What States are Sugar Gliders Legal?
Below are the rules and regulations of each state:
- Alabama No state laws against ownership
- Alaska - Not legal as pets, according to the Department of Fish and Game of the state of Alaska. The law does not outright ban the keeping of sugar gliders as pets, but are not on their "clean" list - meaning it is understood that owning one is not permitted.
- Arizona No state laws against ownership
- Arkansas No state laws against ownership
- California - It is outright illegal to own a sugar glider as a pet throughout the entire state, according to the Department of Fish and Game of California. Most non-native wildlife is not allowed as a pet within this state, which includes sugar gliders, classified as marsupials. It is not ambiguous, as sugar gliders are completely called out within the title of their documentation.
- Colorado No state laws against ownership
- Connecticut No state laws against ownership
- Delaware No state laws against ownership
- Florida No state laws against ownership
- Georgia - Sugar gliders are allowed to be kept as pets, as long as the possession and permit of ownership are administered and inspected by the USDA.
- Hawaii - Hawaii's natural presence and allure are due to its nature, so most of its laws prohibit non-native animals, wildlife, and other species of plants in order to preserve its image. According to Hawaii's Department of Agriculture, sugar gliders are called by name as being illegal.
- Idaho No state laws against ownership
- Illinois No state laws against ownership
- Indiana No state laws against ownership
- Iowa No state laws against ownership
- Kansas No state laws against ownership
- Kentucky No state laws against ownership
- Louisiana No state laws against ownership
- Maine No state laws against ownership
- Maryland No state laws against ownership
- Massachusetts No state laws against ownership
- Michigan No state laws against ownership
- Minnesota - Legal everywhere except for the city of St. Paul. This was voted in by the city council as a preventative measure. Owners were feared to abandon their sugar gliders due to the extremely high maintenance of the animal due to the climate in the area.
- Mississippi No state laws against ownership
- Missouri No state laws against ownership
- Montana No state laws against ownership
- Nebraska No state laws against ownership
- Nevada No state laws against ownership
- New Hampshire No state laws against ownership
- New Jersey No state laws against ownership
- New Mexico - New Mexico does not permit the unlawful import of any live non-domesticated animal into the state without obtaining the proper permissions and allowance prior. In order to legally possess a sugar glider, you must first obtain a permit from the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish.
- New York - New York allows the possession of sugar gliders mostly, except for New York City. As the country's biggest city by population, it is usually extremely restrictive with the possession of any exotic animals.
- North Carolina No state laws against ownership
- North Dakota No state laws against ownership
- Ohio No state laws against ownership
- Oklahoma No state laws against ownership
- Oregon No state laws against ownership
- Pennsylvania - Pennsylvania generally does not ban the keeping of exotic animals as pets, but a proper permit must be first obtained for exotic wildlife possessions, according to their Game and Wildlife Code.
- Rhode Island No state laws against ownership
- South Carolina No state laws against ownership
- South Dakota No state laws against ownership
- Tennessee No state laws against ownership
- Texas No state laws against ownership
- Utah - Utah allows the possession of sugar gliders, except for the capital of Salt Lake City.
- Vermont No state laws against ownership
- Virginia No state laws against ownership
- Washington No state laws against ownership
- West Virginia No state laws against ownership
- Wisconsin No state laws against ownership
- Wyoming No state laws against ownership