Can You Have A Skunk As A Pet In Louisiana?
Yes...skunk. Like, a little furry creature that has a stink sack that can emit a spray and odor that is strong enough to make you throw up. We're talking about skunks.
It might seem like a weird idea to have a skunk as a pet, but if you take away the stink sacks in their anal glands, they're cool looking little guys. They grow from 20 to 31 inches long and weigh about 15 pounds. Basically they're little striped cats. But again, that's without the stink sacks.
Skunks are technically part of the weasel family. They are omnivores, meaning they eat plants and "animal matter", that includes insects. Which is pretty much what they eat when it comes to "meat", just bugs. Things that seem easy to handle if they were a pet.
And yes, there are a lot of people who are interested in keeping them as pets. In fact, there are entire online communities devoted to the concept. The website The Spruce Pets breaks down what its like to have a skunk as a pet:
"Skunks are not low-maintenance pets—in addition to feeding and cleaning up after your skunk, you should expect to spend several hours per day keeping it entertained. Some of a skunk's personality traits, such as being stubborn and headstrong, can make it a challenge to live with. Fortunately, pet skunks also tend to be sociable and playful when they grow up interacting with people. They are active and curious, which means they will get into everything in your home. They can learn to open cabinets, drawers, and even the refrigerator. If certain items such as towels, blankets, and clothing go missing, your skunk might have stolen them to make its bed softer."
So what about having one in Louisiana? Can you have a skunk as a pet in the state? According to every source we found online...no. You cannot have a skunk as a pet in Louisiana.
One of the skunk communities online, Skunk Haven, lists out the legal status of pet skunks for every state. In Louisiana, they state that the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries doesn't let you have a skunk as a pet. Going back to The Spruce Pets site, they list all of the states where it IS legal to own a skunk as a pet. Those states include Alabama, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming. No Louisiana on that list.