8 Exotic Pets You Can Own

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Skunk

All fifty states in the US are home to skunks, except for Alaska and Hawaii. They look a lot like weasels or even mice, but they are actually in their own family, Mephitidae.

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Raccoon

People already know that raccoons like to dig through trash cans in public places, which could mean that these nighttime animals have gotten used to being around people. It's not a surprise that raccoons are kept as pets since this is how dogs are thought to have become tamed.

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Opossum

The Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana), which is not the same as the possums that live in Australia, is the only marsupial animal in North America. It has a very strange appearance. Also, more people than you might think like having them as pets.

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Fox

The exotic pet trade offers various fox species. Fennec foxes weigh 2 pounds and are popular. The distinctive red, gray, and fast foxes are native. Native foxes (perhaps save greys), especially reds, are destructive and have foul-smelling urine, making them unsuitable indoor pets.

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Ring-Tailed Cat

This pretty animal looks a lot like a spotted genet or maybe a ring-tailed mongoose (Galidia elegans), which is native to the island nation of Madagascar. This makes a lot of people think it is from Africa.

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Flying Squirrel

Two types of flying squirrels are kept as exotic pets: the Southern flying squirrel (Glaucomys volans), native to the Eastern half of the US, and the less common Northern flying squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus), which is sparsely distributed in some Northern states but more common in Canada and Alaska.

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American Pine Marten

The charming little creature is a terrible predator. It belongs in the Mustelae family and resembles a fox or mink. They are rare pets, although one breeder sells them to native species owners.