What was that in the sky? A bird? A plane? No, it was a zebra named Ed! In June, Ed was spotted hanging from a helicopter over Rutherford County, Tennessee. He had been caught after escaping a week earlier. But Ed didn’t run away from a zoo. Ed was someone’s pet!

Escapes like Ed’s have people wondering if owning wild pets is a good idea.

What was that in the sky? A bird? A plane? No, it was a zebra! His name was Ed. In June, Ed was seen hanging from a helicopter. He was flying over Rutherford County, Tennessee. He had been caught after escaping. But Ed didn’t run away from a zoo. Ed was someone’s pet!

Escapes like Ed’s have people wondering. Is owning wild pets a good idea?

Pets like zebras, monkeys, and raccoons are known as exotic pets. Unlike dogs and house cats, exotic pets aren’t used to living with humans. There are millions of exotic pets in the United States.

Shana Honeycutt-Akram’s family got a type of wildcat called a serval in 2019. The Oklahoma family named him Jalapeño. Shana’s kids, Lana, Everly, and River, love him.

“It makes me feel kind of cool, having an exotic cat for a pet,” says Lana, 12.

Pets like zebras, monkeys, and raccoons are known as exotic pets. They’re not like dogs and house cats. Exotic pets aren’t used to living with humans. There are millions of exotic pets in the country.

In 2019, Shana Honeycutt-Akram’s family got a serval. That’s a type of wildcat. The Oklahoma family named him Jalapeño. Shana’s kids, Lana, Everly, and River, love him.

“It makes me feel kind of cool, having an exotic cat for a pet,” says Lana, 12.

Which animals can people keep as pets? It depends on where they live (see map, below).

Even where it’s allowed, having an exotic pet can be dangerous. For one thing, wild animals are unpredictable. It’s nearly impossible to control how they behave.

The Honeycutt-Akram family knows this well. Shana says Jalapeño scratches and bites harder than a house cat does.

“I can’t pick him up to cuddle,” explains Everly, 9.

Many wild animals also need a lot of space to roam free. They can cause chaos indoors. Plus, most have a special diet. For example, Jalapeño eats 10 to 15 frozen chicks each day.

Which animals are allowed as pets? It depends on where they live (see map, below).

Even where it’s allowed, having an exotic pet can be risky. Wild animals are unpredictable. It’s nearly impossible to control how they behave.

Shana and her family know this well. Jalapeño scratches and bites harder than a house cat does.

“I can’t pick him up to cuddle,” says Everly, 9.

Many wild animals also need a lot of space. They can cause chaos indoors. Plus, most have a special diet. For example, Jalapeño eats 10 to 15 frozen chicks each day.