An exotic pet is a rare or unusual animal pet, or an animal kept as a pet which is not commonly thought of as a pet. The definition is an evolving one; some rodents, reptiles, and amphibians have become firmly enough established in the world of animal fancy to no longer be considered exotic.

Sometimes any unique or wild-looking pet (including common domestic animals such as the ferret and the domestic rat) is called an exotic pet. "Exotic" may also be used for a species which is non-indigenous to the owner's locale.

Many major pet stores and service providers (such as veterinary insurance carriers or online retailers) tend to classify any animal besides cats, dogs, small birds or fish as "exotic".


Alligators
Amphibians
Arctic Fox
Bears
Wolves and wolf/dog hybrids
Fennec Foxes
Tame Silver Foxes
Sugar Gliders
Indian Star Tortoises
Skunks
Degus
Civets
Genets
Kinkajous
Raccoon
Chinchillas
Capybaras
Hedgehogs
Wallaroos
Wild feline cubs such as lions, tigers, bobcats, servals, and ocelots
Reptiles such as snakes, turtles, tortoises, and lizards
Arthropods like spiders, praying mantises, and scorpions
Rare birds
Hyenas
Non-human primates

It has been estimated that as many as 15,000 non-human primates are kept by private individuals as pets in the United States. Nine states ban the keeping of non-human primates, but no federal law regulates ownership. In 1975, the Center for Disease Control prohibited their import into the US for use as pets.

The breeding industry uses descendants of animals imported before 1975. Non-human primates of various species, including those listed as endangered, such as cottontop tamarins, baboons, chimpanzees, Diana monkeys, lemurs and gibbons are still available for purchase in the US.

Many professionals, including veterinarians, zoologists, humane societies and others, strongly discourage the keeping of non-human primates as pets, as their complex emotional and social needs and other highly specialized requirements may be difficult to meet by the average owner.



Although the breeding population has been largely isolated from wild populations outside the US, they still have the potential to transmit zoonotic disease. There is a considerable risk of Monkey B virus from rhesus macaques.

Research workers have died from this disease contracted from non-human primate research subjects. Additionally, there is considerable risk to the non-human primate pet through transmission of human disease. One such example is herpes simplex virus, which can be deadly to certain smaller monkeys.