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Armadillos, with their distinctive armor-like shell and quirky behavior, are fascinating creatures native to the Americas. Originating primarily from regions like South America, Central America, and the southern United States, these mammals are known for their unique ability to roll into a ball when threatened, providing them with protection against predators. Interestingly, armadillos are also skilled diggers, using their sharp claws to excavate burrows for shelter and foraging.
Despite being primarily wild animals, some people are drawn to the idea of keeping armadillos as pets due to their unusual appearance and behaviors. However, the reality of caring for an armadillo can be quite challenging. These creatures have specific dietary and habitat requirements, and their natural behaviors may not easily adapt to captivity. Additionally, armadillos can carry diseases such as leprosy, posing a risk to human health.
While regulations vary by state, many jurisdictions have laws in place that prohibit or heavily regulate the ownership of armadillos as pets. These laws are often enacted to protect both the welfare of the animals and public safety.
In states where owning a pet armadillo is legal, strict regulations typically govern their possession, ensuring that owners adhere to proper care standards and take precautions to prevent potential harm to both the animal and the environment. However, it's essential for prospective owners to consider the ethical and practical implications of keeping armadillos as pets and to explore alternative ways to appreciate these fascinating creatures, such as observing them in their natural habitats or supporting wildlife conservation efforts.
State | Armadillo Legality | Legal Code 1 | Legal Code 2 | Legal Link 1 | Legal Link 2 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Delaware | Unclear | Delaware Code Title 3. Agriculture section 7201 et seq., 903-1.0 et seq. | Source | ||
New Hampshire | Permit Required | New Hampshire Revised Statutes Title 18 Fish and Game. Chapter 207. Import, Possession, or Release of Wildlife section 207:14 | New Hampshire Code Administrative Rules. Fish sections 804.01 et seq. | Source | Source |
New Jersey | Permit Required | New Jersey Administrative Code Title 7. Department of Environmental Protection sections 7:25-4.3 et seq., 7:25-4.6 et seq., | New Jersey Statutes Annotated Title 23. Fish and Game , Wild Birds and Animals, section 23:4-63.3 | Source | Source |
Alabama | Legal | Alabama Department Of Conservation And Natural Resources Administrative Code sections 220-2-.26, 220-2-.154 | Alabama Code Title 9. Conservation and Natural Resources sections 9-2-7 et seq., 3-1-3, 9-11-324 | Source | Source |
Arkansas | Legal | Arkansas Administrative Code, Game and Fish Commission, sections 09.01 et seq., section 09.14 | Arkansas Code Title 20. Public Health and Welfare sections 20-19-501 et seq., 20-19-504, 20-19-602 | Source | Source |
Kansas | Legal | Kansas Statutes Chapter 32. Wildlife, Parks and Recreation sections 32-1301 et seq. | Kansas Administrative Regulations Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism section 115-18-10 | Source | Source |
Louisiana | Legal | Louisiana Administrative Code Title 76 section 115, 13 | Source | ||
Oklahoma | Legal | Oklahoma Administrative Code. Title 800. Department of Wildlife Conservation. Chapter 25. Wildlife Rules 800-25-25-3 | Oklahoma Statutes Annotated. Title 29. Game and Fish, Chapter 1, Article 4, section 4-107, Article 2, section 2-109.2, 2-149.1 | Source | Source |
Texas | Legal | Texas Health and Safety Code - Health & Safety section 822.101 - 116 | Texas Local Government Code - Local Government section 240.001 - .002(a), Texas Parks and Wildlife Code - Parks and Wildlife section 65.005 | Source | Source |
Arizona | Illegal | Arizona Administrative Code Title 12 Natural Resources. Chapter Game and Fish Commission 4R12-405 | Arizona Revised Statutes Title 17. Game and Fish section 17-306, 17-320 | Source | Source |
California | Illegal | California Fish and Game Code - Title 14, section 4700 | Department of Fish and Wildlife, Restricted Species Law, Manual 671 | Source | Source |
Colorado | Illegal | Code of Colorado Regulations Chapter W-13 - Possession Of Wildlife, Scientific Collecting, and Special Licenses 2 CCR 406-13 et seq., 2 CCR 406-11, 2 CCR 406-0:008 | Source | ||
Connecticut | Illegal | Connecticut General Statutes Title 26. Fisheries and Game section 26-40a, 26-55, 26-55-6 | Source | ||
Georgia | Illegal | Georgia Code Title 27. Game and Fish sections 27-5-1 et seq., section 27-5-5 | Source | ||
Indiana | Illegal | Indiana Code Title 14. Natural and Cultural Resources sections 14-22-26 et seq. | Indiana Administrative Code Title 312. Natural Resources Commission sections 9-11-1 et seq. | Source | Source |
Maine | Illegal | Maine Revised Statutes Title 12. Conservation sections 12151 et seq., 12801 | Rule Chapters for the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Chapter 7 sections 1 et seq. | Source | Source |
Oregon | Illegal | Oregon Revised Statutes Animals sections 609.305 et seq., section 609.345 | Oregon Administrative Code sections 635-044-0480 et seq. | Source | Source |
Alaska | Alaska Statutes Title 16. Fish and Game sections 16.05.902 et seq. | Alaska Administrative Code. Title 5 Fish and Game. Chapter 92 sections 29 et seq. | Source | Source | |
District of Columbia | District of Columbia Code Division I. Government of District section 8-1808, 8-1804 | Source | |||
Florida | Florida Statutes Title XXVIII. Natural Resources; Conservation, Reclamation, and Use section 379.3762; 379.3751 | Florida Administrative Code sections 68A-.001, et seq. | Source | Source | |
Hawaii | Hawaii Revised Statutes Division 1. Government section 150A-6.2 | Hawaii Administrative Code Title 4. Department of Agriculture. sections 4-71-3 et seq., 4-71-6.5, 4-71-6.5 Part B, 4-71P | Source | Source | |
Idaho | Idaho Regulations. Department of Agriculture Chapter 27 sections 100 et seq. | Idaho Administration Code Department of Fish and Game Title 1 Chapter 8 section 13.01.1013.01.10, Idaho Statutes Title 36 Fish and Game. Chapter 7 sections 701 et seq. | Source | Source | |
Illinois | Illinois Statutes Chapter 510. Animals section 5 | Illinois Statutes Chapter 720. Criminal Offenses Section 720-5/48-10 Illinois Administrative Code Title 17. Conservation section 805 | Source | Source | |
Iowa | Iowa Code Annotated Title 16. Criminal Law and Procedure Chapter 717F sections 1 et seq. | Source | |||
Kentucky | Kentucky Revised Statutes Title IX. Counties, Cities, and Other Local Units section 65.877 | Kentucky Administrative Regulations 2:082 sections 1 et seq. | Source | Source | |
Maryland | Maryland Code, Criminal Law section 10-621 Maryland Health Code section 18-219 | Maryland Code, Natural Resources section 4-902 | Source | Source | |
Massachusetts | Massachusetts General Laws Part I. Administration of the Government Chapter 131 sections 23 et seq., 77 et seq. | Code of Massachusetts Regulations Title 321 Division of Fisheries and Wildlife. Chapter 2 et seq, section 9.001-02 | Source | Source | |
Michigan | Michigan Compiled Laws, Chapter 287. Animal Industry sections 287.1101 et seq., 287.731, 287.1001 et seq. | Michigan Fisheries Order 224.17 Regulations on the Take of Reptiles and Amphibians | Source | Source | |
Minnesota | Minnesota Statutes Animals and Property section 346.155 | Minnesota Statutes Game and Fish section 97A.105 | Source | Source | |
Mississippi | Mississippi Code Title 49. Conservation and Ecology sections 49-8-1 et seq. | Mississippi Administrative Code Title 40, Part 2, Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks - Chapter 8 | Source | Source | |
Missouri | Missouri Revised Statutes Title XXXVIII. Crimes and Punishment; Peace Officers and Public Defenders section 578.023, | Missouri Rules of Department of Conservation Division 10—Conservation Commission Chapter 4—Wildlife Code: General Provisions section 10-9 | Source | Source | |
Montana | Montana Title 87. Fish and Wildlife sections 87-4-801 et seq.; 87-5-705 et seq., Montana Title 81. Livestock sections 2-701 et seq. | Montana Title 50. Health and Safety section 50-23-101, Admin. Rules of Montana. Fish, Wildlife and Parks, section 12.6.2205 | Source | Source | |
Nebraska | Nebraska Revised Statutes Chapter 37. Game and Parks sections 37-477 et seq., 37-245, 37-246 | Nebraska Revised Statutes Chapter 54. Livestock section 54-701.03, Nebraska Administrative Code Rules & Regulations. Title 163, Ch. 4 sections 1-8 | Source | Source | |
Nevada | Nevada Administrative Code. Wildlife and Management section 503.140, 504.295, 503.110, 503.140. 504.488 | Source | |||
New Mexico | New Mexico Statutes Chapter 77. Animals and Livestock section 77-18-1 | New Mexico Administrative Code section 7.4.2.12 | Source | Source | |
New York | New York Consolidated Laws, Environmental Conservation Law - ENV section 11-0103, 11-0511, 11-0512, 11-0917 | Source | |||
North Carolina | North Carolina General Statutes Chapter 153A. Counties section 153A-131, 160A-187 | Source | |||
North Dakota | North Dakota Admin. Code sections 48.1-09 | North Dakota Century Code Title 36. Livestock section 36-01-08.4, 36-01-31, 36-01-08.2 | Source | Source | |
Ohio | Ohio Revised Code Title XV. Conservation of Natural Resources section 1533.71 | Ohio Revised Code Title IX. Agriculture Animals Fences sections 935.01 et seq., 935.02, 935.03 et seq., Ohio Administrative Code section 1501: 31-25-04 | Source | Source | |
Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania Statutes Title 34 Pa.C.S.A. Game sections 2961 to 2963 | Pennsylvania Admin. Code Title 58, Part II, Subpart B, Chapter 79 | Source | Source | |
Rhode Island | Rhode Island Administrative Code Title 250 Dept. of Environmental Management, section 250-RICR-40-05-3 | Rhode Island General Laws Title 4. Animals and Animal Husbandry section 4-18-1, Title 20 section 20-16-3 | Source | Source | |
South Carolina | South Carolina Code of Laws sections 47-2-10 et seq., 50-11-1765, 50-16-20 | Source | |||
South Dakota | South Dakota Legislative Rules Code section 12:68:18:03, 12:68:18:03.01 | Source | |||
Tennessee | Tennessee Code Title 70. Wildlife Resources section 70-4-401, 70-4-403 et seq. | Source | |||
Utah | Utah Administrative Rule sections 657-3-2 et seq. | Source | |||
Vermont | Vermont Statutes Title 10. Conservation and Development, section 4709 | Importation & Possession Rules Unrestricted Wild Animal List | Source | Source | |
Virginia | Virginia Administrative Code sections 4VAC15-20-50 et seq. | Source | |||
Washington | Washington Revised Code Title 16. Animals and Livestock section 16.30.005, 16.30.010 et seq. | Washington Administrative Code section 220-400 | Source | Source | |
West Virginia | West Virginia Code Chapter 19. Agriculture sections 19-34-1 to 19-34-9 | West Virginia Code Chapter 20. Natural Resources section 20-2-51 | Source | Source | |
Wisconsin | Wisconsin Statutes Police Regulations (Chapters 163 to 177) section 169.01, 169.04, 169.11 | Source | |||
Wyoming | Wyoming Statutes Title 23. Game and Fish section 23-1-101, 23-1-103, Wyoming Rules and Regulations 040.0001.52 section 5 | Wyoming Rules and Regulations. Wyoming Game and Fish Commission. Possession of Wildlife. Chapter 10. sections 1 to 5 | Source | Source |