Colorado Spells Out Which Wildlife Can Legally Be Kept As Pets

Colorado is a state that allows lots of animals to be kept as pets. Surprisingly, the list of approved pets is much longer than the list of banned animals.

Keep reading to learn more about which kinds of animals Colorado does not allow as pets and why. We'll also check which kinds of pets require a special license.

12 Unusual Pets People are Banned From Owning in Colorado

The list of animals Colorado does not allow residents to keep as pets is much shorter than the list of animals we are allowed to keep at home. Keep reading to review the list of animals determined to be too dangerous to keep at home for several reasons.

Gallery Credit: Wesley Adams

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Surprising Pets You Can Own In Colorado

Where To Find Colorado's Winter Wildlife On The Western Slope — Matt Kaminski

Colorado's code of regulations (Chapter 13) focuses on the possession of wildlife and special licenses required to keep certain types of wildlife. More than 30 types of animals are approved as pets in the Centennial State, while 12 are banned. Some of the pets we did not expect to see on the "approved" list in Colorado include a pet elk, a bison, a camel, an ostrich, a pet reindeer, and red kangaroos. While certain types of hedgehogs are allowed, others are not, so hedgehogs appear on both the approved list and the list of banned pets.

Why Some Pets are Banned in Colorado

Many of the pets in the gallery below are banned because they can transmit harmful diseases to humans, so you don't want them living in your home with you. Others are banned simply because they might eat you or your neighbors, creating lots of problems for municipalities to have to deal with.

Pets That Require A License in Colorado

A large green snake is on a branch — Photo by Green Liu on Unsplash

Pets that require a special license in the state of Colorado include tropical snakes and non-native venomous snakes. You can find out more about license requirements and applications here.

LOOK: Beware of the 12 Most Dangerous Animals in Colorado

Keep an eye out for the following 12 dangerous animals in Colorado. While these creatures usually go out of their way to avoid you, if you encounter one you will want to give it plenty of space. Scroll on to see each one and find out why they make the cut of the most dangerous animals in Colorado.

Gallery Credit: Wes Adams

NEXT: Colorado's Endangered & Threatened Species: 19 Animals Found On the List

Several different animals found in Colorado are listed as "endangered" by the federal government and the Centennial State. We're taking a closer look at 19 of the animals in the gallery below considered endangered or threatened in Colorado.

Gallery Credit: Wesley Adams