Owning these 4 exotic pets in Pennsylvania could get you in trouble
Although you can own some exotic pets in Pennsylvania, these four might get you in trouble with the law.
Have you dreamed about cuddling your own sugar glider or adopting a prickly but sweet hedgehog? While owning an exotic pet—meaning non-domesticated animals, including many reptiles, birds, amphibians, and rodents—may seem like fun, these unique animals often require complex care like specialized diets and habitats. Plus, you can’t just adopt any animal you please in Pennsylvania—in the commonwealth, some exotic pets are illegal! Adopting them as companions can endanger not only these animals but also you, the people around you, and even the environment.
Read on to learn about the pets that are better kept to the wild—as well as the pets you’re more than welcome to bring home!
Sugar gliders
These tiny marsupials, with their big eyes staring up at you, are extremely cute. But unfortunately, that’s not a good enough reason to adopt one—because in Pennsylvania, you’d be breaking the law!
Native to New Guinea, Australia, and Indonesia, sugar gliders spend the first couple months of their lives in their mother’s pouch—and true to their name, they can glide through the air like flying squirrels. However, they are very social animals and would not take kindly to living without others in their species. They also need a specific diet of insects, fruits, and vegetables to remain healthy, as well as plenty of stimulation. Not to mention, they’re nocturnal—and since most humans keep daylight hours, a human home is not a sugar glider’s ideal environment.
You might be able to adopt one with a permit, but the stringent requirements to obtain a permit from the Pa. Game Commission make it unlikely.
Hedgehogs
Like sugar gliders, hedgehogs are adorable. However, the state of Pennsylvania does not allow them to be kept as pets without permits—it is one of just a handful of states banning hedgehogs.
The hedgehog is native to Europe, Asia, and Africa, though the species most common in other U.S. states is the African pygmy hedgehog, which is smaller than its European counterpart. Pa. game commissioners have warned that exotic animals like hedgehogs that find their way outdoors, either by escaping or being set loose, could compete with local fauna or spread disease. Hedgehogs are also solitary creatures in the wild, likely not enthused about human companionship and captivity.
While you might technically be able to adopt a hedgehog with a permit from the Pa. Game Commission, the requirements are steep—like caring for the animals for two years at a special facility.
Monk parakeet (Quaker parrot)
While many exotic animals in Pennsylvania are illegal simply because the law doesn’t specify them as legal, the monk parakeet—also called the Quaker parrot—is another story. The Pa. code explicitly defines monk parakeets as exotic pets that are not to be kept by Pennsylvanians.
These intelligent birds that can mimic speech are the most common parrots in the U.S. But, native to South America, their release into the wild as a result of pet ownership has contributed to feral populations of the birds in urban areas throughout the U.S. Pennsylvania has banned monk parakeets because they compete with native birds for food and shelter and also threaten agriculture, since Pa. crops like apples and squash are some of the birds’ favorite snacks.
Big cats
Is it any surprise that it’s not legal to own lions and tigers in Pennsylvania? Sure, you can ostensibly get a permit to adopt a lion or tiger, but you’d need years of experience taking care of them.
As of 2020, just 12 exotic wildlife permits belong to Pennsylvania residents, allowing them to possess big cats like lions, tigers, cheetahs, and the like. So, your chances of being the next Tiger King are slim because of the strength of Pennsylvania’s exotic wildlife laws. “We’re way ahead of the curve,” the chief of the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s special permits enforcement division told PennLive in 2020.
What other animals are illegal to own in Pennsylvania?
Pa. code also prohibits possession of monkeys and other primates, coyotes, wolves, skunks, nutria (a type of river rodent—an oddly specific inclusion), raccoons, and bears. You also can’t adopt animals from the wild or any animals listed as threatened or endangered.
What animals can you have as pets in Pennsylvania?
Dogs and cats, of course, as well as many species of rabbits, rodents, birds (besides monk parakeets and game birds), fish, and reptiles like non-venomous snakes. And though Hawaii and California both ban ferrets, Pennsylvania does not!
Where can I adopt animals in Pennsylvania?
Rather than supporting the sketchy exotic pet breeding industry, you can adopt homeless animals at your local animal shelter. Don’t want a cat or dog? Your animal shelter may sometimes have more unique pets for adoption, like hamsters, rabbits, or turtles. Give them a call if you’re looking to expand your fur (or furless?) family!
Our stories may be republished online or in print under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. We ask that you edit only for style or to shorten, provide proper attribution and link to our web site. Please see our republishing guidelines for use of photos and graphics.
