What Exotic Pets Have a “Green Card” In The USA?

The age of pet world only belonging to dogs and cats is over! In the USA, cats and dogs are starting to move away from the house and are being replaced by exotic pets. Oh, god, how could this have happened! Let’s dig out the truth and find out which exotic pets are on the way in.

1. Serval (tierboskat)

Watch this slender, big cat! It looks so wild with a small head, large ears, a golden-yellow buff spotted coat and black strips, as well as the longest legs of any cat for its body size. To be honest, it is not an ideal pet for everyone.
Servals aren’t typically aggressive, but they can be hard to train. After all, their ancestors have been living in Africa for centuries. While they may be affectionate, like many cats, the serval can purr, grunt and meow. I can’t image when such a big cat make the soft meows, what crazy things I will do.

No. 2 Fennec Fox

Fennec fox looks so cute with large ears like a dog, as well as a fluffy round face. They are one of the most popular exotic animals not only because of their appearance, but also their character. They resemble dogs but have the temperament of a cat, as they sleep most of the day and can be litter boxed trained. It seems that owning a fennec fox is a good choice!

No. 3 Hyacinth Macaw

Another beautiful creature! The hyacinth macaw is the largest macaw and flying parrot in existence. They are as affectionate as a human being. You can’t believe they show affection by cuddling with their owners. They will melt your heart!
This bird can grow up to 40 inches tall with a 60-inch wingspan and that means they are strong. If you decide to own this large macaw, you should train them as young as possible in order to make sure that they never hurt anyone with their powerful beak. Besides, they are costly and make loud noises. You can’t expect more from a bird that is supposed to sing in the rainforest!

No. 4 Squirrel Monkey

Squirrel monkeys are some of the most adorable exotic pets. They are fun, playful and energetic. Besides, the squirrel monkey is very smart, social and super affectionate due to having the largest brain out of all primates. Therefore, they are relatively easy to be trained.
However, Squirrel monkeys often spread their urine on their feet, hands, and sometimes all over their body to mark their territory. Also, they can cost you a lot. You must prepare enough money for owning a squirrel monkey.

States Where Non-Human Primates Are Legal (2013)

No. 5 Bearded Dragon

The Bearded dragon is a common house pet in the USA. They can grow to be up to two feet long, so you need ample space for them to live in your house. Their funny look often attracts kids to hold and handle, but it’s necessary to wash hands afterward. Keeping a bearded dragon as a pet is interesting, but it might not be a good pet to bond emotionally with, due to its excessively calm nature.

No. 6 Skunk (polecats)

Surprise! Who guessed it is in the list? Skunks are notorious for their ability to spray a liquid with a strong odor. Initially, farmers used them to scare rodents away from crops.
They will be excellent as pets once their scent glands are removed. Skunks are incredibly sensitive, talented, and curious regardless of the smelly reputation.
They are small, about 15.6 to 37 in long and weigh an average of 8-12 pounds and can live about 12 years, and thus can be litter box trained. But watch out they love to steal small trinkets all over the house. Oh, such a bad habit!

No. 7 Axolotl

The axolotl is a sort of a salamander that originates from Mexico. It looks like a cute alien baby. Even if its appearance is weird, it has proven to be an excellent pet for those with a taste in different pets. The most amazing thing about it is it’s capacity for regenerating any part of its body in due time. Besides, you also need a large space because axolotl will grow big. What An incredible creature!

No. 8 Hedgehog

A hedgehog is legal to own in most states around the United States. But there are few places where it’s still illegal - Pennsylvania, Hawaii, California, Georgia, Arizona, and Maine.
It’s easy to care for a hedgehog, just provide it with a cage, food, water, a hiding place, and a place to do its “business.” I think it’s a good choice to keep a hedgehog, especially you have little space.

No. 9 Flying Squirrel (Sugar Glider)

You will fall in love with this little thing! Sugar glider gets its name from its preference for the sweet foods and the ability to glide through the air. Yes, you read that right! "glide through the air," can your image that a squirrel is flying?
They come from the same general family as a Kangaroo. Imagine if a kangaroo could fly! They can live 10-15 years, reach about 7 inches in length and weigh only about 6 ounces. The home of this fantastic creature is Australia, Papua New Guinea, and Indonesia.
Sugar Glider is social, friendly and talkative. They love interaction, and if they are kept alone for a long time, they will be too sad to die. Better to own two or more sugar gliders if you are busy.

No. 10 Chinchilla

Don’t be tricked by such a fluffy as well as innocent face! But, they look really cute and people just can’t help loving them. Besides, they are low-maintenance pets with a little room in their enclosures and you never need to spend much money on them.
However, you have to think about whether to own such a badass carefully. They are a member of the rodent family but are one of the more destructive ones. They don’t like to be cuddled, but they love to run around and play. They have little patience with everything and will be easily bored. Therefore, it might be a perfect pet for naughty kids!
Those listed animals are commonly legal in the USA. But every state has different exotic pet laws. For example, in some places, you can have a pet squirrel while other places you can’t have. If you are determined to keep an exotic pet, you should check the laws first.

Why Choose An Exotic Pet?

After all, keeping an exotic pet is not as common as we keep a dog or a cat. Then why many people are willing to make such a choice. Here are the reasons they give that possibly make sense.

● Learning Experience
Sounds cool! They say that keeping exotic pets are different from owning cats and dogs; they have to know more so that they can devote themselves to the career of working with those aliens, which is both a challenging and an exciting task.
● Save Space
Owners who live in a tiny, cramped apartment can’t accommodate a territorial occupation by cats and dogs, and they also don’t have the heart to lock up their former allies into a cage. A little hamster, guinea pig or even a reptile naturally replaces the position of cats and dogs.
● Pet Allergies
Someone is allergic to the dander that furry pets carry on their coats. They have no choice but to find other animals to entertain their life. Sounds reasonable and inexcusable!
● Live A Long Time
It’s difficult to face the death of their lovely pets for some emotional people. They know well never a creature could live forever. But they are trying to find some animals that can live longer. Some Exotic birds and reptiles can live for 20-40 years or more in captivity if were taken care of properly.
Exotic pets' regime is being consolidated with the help of some human beings. I seem to hear exotic pets’ triumphant laughter, but should they be happy or sad? How about us?