Island Exotic Veterinary Care

I came here with my lionhead rabbit Theo after he showed signs of GI stasis. I called them around 10am, and they gave me an appointment for 4pm that same day. I was late to the appointment, but only had to wait a minute or two before they saw Theo! The vet tech was very good and handled him gently. Dr Mattucks examined Theo and discussed all my options with me. She was very thorough but handled him well. She did not try to push any treatments/diagnostics, just clearly informed me of my options and what each would mean going forward. I decided to go with diagnostics to make sure there weren't any underlying issues. The prices were very reasonable, and they gave me everything I need to get Theo back in good health. Bloodwork and xray results/analysis were done on the spot. They did not rush me, answered all my questions, and took good care of Theo. Everyone working there was kind and helpful. Theo is on his way to good health and showing signs of improvement. Read Less

This 5 star review is for Dr. Hoeffer, Kelly & Jenna (vet techs I think?). After a misgendered guinea pig and an accidental pregnancy I brought my Guinea pigs and their four babies to doctor Hoeffer. Her and her staff were so amazing and made me and boyfriend comfortable even though we were terrified of bringing our beloved Waffle and family to the vet. They were so helpful and honest and treated our babies for life that we never would have noticed. Unfortunately, the woman at the front desk was really rude and unfriendly which I hate to say but it made us really uncomfortable in the beginning. I will not take a star away for this though because of Dr. Hoeffer and her great vet techs Read Less

I brought my bearded dragon here because he was having an issue with his tail that I wanted the vet to look at. They are so nice and genuinely cared about my dragon. There were informative and did not hesitate to answer any questions that I had. Read Less

I brought my bird here for a 5th opinion because no avian vets have been able to diagnose or fix my bird's condition. Sadly Dr H could not either (which is due to my bird's severe and obviously odd condition and not her skill) but I very much appreciated the time she took with us and her attempt. I would not hesitate to come back here if needed in the future. Read Less

Absolutely terrible, the thought of that place make me cringe. Dr H, I wouldn't give you the time of day, the shirt off my back or another dime. You might be good with some patients but this "furrymum" thinks you went to drive through when they were teaching bedside manners. Buh-bye... Read Less

My husband and I brought our new Ackie Monitor here for a wellness visit and Dr. Davis put our minds at ease! Her and the tech thoroughly examined our reptile and explained to us exactly what to keep an eye on. They went over ideal husbandry and nutrition, as well as general welfare for her and we were very satisfied with the exam. I would highly recommend this veterinary facility to anyone with an exotic pet! It was easy to make an appointment, we were seen in a timely manner and it is clear to see how educated and professional the staff is here. 5 stars for sure! Read Less

My hedgehog was having problems with her legs and I decided to bring her here. We got there at 7 and were in a room by 7:10. The staff is extremely nice, understanding and well educated. Dr. H saw my hedgehog and she was amazing, within 30 minutes she was able to diagnose her. Although I did have to end up putting her to sleep, Dr. H did not pressure me at all and recommended alternatives so I did not have to give her up yet. She even gave me a jar with some of her quills in it and a clay hold of her paw prints. Amazing veterinarians here. Read Less

I bring my sugar gliders here and they always take great care of them. I trust them and know they are set up properly to care for them. When one of my lil guys passed away from being sick my girlfriend and I were very upset and they were very understanding when we had rushed him in and they accepted us without appointment although it was too late. They didnt charge us anything (although to be fair they didnt do anything because he passed almost immediately upon getting there) and i think some places may still have tried to. They also gave us a paw print kit to remember him with and it was free. I thought that was really nice and they didnt have to do it but they did after seeing us be so hurt. I would definately recommend them for exotics. Read Less

We've been here twice so far when we needed to bring our guinea pigs in for emergency care. Both times we've seen Dr. Davis and we can't say enough about how wonderful she and the staff are. Everyone is warm and friendly and completely dedicated to providing the absolute best care for our little guys. I would recommend IEVC to anyone looking for great vets and vet techs to take care of their small and/or exotic pets. (And the receptionist is the best, too!) Read Less

This vet's office and Doctor Hoefer were very helpful when my hedgehog was sick. Everyone was kind and compassionate, to both my animal and myself. Andrea, who works the front desk, was especially sweet. Read Less

This is the best exotics vet around. I’ve been going to Dr. Hoefer for yrs with my parrots after attempts at other vets. She and her staff are extremely caring. And Dr. Hoefer remains up-to-date on current bird issues & I’m sure other exotics as well. I know she does for birds. I wouldn’t trust my parrots to anyone but her or her staff at Island Exotic in Huntington. Thank you all there for what you do!!!!Read Less

We take our bearded dragon to Island Exotic and I'm confident she's always been in the best care with the doctors and staff here. They were so helpful after her surgery a year and a half ago and with the aftercare with me and have been so helpful now with her current issue. Dr. Davis even spoke with me on the phone when they got lab results and I had questions. The animal is comfortable being handled by them as well. I don't see myself taking our bearded dragon anywhere else. Read Less

The place is very clean and the staff truly cares for the animals. One disturbing thing though, back in January I brought in my very sick dwarf bunny, only to be told that she had 2 - 3 weeks to live !!! As of today, she still has her health issues but is running around, eating and drinking as usual. What the heck !!!!! Read Less

One of the few exotic animal clinics on Long Island. Can be a little pricey but then again you are dealing with exotic animals. Waiting room is clean with animals displayed as well as the exam rooms are very clean and kept it and professional almost as if you were a human Read Less

I've been taking my sun conure, Martini to Island Exotics for many years but my recent experience was so positive that I needed to write a review. Unfortunately due to consistent egg-laying my parrot's bones became so brittle that her femur broke. After reaching out about the emergency, the office stayed open late to accommodate us. Dr Lewis (who's a new addition to the office) was phenomenal from start to finish. She successfully installed surgical pins to stabilize my parrot's broken bone. Her bedside manner is caring, enthusiastic, professional and compassionate. Dr. Lewis gave very detailed instructions on how to care for my parrot and was happy to thoroughly answer ALL my questions throughout then entire healing period. Martini is healed, no more pins or bandages and happier than ever. You can definitely see that Dr. Lewis takes her job seriously and truly cares about all the animals she helps. Thank you so much, Dr. Lewis! I will definitely continue seeing you for all my parrot's medical needs. Read Less

I recently adopted 3 rats and one began to show signs of URI. Finding a. Eat that knows what they're doing with small animals is no easy feat. I ended up finding 3 vets within 20 miles that claimed to specialize in small animals and I decided to try Island Exotic Veterinary care based on locations and availability of a quick appointment. So I brought Cody there 2 days ago and was very happy with the staff and Dr. Davis. She seemed to know what she was doing. She prescribed an antibiotic and with 2 days the turnaround is fantastic. I realize it's still early, but I am very happy with my decision so far. Will definitely be going back, I just wish they saw dogs as well. Read Less

I strongly urge anyone to be cautious if you chose to bring your pet here. First of all, the vets are extremely uncaring and insensitive. I had an experience a year ago where they told me my guinea pig would be okay after charging me $300 for antibiotics, only for him to pass away just days later. When this happened i assumed it was because of natural circumstances. But then just last week my brother brought his bearded dragon here for a check up. They suggested doing $200 worth of blood work on him. Not even an hour after they saw the bearded dragon, he was visibly losing color and growing weak. He passed away a day later. I also brought my rabbit in to be checked on last week and they charged me $200 worth of vitamins that i gave to my rabbit for two days before noticing excessive weight loss and loss of energy in my once energetic and lively rabbit. I discontinued giving her these vitamins and am bringing her to a different vet very soon. If you must bring your pet here i urge you to not let the vets take your pet out of your sight! i do not trust them after watching two beloved pets pass in their care. Read Less

I brought my daughters 11 month old hedgehog in because her eye was cut, adter leaving her overnight we found out she was gravely ill. The whole staff were campassionate and caring. When the hedgehog passed, we brought her to be cremated and Dr. Hoefer sat with us and explained everything and she made sure to talk to my 13 year old daughter. I would give this vet 100 stars. Read Less

I found Dr. Hoefer's name on the internet when I needed to bring my sweet little Lily to the vet because she wasn't eating and drooling. The staff was very kind and fit me in early the next morning. Not only was Dr. Hoefer very patient with me and answered the many questions I had, but she also took the time to explain what the teeth trimming procedure entailed and made sure that I was comfortable before I left Lily in her very capable hands. I have never met any doctor so dedicated and knowledgeable in her field or that actually takes the time to truly know her furry patients. She was able to quickly diagnose my precious Pepe's seizures and worked with us to get him the right dose that helped reduce the frequency and severity of his seizures. When they both passed years later I received a very lovely handwritten note expressing not only her condolences but the staff's as well. I was so very fortunate to come across her name in my search for a vet back in 2010 because she is simply the best exotic veterinarian there is and I know that it was with her expertise and caring nature that enabled my chinchillas to live as long and as well as they did. She is the only vet that I bring my chinchillas to because there is no other that I can trust in taking the very best care of them. I know that I'll get a warm smile and genuine greetings from the staff when I walk in to the office and the comfort of knowing that my pet is with the best exotic veterinarian that there is! I will be forever grateful for the years of care and kindness that the wonderful ladies at Island Exotic Veterinary showed me and my beloved pets.Read Less

If I could give this place 100 negative stars I would. They are absolutely horrible and pretend to "care" about your pets well being. We brought out pet chameleon in for a small check up because he had a slight discoloration. But it was nothing serious. He was partially blind but it had not been a problem, because he would eat and was well taken care of. Against our wishes, they removed his eye cap which ultimately flatted his eye as if nothing was there. They charged us $500 just for the visit and tried to charge us another $300 for an overnight visit when our chameleon didn't make it through the night. We got a call 5 hours after leaving him, asking us if it was okay if they put him down. We said no and would like to see him first. Not even 10 minutes after that call, we got another that told us he died. Afterwards, while trying to get ahold of the chameleons body, the receptionist was demanding that we pay the balance off. I was appalled. They wanted me to pay for treatments and an overnight that my chameleon didn't even receive. Please do not go here. For the sake of your animal and family, don't go here . This vet is only after money and will suck you dry.Read Less

If I could give this place 100 negative stars I would. They are absolutely horrible and pretend to "care" about your pets well being. We brought out pet chameleon in for a small check up because he had a slight discoloration. But it was nothing serious. He was partially blind but it had not been a problem, because he would eat and was well taken care of. Against our wishes, they removed his eye cap which ultimately flatted his eye as if nothing was there. They charged us $500 just for the visit and tried to charge us another $300 for an overnight visit when our chameleon didn't make it through the night. We got a call 5 hours after leaving him, asking us if it was okay if they put him down. We said no and would like to see him first. Not even 10 minutes after that call, we got another that told us he died. Afterwards, while trying to get ahold of the chameleons body, the receptionist was demanding that we pay the balance off. I was appalled. They wanted me to pay for treatments and an overnight that my chameleon didn't even receive. Please do not go here. For the sake of your animal and family, don't go here . This vet is only after money and will suck you dry.Read Less

Best Exotic Vet! The vets, techs, receptionists are all super nice, very sweet, understanding, knowledgeable and accommodating. Great with the pets. Maybe some things are a little pricey, but honestly all vets are and the service here is outstanding so it's worth it, at least you get a good experience for your money. Can't say that everywhere. I'll never go anywhere else. Read Less

I've had rats, rabbits, geckos, and a bird over the years. I would never take any of them anywhere else. Dr. Hoefer is knowledgeable of all of the animals and makes everything go as smoothly as possible. My neurotic rat always gets treats to help distract her from the exam and the staff enjoys playing with her and hearing stories. Read Less

We have been taking our ferrets to Dr. Hoeffer and her staff for almost 6 years. Everyone from reception, to the Vet Techs to the Veterinarians are amazing, caring people. I highly recommend Island Exotic Veterinary Care and thank them for all the good work they do! Read Less

After discovering an inflamed and possibly infected eye on my Jacksons Chameleon, I immediately knew he needed medical attention. A friend of mine referred me to Island Exotic Veterinary Care and I'm so glad she did. I met with Dr. Davis who is not only extremely knowledgable, but truly a kind person. She answered every question we had and after one week of the medicines she prescribed, recommended changes to his husbandry and a slight change in diet, Rango is back to his happy little cricket eating self! I can't thank Dr. Davis, Nina and the rest of the amazing staff of Island Exotic enough! It's so nice to know ALL animals have a place to receive medical attention. Read Less

Dr Hoefer is fantastic. My regular vet was out of town when I had an emergency, so I contacted her office. She was able to squeeze me in the same day despite being very busy. She is very professional, knowledgable and compassionate. She kept in contact with me with updates or or changes concerning my visit. Her staff is also wonderful.Read Less

First  -  I understand that my pet was sick / injured. and was in need of medical attention.Second - I was forced to go here because my normal Vet was on  vacation.Absolutely terrible people.  I do not believe they care for the animals at all. The experience my family had with this place was atrocious!Dr D is extremely incompetent. Dr H is not much better. "EXOTIC" Veterinary care is what they claim. Just sounds like an excuse to jack up the prices to cover there mortgage and boat payments. After performing a surgery with multiple overnight stays afterwards and five (5) follow up visits with a so called positive outlook.  i pointed out something that did not look right to me. i asked to see Dr H because I felt something was not right with the answers I was getting from Dr D who was treating my pet. After speaking with Dr H I was informed that the surgery would have to be done again. That she did not like how her counterpart did the surgery. After performing the second surgery  i received a phone call I was told yet again that the outlook was good. I was also told that they did me a favor and NEUTERED my pet!!!!!!!!  I did not ask them to NEUTER my pet!!!!!!!NEUTERING my pet was NOT necessary as part of the surgery or beneficial to it's recovery!!At this point my family and I were (and still are) so upset we just wanted to get our pet home but no we were informed that our pet had to stay a couple of days for observation.We finally get our pet back. After a day the stitches are broke and the wound is open.  We get our pet back to the vet and they restitch the wound and tell us that the pet has to stay there again. This place charged us for everything!!! From the first follow up, the seconded surgery to fix the first one they messed up they charged us for the neutering we never asked them to do as well as the restitching of the wound.If this was done to a person  this would be a huge malpractice lawsuit and would hopefully have their license revoked.  Not only the neutering part but the original botched surgery!!I will say this the one thing they know how to do extremely well is tug on your heartstrings to get you to open up your wallet.If you care for your pet go somewhere else!!! Read Less

Sorry Dr HoeferSmoochie's emergency was inconvenient for youYour office is open at 8 yet you don't arrive until !0Janet the receptionist told us she called youShe neglected to tell us she never spoke with youYour specialty must be for well visitsOur beloved pet died while waiting for youI hope you're proudJust go to the bank you and your hours Read Less

I recently brought in my sick sugar-glider Lona. Unfortunately she didn't pull through - but not for lack of trying from the wonderful Dr. Hoefer and staff. Today I received a beautiful hand written condolence card. The loss of a furry family member is never easy but the family at Island Exotic made it a little less painful and for that my family and I will be forever grateful. Thank you. Read Less

We recently moved to LI. I heard Dr. Hoeffer and Island Exotics mentioned MANY times, by MANY people (groomers, neighbors, fellow parents at school) in my search for an exotics vet. We have 4 guinea pigs and 3 rabbits we brought in an RV across the country. We absolutely LOVE this vet. We have mostly seen Dr. Davis, but she has brought Dr. H in on a consult. I find they are very caring & highly competent. They have helped keep cost down as much as possible. I have NO worries that my Pepper is in the best of care when she has a procedure done at this vet. The front office staff is FANTASTIC! Read Less

I took my guinea pigs there and found that the dr. was very competent and the staff was extremely courteous and helpful. The cost of a visit was only a few dollars more than my regular veterinarian. I was very happy with the care that my pets received and I'll be calling today to make an appointment for new pet as my guinea pigs are now happy and healthy! Read Less

Dr.Davis and Dr.Hoefer are the best (I never met Dr.Maguire) in exotic animal medicine. They are very knowledgeable, and they really care about patients; they spent enough time with me and my ferret, and they tried to explain in detail and give best alternatives for my pet. Especially Dr.Davis always called me back to answer my questions and concerns, and she explains very well and make sure I understand. Love her, and love staffs at the clinic. I strongly recommend Island Exotic Veterinary Care. Read Less

After bringing my guinea pig to other vets who treat exotics in addition to dogs etc multiple times for dental issues I decided to find a place whose main focus was on small animals. Fortunately a Web search led me to Island Exotic Veterinary Care. Everything about this place was better in every way. I love all animals but the lack of barking dogs removed so much stress from the environment. That alone could have a large impact on the outcome of any visit. The staff was very friendly and spent an refreshing amount of time getting all the details about my guinea pig all the way down to the enclosure and bedding. All this before I even met the doctor. Dr Heidi Hoefer then came in and spent around 15 minutes examining double stuff (my guinea pig), asking detailed questions and going over options. She was very patient and you could tell she truly loves and cares for these animals and hasn't lost the passion that drove her to her profession. She found a bump on his jaw and suggested xrays. The xrays showed an infection in his jaw so we opted for surgery. I needed to leave him overnight which would normally be very stressful for double stuff but between the lack of dogs barking all night and the loving staff most of which have small animals themselves I wasn't concerned. I read all the reviews I could find online before giving Island Exotics a chance and as with any business I found a couple of negative ones. One claimed that they over treated suggesting they were in it for the money. In my experience they were there for the animals first and foremost. Dr. Hoefer gave me multiple options and didn't pressure me to do anything I didn't want to do. Having a pet is taking responsibility for a life and the only reason I can think that person would leave such a review is that they didn't take that into account. They also said that they were expensive however in  my experience they were very reasonable. Things do add up when you do things right however most of my bill was things that that are necessary such as sending out a culture of the infection to make sure they use the right antibiotics. The cost of medication xrays and anesthesia are necessary as well however for the actual abscess surgery they only charged me $65. I'm a finish carpenter and I charge about the same for an hour of my time so I don't think  it's all about the money. All in all I spent more for 2 visits in 3 months at another vet who simply filed his teeth.The only thing I regret is not having found Island Exotic sooner. If you have a small animal that you love this is the place to go. I couldn't be happier with my experience. Read Less

I had to bring my Indian Ringneck Parrot into Island Exotic Veterinary Care. She seemed to get very sick and needed immediate attention.  All I can say is that the Veterinarians were the best in the business.  I chose them to bring my bird there because they came highly recommended. I will never forget how kind and knowledgeable they were.  The Vet Techs were amazing too. Read Less

I recently brought my guinea pig, Marbles, here with symptoms of a UTI. I had never brought him to a vet before and was worried, but the staff was great! Dr Hoefer and Kelly examined Marbles and explained to me he'd need an x-ray to check for any stones, and told me what my options were as far as anesthesia. Luckily there were no stones and Dr Hoefer prescribed antibiotics and a urinary health supplement. The prices for the exam, xray and medicine were exactly what I expected them to be. Overall I was very pleased with my experience here and will definitely be back if Marbles or any future exotic pet I own needs any care! Read Less

My review is years overdue.  My husband and I have had 6 ferrets in total.  For the first two, I went to some vet in Bayside, Queens, who misdiagnosed one of my ferrets with Insulinoma, after not even checking her blood sugar levels.  I did some research and ended up taking her to Island Exotic and meeting Dr. Hoefer for the first time.  We found out that our ferret had Adrenal problems and after taking out her glands, she was great.  Over the years, we've had a lot of sometimes rare problems with our ferrets and Island Exotic has been there for us.  It's true that nothing is perfect and circumstances can go wrong, but they've done the best that they can do for us, always showing compassion for our situations and following up with us.  Thank you guys so much! Read Less

I just got back from Island Exotic Veterinary Care, and I could not be more pleased. My Green-cheek Conure hurt his toe. This place is an hour's drive from me, but it was well worth it. The vet and all the staff were very friendly and appeared genuinely concerned for my conure's well being. They treated him very well. He is skittish around new people, but his discomfort was eased by the professional way he was handled. He needed his nails trimmed and he has to be on antibiotics for 10 days, but he is fine and happy. His minor trauma at having strangers handle him and treat his wound is fading fast. He has a return visit in a couple of weeks, and I look forward to taking him back. I met another couple there who had an issue with their rabbit. They left right after I did, and told me they were also happy with Island Exotic. I am very satisfied and would recommend this clinic to every pet owner I know.Read Less

Honestly, I don't recommend this veterinary office. Unfortunately I went there only because it was convenient and close by. I had an elder Pet at the time. He had severe arthritis and wasn't able to move around much. Immediately Dr. M opted for X-rays and blood work $$$ with putting him under anesthesia  (I did this with a previous pet and he died 1 day later from the stress of all the testing ) I said no. She sent him home with meds. No follow up call to see how he's doing (not well). When I needed a refill on the meds, she was unreachable. He was not well and I wish there was some compassion shown. He died shortly after.. No follow up phone call. Seems to be all about the $$.. Read Less

I wasn't going to leave a review, but I saw that most of all of the ones posted were negative, so I really wanted to share my wonderful experience with these people. I've been a regular at Island Exotic for my rats for two years now, dealing with a variety of health issues, and they are literally the best veterinary practice I have ever brought my animals to. (I'm very picky about vets, my cat sees a different one every time he gets sick because I'm not happy with any of them) Dr. Hoefer is the absolute best, I've met with her the most and she's so incredibly knowledgeable and caring towards her patients. Just watching her interact with my rats and seeing her treat them as gently and tenderly as I do makes me so happy, I recommend her to everyone. I have seven rats now, two were practically deathly ill when I got them, and because of her expertise they were happy and healthy in no time at all. She's very thorough with the information she gives and with her diagnosis too. Dr. Davis I believe is new, and I've been meeting with her more and more recently too. She's right on par with Dr. Hoefer, Last month one of my rats developed a tumor (unfortunately he's too old for surgery), and she's been helping me monitor it and has been asking me how he's doing during appointments I've made for other rats. That might seem silly to mention, but it really means a lot that she cares enough to ask and make sure he's okay. Can't say much on Dr. Maguire as I've only met with her once around 8 months ago for a minor respiratory infection, but she was still very helpful in her diagnosis as well as treatment. The support staff-- the techs and secretaries are wonderful as well. The techs really do love every one of their patients, and really want to help in providing a treatment for everyone. And the secretaries both have great customer service skills. I don't think there's a single nasty person that works there. They aren't a money hungry business at all, like some other vet practices I've encountered via my cat. All the people here are so sweet and earnest in their desire to help their patients make a full recovery, I'm sure that if there was any sort of an issue with payment something would be able to be worked out. Being able to take my pets here is literally the only silver lining when one of them gets sick. I know I can always trust them to provide a treatment in any way they can.Read Less

Years ago, after a series of gender mix ups with both a breeder and a pet store, I ended up with a bonded male and female pair of chinchillas, and subsequently two litters of kits.  Not wanting to breed chinchillas, due to the stress on the female (and me), and unable to split up the pair in separate cages (the male would stop eating!), I was faced with little option but to look into neutering my little guy.  I brought him in to see Dr. Hoefer to explore our options.  Dr. Hoefer was sympathetic to the situation, explained the significant risks of putting a chin under, and recommended that we proceed with the surgery given the nature of our situation and having a bonded pair.  I knew my chin was in good hands, as not only has she done this type of surgery on numerous chinchillas, but she also knew to use a special type of anesthesia since my chin has some kind of neurological condition that causes him to shake when nervous.  Even the vet technician told me she had several chinchillas at home.  I was called with an update after the surgery was over, and again the next day before I picked him up.  Dr. Hoefer showed me how to burrito up my chin to feed him his banana flavored antibiotic and some critical care as he healed up from the surgery.  The office then called me to check up on his progress at home, and to set up a follow up appointment to make sure the surgery was a success.   Sure enough, when my female had her second litter, Island Exotics also helped connect me to individuals looking to adopt the unexpected kits.I subsequently moved to the DC area with my three chinchillas (the pair and their baby girl).  However, when I had an emergency and a horrible vet appointment in the DC area (a recommendation to remove both my female chins' uterus from a vet who had never done such a procedure on a chin before), a vet technician from Island Exotics was kind enough to give me some information over the phone that helped me understand that my chinchillas were misdiagnosed and to go see another vet.While I have subsequently found a very competent and helpful vet in the DC area (SEAVS), Island Exotics remains my gold standard for chinchilla vet care, and I'd highly recommend them to any chinchilla owner in the area. Read Less

these negative reviews do not resonate at all with my experiences at the practice. We have Been at the practice for about 7 years. We could not be happier.Dr Hoefer and all of the veterinarians we have seen there have been excellent.they are very compassionate and always care for my parrot in a top notch manner. I have complete confidence in their clinical skills and their cage side manners get an A+.The support staff is helpful too. Very nice women there. The office always goes the extra mile to help in any way the can. i cannot say a single bad word about them. Always kind and professional. I also board our parrot there with complete confidence that she will not only be well cared for but that she'll have a great time and be treated like family there- like one of the flock. Read Less

Dr Hoefer is amazing (if Dr McGuire is getting bad reviews I suggest you see Dr. Hoefer!!) she literally saved my ferret's life and my wallet!! Rego was on the verge of death (severely dehydrated and 3 days no food due to bleeding ulcer) I wasted precious time by bringing him Central Veterinary Associates in Minneola and they wanted 2000$plus just to DIAGNOSE" Rego that wasnt for treatment!!! when I didn't have that kind of money CV of Minneola , pushed me to open a credit card they told me they had to take him asap when I REFUSED their care (had bad feeling about them) they made me sign a waiver why I wasn't seeking the care(as if I was a bad mom). Central Vets of mineola only cares about money not your pet!! THIS WAS NOT MY EXPERIENCE WITH DR HOEFER, I called Dr Hoefer's office hysterical and crying cause rego looked like he was going to die, if I waited till the end of day. Expressing the emergency she somehow managed to squeezed me in, she was so caring and knowledgeable about ferrets she knew right away what was wrong with him from looking at his stool and other things. And even knew he was deaf, To think I wasted 300$ on Central Vets to just look at him with no results and he got worse and Dr Hoefer knew right away what was wrong and started treatment. The staff in her office took such great care of him. Rego was there for 3 nights 4 days and still the bill didn't even come close to what the other place would of cost. The staff taught me how to give him his medicine and care for him, it's been a few months now and rego is still healthy, I even went back and brought my other Ferret zorro for a check up. He was treated for ear mites. There is no one else I would trust to care for my 5yr old ferrets. The prices are fare and Dr Hoefer's knowledge is priceless. I saw some bad reviews cause their pet may have died but understand many factors play into animals quickly spiralling down hill, they are doctors, not god. I know if I had waited just a little longer maybe it would of been to late to try to save him, just glad I followed my instinct and sought out Dr Hoefer's care and not central veterinary associates mineola, Thank you to the entire staff at long island exotic Veterinary Huntington, oxox Maria goedtelRead Less

I don't know what's the story...but my Kinguzzzzz ... eclectus bird was brought there for treatment this Saturday. .. Dr Maguire saw my kinguzzzzz and told me my bird should stay in the vet for 2 days and she is sick and they found metal toxicity. . I was fully aware my kinguzzzzz was sick but not bad as Dr Maguire thinks.. instead of valley stream vet I took her this place for treatment without even looking at the reviews... they gave my bird a lot of medications. She was in the vet for 2 days...Saturday and sunday...Sunday noon I received a call from this lady name heather... she said she is no worse than Saturday. .my bird is weak and dull... she doesn't vomit as they gave her medications for it, and incase if the conditions worsens or if my parrot passes away they will let me know... I tried to call back but ended on their stupid voice mail... later I thought my parrot was fine but by 9.... Dr maguire called me and said I have a bad news....my kinguzzz passed away... I didn't have no words... I went to the vet today and the technician came to me and said my parrot passed away on Saturday night... I asked them then why didn't you let me know sunday, then the technician is like let me double check, she then said oh sorry it was yesterday at 10.56 pm... but dr maguire called me 9 and said kinguzzz passed away at 8.30 pm... I strongly think they were lying...they must have killed her by giving her all these medications. .. our loss is ours .. I still can't survive the fact my kinguzzzzz is not with this.... these people are all money eaters... please don't take your pet here......it was a bird... not a human to test your medications Dr . Maguire. ..where were you and your staff?...if you all knew my bird was that sick...why didn't you call us?....you told me you will let me know if her conditions worsens. .. who knows if there was a technician in your office Saturday night, Sunday night?...you guys probably starved her to death ..... Kelly said my bird was throwing up but heather said she stopped vomiting. ..who knows the truth.... learn what life saving is... Doctors are meant to save a life.... Read Less

DR Hoefer is very trustworthy and knows her stuff, and by stuff I'm talking about the kind of expertise only a certified avian and exotic vet can know! If you have any exotic animals like birds, lizards, or even a hamster, you simply cannot go to a regular vet, no, you need expert care. She has helped me with my amazon who has complicated medical issues and my new baby parrot who only needed a check-up. Don't hesitate, she and I'm sure everyone who works with her is excellent and your pet is in good hands. Read Less

Please DO NOT use this vet for any animal care. I bought my 10 month old rabbit to Dr. Hoefer who not only misdiagnosed her but dropped my rabbit from a 4 foot exam table  and fractured her spine. I left the office hysterical (who wouldnt?) Dr. Hoefer insists on performing very expensive tests before any preliminary noninvasive options are tried first. I am a healthcare professional myself, I wouldnt let this vet care for a spec of bacteria..... Read Less

If I could give this place 0 stars I would. In fact if I could give this place negative stars I would. This place only wants money. Dr. Maguire is literally the worst vet I have ever encountered. She put my pet on unnecessary expensive medication which made him even sicker. Even Dr. Hoefer questioned why he was put on this medication the next visit. Dr. Maguire said he looked alright until she found out we could only spend a certain amount, she then walked out, and came back in stating he was critical and she wanted to keep him in the hospital... She even said if we don't have the money to sign up for care credit. After just seeing a man pick up his dead Guinea pig that stayed in the hospital I chose not to keep him there. After telling her we would not be signing up for care credit she didn't say a word and walked out again. This time the assistant came in with her and I couldn't believe it. The assistant was so rude and cold, this was the same assistant I saw with Dr. Hoefer. She acted very professional when she was in front of Dr. Hoefer, but when she wasn't there, she was a completely different person. I guess that goes to show, when the boss isn't around, they'll act however they want. After coming here 3 times and getting different medications and tests, he's still sick to this day. I will be bringing him to another vet in a day, and I highly recommend you save the trips to this place and go somewhere else. Its just a hassle, and nothing good comes out of it. Not to mention the visits alone cost a tone, but they make sure to suck every penny out of you before you go. Please, don't go here for the sake of your pets. Read Less

I take all four of my parrots to Dr. Hoefer and I absolutely trust her and her staff to provide the best possible care for my birds at all times. I have found everyone associated with this practice to be professional, compassionate, knowledgeable, and highly skilled at everything to do with avian medicine, from successfully treating a life-threatening disease in one of my birds to simple toenail clipping for all of them. And besides their professionalism, I have found every person associated with this practice to be kind, personable, and sincerely interested in every one of my birds. Read Less

I visited Island Exotic for the very first time today and I must say I was extremely impressed by both the facility and the staff. I made an appointment to bring my pet hedgehog in and I was not sure how she would be received. I had an appointment at 12pm and was seen within 5 minutes of walking through the door. The staff was extremely friendly and they handled my hedgehog with lots of TLC. It put me at ease immediately. Dr. Hoefer was very knowledgeable and I really felt like my little guy was in great hands. I was there for just under 2 hours and within that time my hedgehog was examined and had blood work done. The veterinarian sat with me after the exam and took the time to explain to me the medications and care that would need to be provided for my animal and she left me feeling really good about making the decision to come in for a visit. From the moment I walked through the door until the moment the reception staff said good bye it, was a great experience. My local vet was good and set me on the right path, but Island Exotic in my humble opinion is in a league of its own. After one visit I am sold. Read Less

I would not go anywhere else. Everyone at Island Exotic has a genuine investment in the well being of our rabbits, and are super knowledgeable about their needs. Not every vet can take care of an exotic animal, so it's in everyone's best interest to go to the best. Read Less

My family and I had a terrible experience with the veterinarian here. During hurricane sandy , while the town of Huntington was dealing with power outages for 2 weeks, pets dying from the cold, they were opened not to help, but to take advantage of desperate people and their sick pets.      Something as disastrous as Hurricane Sandy usually brings the best out in people. In the case of the vet here, it brought out blood sucking greed. Instead of being there for her community in such an emergency, she saw it as an opportunity to make money. She should be ashamed of herself! Read Less

My family and I had a terrible experience with the veterinarian here. During hurricane sandy , while the town of Huntington was dealing with power outages for 2 weeks, pets dying from the cold, they were opened not to help, but to take advantage of desperate people and their sick pets. Something as disastrous as Hurricane Sandy usually brings the best out in people. In the case of the vet here, it brought out blood sucking greed. Instead of being there for her community in such an emergency, she saw it as an opportunity to make money. She should be ashamed of herself! Read Less

My guinea pig had a small issue that I can to see Dr. Rina Maguire about. $1000 later, my pet is gone. This vet put my guinea pig on 6 different medications that ultimately ended her life. I am so disappointed in the work that this vet did- it's like its her first year out of veterinary school. Dr. Hoefer, the lead vet at this office even questioned why Dr. Maguire had prescribed the medications that she did, the advice she gave me was the exact opposite of Dr. Maguire's recommendations- unfortunately it was too late. The extreme financial hardships and sadness that this vet brought to me and my family will not be forgotten. I literally joined yelp just to tell this story and warn potential patients about this vet. : ( Read Less

Dr. Rina Maguire is the best!  Backstory: Dr. Maguire used to work at The Center for Avian and Exotic Medicine in the UWS.  I took Buster, my dwarf hamster, to see her when she was having unidentifiable bleeding from her private parts.  Dr. Maguire was thorough in her exam and while palpating her abdomen, mentioned she felt some "thickening" around her reproductive system.  After administering oral medication, Buster's bleeding stopped.Fast forward 4 months and Buster's bleeding came back with a vengeance.  I called the Center who said that Dr. Maguire had left and they weren't sure where she went.  I googled and found that she had returned to work with the vet she had originally studied with, Dr. Heidi Hoefer.  I didn't trust anyone else with my hammie, so I took the LIRR from Manhattan out to Long Island with Buster.  Buster had lost a lot of weight and looked unwell; I asked Dr. Maguire what she would do if Buster was her pet, and she said we should do an exploratory surgery to determine if the bleeding was from a tumor, cyst, abscess, etc.  I decided to go ahead and have her do the surgery (mind you, this is a dwarf hamster, no more than 3.5 inches tall).  Dr. Maguire was skilled enough to anesthetize Buster and perform an oophorectomy.  Yes, my little hamster got both her ovaries removed.  The receptionist even said "We called her the little miracle hamster!  We saw her little body on the operating table, it was amazing!"  Dr. Maguire is awesome, and I'm sure Dr. Hoefer is as well.  I especially appreciate that this veterinary center's "only purpose is attending to the medical & surgical needs of birds, rabbits, ferrets, chinchillas, guinea pigs, hedgehogs, prairie dogs, small rodents, lizards, snakes, turtles and tortoises. The hospital is predator-free; we do not see dog or cats." (taken from their website).  Another big plus is that they have someone on staff 24 hours, which means that if your beloved pet has to stay overnight, there is always someone there to check up on them.Throughout the whole process, Dr. Maguire kept me updated, and immediately called me after the surgery to let me know that Buster was okay.  Aftercare medication was provided and follow up appointments were easy to schedule.  I ended up spending many hundreds of dollars (including LIRR fare both ways, taxi to/from Huntington Station to the vet clinic, the medical expense itself, etc.), however it was worth every penny (and still cheaper than what I would have spent at The Center for Avian and Exotics).  Buster is happy and healthy.  I can't thank the staff and Dr. Maguire enough. Read Less