Looking for an exotic pet? Check this list of illegal domestic animals in the US

Always wanted a pet lion? Well, you can’t, little Timmy, no matter what that long-haired man from Netflix says. There are a number of animals in the U.S. that are illegal to own, with everything from size to habitat to venom glands defining factors.

Rules vary state by state but there are some situations that are quite frankly silly to get into when it comes to dangerous animals. As much as they love you and you love them, they may well always see you as dinner.

Venomous snakes is an obvious one. Even if you choose the incredibly cruel decision of removing their venom glands, it’s still not allowed (for what it’s worth, if you want to put your snake through that then you’re probably not the right person to take care of it).

Tennessee, Vermont, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, New Hampshire, Washington, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Washington D.C, California, and Connecticut all make it illegal to own such animals.

Unless you’re in Florida and have a license, it’s illegal to own an alligator in the United States. And let’s be honest, if you’ve got an alligator, you probably shouldn’t. These huge beasts will see you as a snack and you can’t outrun them: with a top speed of 35mph on land, it’s best just to stay away.

The same goes for lions. I shouldn’t even have to tell you this, but don’t keep a lion. The Biden administration thankfully signed a law that made it illegal to own a lion anywhere in the country, and it’s just as well. Even the calmest lion will have no trouble attacking and killing a puny human.

According to the Keystone, more tigers are privately owned in the U.S. than exist in the wild, with around 5,000 captive tigers being kept across the country, compared to only 3,890 where they should actually be.

They add that tigers need 15 pounds of meat daily and at least seven square miles of space, or else they will become dangerously aggressive. The aforementioned law, The Big Cat Public Safety Act, is said to be ready to put a stop to people owning them in harmful conditions.

Full list of illegal domestic animals in the United States:

1. Wolves (illegal all 50 states)
2. Lions (illegal all 50 states)
3. Primates (In Arizona, Mississippi, Indiana, and Tennessee, it is legal to have a monkey as a pet, but not an ape; in Wisconsin, Florida, and Texas, certain breeds of monkeys are allowed; in Illinois, only residents with disabilities may own a capuchin monkey)
4. Turtles (less than 4 inches) (all 50 states)
5. Squirrels (illegal in 31 states)
6. Alligators (legal in Florida, Delaware, Idaho, Indiana, Maine, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Texas, and Vermont)
7. Raccoons (illegal in Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Indiana, Michigan, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Wisconsin, and Wyoming)
8. Sugar Gliders (illegal in Alaska, Hawaii, California, Massachusetts, New Mexico)
9. Asian arowana (illegal in all 50 states)
10. Pigs
11. Skunks (legal in Iowa, South Dakota, Wyoming, Florida, Indiana, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Kentucky and New York)
12. Deer (illegal except Colorado, New Hampshire, Vermont, and South Dakota)
13. Ferrets (illegal in California and Hawaii)
14. Hedgehogs (illegal in California, Hawaii, Georgia, Washington D.C., New York City, and Omaha)
15. Venomous snakes (illegal to own in Tennessee, Vermont, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, New Hampshire, Washington, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Washington D.C, California, and Connecticut)
16. Quaker parakeets (illegal in California, Connecticut, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and Wyoming)
17. Bobcats (illegal in Alabama, Nevada, North Carolina, South Carolina, or Wisconsin)
18. Sharks (depends on species)
19. Tigers (illegal in all 50 states)
20. Bears (depends on the species)
21. Eagles (illegal in all 50 states)
22. Gerbils (illegal in California and Hawaii)
23. Zebra (illegal in Nevada, New Hampshire and Washington D.C.)
24. African clawed frogs (illegal without a permit in Arizona, California, Hawaii, Kentucky, Louisiana, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, Virginia, or Washington)
25. Pit Bull Terriers (illegal in over 700 cities)

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