Legal or Not? Guess Which Exotic Animals You Can and Can’t Own in Maine

When it comes to owning an animal, most people might think you're limited to house cat, a domesticated dog or maybe something a little smaller like a bunny, hamster or ferret. Unless you live on a farm, and maybe then you can expand out to livestock like horses, cows, goats, pigs or sheep.

There are some folks out there, however,  who have an affection for animals that are a little more on the exotic side.

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And while you may not be able to technically keep all these animals as "pets" per se, you would be able to have some of these animals in your possession. Others, if you have them, can get you into big trouble. Guess which ones are which. (Some of these might surprise you.

Kangaroos 

Right off the bat, it gets kind of tricky. According to the state's website, there are some exotic animals that people can own, but only if they have the correct documents and the right set up. These are not animals considered as buddies, but more kept for science or for rehab. And there's a special process you have to go through to get the ok. But once you do, you can technically own them.

"Applicants for Category 1 Restricted Species must be an exhibitor, wildlife rehabilitator; laboratory registered with the United States Department of Agriculture, or accredited research facility."

If you meet the correct criteria and fill out a $250 application and obtain a $27 permit, you could legally keep a Kangaroo in say Kittery, if you wanted to.

Axolotls

For all the hype surrounding this unique and exotic animal, you would think more people would have them. But in Maine, if you do, you could get in trouble!

According to the website, AxolotlCentral.com, in many other states, they're ok, but in Maine, California, New Jersey and D.C. it's illegal to own one.

So, why has Maine made it illegal to own an Axolotl? It comes down to biology and the environment, really.

"Pet axolotls have been bred in captivity for decades, to the point where they are no longer the same as axolotls found in the wild, both genetically and behaviorally...
The reason that many governments outlaw the ownership of axolotls comes down to the large environmental threat they pose if they ever were to be released into the wild...
In addition to axolotls, there have already been countless instances of former pets being released and becoming established in local ecosystems, causing unforeseen harm."

Emus

According to the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, Emus are ok to own (on the "unrestricted list") as long as they have a clean bill of health (a health certificate). In fact, there are a few spots in Maine where folks have Emus as pets, including right in Eddington.

Read More: Did You Know Eddington Has Emus? Meet Clarence And Oscar

It's recommended that you have the proper setup and enclosure to keep such a big bird, so it doesn't get out and get into trouble.

Camels

While cows and horses and even larger animals like buffalo have been known to live in the Pine Tree State, you cannot have a camel, if you were curious.

I'm not sure why anyone would think that an animal that typically spends it's life in the heat of the desert would even want to come hang out in Maine, but if you were tempted to bring a camel across state lines and set up shop with it, you'd be breaking the law.

According to one source, there's a list of completely restricted animals, and the camel is on it.

"In Maine, a permit is required to own most wild birds or animals. Several species are not allowed, however: bear, moose, wild turkey, deer, lion, cheetah, wolf, monkey, camel, alligator, monk parakeet, and swan."

Tortoise

While you can own a tortoise in the state of Maine, there are restrictions and regulations about what kind and how big they can be, according to the experts.

"Unrestricted turtles and tortoises can be possessed, imported, sold etc., without a permit. Unrestricted species are...Greek Tortoise Testudo graeca, Herman's Tortoise Testudo hermanni, Red-Foot Tortoise Chelonoidis carbonaria, Russian Tortoise Testudo horsfieldii, and the Yellow-foot Tortoise Chelonoides denticulate. All must be min. 4 dia. and captive bred. A Wildlife Importation Permit is required before any species not listed as "unrestricted" is transported or brought into the State of Maine."

Platypus

Sadly, as awesome as it would be to have a pet Platypus (ala Phineas and Ferb) it's not only against the law to have them in the state of Maine, you're not allowed to have them anywhere outside of Australia, and even there, you can't have them as pets.

This is mostly because they were once widely hunted for their fur, and according to authorities, they are now a protected species.

"It is illegal to own a platypus anywhere in the world. Australia labels them as a protected species, and they cannot be owned, bred, sold, or traded within the country or for export. Only licensed wildlife professionals in Australia can come into ownership of a platypus temporarily if the animal needs some kind of rehabilitation.

While there are a good number of animals you can't own in the state of Maine, there are far more that you can than I would have expected. You can check out the list of approved or unrestricted animals here, in case you ever wondered.