Exotic Pets: Corona vs Riverside
How do exotic pets rules compare between Corona, CA and Riverside, CA?
Corona and Riverside have similar restriction levels.
Corona, CA
Riverside County
California Fish and Game Code §2118 and CCR Title 14 §671 prohibit private possession of many exotic and wild animals statewide, including most non-domestic cats, primates, alligators, and venomous reptiles. Corona enforces state law plus local restrictions. Permits from CDFW are required for many species, and most native wildlife cannot be kept as pets.
View full Corona rules →Riverside, CA
Riverside County
The City of Riverside has no separate exotic-pet ordinance; possession of wild, exotic, or non-native animals is controlled by California Code of Regulations Title 14, §671 (Restricted Live Animal List), administered by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW). Most exotic pets — including big cats, primates, ferrets, venomous reptiles, and most parrots not on the unrestricted list — are illegal to possess without a CDFW permit, and Riverside County animal control supplements this with a county-level exotic-animal definition.
View full Riverside rules →Key Facts Comparison
| Fact | Corona | Riverside |
|---|---|---|
| - | - | |
| Controlling authority | - | California Code of Regulations Title 14, §671 |
| Enforcement agency | - | California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) + RCDAS |
| Ferrets legal? | - | No — restricted under §671 |
| Monkeys / non-human primates | - | Prohibited without CDFW permit |
| Skunks | - | Prohibited as pets (Riverside County Code §6.04 / §6.16) |
| Permit pathway | - | CDFW Restricted Species Permit (§671.1) — research, exhibition, or qualified facility only |
Highlighted rows indicate differences between cities.
Corona FAQ
Riverside FAQ
Are ferrets legal as pets in Riverside?
No. Ferrets (Mustela putorius furo) are listed as a restricted species under California Code of Regulations Title 14, §671 and may not be possessed as pets anywhere in California, including the City of Riverside. Importation, transport, or keeping is a misdemeanor and the animal is subject to seizure by CDFW or RCDAS.
Can I own a hedgehog, sugar glider, or capybara in Riverside?
Hedgehogs (Erinaceidae family) and sugar gliders (Petaurus breviceps) are listed as restricted under §671 and are illegal to possess in California. Capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) are also restricted. None can be legally kept as pets in the City of Riverside without a CDFW Restricted Species Permit, which is generally only issued to research, exhibition, or accredited zoo facilities.
What about large parrots or snakes?
Most commonly kept pet parrot species (cockatiels, budgerigars, macaws, African greys, conures) and non-venomous pet snakes (ball python, corn snake, boa constrictor — for boas it is species-specific) are NOT on the §671 restricted list and may be kept as pets. Venomous reptiles, native California reptiles, and large constrictors of certain species require permits. Always check the current §671 list before purchase — it is amended periodically.
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