Exotic pet laws in Wyoming
Rules read from each state's law on 10 November 2026. Not legal advice.
The table lists every animal we cover and what Wyoming 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 Wyoming
| Animal | Status | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pet monkey | Banned | Wyoming will not issue a permit for any nonhuman primate, so private individuals cannot keep a monkey. | Wyo. Game & Fish Comm'n Ch. 10, Section 11(b)... |
| Big cat | Banned | Wyoming bars private ownership of mountain lions (trophy game) and will not permit federally listed wildlife, which covers tigers, lions, leopards, jaguars and cheetahs. Private individuals cannot keep these cats. | Wyo. Game & Fish Comm'n Ch. 10, Section 11(a)... |
| Lemur | Banned | Lemurs are nonhuman primates, and Wyoming will not issue a permit for any nonhuman primate. Lemurs are also federally listed. Private individuals cannot keep one. | Wyo. Game & Fish Comm'n Ch. 10, Section 11(b)... |
| Bear | Banned | Black bears and grizzlies are trophy game animals in Wyoming, and private ownership or possession is banned. Polar and some other bears are federally listed and also barred. | Wyo. Game & Fish Comm'n Ch. 10, Section 11(a)... |
| Wolfdog | Banned | Wyoming will not issue a permit to import or possess a wolf hybrid, and gray wolves are also barred. Private individuals cannot keep a wolfdog. | Wyo. Game & Fish Comm'n Ch. 10, Section 11(b)... |
| Capybara | Permit needed | A capybara is not a domestic or domesticated animal in Wyoming, so a Game and Fish permit is required, and the Department decides each application case by case. It is not on the prohibited list.Chapter 10 importation/possession permit, discretionary; approved holding facility | Wyo. Game & Fish Comm'n Ch. 10, Sections 3, 1... |
| Fennec fox | Permit needed | A fennec fox is not domestic in Wyoming, so a Game and Fish importation and possession permit is required. Permits are discretionary and reviewed case by case. Wyoming's fox rules name only native species.Chapter 10 permit, discretionary; approved holding facility | Wyo. Game & Fish Comm'n Ch. 10, Sections 3, 1... |
| Serval or savannah cat | Permit needed | A serval is not domestic in Wyoming, so a discretionary Game and Fish permit is required. The rule's wildlife definition includes hybrids of wildlife and domestic animals, so a savannah cat is likely covered, but generations are not addressed. Ask the Department.Chapter 10 permit, discretionary; rule does not address hybrid generation | Wyo. Game & Fish Comm'n Ch. 10, Sections 2(z)... |
| Wallaby | Permit needed | Wallabies need a Game and Fish importation and possession permit in Wyoming. The Department guide lists kangaroos and wallabies as permit species. Some rare wallaby species are federally listed and barred.Chapter 10 permit; federally listed species (for example Parma wallaby) cannot be permitted | Wyo. Game & Fish Comm'n Ch. 10, Sections 3, 1... |
| Kangaroo | Permit needed | Kangaroos need a Game and Fish importation and possession permit in Wyoming, issued at the Department's discretion. The Department guide lists kangaroos and wallabies as permit species.Chapter 10 permit, discretionary; approved holding facility | Wyo. Game & Fish Comm'n Ch. 10, Sections 3, 1... |
| Bobcat | Permit needed | The bobcat is a furbearing animal in Wyoming. Importing or keeping one requires a Game and Fish Chapter 10 permit, and the Department guide notes a related capture license for domestication or propagation.Chapter 10 permit; furbearer capture license if taken in state | Wyo. Game & Fish Comm'n Ch. 10, Section 13(a)... |
| Kinkajou | Permit needed | A kinkajou is not domestic in Wyoming and is not on the prohibited list, so a discretionary Game and Fish importation and possession permit is required.Chapter 10 permit, discretionary; approved holding facility | Wyo. Game & Fish Comm'n Ch. 10, Sections 3, 1... |
| Otter | Permit needed | Neither the river otter nor the Asian small-clawed otter is domestic or on Wyoming's prohibited list, so a discretionary Game and Fish permit is required. An older Department guide says river otters are not allowed, so confirm with the Department.Chapter 10 permit, discretionary; approved holding facility; Department guide dated 12-2022 predates removal of otters from protected status | Wyo. Game & Fish Comm'n Ch. 10, Sections 3, 1... |
| Venomous snake | Permit needed | Wyoming requires a Game and Fish Chapter 69 permit to import or possess venomous reptiles, plus a veterinary inspection certificate before importation. The Department may deny it if the animal poses a risk.Chapter 69 importation/possession permit; certificate of veterinary inspection before importation | Wyo. Game & Fish Comm'n Ch. 69, Section 9(a) |
| Raccoon | Depends | Raccoons are predatory animals in Wyoming. A raccoon captured in Wyoming may be kept without a permit, but importing one is prohibited, so a pet from out of state is not allowed.No permit if captured in Wyoming; importation prohibited | Wyo. Game & Fish Comm'n Ch. 10, Sections 12,... |
| Red fox | Depends | The red fox is a predatory animal in Wyoming. One captured in Wyoming may be kept without a permit, but importing one is prohibited, so a fox bought out of state is not allowed.No permit if captured in Wyoming; importation prohibited | Wyo. Game & Fish Comm'n Ch. 10, Sections 12,... |
| Skunk | Depends | Skunks are predatory animals in Wyoming. One captured in Wyoming may be kept without a permit, but importing one is prohibited, so a pet skunk from out of state is not allowed.No permit if captured in Wyoming; importation prohibited | Wyo. Game & Fish Comm'n Ch. 10, Sections 12,... |
| Prairie dog | Depends | The Department's guide says prairie dogs may be possessed without a permit but importation is prohibited, so an out-of-state pet is not allowed. Utah and Mexican prairie dogs are federally listed and barred.No permit if captured in Wyoming; importation prohibited; Utah and Mexican prairie dogs barred | Wyo. Game & Fish Dept, Ch. 10 Quick Reference... |
| Ferret | No state restriction found | The domestic ferret is on Wyoming's short list of domestic animals and needs no state wildlife permit. | Wyo. Game & Fish Comm'n Ch. 10, Sections 2(i)... |
| Sugar glider | No state restriction found | Wyoming lists domesticated sugar gliders among animals that need no Game and Fish permit.Rule covers domesticated (tame, tractable) animals | Wyo. Game & Fish Comm'n Ch. 10, Sections 2(j)... |
| Chinchilla | No state restriction found | The domesticated chinchilla is on Wyoming's list of domesticated animals and needs no Game and Fish permit. | Wyo. Game & Fish Comm'n Ch. 10, Sections 2(j)... |
| Tarantula | No state restriction found | Wyoming's wildlife possession rules cover mammals, birds, fish, amphibians, reptiles, mollusks and crustaceans. Spiders are not included, so no state wildlife permit applies to a pet tarantula. | Wyo. Game & Fish Comm'n Ch. 69, Section 2(c);... |
| Tegu | No state restriction found | Wyoming needs no permit for reptiles that are not on its prohibited or venomous and native-species permit lists. The Argentine tegu is on none of them. | Wyo. Game & Fish Comm'n Ch. 69, Sections 8, 9... |
| Axolotl | Not verified yet | We could not confirm Wyoming's rule for this animal yet. Ask Wyoming Game and Fish Department before you buy. | Agency page |
| African pygmy hedgehog | Not verified yet | We could not confirm Wyoming's rule for this animal yet. Ask Wyoming Game and Fish Department before you buy. | Agency page |
| Alligator or other crocodilian | Not verified yet | We could not confirm Wyoming's rule for this animal yet. Ask Wyoming Game and Fish Department before you buy. | Agency page |
| Giant constrictor | Not verified yet | We could not confirm Wyoming's rule for this animal yet. Ask Wyoming Game and Fish Department before you buy. | Agency page |
Who regulates exotic pets in Wyoming
Wyoming Game and Fish Department is the agency to ask. Chapter 10 Section 3: a Department permit is required to import or possess any live warm-blooded wildlife (mammal or bird) unless the regulation exempts it. Section 2 lists the only animals treated as domestic or domesticated (for example domestic ferret, chinchilla, sugar glider, domesticated hedgehog, rat, mouse, guinea pig). Section 11 bars permits for big or trophy game, nonhuman primates, wolf hybrids, African rodents, and federally listed or injurious wildlife. Section 12 bars importing predatory animals (raccoon, red fox, skunk, coyote, porcupine, jackrabbit, stray cat) and declared pests. Chapter 69 covers amphibians, reptiles, fish, mollusks and crustaceans. Arachnids and insects are in neither chapter.
The main texts:
- Chapter 10, Importation and Possession of Live Warm-Blooded Wildlife (Commission regulation, dated 10 March 2023)
- Chapter 69, Importation and Possession of Live Cold-Blooded Wildlife (dated 19 July 2022, effective 1 January 2023)
- W.S. 23-1-101, definitions of wildlife (Title 23, wyoleg.gov)
- Department quick reference guide, Chapter 10 species table (12-2022)
- Department quick reference guide, Chapter 69 species table
Before you buy in Wyoming
- 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 Wyoming.
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 Wyoming?
- Depends. Raccoons are predatory animals in Wyoming. A raccoon captured in Wyoming may be kept without a permit, but importing one is prohibited, so a pet from out of state is not allowed.
- Is it legal to own a monkey in Wyoming?
- Banned. Wyoming will not issue a permit for any nonhuman primate, so private individuals cannot keep a monkey.
- Is it legal to own a fox in Wyoming?
- Depends. The red fox is a predatory animal in Wyoming. One captured in Wyoming may be kept without a permit, but importing one is prohibited, so a fox bought out of state is not allowed.
- Is it legal to own a skunk in Wyoming?
- Depends. Skunks are predatory animals in Wyoming. One captured in Wyoming may be kept without a permit, but importing one is prohibited, so a pet skunk from out of state is not allowed.
- Is it legal to own a ferret in Wyoming?
- No state restriction found. The domestic ferret is on Wyoming's short list of domestic animals and needs no state wildlife permit.
- Is it legal to own a capybara in Wyoming?
- Permit needed. A capybara is not a domestic or domesticated animal in Wyoming, so a Game and Fish permit is required, and the Department decides each application case by case. It is not on the prohibited list.
- Who do I ask about exotic pets in Wyoming?
- Start with Wyoming Game and Fish Department. Then ask your county and city.