Owning This Animal In Texas Is Totally Illegal

Texas is pretty cool about animals for the most part but some animals are either regulated or straight up forbidden as pets.

If you want a dog or a cat, you're good to go in the Lone Star State. You can also have snakes, spiders, lizards, scorpions and other "creepy" critters. Depending on how your neighborhood is zoned, horses, donkeys and cows are cool too.

You can also legally own some not so ordinary pets. Animals such as sloths, lemurs, kangaroos and spotted genets are all bueno in Texas. (Don't feel bad if you don't know what a spotted genet is. I didn't either until about 10 minutes ago.)

There are some animals you can only own in Texas if registered. Orangutans and chimps fall under the Dangerous Wild Animal Act. (Read more here.) If one of these bites or attacks someone, the state must be notified quickly. In the event of an escape, it has to be reported immediately.

A special permit is also required for certain snakes.

Peeps in counties west of the Pecos River with populations of under 25K, oddly, need NO Permits at all. (texascapitol.org)

You cannot, (legally), own any animal in Texas that is listed as an endangered species. This list includes wolves, bats and whatever the hell Diamondback Terrapins are.

There are also laws in Texas that limit how many animals you may own. According to texascapitol.org:

... no person may own more than 6 animals of any kind at any given time and no more than 25 non-game wildlife animals. Captive-bred coatimundi can be kept as pets, but proof of legal purchase is required.