UNP-2108
Risk Management for Exotic
Pet Owners
Introduction
The definition of exotic pet is not well
established. Some people consider an exotic
pet to be wildlife kept by humans, while
others consider pets that are not native to
the owner’s locale to be exotic. However you
define “exotic,” exotic pet ownership has
gotten out of control.
A simple Internet search for “exotic pets for
sell” will result in a list ranging from sugar
gliders and kangaroos to sloths and zebras.
Most of these animals are cute and cuddly,
while some are downright majestic and very
obtainable for the price. What is glaringly
missing in the Internet ads, however, is
any reference to the huge amount of time
and money a new owner must commit to
taking care of an exotic pet, and the inherent
dangers associated with owning exotic
creatures. Also, little is ever mentioned about
the lack of veterinary care or the exorbitant
costs associated with treating these exotic
animals when a veterinarian is available.
The reasons for owning exotic pets are
numerous. Some exotic pet owners try to
justify ownership as helping to increase the
population of an endangered species, although
no endangered exotic pet held in captivity is a
good candidate for successful release into the
wild. Other exotic pet owners will claim that
ownership presents an educational experience
for the community since it allows people to
feel closer to nature, while others insist they
are serving the greater scientific good by
attempting to domesticate a species (Henn,
2016). The truth is that some exotic species
may never be tamed, and although the
reasons for ownership may differ, many exotic
pet owners fail to realize the potential dangers
these animals present to themselves, their
families, and their immediate community.
Figure 1. Photo of tiger. by TheLoon, morguefile.com.
Unfortunately, the time may come when an
exotic animal is released into an improper
environment as a result of a natural or
manmade event such as power outages or
storm damage. Or the owner’s family may
realize that keeping these exotic pets is
financially or emotionally draining, or just too
dangerous. As a result, they take the easy
way out and abandon or release these exotic
creatures “back to the wild” regardless of the
habitat. In times like these, the owner and
the surrounding community should have a
disaster management plan for exotic animals.
(See Alabama Extension’s publication
UNP-2109: How to Develop a Disaster
Management Plan for Exotic Pets for more
information.)
Types of Exotic Pets
Many people consider large carnivores such
as lions, tigers, and bears as only being
dangerous to humans, but this is not true.
Primates, even the smaller ones, have sharp
teeth. Although they are often treated like
babies, they have no self-control and are
likely to attack and bite when angry. They
also carry diseases such as Hepatitis and
HIV. Larger primates are also known to cause
great physical harm to humans, including
their owners or caretakers.
www.aces.edu
kill large prey like horses or cows. Not
only is their bite horrible, but their tails
can knock you down and break your legs,
eliminating your chance of escaping.
• Even poisonous or nonpoisonous
arachnids are sold and kept as exotic
pets, as well as centipedes, millipedes,
and other insects like hissing cockroaches.
Very few of these insects are native to the
United States, and if they get loose, can
disrupt the balance of local ecosystems
and potentially bring harm to humans and
animals alike.
Figure 2. Photo of squirrel monkey by
monosodium, morguefile.com.
• Wolves, coyotes, or coywolves (mixes)
may be relatives of the dog, but they act
instinctively and are extremely powerful
for their size. For example, you can bring
your new baby home and introduce it to
the dog by letting the dog smell it. In
most cases the dog either plants itself by
the baby’s side as a lifelong protector or it
ignores the baby (rarely). Dogs will react
similarly when introduced to a new kitten
or puppy, either becoming playmates or
ignoring it as much as possible. However,
a wolf or coyote will most likely see the
baby or a smaller animal as prey to be
eaten or eliminated as soon as you, the
alpha, are not looking!
• Coati and raccoons are small omnivores
sold as pets, but they are somewhat
difficult to control. They need a large
enclosed area to roam in and function
best with a lot of mental stimulation.
If aggravated, however, they have an
arsenal of 38-40 extremely sharp teeth to
use for defense purposes. Smaller still is
the strictly nocturnal kinkajou, weighing
an average of seven pounds full grown,
but still equipped with sharp teeth and
claws.
• Pet bats are a rising trend, but they too
have sharp teeth and carry diseases. They
also fly at night, hibernate for months
when it’s cold, and carry rabies and SARS.
Not exactly great houseguests!
• Another inappropriate exotic pet is the
alligator or crocodile that can grow to 14
feet or more in length and weigh more
than 700 pounds. These animals can even
2 Alabama Cooperative Extension System
Health Issues
Exotic pets carry a number of diseases and
proper vet treatment may only be available
at fully equipped zoos. The infectious disease
statistics for exotic pets are alarming.
According to the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention:
• 77-90% of reptiles carry Salmonella,
shedding it in their feces and infecting an
average of 93,000 humans a year.
• 90% of imported green iguanas carry
some strain of intestinal bacteria.
• 25% of macaques have/have had the
herpes B virus; and any of the primates,
including capuchins and lemurs can
transmit Hepatitis A and HIV-1, the virus
that causes AIDS.
• 75% of all new infectious diseases
originate from nonhuman animals. Even
parrots carry psittacosis (parrot fever),
which is a deadly zoonotic disease
(transmittable to humans).
No rabies vaccine is available for exotic pets
and no confinement period is known. Since
most exotic pets cannot be quarantined
to rule out rabies, they will most likely be
euthanized.
Figure 3. Photo of lizard by Darnok, morguefile.com.
Figure 4. Photo of turtle by lunamom58, morguefile.com.
Exotic Pet Laws
There is no standardized federal law that
covers the sale and possession of exotic
pets, but only a hodgepodge of local,
state, and federal laws that vary by animal
and community. Currently, 18 states ban
ownership of large cats, wolves, bears,
primates, and dangerous reptiles–Alabama
is NOT one of those states. Ten states have
a partial ban of ownership of some exotic
animals–Alabama is NOT one of those states.
Thirteen states require exotic animal owners
obtain a license or permit in order to keep
their animals–Alabama is NOT one of those
states (Born Free USA, 2016). Just what
laws DOES Alabama have in place when it
comes to ownership of exotic animals? You
can’t own, sell, offer for sell, import, or
have brought into the state: fish from
the genus Clarias; fish from the genus
Serrasalmus; black carp; any species of
mongoose; any member of the family
Cervidae (deer, elk, moose, caribou);
or any species of coyote, fox, raccoon,
skunk, wild rodents, or wild turkey.
That’s it for Alabama! There are no specific
regulations for possessing any of the large
cats, bears, apes, boas, pythons, cobras,
alligators, elephants, rhinos, or other exotic
animals. There are no requirements for
housing, cleanliness of habitats, or security
fences or cages for exotic pets. In fact, if
you want to keep your pet alligator in your
backyard pool in the state of Alabama go
right ahead. You will just need to have the
same minimum 4-foot fence that the law
requires any backyard pool to have. Only
a few counties even require that you have
signs concerning “pool rules” and “swim at
your own risk” for any pool in the state.
Avoid Releasing in Local
Ecosystems
• Exotic pets that are apex predators are
capable of decimating the animals in a
local ecosystem, including other pets and
humans.
• Exotic pets that end up in a natural
environment without rehabilitation or
preparation for the adjustment may not
survive the transition, or can actually end
up being an invasive species such as the
Burmese python in the Florida Everglades.
• Exotic reptiles present unique safety risks
to humans, pets, and the local ecosystem.
There is potential injury from bite, venom,
or constriction and consumption.
• Some exotic pets can crossbreed with
native species and new dangers may
emerge for both wildlife and humans.
Conclusion
Owning an exotic pet is a serious
undertaking. First, you must consider ALL
expenses of owning these pets, not just
the initial costs. Such costs include feeding,
housing, and expensive veterinarian care
that may be difficult to find. You must also
consider the investment of your time and
devotion to an animal(s) that may possibly
turn on you the moment it is startled,
injured, or entering mating season. And what
about the difficulties of taking care of your
exotic pets? It really doesn’t matter how cute
a wild baby animal is or how accustomed
it is to humans, a wild animal is still a wild
animal. What’s truly best for an exotic
animal is being able to thrive in its natural
environment!
Risk Management for Exotic Pet Owners 3
References
American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®. (2016). Adoption tips. Adopt a Pet. Retrieved from http://www.
aspca.org/adopt/adoption-tips/.
Born Free USA. (2016). Get the facts: Ten fast facts about exotic “pets.” Retrieved from http://www.bornfreeusa.org/facts.
php?p=439&more=1.
Born Free USA. (2016). Summary of state laws relating to private possession of exotic animals: Alabama. Retrieved From
http://www.bornfreeusa.org/b4a2_exotic_animals_summary.php.
Born Free USA (2016). Get the facts: The dangers of keeping exotic “pets.” Retrieved from http://www.bornfreeusa.org/
facts.php?p=187&more=1.
Dell’Amore, C. (2009). Python “nightmare”: New giant species invading Florida. Retrieved from http://news.
nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/09/090911-pythons-florida-giant-snakes.html.
Exotic pet. (2016, August 26). In Wikipedia: The free encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exotic_
pet/.
Henn, C. (2016, January 1). 3 ridiculous reasons people give for keeping exotic animals as pets. Retrieved from http://www.
onegreenplanet.org/animalsandnature/ridiculous-reasons-people-give-for-keeping-exotic-animals-as-pets/.
Kruzer, A. (2016, August 23). Exotic pet laws. Retrieved from http://exoticpets.about.com/od/choosinganexoticpet/a/ExoticPet-Laws.htm.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. (2016). Exotic animals as ‘pets.’ Retrieved from http://www.peta.org/issues/
animals-in-entertainment/exotic-animals-pets/.
Slater, L. (2014, April). Exotic pets: Wild obsession. Retrieved from http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2014/04/exoticpets/slater-text.
South Carolina Department of Health and Environment. (2015). Exotic pets and farm animals. Retrieved from http://www.
scdhec.gov/Health/DiseasesandConditions/InfectiousDiseases/InsectAnimalBorne/Rabies/ExoticPetsFarmAnimals/.
Jean Hall Dwyer, MS, Extension Communications Specialist, EDEN Point of
Contact, Alabama A&M University
For more information, call your county Extension office. Look in your telephone directory
under your county’s name to find the number.
UNP-2108
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New October 2016; UNP-2108