Exotic Pets? Exotic Animals? Are you looking to buy any type of exotic animal, such as a chimpanzee or a tortoise in your house? Then read this article!

Did you know that you can own Ferrets, Chameleons, Hedgehogs and tons of other exotic pets?

Which Exotic Pets For Sale Can I Own?

Every state has different laws and concerns for exotic pet ownership. This article will tell you some animals you can own, and give you resources for finding the animals. Here is a selection of some exotic pets you can own.

• Llamas
• Iguanas
  
• Alpacas
• Monkeys and Primates
• Squirrels
• Tortoises
• Snakes
  
• Capuchins
• Tarantulas
• Many more!

Amazing huh? In some places, you can even get larger animals! So the question now is, how do you get your hands on these animals?

Check out this vid for some cool animals.

Laws About Owning A Pet, Wild and Exotic

There are many different laws about owning exotic pets---some states allow you to own exotic pets easily, while some others make it illegal to own anything more interesting than a cat or dog!

There are generally four tiers of state law for owning an exotic pet.

1. 18 states have strong laws against exotic animal ownership: Alaska, California, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wyoming.
2. 10 states have a partial ban against owning exotic animals (some are allowed, some are not): Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Virginia
3. 13 states require the the owner to get a license or permit from the state before owning the exotic animal: Arizona, Delaware, Indiana, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Texas
4. 9 states have no license or permit requirements: Arizona, Delaware, Indiana, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Texas

So which state are you in? Me, for example, in California, means that I can't even own a pet ferret, much less a pet chimpanzee! However, I know a person from Oregon who owns a pet wolf!

You can see a list of state laws about exotic pet ownership here: http://www.bornfreeusa.org/b4a2_exotic_animals_summary.php

How do I find out if my Wild Pet is legal in my state?

To be sure that your pet is legal, you should follow these steps.

1. Look up the state laws here. - Some states may mention your chosen animal as illegal. Be sure before wasting your time making phone calls.
   
2. Research the relevant government offices to call - Using Google or the yellow pages, look up the phone number of your city hall and county office. Call and see if there is any local government legislation.
3. If they can't tell you, look up your state's wildlife agency - Call your state wildlife authority. They should be able to help you or direct you to the right agency.
4. Consider calling your local humane society - They might have some info for you.

Make sure that your pet is legal in your state before buying it!