20 of the Most Expensive Exotic Animals You Can Buy

monkey

Exotic animals aren’t something many people own, which is what makes them exotic. The idea of owning something that should be in the wild – or in a zoo – is something that not all people are on board with. However, sometimes the idea of having a crocodile or tarantula as a pet is appealing. If you want to own an exotic animal, however, you’re going to pay big bucks. When you consider how much some of the regular animals you purchase cost, it only makes sense that one that’s considered rare and exotic would cost so much more.

Owning an exotic animal is one of the trendiest trends of the moment, and as many as 19 nillion American households have some sort of exotic pet in the house. It all depends on preference, price and the kind of status symbol a particular exotic pet entails. It’s sad – but it’s true. Check out our list of exotic animals.

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white tufted marmoset

White Marmoset – $2,000

This is the smallest monkey in the world, and the most interesting. This small monkey doesn’t work like many people or monkeys or other species. For example, when a baby is born, it’s the father that takes over the role of primary caregiver, and it’s something that’s completely normal in that family of animals. They take care of one another in a way that’s very unique and very outgoing. They’re also human-like in that they can contract diseases such as smallpox and HIV.

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bengal cat

Bengal Cat – $3,000

These cats are very lovely, and very sweet. They’re bred by mating two different types of cats, and this is considered an exotic pet. It’s not as exotic as some people might consider a pet, but it’s also expensive. It’s not easy to come across a Bengal cat, but when you do, you should get one. They make wonderful pets, and they have a very leopard-like appearance. You’ll be hard-pressed to find an animal as lovely as this to call your own, even though the price tag to own one is rather high.

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wallaby

Wallaby – $3,000

Essentially, it’s a kangaroo. It’s not a kangaroo, but many people mistake the wallaby for a kangaroo on a regular basis. These little creatures are much smaller, and they’re not indigenous to the Americas. They’re fond of living down under, and that’s what makes them so expensive and so exotic. After all, how many people do you see in the park walking their wallaby rather than walking their dog? These are pretty fast animals, so you’re going to need a lot of land and a lot of space for them to get around, which is just fine for raising one of these wild animals – and it’s perfectly legal to do so.

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kinkajou

Kinkajou – $4,000

This is the kind of animal you typically do not find in America, unless someone purchases one and has it shipped here to own as a pet. It’s a small pet that looks a little bit like a monkey, and it hails primarily from south and central Americas. They’re great small pets that do well in homes with families, and they’re not aggressive because they’re just more friendly than not. This is the kind of exotic pet many families prefer because they are a bit cuddly and they are certainly not large or overly expensive animals.

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snow macaque

Snow Macaque – $3,500

It’s a monkey, technically. But it looks like a cross between a bear and a monkey. It has a small, red, hairless face, but it’s cute despite the fact that it’s kind of ugly. It has a big, furry body to help protect it from its natural snowy habitat, and it’s a great pet to own. However, it’s imperative to understand that these animals are considered endangered, which means that they are not easy to find. They’re very sweet to own, but it’s not easy to find one. This is continuously driving up the price of one of these animals.

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rhesus macaque

Rhesus Macaque – $4,000

It’s a relative of the snow macaque, but it is indigenous to warmer climates. This particular monkey has a much subtler appearance, and a much more unique disposition. They became popular after it was discovered that they have different blood types, which is how scientists and medical professionals discovered the many different blood types in humans. For this reason, they are expensive. They can grow to 17 pounds, and while they’re not so much house pets as they are medical necessities in many circles, some people do choose to own these exotic animals.

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hairless puppy

Chinese Crested Hairless Dog – $5,000

The hairless cat is common, but it is far less common to come across a hairless dog. That’s part of the reason behind this dog’s exotic nature, and it’s also why people will pay such big bucks for a dog that has no hair. It’s not a cute dog, so you’re not getting it for its appearance. However, it is the kind of dog that you do want to have if you like dogs that are intelligent, fun and very vivacious.

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pastel python

Pastel Butter Python – $7,500

This is a very rare type of python because of its coloring and its markings. This butter color snake is a pastel shade of yellow with some subtle stripes. It’s considered an exotic pet because it cannot be found just anywhere in the world. When one is found, it’s exceptionally expensive. What people who collect exotic pets love about these snakes is the fact that they are very passive. They live as long as 30 years, they only grow to around 5 feet and they are very docile. They’re not aggressive, so they make good house pets.

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squirrel monkey

Squirrel Monkey – $8,000

These are just cute. They don’t get much bigger than 2 pounds, which just makes them even cuter. They have a sweet face, a great disposition and they are seriously amazing animals. It’s a very energetic animal that is going to want a lot of love and attention, and it’s also one that is going to get you plenty of attention if you take it out. It’s smart, and it learns very quickly. This makes it very easy to train. However, you have to be careful because they’re not above trying to outsmart you.

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stripe python

Striped Ball Python – $10,000

Snakes are not animals that many people want to encounter in the wild, let alone have live in their homes. They are not cuddly animals, and they aren’t good to take for a walk or jog for a bit of exercise. In fact, they’re pretty useless animals unless you just happen to like reptiles. However, if you want one of these large snakes, which are considered exotic, you’re going to pay a hefty price. These animals are known to cost upward of $10,000 for just one.

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capuchin monkeys

Capuchin Monkeys – $10,000

You might recognize this particular type of monkey from the hit television comedy, FRIENDS. This is a capuchin monkey, and it’s the same type of monkey that Ross had as a pet on the show. This is a very rare pet, and it’s something that many people are against. These monkeys are very capable to assist the handicap, and that’s what they’re primarily used for. However, they’ve been used so often in Hollywood that they’ve become a glamorous exotic pet that many people want to own. They lock them in cages and leave them home while they travel and enjoy life, and these monkeys do not do well in that type of environment.

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savannah cat

Savannah Cat – $10,000

The Savannah Cat is a very interesting cat, and a very rare one. It’s considered exotic because it’s difficult to find them. It’s difficult to find them because it’s difficult to breed them. It’s a very delicate process that makes these animals rare. They’re bred using a domestic house cat and an African Servel. This makes for interesting breeding because the Servel is 40 pounds and the average house cat is less than 12 pounds. Once one is bred, it’s sold for a lot because it’s unknown whether or not a second one will be successfully bred.

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camel

Camels – $10,000

They spit, and they’re not that good looking. However, many people are obsessed with the idea of owning their very own camel. These large, somewhat smelly animals do not make good pets since they’re so large they can’t come inside. That doesn’t stop exotic pet owners from wanting one of their own, however. They are used for domestic reasons in the west, but they are not considered pets over there. In the US they’ve become very common house pets, and it’s a very strange thing to see a camel in someone’s home.

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macaw

Hyacinth Macaw – $11,500

This is essentially a large parrot that flies, and that’s what makes it such a desirable exotic pet for so many around the world. These birds do not come cheap, though. You will pay an outrageous fee to have one of these macaws as a pet, but the fact is that these birds do not make great pets. They’re beautiful, yes, but they are also large. They have a wingspan that can grow as long as 40 inches, and they need plenty of space in which to get around. They’re certainly not an animal for a smaller home.

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palm cockatoo

Palm Cockatoo – $16,000

This is a very rare animal because it’s large, it lives a long time and it’s very difficult to breed an animal of this nature. They’re expensive to purchase, but they’re even more expensive to own. They have a very unique diet that doesn’t allow them to have much in the way of variety, and the food they can eat does not come with an inexpensive price tag. These animals are almost impossible to breed when they are being held in captivity, which is what makes it so hard to come by one. However, they’re lovely animals.

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lavender python

Lavender Albino Python – $20,000

This is the kind of snake you do not want to encounter in the real world. It’s big and it doesn’t look very friendly. It’s not a particularly domestic snake, but it is one that exotic pet owners are clamoring to have in their collections. Why? These snakes have some of the most unusual and most beautiful markings in the world. They are a soft lavender color with buttery circles on their bodies. They’re very pretty snakes – if that makes any sense – and this is what makes them so desirable and so expensive, in addition to their rarity, of course.

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Chimp

Chimpanzee – $60,000

This is a very popular animal for exotic pet owners to have. Why? Because it’s one of the most intelligent, most human-like animals in the world. this makes them easy to train, easy to deal with and a lot of fun to have around. The chimp, however, is not a cheap animal. These animals are among the most expensive to own, exotic or not. Spending more than $60,000 for one of these is standard procedure, but some are even more expensive than even that.

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stag beetle

Stag Beetle – $89,000

It’s a beetle, as in a bug. It’s small, it doesn’t do anything remarkable, and it’s exceptionally rare. What that means is that it’s one of the most expensive exotic pets in the world to own. It’s an animal you will have to jump through hoops to buy, since they are not that commonly or easily found. However, it’s also something you will have to be very careful with, since it can be easily killed by being smashed or accidentally crushed if it gets out. While they’re known for being expensive, the most expensive stag beetle in the world recently sold for $89,000 – which only drives the price up.

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white lion cub

White Lions – $138,000

They’re considered albino by many, but they’re actually not. They simply have a recessive gene that helps them become solid white at birth. This lion is one that is considered legal to own as a pet if it’s properly bred and trained, but it’s very difficult to come by one of these because their birth rate is dependent solely on the presence of this recessive gene. Without it, it’s just a lion cut.

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Ram

Ram – $352,000

The everyday ram is not considered an exotic pet so much as the perfect ram. In all seriousness, there is such thing as a perfect ram, and it costs a lot of money. It’s very rare to find one that experts agree is completely perfect, and when this happens, it costs a lot of money to purchase. It doesn’t happen often. However, when it does, the bids for these rams can get very high very quickly. They are extraordinary animals when they’re perfect, and that’s what makes them so popular.

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Written by Tiffany Raiford

Tiffany Raiford is a lifelong Floridian, wife to my high school sweetheart and mother of four littles (two girls and boy/girl twins...no, they are not identical and yes, I'm sure). My kids love to whine, so I love to wine. My loves include nap time, bed time, date night, travel and evenings and weekends when my husband is home because he handles all diaper changes.