Moving to Hawaii – Prohibited Animals and Pets that are Illegal to Own
So, you’re thinking of buying an exotic animal, or you are moving to Hawaii and want to bring your ferrets…which pets are legal?
Don’t let your loved ones get locked up…know the law!
Hawaii’s exotic animals laws and quarantine regulations are designed to protect and preserve our native plant and animal life. For a comprehensive list of restricted species and conditionally approved ones, visit this link to the Hawaii Department of Agriculture. (They regulate all non-domesticated animals.)
The following are some of the more commonly owned non-domestic animals that are prohibited:
- alligators
- dragon lizards
- ferrets
- gerbils
- geckos
- hamsters
- monk parakeets
- piranhas
- snakes
- snapping turtles
- toucans
For dogs and cats, refer to my earlier post about Hawaii’s Animal Quarantine and Rabies Laws. Cattle, swine, poultry, sheep, and horses are the other domesticated animals that are common to Hawaii, and they have varying degrees of identification and permitting required for importation. (Refer to this link.)
Feel free to post your experiences with controlled animals here for discussion…Mahalo!
Beth Robinson R(B)
January 1, 2011
Thanks for the informative information, Ron. By the way, I have information for anyone interested in shipping their horses to Hawaii!
Beth Robinson R(B)
January 1, 2011
Thanks for the informative information, Ron. By the way, I have information for anyone interested in shipping their horses to Hawaii!
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Jonna Bether
May 1, 2012
Are sloths legal there?
Bryson
June 17, 2019
I live in Hawaii and I’m asking if emu birds are legal I’ve had this question for a while and never got an answer
Jonna Bether
May 1, 2012
Are sloths legal there?
Chandler Cameron
June 25, 2015
Is there a way to obtain a permit for a snake or a lizard? I am being stationed in Hawaii but want to keep my pets
Meghan
August 6, 2016
I would love to know that also. I have ball pythons and bearded dragons. I would love to move back to the island. But not at the cost of my pets.
Beth Thoma Robinson
August 8, 2016
Sorry, the rules are absolute.
Savanah
February 6, 2021
Not snakes. I think some species of lizard but they are super strict on snakes >
Chandler Cameron
June 25, 2015
Is there a way to obtain a permit for a snake or a lizard? I am being stationed in Hawaii but want to keep my pets
Meghan
August 6, 2016
I would love to know that also. I have ball pythons and bearded dragons. I would love to move back to the island. But not at the cost of my pets.
Beth Thoma Robinson
August 8, 2016
Sorry, the rules are absolute.
Christopher
June 18, 2016
Aloha,
I’ve been in the processing of moving back to Hawaii – especially Honolulu. I’ve always wanted either a cute ringed-tail lempur or a cute ferret as a pet, but I understand that having a ferret as a pet in Hawaii is illegal. How about a ringed-lempur? Of course, it would need to stay indoor as required by me, so that he or she wouldn’t expose to the native animals, plants, and environment there. If illegally. why is that? The USA, including Hawaii is a free country which means I can have a ringed-tail lempur as a pet anywhere, including Hawaii. They only eat fruits and vegetables where I can buy them at a grocery store. I WON’T bring any animal shown above to Hawaii. A ringed-tail lempur is very cute and cuddly. Well, I hope I can have it there one day. Thanks. I look forward to hearing from you soon. Mahalo!
Christopher
June 18, 2016
Aloha,
I’ve been in the processing of moving back to Hawaii – especially Honolulu. I’ve always wanted either a cute ringed-tail lempur or a cute ferret as a pet, but I understand that having a ferret as a pet in Hawaii is illegal. How about a ringed-lempur? Of course, it would need to stay indoor as required by me, so that he or she wouldn’t expose to the native animals, plants, and environment there. If illegally. why is that? The USA, including Hawaii is a free country which means I can have a ringed-tail lempur as a pet anywhere, including Hawaii. They only eat fruits and vegetables where I can buy them at a grocery store. I WON’T bring any animal shown above to Hawaii. A ringed-tail lempur is very cute and cuddly. Well, I hope I can have it there one day. Thanks. I look forward to hearing from you soon. Mahalo!
Sheena Karr
July 9, 2017
I was looking for information about moving FROM Hawaii to the mainland. I want to take my baby Jackson Chameleon with me, but now sure how. s it legal? I know people in Las Vegas have them too, but not sure if I need permissions or permits and such. 🙁 Confused.
jd
September 12, 2017
Geckos are allowed to own here in hawaii, i currently live on the island of kauai and there are geckos everywhere, this information is fake such as not being able to own hamsters
Lynn
March 12, 2018
> Hamsters are actually illegal and as far as geckos go – just because they live all over the island it doesn’t mean they are ok to own. The website tells which are legal vs. illegal. This is the main page, then just click the category your are curious about. Hamsters are on the absolute “no” list and so are snakes…there are very few exceptions for movie sets, etc.
Lynn
March 12, 2018
> http://hdoa.hawaii.gov/pi/pq/travel-shipping-information/importing-animals-to-hawai%CA%BBi-from-the-u-s-mainland/
Interested
June 2, 2018
*The following are some of the more commonly owned non-domestic animals that are prohibited:*
Except that ferrets have been domestic animals for over 2000 years!
Ryik
October 25, 2018
There is one snake species allowed in Hawaii – the Hawaiian snake, also known as the brahminy blind snake. It’s small, nonvenomous, and mostly eats termites or ant larvae. It’s pretty cute, though it might not make the best pet since it likes to go underground.
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Ammon Stringham
January 21, 2020
Are frogs allowed? Could I bring my treefrog and pacman frog to hawaii?
T wallace
February 5, 2020
Can Koala’s come to Hawaii and be someone’s pet?
Ed Lesperance
April 28, 2020
Can I have a lemur?
LOKIMAILI JARRA
August 28, 2021
Wish (Allows) In Hawaii Islands Pass The Law For Small glider & Finger Monkeys, Because I Want One To Be Full Bonded With As My Own Child.
aubrey
September 15, 2021
are australian dumpy frogs allowed in hawaii
Chris cannon
November 15, 2021
Don’t move to Hawaii, stay in the mainland. We don’t like tourist and people that don’t belong here. Stay where you come from!
Aloha!
Hazel S.
January 16, 2024
For those people asking why certain animals are and aren’t allowed, it’s not a matter of whether or not the animal is domesticated. Hawaii has a very delicate ecosystem with almost 400 endangered animal species, many of which are endemic and cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Escaped pets may overwhelm the local ecosystems via overpredation (for example, many reptiles can prey on native birds or insects that aren’t used to those predators), overpopulation (for example, many rodents reproduce extremely quickly), or spreading diseases (for example, any animal might introduce a virus that can devastate an unprepared ecosystem). Even common pets like dogs and cats are subject to extensive quarantine processes when coming to Hawaii. It’s great that you might be a very responsible pet owner who’d never let your animals out of your home, but there’s no way to vet every prospective pet owner for that level of responsibility, so it’s less complicated to blanket ban certain types of animals. Unlike areas in the continental US, it’s actually possible for Hawaii to limit the spread of new species into local ecosystems, and that’s incredibly good for conserving the wildlife in our islands.
As for specific animals mentioned in the comments: ferrets are mustelids, which are highly efficient predators. Geckos are already invasive in Hawaii, and keeping them might encourage breeding, which would mean more animals with the potential to be released. Lemurs, sloths, koalas, and the specific frogs mentioned – I’m unsure, but would definitely check. Even if your ideal pet isn’t technically on this list, I’d be careful about bringing exotics to Hawaii, if only because the type of veterinary care might be limited and vets here might not be as prepared to work with them. Your animals deserve all the care and comfort possible, and if keeping an animal means you’d have to limit their comfort in order to hide them from authorities, I’d consider whether they can achieve the best quality of life that you can provide them. Personally, I want a pet snake really really badly, but I understand that I wouldn’t be able to give it the care that it needs. Hawaii is my home, and I don’t want to put my home at risk over what a single animal can represent.