Top 10 Illegal Exotic Pets

The owls became popular as pets thanks to the “Harry Potter” saga. Their heart-shaped head and they large eyes make them mysterious animals that captivate us with great ease. However, they are solitary and very territorial animals, also they are predators; the captivity is not made for them.

Besides, like all of the above, these animals require very special care to have them in captivity. Having an owl is a lifelong commitment; because a small owl can live for over 20 years but a big one can even live to 50 years.

Any animal lover should rule out the possibility of having an owl as a pet. Do NOT cage an animal that needs freedom, the owl is not made to live sad and locked.

Hedgehogs are small, cute and expert at “roll into a ball” mammals. They are also covered with spikes.

They aren’t animals that we find in common stores, and they are considered as exotic animals, but recently many people decide to have a hedgehog as a pet.

Hedgehogs are not difficult to maintain and take care of but we must inform ourselves because they require some special care for the physical characteristics they present. The main problem is the abandonment for not handling the correct information at the time of buying them.

This animal became popular thanks to Paris Hilton. Although ti’s important to say that, despite looking innocent, this little animal took her to the hospital.

They live between 23 to 40 years and although it may seem quite peaceful, the truth is that it is not recommended to have it at home, like everyone else, because it needs care and space to grow and live in a healthy way.

Blue Macaws are native from South America. They’ve become very popular birds as exotic pets behind the animated film Rio, because of their colorful and colorful plumage, their intelligence (they are able to learn and understand up to 30 words), and because they can live for more than 50 years.

As for their care, food is very important and must be strictly followed because they are very delicate animal. In addition, it’s always recommended to buy a couple so that they don’t suffer from depression.

But wouldn’t it be better to see them flying free, in their natural habitat and find on their own the couple they want

The sloths look like cute bears. They live between 30 and 40 years and love to move slowly between the branches.

Although having these animals as pets is a temptation given its beauty, we must remember that sloths are in danger of extinction. Today, there are only two species of fifty that had been registered. Their sale is made by animal dealers in different parts of the world, so if you buy one you are contributing to their faster extinction.

These little marsupials have become trendy on internet. They are similar to hamsters, although with marsupials we must be very careful, and watch them closely.

Sugar gliders are very cute animals and always need to be with animals of the same species; if they live alone, they can suffer from depression or become self-injuring. They are also nocturnal, so they like to sleep all day.

People look for them as pets because of their nice character, their longevity and their manageable size. But even if they are quite meek and quiet, they need a special exotic diet, such as larvae and insects, and space to make them happy as their natural habitat is the treetops where they should be!

Squirrel monkeys are also known as Titi Monkeys. They are some of the most common exotic animals that people have at home; however, this is not a sensible idea.

In most cases they are animals that are hunted in a stealthy and illegal way. Many of the 42 Titi Monkey species are in danger of extinction. Their possession is also punishable by law in some countries, and only a specific species is reared in places that can guarantee its legal and non-extractive origin from the wild. In addition, they are animals that require special attention when being in captivity.

All iguanas have been one of the most common exotic animals in recent years, but the green iguana is the most used as a pet. They are precious and totally docile animals; besides, they don’t cause any problem living with people as they are very independent.

However, most of the iguanas that are bought as babies don’t exceed one year, because they suffer many diseases, both infectious and traumatic. Iguanas also carry diseases that can be transmitted to humans, like bacterial diseases, viral diseases, parasites, fungi and mites, and even some very serious illness as salmonella, which can cause death.

Mini-pigs became trendy thanks to George Clooney, who was one of the first famous to have one as a pet; this increased sales of mini-pigs around the world and made people want them in their homes. Since then, they’re becoming less exotic.

The legal sale of mini-pigs has resulted in commercial scams and abandonment, because what people don’t know when buying these animals is that mini-pigs won’t always be “mini”. It has become common that when the owner of the animal – who was not well informed and bought a little pig of 6 kg – decides to abandon it when it reaches adult size and weighs between 50 and 100 kg.

These animals have become very popular. Most of them live in Madagascar, where it has been illegal to kill, to store or to export lemurs as pets since 1964.

One of the reasons we should not have these animals as pets is because they are a species considered in danger of extinction, being guilty the man, for deforesting the trees in which they live or for hunting them directly.