After a Lakewood man died earlier this month following a bite from his pet Gila monster, wildlife experts are reminding the public about the dangers of keeping illegal, exotic, and/or wild animals as pets.
The man who died owned two of the large exotic lizards, and while it’s legal to keep Gila monsters as house pets in many states, Colorado is not one of them. Only zoological-type facilities are permitted to have them, reports the Associated Press.
In Colorado, the laws around what animals are legal or illegal to own are nuanced, and violating them can put you and the animals at risk. Generally speaking, wild animals (like bears, elk, mountain lions, and coyotes) are illegal to own, while domesticated animals (think cattle, horses, dogs, and cats) are legal and unregulated — however there are a few exceptions that fall under a special “unregulated wildlife” category that includes tropical birds, fish, and other small critters.
A few examples you might find surprising:
