Manteca, CA Animal Ordinances: Exotic Pets (2026)
Key Facts
- Covered animals
- potbelly pigs, snakes, reptiles, tropical birds
- By-right zones
- AG, R-E, R-1, R-2, R-3
- CMU zone
- Conditional Use Permit required
- Other zones
- Not allowed in DMU, commercial, industrial
Summary
Manteca's zoning code defines 'exotic animals' as potbelly pigs, snakes, reptiles and large tropical birds like peacocks, and allows keeping them by right in every agricultural and residential zoning district citywide.
Exotic Animals. Wild animals not customarily confined or cultivated by man for domestic or commercial purposes, but kept as a pet or for display, including potbelly pigs, snakes, reptiles, and large tropical birds (including peacocks).
c. Insects. Small arthropod animals confined or cultivated by man for domestic or commercial purposes including but not limited to flies, crickets, mosquitoes, beetles, butterflies, and bees.
d. Livestock Animals. Domesticated animals that may be kept or raised in pens, barns, houses, and pastures whether for commercial or private use. Livestock includes, but is not limited to, cattle, sheep, swine, goats, equine, and fowl. This definition includes horses and equestrian facilities for individual homeowners.
e. Poultry. Domesticated birds (fowl) customarily kept for eggs or meat. This classification includes chickens, roosters, ducks, geese, turkeys, guinea fowl, and Cornish game hens.
2. Animal Sales and Grooming. Retail sales of domestic and exotic animals and bathing and trimming services, excludes kenneling of animals. See Kennel, Commercial.
3.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4829770; v11 updated 2026-04-21).
Full Breakdown
Manteca's Zoning Code, § 17.24.020(B)(1)(b), classifies 'Exotic Animals' as wild animals kept as pets or for display that aren't typically domesticated, specifically naming potbelly pigs, snakes, reptiles and large tropical birds including peacocks. Table 17.22.020-1 allows this use by right (no permit) in the Agricultural, Residential Estate, R-1, R-2 and R-3 zones. A Conditional Use Permit is required to keep exotic animals in the Mixed-Use Commercial zone, and the use is not allowed at all in Downtown Mixed-Use or any commercial or industrial zoning district. The ordinance regulates land use, not species by danger level, it doesn't separately address inherently dangerous animals beyond this general zoning classification.
Violations & Fines
Keeping exotic animals in a zone where they're barred, or without the Conditional Use Permit required in Mixed-Use Commercial, can trigger code enforcement, a requirement to remove the animals, and citations under Municipal Code Chapter 1.10.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I keep an exotic pet like a snake or potbelly pig in Manteca?
What if I want to keep exotic animals in a commercial zone?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Manteca
California rules heatmap·Compare Manteca to another location·View the California animal ordinances overview
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Exotic Pets in Nearby Cities
How other cities in San Joaquin County handle exotic pets.