exotic pets from the Alberta SPCA. They were rescued from Fort McMurray after their owners were forced to evacuate when a wildfire tore through the city last month.

What's an exotic pet, you ask?



Well, Jordan-Smith said, they're "the things that don't necessarily appeal to everyone like cats and dogs do, but they're a value none the less."

So, tarantulas, bearded dragons, hermit crabs, beta fish, snakes — of all types — and even hedgehogs fit the bill of an exotic pet.

At any given time, the Humane Society has around 15 exotic pets, so the increase has proven to be a little bit of a challenge.

"They are very high needs in term of maintenance, we have 65 in care right now and we're hoping to have Fort McMurray citizens come to the shelter to reclaim." said Jordan-Smith

However, Jordan-Smith adds, just because it is a challenge doesn't mean that it's been a negative experience.

"This is a vast number for us, it's changed our regular routines," said Jordan-Smith. "We've had to change the feeding routine and the cleaning routine but our full veterinary hospital staff, our techs and vets, are able to manage it."

"It's actually probably fun for them to handle different types of pets, definitely educational. So it's been interesting but fun at the same time."

Jordan-Smith warns that even though it's been fun they can't keep the animals forever and will have to set a time to put the animals up for transfer or adoption.

But until then, these spiky, scaly, gilled, and eight legged creatures will be waiting to return home.

Which, in the end, is what Jordan-Smith wants to see happen.

"Any Fort McMurray citizen that thinks they lost their exotic pet can look at our website or come in and talk to an adoption team member and hopefully get reunited with their lost pet."