24 Exotic Pets No One Should Keep

Owning a pet is an exciting endeavor, no matter the species. But some take “exciting” to the extreme and adopt exotic animals that are not meant to be kept in homes.

Who doesn’t love the idea of hanging out on their couch with a tiger? Well, tigers, for starters. Their need for bigger spaces than your apartment living room is just one reason why you shouldn’t keep exotic animals as pets.

While we might admire these animals in the wild or at a zoo, it’s safer and healthier for them to stay out of our homes. We’ve consulted leading animal organizations to understand the reasons why.

Big Cats: Tigers, Lions, and Leopards

Have you ever thought of bringing a lion or tiger into your home? If you have, this is not the best idea. Big cats like tigers, lions, and leopards are not safe as pets.

Tigers, for example, can weigh up to 600 pounds and can hurt or kill a person, even if they don’t mean to. The risk is too high, and they need large spaces to roam, which most homes can’t provide. One Green Planet explains that big cats are natural-born hunters and are quite dangerous. They can attack at any time, making their behavior unpredictable.

Primates: Monkeys and Apes

Monkeys and apes are smart and social animals that need to live in groups. When they are alone or with humans, they often get lonely and depressed. Primates can also carry diseases like Herpes virus B and hepatitis.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals states that primates can become very aggressive and hard to control as they grow older.

Venomous Snakes

Venomous snakes, such as cobras, vipers, and mambas, are risky as pets. These snakes can attack and their venom can be deadly. There are over 7,000 venomous snake bites reported annually in the U.S., according to the University of Florida.

Even if a snake is in a strong cage, there is always a chance it could escape or that someone could make a mistake. This makes them a serious risk to both the person keeping them and the people around them. This includes emergency workers who might need to provide help in case of an accident.

Large Constrictor Snakes: Pythons and Boas

Do you remember the boa in the movie Anaconda? It’s no surprise that large constrictor snakes can be very dangerous. Why? Because they are strong enough to kill a person just by squeezing them.

These snakes can grow over 20 feet long and need very large enclosures. They also require specific temperatures and humidity, which are difficult to maintain at home. The World Animal Protection says that snakes are wild animals who belong in their natural habitat, not your home.

Wolves and Wolf-Dog Hybrids

Wolves are fascinating animals. Because wolves are herd animals, keeping a wolf or a wolf-dog hybrid as a pet can be risky. Wolves are social creatures, and may not recognize their human owners as part of the “pack”.

Also, they can be quite unpredictable when it comes to how they behave. They are not like the normal dogs you see around. You can tame a dog, give it a command, and it listens. But a wolf is exactly the opposite. The International Wolf Center stresses that wolves belong in the wild.

Exotic Birds: Macaws and Cockatoos

Exotic birds are very loud, live long lives, and need a lot of attention. These birds can live up to 70 years, which is a huge commitment. They also need large cages and lots of time outside of them to stay healthy and happy.

Groups like the World Parrot Trust protect these birds and their homes. They insist that the birds do best in the wild. Their loud calls and destructive behavior make exotic birds hard pets.

Slow Lorises

They’re cute, but are these furry animals dangerous? The International Animal Rescue says that slow lorises have a venomous bite that is harmful to humans.

Unless you grow bamboo and have a large variety of insects, fruits, and vegetables available, it’s difficult to provide the proper diet for these adorable primates at home. This can only mean one thing: they belong in the wild or in places that can care for them.

Fennec Foxes

Fennec foxes are very active at night, which can disturb your sleep. According to Pangovet, they need a lot of space to run and dig, which is hard to provide indoors.

Fennec foxes also require a special diet of roots, rodents, eggs, and insects that can be hard to manage. As cute as they are, they are also destructive. Their natural behaviors and high energy levels make them challenging to keep as pets.

Capybaras

Capybaras are large, social rodents that need lots of space and a group of their own kind to be happy. They also need access to water for swimming and a specific diet high in fiber.

WebMD cautions that it’s hard to provide these needs at home. Without the right environment, capybaras can become stressed. They may also develop health problems, making them unsuitable as pets.

Otters

Otters are not suitable as home pets because they need a lot of space and access to water to swim and play. They are very social animals and live in groups in the wild, so keeping one can cause loneliness.

According to the World Animal Foundation, keeping otters as pets is a terrible idea. Otters are also very active and messy, which makes it hard to care for them in a home setting. They belong in their natural habitat or specialized facilities.

Kinkajous

Kinkajous are nocturnal, which can disturb your sleep. They need a lot of space to climb and explore, which is hard to provide in a typical home.

Pangovet says that they have a special diet and can be quite aggressive. They are known to bite for seemingly small reasons. Their complex needs make them difficult to care for in a domestic setting.

Hedgehogs

According to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, hedgehogs require a lifetime of special care, food, and support. They need a lot of space to explore and dig, which is hard to provide indoors.

Hedgehogs are also nocturnal, meaning they are active at night and might make noise while you’re trying to sleep. Hedgehogs have sharp, pointy quills which they use to protect themselves from predators. When they feel scared or threatened, their quills stick up in all directions, which makes them difficult to touch or hold.

Binturongs

You can call these large, tree-dwelling animals bearcats. They give off a strong odor that many people find unpleasant. To keep them, happy, bearcats require a lot of space and mental stimulation, which is hard to provide in a home.

The Smithsonian’s National Zoo explains that binturongs need large enclosures. Moreover, they need a diet that mimics what they would eat in the wild, which is hard to recreate at home. Binturongs can become aggressive if they don’t receive the proper care.

Komodo Dragons

Komodo dragons are the biggest lizards on Earth. They need a lot of space and special conditions to live well. It’s not a good idea to keep one at home because they can be very aggressive and need to eat a lot of meat. It’s better to see them in the wild or at places designed specifically for them.

The Smithsonian’s National Zoo warns about their attacks. It says that an attack from a Komodo dragon can be fatal — even to humans.

Sloths

Sloths have special needs that are hard to meet in captivity. They are folivores, meaning they only eat leaves. They also have a slow metabolism and need specific temperature and humidity levels. These needs are hard to maintain outside their natural rainforest homes.

The Brevard Zoo says sloths have lengthy claws, which are sharper than they look. They have large teeth, which can inflict serious injury if you scare or irritate them.

Sugar Gliders

Sugar gliders are active at night and like to be with other sugar gliders. They have sharp claws and teeth, making handling them tricky. They might get scared and bite if they feel threatened.

According to World Animal Protection, sugar gliders are wild animals whose needs are hard to meet in captivity. Trapping them as pets makes them suffer, feel unhappy, and become unhealthy.

Hyenas

These are wild animals with powerful jaws and strong hunting instincts, making them dangerous to keep as pets. Hyenas also need a lot of space to roam, which most homes can’t provide.

National Geographic explains hyenas need big spaces and social groups to live well. Hyenas can be very dangerous and are not suited for life as pets.

Okapis

Okapis, relatives of giraffes, are shy, forest-dwelling animals with specific habitat needs. They live in thick forests and need a lot of leaves to eat. 

Maryland Zoo explains that okapis have very specific habitat and dietary needs. Moreover, they don’t like changes in their surroundings. Okapis do best in big wildlife parks where they have plenty of room to move around and eat.

Tasmanian Devils

Tasmanian devils have strong jaws and sharp teeth, making them unsafe as pets. They are also active at night, which makes them hard to care for.

The San Diego Zoo notes that Tasmanian devils have strong territorial instincts. They need specific habitats that are hard to recreate in captivity. They can also get aggressive, especially when they feel threatened.

African Bullfrogs

African bullfrogs are big, aggressive amphibians that don’t make good pets. They can weigh over a pound and have a voracious appetite. Their diet includes live prey, like insects and small animals. This may unsettle some pet owners.

Pango Vet says their sharp teeth and strong jaws can hurt human hands. They also need a special environment with the right humidity and temperature.

Gila Monsters

San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance warns that Gila monsters have venomous bites. These bites can cause severe pain and complications. These animals need specialized care that is difficult to provide in a home setting.

Gila monsters are also very shy and can become stressed if they are handled too much. They need a specific environment to thrive, including the right temperature and humidity.

Giant Anteaters

Giant anteaters are big animals with long claws and special diets, making them hard to keep as pets. They need a lot of space to roam and eat ants and termites, which are hard to provide at home.

The Smithsonian’s National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute says giant anteaters can get aggressive if they don’t have the right care or enough space.

Narwhals

You might shake your head at seeing a narwhal on this list. We get it! But know that narwhals have been kept in captivity before, with tragic results.

These are large marine animals with long tusks, and they live in the Arctic Ocean. They need a specific, cold environment with deep water.

The World Wildlife Fund explains that narwhals are adapted to life in cold, deep waters. They also have complex social needs that cannot be met in captivity. Keeping narwhals as a pet — or in a zoo — is impractical and harmful to their populations.

Asian Elephants

Asian elephants are very large animals that need vast spaces to live and move around. They are also highly social and need to live in groups, which is not possible in a home. Keeping an elephant as a pet can lead to serious health and behavioral issues. This is often due to a lack of space and social interaction.

The World Animal Protection voices that the full welfare needs of elephants cannot be met in captivity. They also point out that keeping elephants as pets causes them a lot of mental stress and health issues.