If you were rich and famous, would you keep an exotic animal as a pet? These celebrities did. See if you agree with keeping these unusual pets, or are they too wacky or downright dangerous for you?
1. Tracy Morgan: Octopus and Sharks
One of Tracy Morgan’s prized pets is a giant Pacific octopus.
©Christopher R Mazza/iStock via Getty Images
Comedian Tracy Morgan has some of the most unusual pets you’ll find. He has a 20,000-gallon tank with 14 black-tip and white-tip sharks. He also has a giant Pacific octopus named Bwyadette. In 2013, Morgan appeared on the show Tanked when the octopus had grown too large for her tank and needed a new one. The star spent $400,000 building her a 2,700-gallon new home.
2. Nicholas Cage: Albino Cobras
Nicholas Cage’s exotic pets include two terrifying albino cobras.
Known for playing some crazy and dangerous characters in his movies, Nicholas Cage lives up to that reputation in his choice of pets. These include a two-headed snake, an octopus, a 5-foot monitor lizard, a crow, turtles, fish, and cats. But his prize babies are Moby and Sheba, albino king cobras. Cage keeps antivenom on hand in case his pets try to kill him. So, these are most definitely not emotional-support animals!
3. Tippi Hedren, Melanie Griffith: Lions
Tippi Hedren fell in love with lions while shooting a movie in Africa.
©GoodFocused/Shutterstock.com
Actress Tippi Hedren is perhaps better known to younger generations by her famous daughter, Melanie Griffith. Melanie grew up with lions in her home. Her mother first encountered them during a movie shoot in Africa and then purchased one named Neal. A lion seriously injured Tippi’s face during another filming but nevertheless, she has continued to keep lions and advocate for animal rights her whole life.
4. Paris Hilton: Kinkajous
After her kinkajou bit her, Paris Hilton doubled down and bought a second one.
©Unknown man/Shutterstock.com
Paris Hilton may be famous for using a little dog for a purse accessory, but she’s a much more devoted animal lover than you’d imagine. Her pets have included a ferret, a chimpanzee, a miniature pig, 7 Pomeranians, 7 Chihuahuas, a husky-Pomeranian mix, a pug, a miniature pinscher, a pony, 3 cats, and an African grey parrot. But her most unusual pets are her kinkajous, adorable little rainforest creatures. When her first one bit her, she refused to allow it to be euthanized to test for rabies . . . and even decided to buy a second one.
5. Mike Tyson: Tigers
Mike Tyson said he regrets owning tigers after one severely injured a woman.
©Zita Stankova/Shutterstock.com
Champion boxer Mike Tyson kept several Bengal tigers at his Las Vegas home, including a rare white tiger named Kenya. The 550-pound great cat was so docile that he allowed her to sleep in his bedroom with him. He had to give her up when she mangled the arm of a trespasser. Tyson paid the woman $250,000 in compensation and said he was foolish to think such powerful wild animals could ever be fully tamed and safe around people.
6. Kirstie Alley: Lemurs
How many lemurs is too many? According to Kirstie Alley, it’s not 14!
©Eric Isselee/Shutterstock.com
Kirstie Alley of Cheers fame was something of a lemur hoarder before her untimely death from cancer in 2022. After getting interested in wildlife conservation in Madagascar, she fell in love with lemurs and couldn’t help herself until she had 14 of them. Actually, though, this is sound lemur-keeping practice for these social animals as unusual pets. Groups of lemurs are called a “conspiracy,” and in the wild, lemurs need 10-25 members to keep a good conspiracy going!
7. Kristen Stewart: Wolf-Dogs
Wolfdogs come in different breeds, but all retain some wild instincts.
©iStock.com/wrzesientomek
In the Twilight series, Kristen Stewart was always “Team Edward,” but in real life, it appears she’s “Team Jacob.” Instead of adopting bats, she has herself four wolfdogs. Named Lily, Jack, Tommy, and Lola, they are hybrids of wolves and domestic dogs. They are well-socialized and live on her mother’s property in California, with plenty of space to run around.
8. Leonardo DiCaprio: African Spurred Tortoise
Leonardo DiCaprio’s African spurred tortoise could easily outlive him.
©Chase D'animulls/Shutterstock.com
Not only a famous actor but a wildlife conservationist, Leonardo DiCaprio bought an African spurred tortoise from a trade show in Anaheim, California. Tortoise ownership is quite a commitment. These reptiles can grow to 200 pounds and live for a century, easily outliving their owners.
9. Vanilla Ice: Wallaroo
A wallaroo like this is a hybrid of a wallaby and a kangaroo.
©jmac23/Shutterstock.com
Early ’90s rapper Vanilla Ice had a pet wallaroo named Bucky Buckaroo. The animal was a cross between a wallaby and a kangaroo. The creature used to wear a diaper, hop around the house, play with Ice’s children, and escape at every opportunity. Once he reached 5 feet tall, he became more than the family could manage and was rehomed to a farm.
10. Salma Hayek: Southern White-Faced Owl
Salma Hayek’s Southern white-faced owl is so affectionate it will sleep with her.
©Anthony King Nature/Shutterstock.com
Actress Salma Hayek studied up on rescue owls before making the decision to get one herself. Named Kering, the female Southern white-faced owl was originally a Valentine’s Day gift to her husband. Kering appears to have adopted Salma, however. When her husband is out of town, the nocturnal bird will fly over to the bed, land on the actress’s head, and snuggle up with her.
11. Justin Bieber: Capuchin Monkey
What gets in more trouble than Justin Bieber? A capuchin monkey.
©Eric Yeamans/iStock via Getty Images
One of Justin Bieber’s relatives gave him a capuchin monkey named OG Mally as a gift. That was the first mistake. The second mistake was when Justin took the monkey with him to Germany. Importing an endangered animal was a violation of German law and cost the star an $8,000 fine. OG Mally ended up in the Serengeti Park in Hodenhagen, Germany, where he lives with 6 other capuchins.
How to Add Us to Google News
Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us? Contact the AZ Animals editorial team.
