Can You Own a Sloth in Texas as a pet? Texas is home to a wide variety of exotic animals, but one creature that’s notably absent from the Lone Star State is the sloth.
Slow-moving and famously sleepy, sloths captivate people with their unique features and behaviors. So why can’t you own a sloth as a pet in Texas?
Let’s take a closer look at the laws and reasons why sloths aren’t allowed in the state.
Can You Own a Sloth in Texas?
Yes, it is legal to own a pet sloth in Texas. The state has relatively lenient exotic animal ownership laws compared to other states.
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department allows possession of exotic animals like sloths as long as owners obtain the proper permits and can demonstrate they can adequately care for the animals.
You will need to apply for a permit from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department before bringing home a pet sloth.
Permit requirements include providing details on the animal’s origins, submitting a photograph, describing housing arrangements and diet, and more. Annual permit renewals and inspections may also be necessary.
Sloth Facts
Let’s go over some quick facts about these mellow mammals:
- There are two main species of sloth – the two-toed sloth and three-toed sloth. They are native to Central and South America.
- Sloths spend most of their time hanging upside down from trees. Their bodies are adapted for this, with long limbs, hook-like claws, and flexible spines.
- Sloths are incredibly slow movers. It can take them multiple days to travel just a few hundred feet. This slow pace helps them blend into the rainforest canopy.
- Sloths sleep 15-20 hours per day and are active mainly at night. Their slow metabolism and low muscle mass contribute to their inert lifestyle.
- Sloths have very low body temperatures for mammals – just 86-93 F when active. This helps them conserve energy.
- They survive on a diet of leaves, fruit, and tender shoots. Digestion is slow due to their sluggish metabolism.
- Lifespans are 10-20 years in the wild and up to 40 years in captivity.
Sloth Care Requirements
While sloths as pets may sound fun, they have very specific care requirements that prospective owners must be prepared to provide.
Habitat
Sloths spend virtually their entire lives hanging upside down from tree branches. For a pet sloth, an indoor or outdoor enclosure with plenty of climbing branches, ropes, hammocks, and cubbies is essential. The enclosure should be large enough to accommodate a full range of motion and natural behaviors. Outdoor enclosures must protect the sloth from predators, weather fluctuations, and provide areas of sun and shade. Indoor enclosures should be humidity and temperature controlled.
Diet
Sloths have specialized diets consisting mainly of leafy greens, vegetables, and some fruits. They cannot survive on an average pet diet. Owners must be prepared to source fresh tropical foliage daily. Supplements are also recommended. Having an exotic animal veterinarian monitor a pet sloth’s diet is highly advised.
Enrichment
In the wild, sloths spend their days sleeping, feeding, and moving slowly through the rainforest canopy. Pet sloths require enrichment to stimulate natural wild behaviors and prevent boredom or stress. This includes branches, ropes, and hammocks for climbing, puzzle toys, sensory items, and interaction time outside their primary enclosure.
Exercise
Sloths are incredibly inactive, but pet sloths still require some exercise time each day, whether climbing about their enclosure or supervised time exploring a sloth-proofed room. This helps prevent obesity and muscle deterioration. Caring for a pet sloth is demanding – from sourcing their specialized diet to providing habitat enrichment. It requires substantial commitment, time, and money.
Costs of Owning a Pet Sloth
Between purchase price, housing, diet, veterinary expenses, and enrichment needs, sloths are very costly exotic pets.
Purchase Price
$2,000 to $5,000 Factors impacting price include age, health/temperament, and species of sloth.
Supplies & Housing
Hundreds to thousands of dollars initially; ongoing costs
Large, specialized enclosure, climate control systems, substrate, climbing branches, ropes, toys, bedding, etc. Outdoor enclosures also require land space.
Diet
$500- $1,000+ annually
Daily fresh tropical foliage, vegetables, supplements
Veterinary Care
$100+ per visit, not including diagnostics or treatment
Wellness exams, lab work, medications, etc. Specialized vets are recommended.
Enrichment & Miscellaneous
$500+ annually
Enrichment items, cleaning supplies, time spent caring for pet The costs of properly caring for a pet sloth are substantial. Prospective owners must carefully budget for this long-term expense.
States That Allow Pet Sloths
| State | Sloth Ownership Laws | Additional Notes |
| Alabama | Legal to own a two-toed pet sloth | Must obtain health certificate for imported sloths |
| Indiana | Legal with proper permits | Permit required from Dept. of Natural Resources |
| Iowa | Legal with health certificate | Import permit required; some city bans exist |
| Kansas | Legal with permits | Permit from Wildlife & Parks Dept. required |
| Kentucky | Legal | No state permit required, check local laws |
| Maryland | Legal | Permit from Dept. of Natural Resources required |
| Massachusetts | Legal | Permit from Division of Fisheries & Wildlife required |
| Michigan | Legal with permits | Permit from Dept. of Natural Resources required |
| Minnesota | Legal with health certificate | Some city/county bans; permit required |
| Mississippi | Legal | No state permit required, check local laws |
| Missouri | Legal | No state permit required, check local laws |
| Montana | Legal | No state permit required, check local laws |
| Nevada | Legal | Permit from Dept. of Wildlife required |
| New York | Legal | Permit from Dept. of Environmental Conservation required |
| North Carolina | Legal | No state permit required, check local laws |
| Ohio | Legal | No state permit required, check local laws |
| Oregon | Legal | No state permit required, check local laws |
| South Dakota | Legal with health certificate | Some city/county bans may exist |
| Texas | NOT Legal | Sloths prohibited exotic species in Texas |
| Washington | Legal | Permit from Dept. of Fish & Wildlife required |
| West Virginia | Legal | Permit from Natural Resources Dept. required |
| Wisconsin | Legal | No state permit required, check local laws |
FAQs
What species of sloth makes the best pet?
The Linneaus’s two-toed sloth is most commonly kept as a pet. But all sloths have extensive specialized care requirements. There is no “ideal” pet sloth species.
Do sloths make good pets?
No, sloths do not make good pets. They have very specific dietary, environmental, and care needs that are difficult for average owners to meet. Sloths move slowly and sleep many hours per day, which some find boring. They require large, tall enclosures with climbing branches. Sloths also may carry diseases transmissible to humans. Overall, sloths are challenging to properly care for as pets. They are best left in the wild or zoos rather than kept as exotic pets.
Where can you go to hold a sloth in Texas?
In Texas, the main opportunities to hold or touch a sloth are at certain zoos and temporary animal encounters. Some locations where you can potentially interact with sloths in Texas include:
San Antonio Zoo – Offers behind-the-scenes sloth encounters on a limited basis
Abilene Zoo – Lets visitors touch and take photos with a sloth during private animal encounters
Animal encounter pop-up events – Traveling companies provide opportunities to hold sloths at temporary venues
Exotic petting zoos – May offer sloth interactions at events, fairs, parties, etc.
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