Exotic pet laws in Connecticut
Rules read from each state's law on 10 November 2026. Not legal advice.
The table lists every animal we cover and what Connecticut law says about keeping it as a pet. Each row links to the rule it rests on; animals link to their own state-by-state guide.
Animal by animal in Connecticut
| Animal | Status | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capybara | Banned | Capybaras are rodents, and all rodents except a short list of pet species are Category Two wild animals that private people may not possess. The capybara is not on the exception list.Category Two Wild Animal; no pet-owner route | Regs. Conn. State Agencies 26-55-6(a)(3)(B),... |
| Fennec fox | Banned | Foxes are in the family Canidae, which is Category One. Private individuals may not import or possess any Category One wild animal, including hybrids.Category One Wild Animal; no pet-owner route | Regs. Conn. State Agencies 26-55-6(a)(2), (b)(1) |
| Raccoon | Banned | Raccoons are Procyonidae, which is Category Two. Private individuals may not import or possess them.Category Two Wild Animal; no pet-owner route | Regs. Conn. State Agencies 26-55-6(a)(3)(B),... |
| Red fox | Banned | Foxes are in the family Canidae, which is Category One. Private individuals may not import or possess any Category One wild animal, including hybrids.Category One Wild Animal; no pet-owner route | Regs. Conn. State Agencies 26-55-6(a)(2), (b)(1) |
| Skunk | Banned | Skunks are Mephitidae, which is Category Two. Private individuals may not import or possess them, even if captive-bred.Category Two Wild Animal; no pet-owner route | Regs. Conn. State Agencies 26-55-6(a)(3)(B),... |
| Kangaroo | Banned | Red and gray kangaroos (subgenera Osphranter and Macropus) are Category Two. Private individuals may not import or possess them.Category Two Wild Animal; no pet-owner route | Regs. Conn. State Agencies 26-55-6(a)(3)(B),... |
| Big cat | Banned | All Felidae, including lions, tigers, leopards, jaguars, cheetahs and pumas, are Category One. Private individuals may not import or possess them, with a narrow exemption for certified domestic cat breeds.Category One Wild Animal; no pet-owner route | Regs. Conn. State Agencies 26-55-6(a)(2), (b)(1) |
| Bobcat | Banned | Bobcats and lynx are named as Felidae in Category One. Private individuals may not possess them, and state law also lists them as potentially dangerous animals.Category One Wild Animal; no pet-owner route | Conn. Gen. Stat. 26-40a(a)(1); Regs. Conn. St... |
| Prairie dog | Banned | Prairie dogs are rodents and are not on the exception list, so they are Category Two wild animals that private people may not possess.Category Two Wild Animal; no pet-owner route | Regs. Conn. State Agencies 26-55-6(a)(3)(B),... |
| Kinkajou | Banned | Kinkajous are Procyonidae, which is Category Two. Private individuals may not import or possess them.Category Two Wild Animal; no pet-owner route | Regs. Conn. State Agencies 26-55-6(a)(3)(B),... |
| Alligator or other crocodilian | Banned | All crocodilians, including alligators, crocodiles and caiman, are Category Two. Private individuals may not import or possess them.Category Two Wild Animal; no pet-owner route | Regs. Conn. State Agencies 26-55-6(a)(3)(B),... |
| Venomous snake | Banned | Cobras, mambas, coral snakes, rattlesnakes, vipers and several rear-fanged snake genera are Category Two. Private individuals may not import or possess them.Category Two Wild Animal; no pet-owner route | Regs. Conn. State Agencies 26-55-6(a)(3)(B),... |
| Bear | Banned | All bears (family Ursidae) are Category One. Private individuals may not import or possess them, and state law also lists them as potentially dangerous animals.Category One Wild Animal; no pet-owner route | Regs. Conn. State Agencies 26-55-6(a)(2), (b)(1) |
| Wolfdog | Banned | Wolves, other Canidae and hybrids of them are Category One. Private individuals may not import or possess wolfdogs, and state law lists wolf hybrids as potentially dangerous animals.Category One Wild Animal, hybrids included | Conn. Gen. Stat. 26-40a(a)(2); Regs. Conn. St... |
| Pet monkey | Banned for new owners | Primates are Category Two and barred for private owners. Only a primate under 35 pounds at maturity that was legally held before October 1, 2003 may stay, with state registration. A registered primate may be transferred to another individual if the transfer is registered.Grandfathering only: under 35 lb at maturity, held before Oct 1 2003, registered with DEEP | Regs. Conn. State Agencies 26-55-6(a)(3)(B)(i... |
| Lemur | Banned for new owners | Lemurs are primates, which are Category Two and barred for private owners. Only a primate under 35 pounds at maturity that was legally held before October 1, 2003 may stay, registered with the state.Grandfathering only: under 35 lb at maturity, held before Oct 1 2003, registered with DEEP | Regs. Conn. State Agencies 26-55-6(a)(3)(B)(i... |
| Serval or savannah cat | Depends | Servals are Felidae and barred for private owners. Savannah cats are hybrids of a wild cat, but the statute exempts people who keep a cat breed certified by TICA, CFA or ACFA. Confirm breed status with DEEP.Serval prohibited. Hybrid exempt only if a breed certified by TICA, CFA or ACFA | Conn. Gen. Stat. 26-40a(a)(1), (d); Regs. Con... |
| Wallaby | Depends | Many wallaby groups (rock, pademelon, swamp, nail-tailed, hare, forest wallabies, quokka) are barred. Bennett's, parma and other Notamacropus wallabies are not named in the list. Species matters, so ask DEEP before buying.Depends on species; named genera prohibited, Notamacropus not named | Regs. Conn. State Agencies 26-55-6(a)(3)(B)(v... |
| Giant constrictor | Depends | Reticulated and African rock pythons and green, yellow and Bolivian anacondas are barred for private owners. The Burmese python is not named in the regulation. Species matters, so ask DEEP before buying.Named pythons and anacondas prohibited; Burmese python not named | Regs. Conn. State Agencies 26-55-6(a)(3)(B)(x... |
| Axolotl | No state restriction found | Connecticut's wild animal categories do not name axolotls or non-native salamanders, so no state permit or ban applies. Only listed native amphibians and endangered species are covered. | Regs. Conn. State Agencies 26-55-6 |
| African pygmy hedgehog | No state restriction found | State law says hedgehogs of the genus Atelerix are not wild mammals, so the wildlife possession permit rules do not apply to African pygmy hedgehogs. | Conn. Gen. Stat. 26-55(a) |
| Ferret | No state restriction found | State law says domestic ferrets are not wild mammals, so no wildlife permit is needed. The state ferret licence statute was repealed. | Conn. Gen. Stat. 26-55(a); 26-44 (repealed) |
| Sugar glider | No state restriction found | State law says sugar gliders are not wild mammals, so the wildlife possession permit rules do not apply to them. | Conn. Gen. Stat. 26-55(a) |
| Chinchilla | No state restriction found | Chinchillas are expressly excepted from the rodent group that is barred, so no state permit is needed. | Regs. Conn. State Agencies 26-55-6(a)(3)(B)(xxv) |
| Tarantula | No state restriction found | Connecticut's categories name no spiders, tarantulas or arachnids, so no state permit or ban applies to pet tarantulas. | Regs. Conn. State Agencies 26-55-6 |
| Tegu | No state restriction found | The regulation names only certain monitors (Nile, water, crocodile and others) and the Komodo dragon among lizards. The Argentine tegu is not listed, so no state permit or ban applies. | Regs. Conn. State Agencies 26-55-6 |
| Otter | Not verified yet | We could not confirm Connecticut's rule for this animal yet. Ask Connecticut DEEP Wildlife Division before you buy. | Agency page |
Who regulates exotic pets in Connecticut
Connecticut DEEP Wildlife Division is the agency to ask. Statute 26-55 requires a DEEP permit to possess wild animals as the regulations designate. Regulation 26-55-6 defines wild animal and the four categories. Ferrets, Atelerix hedgehogs, sugar gliders and degu are by statute not wild mammals.
The main texts:
Before you buy in Connecticut
- Ask the state agency above, in writing if you can, and keep the answer.
- Ask your county and city: local ordinances can ban an animal the state allows.
- Check your lease, homeowners or renters insurance and any homeowner association rules.
- Buy only from a seller who can show the animal is captive-bred and legal to ship to Connecticut.
See every state in exotic pet laws by state, or test one animal in the legality checker.
How we checked. For each state we read the statutes, administrative code and agency lists that govern keeping wild or exotic animals, and every row above links to the text it rests on. A second, independent reviewer then re-read the same sources, and a row is shown only if it survived that check. "Not verified yet" means a state's rule could not be read or confirmed, which is a gap in our data and not a green light. County and city ordinances, landlord and insurance rules, and federal law sit on top of the state rule. Read how we check. See an error? Email hello@creaturesincrisis.org with the link.
Quick answers
- Is it legal to own a raccoon in Connecticut?
- Banned. Raccoons are Procyonidae, which is Category Two. Private individuals may not import or possess them.
- Is it legal to own a monkey in Connecticut?
- Banned for new owners. Primates are Category Two and barred for private owners. Only a primate under 35 pounds at maturity that was legally held before October 1, 2003 may stay, with state registration. A registered primate may be transferred to another individual if the transfer is registered.
- Is it legal to own a fox in Connecticut?
- Banned. Foxes are in the family Canidae, which is Category One. Private individuals may not import or possess any Category One wild animal, including hybrids.
- Is it legal to own a skunk in Connecticut?
- Banned. Skunks are Mephitidae, which is Category Two. Private individuals may not import or possess them, even if captive-bred.
- Is it legal to own a ferret in Connecticut?
- No state restriction found. State law says domestic ferrets are not wild mammals, so no wildlife permit is needed. The state ferret licence statute was repealed.
- Is it legal to own a capybara in Connecticut?
- Banned. Capybaras are rodents, and all rodents except a short list of pet species are Category Two wild animals that private people may not possess. The capybara is not on the exception list.
- Who do I ask about exotic pets in Connecticut?
- Start with Connecticut DEEP Wildlife Division. Then ask your county and city.