Should People Own Exotic Pets?

Ed was on the run. For more than a week last June, he eluded authorities in Tennessee. Some people spotted him racing down the highway. Others saw him dart into the woods. 

When he was finally caught, Ed was airlifted away by helicopter, his black and white stripes on display for curious spectators to see.

Ed is—you guessed it—a zebra. But he didn’t escape from a zoo. Ed is one of about 17.6 million exotic pets in the United States, according to PangoVet, an online veterinary service.

Exotic pets are animals that are not domesticated. Think colorful birds, slithery snakes, prickly hedgehogs, and even mighty tigers. The types you can own depends on your state (see map below). But Ed’s adventure, along with similar wild pet tales, has many Americans questioning whether such animals should be kept as pets at all.

Some people say owning exotic pets helps people connect with and appreciate wild animals. But others argue that the creatures are too unpredictable to live with, no matter how much they might seem like part of the family.

Should people have exotic pets? Consider the arguments and then choose a side.

Wild creatures require more care than many people realize, argues Kiah Almquist. She is the manager of the Forever Wild Exotic Animal Sanctuary in Phelan, California. People call the facility every week looking to hand over exotic pets such as bearded dragons, sugar gliders, and pythons, Almquist says. “Many people impulse-buy exotic pets, and then they no longer want to take care of them.” 

A capybara, for example, needs grass to roam, shelters to hide in, and a large, filtered pool of water for swimming. The rodent also eats up to 8 pounds of hay, grass, fruit, and vegetables a day. 

Some wild creatures—like Ed the zebra—are prone to escaping because they aren’t used to living with people, experts say. The animals might feel trapped in a house or yard, explains Michael Q. Bailey. He is the president of the American Veterinary Medical Association.

Plus, wild animals often act in unpredictable ways, so having an exotic pet can be dangerous—for the animal and for you. “Even when people mean well, it’s nearly impossible to fully control how a wild animal behaves,” Bailey says. “That’s why wild animals belong in the wild, not as pets.”