Lisa O
The world is full of stunning, unique, and exotic animals, but that doesn’t mean they all make good pets. Picking a pet requires some serious thought, and just because you can own a zebra or tiger doesn’t mean you should. Why not? Many animals can’t live in captivity, so trying to turn them into pets puts their well-being at risk. With that in mind, here are 30 of the worst animals to keep as pets.
Alligator
Keeping an alligator as a pet is just asking for trouble. Think it’ll cozy up with the family and snooze on your bed? Nope, it’s not happening. Alligators weren’t made to be pets. They’re masters of deception, fooling people into thinking they’re slow or predictable—but neither is true. Never assume you know what an alligator will do next, and don’t kid yourself into thinking you can outrun one.
Bat
Keeping a bat as a pet isn’t helping it out at all. They’re not built for life in captivity—they must fly long distances to stay happy and healthy. Sticking them in a cage or pen? That’s pure torture. A bat stuck like that will be scared, lonely, and won’t eat right. They’d much rather hang with other bats than with people. Bats aren’t here to be spooky pets or living Halloween decorations.
Arctic Fox
Arctic foxes are super pretty and can be tamed, but no matter how much effort you put in, they’ll never be fully domesticated. Sure, they can learn to chill around people, but they’ll always have that wild side. You never know when they might lash out, bite, or worse. And if you’ve got other small pets? Forget it—an Arctic fox will just see them as snacks.
Armadillo
Armadillos come with their fair share of issues, like parasites and diseases such as leprosy and malaria. Good luck finding a vet willing—or able—to treat a sick armadillo. They’re not exactly social butterflies, either. Armadillos tend to fight with each other and need plenty of room to roam and dig. Oh, and let’s not forget their razor-sharp claws, which can tear up just about anything they touch—including your patio furniture.
Bengal cats
Bengal cats are stunning, but they’re not exactly easy pets. They’ve got a bunch of health and behavior issues. Don’t be shocked if they ditch the litter box and pee all over the house, especially when they’re acting up. And yes, chronic diarrhea is pretty common with Bengals. They’re crazy vocal—always meowing about something. Leave them alone too long, and they’ll hate it. A bored Bengal? That’s just asking for trouble—they’ll get into all kinds of mischief.
Chimpanzee
Chimpanzees are super cute, but they’re awful pets. To make a chimpanzee “pet-worthy,” they have to be taken from their mothers when they’re really young, and this inhumane process usually ends with the mother dying. Once they’re grown, chimpanzees need constant care, or they’ll get aggressive. They’re extremely strong and won’t hesitate to bite if they’reupset. Chimpanzee owners have even reported losing fingers or having parts of their faces bitten off by their pissed-off chimps.
Capybara
These huge rodents are usually good with humans. But if they feel threatened or annoyed, they won’t think twice about using their big, rat-like teeth to defend themselves. Capybaras are all about being in groups, so they have to be around other capybaras. And if you’ve got both male and female capybaras in the same enclosure, watch out—there’s likely to be some serious territory drama.
Black-Eared Opossum
Opossums already look sad, and it’s easy to picture them having a tough life—so why make it worse by keeping them as pets? They don’t handle captivity well and often end up with metabolic bone disease from not getting the right food. They’re loners by nature, so if you put two in the same cage, don’t expect them to be buddies—they’ll probably try to kill each other instead.
Long-Tailed Chinchilla
Chinchillas are adorable and tiny, but they’re a lot of work for pet owners. They’re super social, so being alone isn’t great for them—they need tons of attention and stimulation. Chinchillas also need a big cage and plenty of supervised outdoor time to keep them happy. They’re messy, especially with their dust baths, so you’ll be bringing dust into your place for them.
Common Degu
Degus thrive in big degu communities, so unless you’re ready to start your own degu commune, they might not be your best pet. They can get aggressive or stressed out if they don’t get enough attention. Communication’s a big deal for degus—they’ll try to chat with you using their little chitter-chatter sounds. But if they feel threatened, stressed, or catch another degu stealing their food, they’ll let out some seriously annoying high-pitched screeches.
Dingo
Dingoes are a wild dog breed—wild being the key word here. If they’re taken from their litter before six weeks and put through some intense training, they might become somewhat domesticated. But if you own a dingo, you can never let your guard down, no matter how well-trained they are. Their behavior will always be unpredictable. Let’s be real: dingoes will never be the loving, loyal companions that domesticated dogs are.
Diamondback Terrapin
Diamondback turtles do best when they’re in a group with enough space for everyone. If their enclosure’s too crowded, it’ll cause tension, and they’ll start snapping at each other. These turtles aren’t just picky eaters—they’re also super messy and love flipping their bowls over. If you find one in the wild, don’t adopt it. Leave it where it is because wild turtles get super stressed and anxious in captivity, which can lead to serious health problems.
Emperor Scorpion
Emperor scorpions are the most popular type to keep as pets, but they’re not ideal for homes with kids or other pets. They don’t have much personality, aren’t exactly friendly, and you can’t hold them—they’ll just get stressed. Their sting is about the same as a bee or wasp sting, and it is not super painful, but some people might have a bad allergic reaction. Plus, they’ll mostly hide from you anyway.
Fennec Fox
One of the first things you should know before getting this animal as a pet is that they stink a lot. They sweat a natural oil from their skin and fur that smells so bad it keeps predators away. Fennec foxes are social animals and need constant attention from their owner—if they don’t get it, they’ll cry. And don’t touch them after they’ve eaten, or they’ll bite you—hard. The bite can be so strong it could actually be deadly to kids.
Green Iguana
Many reptiles have sweet, friendly personalities and make good pets, but iguanas aren’t one of them. They hate being touched, and if they feel threatened, they’ll whip you with their tail, which can really hurt. They’re pretty much impossible to train and are a huge commitment. Green iguanas can be expensive to keep because of their special diet and habitat needs.
Hermit Crab
Having a hermit crab as a pet might seem fun for you, but it’s a life of misery for them. Their name might make you think they’re loners, but in reality, they’re super social. They thrive in big communities, so keeping them in a tank alone is basically a death sentence. If you mess up their temperature settings, they could suffocate. Leave them in the wild, and they’ll live twice as long as they would in captivity.
Kinkajou
Kinkajous get very upset when their environment changes and can become aggressive and downright belligerent. They’ll bite, scratch, and can cause some serious injuries. Their bites are no joke—they’ll latch onto you, clamp down, and their sharp teeth can tear through skin, muscle, and even bone. If that doesn’t freak you out, they also carry deadly bacteria that they can pass on to you through their bite.
Parakeet
Who doesn’t love having a parakeet around? Anyone who likes some peace and quiet, that’s who. These birds are some of the loudest, with their nonstop squawking and screeching. Parakeets aren’t the healthiest birds either—they can get sick just from a small change in temperature. They also need to spend some time outside their cage to stretch their wings and get exercise.
Zebra
Zebras are way too wild to be tamed. They have completely different needs than horses and definitely shouldn’t be kept in stalls. They’re not rideable, and even if they were, they have a ducking reflex—so trying to put reins on them will end in frustration. On top of that, they’ve got a dangerous bite, and their kicks are no joke. The force of a zebra’s kick could easily break your jaw.
Prairie Dog
Prairie dogs carry a bunch of diseases, including Monkeypox, and they’re also at risk for the plague. If they catch something serious, they can put anyone nearby in danger. If that doesn’t scare you off, just know that if you keep them as pets and don’t give them enough attention, social interaction, or space, they’ll get depressed and sick.
Raccoon
Raccoons look pretty calm, but they can be total troublemakers to live with. They’re high-maintenance and super unpredictable, which is not a great combo. When they’re scared or annoyed, their go-to moves are biting or causing chaos.Raccoons are major mischief-makers and will act out by tossing water bowls, repotting plants, dumping your bookshelves, tearing apart the trash, peeing on your things, and even stripping the bedsheets.
Skunk
If you’re considering getting a skunk as a pet, your only option is a domesticated one. These skunks are descended, which is great for you but pretty rough on them since their scent is how they protect themselves. If your skunk escapes, they could be in serious trouble. Skunks need tons of attention and care; if you leave them alone all day, they’ll get into all kinds of mischief.
Slow Loris
Owning a slow loris as a pet really shouldn’t even be on the table since they’re an endangered species and illegal. But they’re super cute, and everyone wants one. The truth is, these wild animals aren’t fun to have around, and they’re actuallythe only venomous primate, so there’s that. Their bites can be seriously painful and are known to cause illness, loss of body parts, or even death.
South American Coati
If you think dealing with a permanent toddler that has super-sharp teeth, claws, and loves to cause chaos sounds fun, then a coati might be the pet for you. Coatis aren’t exactly great for most households. When the males hit sexual maturity, they get pretty aggressive, and the females do the same when they’re in heat. Coatis are super impulsive and won’t hesitate to bite if they want you to stop what you’re doing.
Sugar Glider
Sugar Gliders might look cute and friendly, but it’s best not to get too close. They’re wild animals that live in big family groups. Keeping one in a cage is a quick way for them to get depressed and possibly hurt themselves. They’re also pretty noisy, and when they’re anxious or scared, they’ll make a sound called “crabbing,” which is basically like metal getting caught in a paper shredder.
Thirteen Lined Ground Squirrel
Squirrels aren’t meant to be pets. They’re not tame, get very unhappy in cages, and are hard to handle. They’re not great pets for kids since they need to be treated with care. When they’re mad, they’ll bite, kick, and even jump on their owner’s shoulders and yank their hair out. They also make a lot of noise, including a growling sound when angry.
Tiger
Tigers are wild animals, and bringing one into your home is playing with fire. How many people have to get mauled or worse before we realize tigers aren’t cut out to be pets? Keep in mind that tigers aren’t your average cuddly house cat, and you’ll need to resist the urge to touch them—there’s always the risk they’ll snap and hurt or even kill you.
Venomous Snakes
If something is venomous, that’s reason enough not to have it as a pet. But some people think owning dangerous snakes makes them look cool or impresses others. Snakes bite if they feel threatened or you’ve crossed into their space. One big issue with having venomous snakes in your home is if they manage to escape—because when they do, everyone in the house is at serious risk of getting bitten.
Wolf
We bet you won’t find anyone recommending wolves as pets. While there are dogs that have some wolf in them, they’ve evolved. Wolves, on the other hand, are wild and still do what they’ve always done—hunt and kill without any intention of teaming up with humans. Both wolves and dogs mark their territory, but wolves take it to the next level by doing it constantly.
Red Fox
The good news is that red foxes can be tamed. The bad news? That doesn’t make them any less dangerous, destructive, or tough to live with. Fox urine is a big issue, too, since it leaves a nasty, long-lasting smell. Even all those foxes who’ve been litter-box trained still like to mark their territory now and then, and if their pee gets on your carpet or couch, you’ll never get rid of it.
