Veterinary technicians – the backbone of every animal hospital – without whom we veterinarians could not function. Often, we take them for granted, forgetting just how essential they are in the day-to-day workings of our practice. They hold animals, draw blood, monitor anesthesia, run tests, and serve as a liaison to clients. Technicians work long shifts, often get paid very little, and sometimes have no breaks. They frequently put up with our whining and catch our mistakes, and they are usually the glue that holds our hospitals together. Why do they do it? If you ask them, most technicians will tell you they do it because they truly care about the animals. But what makes a technician specifically seek out work with birds and exotic animals? Across the world, there are very few technicians who are actually truly trained in and comfortable with the care of exotic pets. Just as it takes years of training for a veterinarian to become proficient in bird and exotic animal care, it takes a technician just as long to develop expertise in the treatment of these unique pets. In this vein, and to highlight the special work that bird and exotic animal technicians perform, I have asked 5 technicians who work with birds and exotics every day to comment about their experience. They are Francisco Aquino, LVT, The Animal Medical Center, New York, NY, USA; Melody Bedford, AA, RVT, Medical Center for Birds, Oakley, CA, USA; Sarah Kasterns, CVT, Milwaukee Emergency Center for Animals, Milwaukee, WI, USA; Amy Johnson, CVT, Blue Pearl Veterinary Partners, Florida Veterinary Specialist, Tampa, FL, USA; Mandy Maddamma, RVT, Avian and Exotic Animal Clinic of Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, USA; and Peggy Nardone, LVT, Veterinary Center for Birds & Exotics, Bedford Hills, NY, USA. I hope that hearing their comments about what they do will remind all of us just how important they are to the success of exotic animal practice.