South San Francisco, CA October 25, 2021 by Allie Clevenger, ESC
Unusual pets are more commonplace in these times as owners prefer to think outside of the box and explore different types of animals. If this appeals to you, here are a few ideas on the variety of pets you are able to own legally in your state.
Did you know these pets are legal to own in California?
- Pot Belly Pigs
- Pygmy Goats
- Miniature horses
- Tarantulas
- Ball Python (these type are non-venomous)
- Chinchillas
- Lynx
- Lizards (non-venomous)
- Llamas and Alpacas
An unusual pet, yet it is legal to own llamas in California.
Photo: abbat
While the above may sound enticing, California has strict laws on which animals are NOT to be kept as pets. These include:
- Ferrets
- Monkeys
- Gerbils (although hamsters, mice, rats and Guinea pigs are allowed)
- Squirrels
- Hedgehogs
- Sloths
- Foxes
- Skunks
- Raccoons
- Jaguars
- Cheetahs
- Bobcats
- Deer
- Alligators
- Zebras
- Lemurs
- Prairie Dogs
- Any Wolf hybrid
- Leopards
While illegal to own in California, Sloths have been known to be owned by private parties.
Photo by Roxanne Minnish from Pexels
Did you know that even so much as feeding a wild animal in California is illegal,
and could include a fine of up to $1,000!
Reasons for the ban of owning some of these animals are due to the fear of destruction of California’s natural habitats. Concerns are that animals such as gerbils, who escape or are let go with form feral colonies that interfere with the animals native to California. Some rules are simply because the animals are not to be domesticated and are not safe to keep as pets, as they pose a threat to humans.
Extra Extra: Have you heard these weird facts about animals?
- Dogs are somewhat resistant to the venom of a black widow spider, however, horses and cats are very sensitive to it.
- Rats can laugh
- Cats do not have sweat glands
- Garter snakes can birth up to 85 babies (yikes!)
- Iguanas can hold their breath up to 30 minutes
Garter snakes can birth up to 85 babies!
Photo: pexels-pixabay-162347
My neighbor has Peacocks, goats,cows , turkeys and chickens. They make noise all night. He just added over 10 more goats. Is this legal in Lucerne Valley CA?
can i have a tiger and dog hibrid
I want a octopus
There are so many cute pets that we can’t keep, it’s super annoying
Buffalo wild wings
I wanna get a Snow
Leopard
not fairrrr
Why can’t we have them in California it annoying
Can we at least get a marmoset Monkey
Do you have any for sale in cal near la
I want a wolf hybrid
I Want A Sugar Glider!!!!
Take mine!
Same
Can aye ayes be allowed in California?
Are galago legal in California
[…] California, a variety of exotic pets are legal to own. These animals include lynxes, tarantulas, miniature horses, ball pythons and pygmy […]
I’ve seen them in Petco in ventura county so pretty sure you can own them.
If any of you people are over the age of 16 you can get your trappers license and own a raccoon legally or you just don’t tell no one about your furry friend.
that’s smart
Just 4 more years
I would be awesome to own a raccoon, but do you need your trappers license?
ferret
wait i have a raccon on my bed rn and i dont wanna get rid of it
Dang do you really have a raccoon I’ve always wanted to own one. But I’m pretty sure you need your trappers license.
Don’t ever tell 😉😄💖
i would like a sloth thank you
If they had similar regulations for parents of Humans as we do for Sloths, humans would be extinct in California. We may have something here!!!!????
Is it legal for me to have a hissing cockroach?
I don’t think so
why is it elligal to own a hedgehog but not a water buffalo ?
I thought they were legal
my friend has a hedgehog and chinchilla in CA.
they’re going to jail, my friend
chinchillas are legal, they’re sold at petsmart
Don’t call the cops on them
I have a friend in California who has a chinchilla and it says they are illegal,????
They sell chinchillas at petco in southern California
it does not say that
Is your last name Gump? It clearly said “Did you know these pets are legal to own in California?” Now it you can count to 6…we know it is a big number…then count down the list of LEGAL animals….OMG chinchilla. So now adding it together you get…yes I knew you would get it. Legal chinchillas…
i have a minx is it eligel
Goddess, I hope so, sweet’ling!!!😘💋🐾🐺
Is there a specific frog that is illegal or all frogs are?
only some
Are comorants legal?
Yeah cause the sloth is just going to take off and start messing up the environment bc they are so vicious and destructive…
Also, seems hypocritical that its legal to kill as many skunks, racoons or squirrels as you want. Just don’t try to keep one for a pet bc you will be hurting the natural flora of California’s overly watered desert if you do… What a load of BS california political garbage.
Bwahahaha 😂😂 RIGHT?!
I don’t recall ever hearing any stories about a Sloth attacking someone? But, then again…it is California. We wouldn’t want anyone to contract Sloth Pox.
I think it’s more cause people don’t know how to care for even a fraction of these animals and most vets probably would be woefully unprepared. I could easily see some fool thinking they could care for a sloth and somehow screwing that up horribly. I am curious about the ferrets though. I thought that was a common pet.
Sloths are actually legal to own. You have to go threw many many channel before even getting a permit and you have to have an entire enclosure that has to be checked and signed off before even thinking about buying and exporting it to the United States. It’s incredibly expensive and time consuming to a point of you gotta be extremely rich to be throwing 20k for permits
man cali sucks can’t own nothing here
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Is the blue dragon illegal?
how about Prairie Dogs
I want a chipmunk is that legal please reply
NOOOOOO😭
..
i did not know you could own a Lynx. Now i need and want one
same
they are cute
Same
I DIDNT KNOW IT WAS ILLEGAL TO HAVE A FERRET. THeyb PUT IT DOWN
🥹😭
I have to comment on this my best friend sandy once had a pot belly pig growing up in west winston manor it wasn’t ok to have pigs as pets back then in the 90s back then. They had to take it back to the barnyard although it’s a very sweet piggy. My dad before he met my sweet mom once had a pet monkey and my grandma said please take that monkey back it is too much trouble and our family cannot it true story. Didn’t know pet momkeys are illegal only can be seen on a movie screen excellent information