19 Best Exotic Pet Stores You'll Find Anywhere
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Dogs and cats are not the only animals that make great pets. If you’ve ever thought about owning an exotic pet, you already know there are several things to consider. For example, some animals can live for decades, some can be nocturnal and some simply need more room to roam.
Whatever you decide, before making a purchase, make sure your state allows it. Most exotics are wild animals, and there are laws in place for ownership. When you're ready, find a store with a great reputation in its community. These are the best exotic pet stores we’ve found.
19. Lou’s Pet Shop
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Location: 20779 Mack Ave, Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan 48236
Specialty: Sugar gliders and hedgehogs
Weirdness factor: 5/10*
Why it’s worth visiting: When it comes to exotic pets (and pets in general), Lou's has been an integral business in the city of Grosse Pointe since the early 1970s.
The store has maintained great relationships with breeders and suppliers of exotic animals in the area, so you know you're getting a healthy, well-loved pet.
Staffers encourage interaction with the animals, and there are plenty roaming the store.
Something exotic to get: Ask Lou’s Pet Shop about their adorable teddy bear hamsters.
*Weirdness rating is on a 1-10 scale with 1 being an ordinary pet store and 10 being a store that sells anacondas.
18. Farmer Girl and Exotic Gardens
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Location: 18940 Coastal Hwy., Rehoboth Beach, Delaware 19971
Specialty: Exotic birds and gardening supplies
Weirdness factor: 4/10
Why it’s worth visiting: Owner Mary Rausch has raised many of the exotic birds she sells from birth. Others have come to her shop after being abandoned, mistreated or simply outliving their owners (many parrot species can live up to 60 years or more).
When purchasing a bird from Farmer Girl, Mary ensures it goes to the right home by vetting its new family thoroughly and teaching them just what owning a parrot entails.
Something exotic to get: Ask Mary about any rescue parrots looking for a new home.
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Exotic birds are a specialty of Farmer Girl Exotics17. Uncle Bill’s Pet Center
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Location: Several locations across Indiana
Specialty: A wide variety of exotics
Weirdness factor: 6/10
Why it’s worth visiting: Uncle Bill’s is the place to visit for Indianans, whether they’re looking for a hamster or something more exotic. Uncle Bill’s staff is a one-stop shop when buying a pet.
They have everything you’ll need from food to bedding and plenty of advice on what exotic pet is right for you.
Something exotic to get: Ask Uncle Bill’s about its chinchillas or scorpions.
16. DFW Reptarium
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Location: 2220 Coit Road #410, Plano, Texas 75075
Specialty: Amphibians, reptiles, and invertebrates
Weirdness factor: 8/10
Why it’s worth visiting: With a name like "DFW Reptarium," you know you’re getting a variety of reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates, feeders, and live plants of all shapes and sizes.
The staff has decades of experience in herpetoculture and will help you find exactly what you’re looking for.
One customer has dubbed it "a mini trip to the zoo." It also has a huge selection of supplies for reptiles that can’t be found in chain pet stores.
Something exotic to get: Ask about their cute hourglass frogs, but if you get one, be careful how you handle them. Their skin is toxic.
15. Predatory Fins
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Location: 160 NW 24th St, Bay 14, Boca Raton, Florida 33431
Specialty: Unusual freshwater fish
Weirdness factor: 7/10
Why it’s worth visiting: Predatory Fins imports freshwater species from all over the world each month.
Located in a warehouse in Boca Raton, this fish store is so specialized, it's open by appointment only, but its inventory is unmatched.
It features rare, exotic and monster fish you won’t see in any other place, except perhaps an aquarium or the wild, prompting at least one customer to call it a "fish lovers' dream."
Something exotic to get: Inquire about the store’s monster fish.
14. Granite State Hedgehogs
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Location: 406 Central Street, Franklin, New Hampshire 03235
Specialty: Hedgehogs
Weirdness factor: 5/10
Why it’s worth visiting: If you’re in the New Hampshire area and looking for a hedgehog, Granite State is the place for all your needs, including the accessories you’ll need to have a healthy and happy pet.
They even have babies and will ship to out-of-state buyers, but make sure that your state allows hedgehog ownership before making a purchase.
Something exotic to get: The store’s website features a gallery of adorable babies for purchase, including their names and a bit about their personalities.
13. The Animal Store
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Location: 4364 W Touhy Ave, Lincolnwood, Illinois 60712
Specialty: Hedgehogs, bunnies, ferrets, birds, reptiles, frogs and turtles, and tropical fish
Weirdness factor: 6/10
Why it’s worth visiting: If you live in the Chicago area, The Animal Store is your go-to spot for all things exotic.
This fully licensed store is committed to the health and welfare of the animals it provides homes for and socializes them by hand-feeding them from infanthood.
Something exotic to get: Bring home a Siberian chipmunk.
12. Scarlet's Primitive Pets
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Location: 300 N Chestnut St, Seymour, Indiana 47274
Specialty: Reptiles and amphibians
Weirdness factor: 6/10
Why it’s worth visiting: For the owners of Scarlet’s Primitive Pets, it is indeed a family affair.
There is an actual Scarlet, who has been a reptile aficionado since she was a little girl. Her parents, also fond of exotic pets, had planned to open a store in her name when she was just a baby.
Today, they share responsibility for finding homes for their wide variety of animals, which include baby bearded dragons, scorpions and salamanders.
Something exotic to get: An axolotl. According to Scarlet, "They’re so easy to care for and one of my favorite beginner pets."
11. Low Country Exotics
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Location: 25 Bruin Road, Bluffton, South Carolina 29910
Specialty: Reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates
Weirdness factor: 7/10
Why it’s worth visiting: Low Country Exotic carries about 400 species of exotic pets, according to owner Eric McBeth. These animals include parrots, sugar gliders and tarantulas.
McBeth is passionate and knowledgeable about each and every one of them and vets potential owners thoroughly. If he does not think they’ll commit to the care of that animal for the rest of its life, he will refuse their service.
Low Country also takes in rescues and has committed to educating the community about exotic and indigenous wildlife.
Something exotic to get: Contact the store about a colorful Ambilobe Panther.
10. Exotic Pet and Supply by Endless Scales
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Location: 432 Canton Rd suite A, Cumming, Georgia 30040
Specialty: Invertebrates and reptiles
Weirdness factor: 6/10
Why it’s worth visiting: Endless Scales is relatively new but is already making a splash with its colorful frogs, lizards and snakes in Forsyth County.
Owner Jay Erikson had bred snakes but had always dreamed of owning a shop and finally has a brick and mortar in 2021. Girlfriend Hannah Cash is also on staff and is an experienced breeder of tarantulas.
Erikson’s goal is to host shows for unprivileged kids in the community to teach them about wildlife.
Something exotic to get: Contact the store about their crested geckos.
9. Janda Exotics
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Location: 910 Cottonwood Creek Road, Kingsbury, Texas 78638
Specialty: Exotics and livestock
Weirdness factor: 9/10
Why it’s worth visiting: Janda is less of a brick and mortar shop and more of a ranch with everything from exotics to livestock for sale. It not only sells to individuals who wish to own an exotic bet, but it also sells to zoos.
For those who do not have the resources, Janda offers private tours of its facility and encounters with some of the rarest animals on the premises.
Something exotic to get: A capybara but make sure you have enough room. These giant rodents weigh over 100 pounds.
8. Ozark Exotics
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Location: 2977 Highway K #216, O Fallon, Missouri 63368
Specialty: Turtles and tortoises
Weirdness factor: 7/10
Why it’s worth visiting: There’s not a lot about Ozark Exotics online, but judging by their reviews on Facebook, the owner, Jim, breeds high-quality reptiles of all sorts, including turtles, tortoises, lizards, and snakes.
Customers give Ozark Exotics high marks not only for its healthy animals but its service. The store ships nationwide, and they are always available to answer owners’ questions.
Something exotic to get: Be a proud parent of an adorable three-toed box turtle.
7. Parrots of the World
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Location: 316 Sunrise Highway #1, Rockville Centre, New York 11570
Specialty: Hand-fed parrots
Weirdness factor: 7/10
Why it’s worth visiting: Parrots of the World is known for its feathered species, but it has been selling unusual and exotic pets since 1980 of all different types, including hedgehogs, scorpions, ferrets, guinea pigs, sugar gliders, chinchillas and degus.
Owner Marc Marrone knows his stuff when it comes to animals. In fact, he’s Martha Stewart’s resident "pet expert" on her TV show.
Something exotic to get: Contact the store about their cute spiny mice.
6. Allan’s Pet Center
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Location: 12003 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, California 90064
Specialty: Reptiles
Weirdness factor: 6/10
Why it’s worth visiting: California has some of the most stringent laws regarding exotics, but Allan’s Pet Center has been the go-to for the exotics that are allowed as well as more domesticated species.
Open for almost six decades, Allan’s socializes all its pets before selling them by allowing their customers to handle the animals, so they make sure they are a good fit before bringing them home.
All Allan’s staffers are said to be extremely knowledgeable. They are either breeders themselves or otherwise have vast experience with the store's species.
Something exotic to get: A spicy tomato frog.
5. Panhandle Exotics
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Location: 129 North New Warrington Rd, Pensacola, Florida 32507
Specialty: Exotics including prairie dogs, monkeys and skunks
Weirdness factor: 9/10
Why it’s worth visiting: Panhandle Exotics prides itself on its animals, which include hedgehogs, primates, and macro pods, as well as many other unusual species.
The owners are passionate about what they do and have emphasized that they are in business to provide those creatures with the perfect home.
In fact, they have been known to turn down sales if they feel the relationship will not be beneficial for the animal.
Something exotic to get: Ask the store about owning a kinkajou.
4. Pet Kingdom
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Location: 2470 E Tropicana Ave Suite C, Las Vegas, Nevada 89121
Specialty: General exotics, as well as domesticated animals
Weirdness factor: 9/10
Why it’s worth visiting: When it comes to owning exotics, Nevada allows more species than any other state, and it shows in the wide variety of animals in pet stores there.
Pet Kingdom carries everything from the usual puppies and kittens to monkeys, tortoises, hedgehogs, opossums, snakes, lizards, chinchillas, frogs, bearded dragons, exotic birds, ferrets, guinea pigs and sugar gliders.
There is even a Genet and monkey named Momo "on staff," as well as a few hairless rats and a menagerie of cats.
Something exotic to get: Ask the store about small burrowing rodents known as degus.
3. Cold Blooded & Bizarre
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Location: 3000 Central Ave #8, Charlotte, North Carolina 28205
Specialty: Reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates
Weirdness factor: 7/10
Why it’s worth visiting: Cold Blooded & Bizarre is another family-owned shop that gets high marks from customers looking for exotics.
They work with over 40 breeders in their state and carry hundreds of animals, including hermit crabs, boas, anoles, tarantulas, among others. Cold Blooded & Bizarre also rescues, rehabilitates and rehomes animals that are injured and unwanted.
Occasionally, they will also remove and relocate reptiles that encroach upon nearby properties.
Something exotic to get: Inquire about the store’s cute newts.
2. Jay’s Prehistoric Pets
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Location: 18822 Brookhurst St, Fountain Valley, California 92708
Specialty: Snakes
Weirdness factor: 8/10
Why it’s worth visiting: Jay’s slogan reads, "If it hops, wiggles, crawls or gives your mom the chills, you'll find it at Prehistoric Pets." If Jay’s social media pages are any indication, he’s not kidding.
The store features some of the biggest, baddest reptiles and amphibians on the planet, and Jay’s knowledgeable staff will lead you to the pet that is right for you.
The store also features private experiences with the animals by appointment, and you can even get your photo taken with one. Before you go, check out their social media pages. You’ll see pretty hair-raising encounters with some large beasts, and you’ll learn a bit about them, too.
Something exotic to get: Bring home a big boa.
1. Tri-County Exotics
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Location: 501 West Broadway, Winnsboro, Texas 75494
Specialty: Everything
Weirdness factor: 9/10
Why it’s worth visiting: Formerly a livestock and feed store, Tri-County has become the store to visit when looking for exotic pet and supply stores in East Texas.
The store specializes in exotic species from nearly every continent. They come to the store as babies and are thoroughly checked over by a local vet when they arrive.
When someone buys a pet, their health and vaccination records go with them to their new home.
Something exotic to get: Check out the store’s sloths or kangaroos.