Written by Kelly Sosik-Hamor
Before you get a hedgehog, it is important that you be sure they are legal in your city and state. Since laws are continually changing, it is best that you contact your state Fish and Game Commission and check your county regulations. We'll do our best to keep a running list of the restrictions placed on hedgehogs, however, please realize that our information may go out of date from time to time.
Note that this list only pertains to the African Pygmy hedgehog and NOT to any other species of hedgehogs.
Alaska - If you are shipping into Alaska, you need to call the state vet and ask about the local requirements.
Arizona - Only legal if you can meet very strict requirements and obtain a permit (which, as I understand it, is impossible to get)
California - Hedgehogs are not legal at all.
Georgia - Illegal to posses, but licensed breeding is allowed if the hedgehogs are sold out of state.
Hawaii - Hedgehogs are not legal at all.
Kansas - At the 12/2/2008 Board of Commissioners meeting, it was decided that hedgehogs would be allowed animals in the city of Lawrence, where previously they had been illegal
Kentucky - If you are shipping into Kentucky, you need to call the state vet and ask about the local requirements.
Maine - Maine requires both an importation and a possession permit. Contact the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife listed below for more information.
Montana - In early 2005 there was a ban on importing hedgehogs into this state. The are supposed to be reclassified and to be imported again sometime in early summer 2005. If you are importing a hedgehog to Montana, your vet needs to call the MT state vet and get a permit number. If this is not done, the shipper and shippee will receive a warning for the first violation and a large fine for any subsequent violations.
Nebraska - Permit required for Omaha and Douglas County.
New Jersey - Legal with Permit. If you buy a hedgehog from someone in NJ, you need to get a 20 day permit from the seller, who will also provide an application for a permanent permit. The permit cost is $10 a year, no matter the number of hedgies. For an application, go to: http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/pdf/xotic_hobby.pdf
New York -Legal in all counties EXCEPT the 5 boroughs of NYC; Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island, and Manhattan.
Pennsylvania - Hedgehogs are not legal at all.
Vermont - In July 2010, hedgehogs were moved to the unrestricted species list in Vermont and are now legal to own
Virginia - Legal in all counties EXECPT Fairfax.
Wyoming: Permit needed (must call F&G to check if this is still true)
Canada: Illegal in Windsor, Ontario and Langley, British Columbia.
For more information, please contact your local state department:
Alabama
Division of Fish and Game
Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
(334) 243-3465
Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources
Wildlife and Freshwater Fish
Wildlife Section
(334) 242-3469
Alaska
Department of Fish and Game
(907) 465-4190 or 465-4100
Arizona
Game and Fish Department
(602) 942-3000 x 4006
Arkansas
Department of Fish and Game
(501) 223 6300 or 223-6359
California
Department of Fish and Game
(916) 653-6420
Colorado
Division of Wildlife
(303) 297-1192 or 291-7440
Connecticut
Department of Environmental Protection
(860) 424-3011
Delaware
Division of Fish and Wildlife
(302) 739-5295 or 739-5297
Florida
Department of Natural Resources
(904) 488-3641 or 488-6253
Georgia
Department of Natural Resources
Game and Fish Division
(404) 656-0778 or 656-3523
Hawaii
Land and Natural Resources
(808) 587 0377 or 548-2681
Idaho
Fish and Game Department
(208) 334-3736 or 327-7025
Illinois
Department of Conservation
(217) 782-7305 or 782-2965
Indiana
Division of Fish and Wildlife
(317) 232-4080 or 232-4040
Iowa
Department of Natural Resources
(515) 281-4508 or 281-5638
Kansas
Department of Wildlife and Parks
(316) 671-5911
Kentucky
Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources
(502) 564-4224 or 564-3176
Louisiana
Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
(504) 765-2800 or 765-2821
Maine
Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
(207) 287-2571 or 289-3651
Maryland
Department of Natural Resources
(410) 974-2265 or 974-3195
Massachusetts
Division of Fisheries and Wildlife
(617) 727-3151
Michigan
Department of Natural Resources
Wildlife Division
(517) 373-1263
Minnesota
Department of Natural Resources
(612) 296-4507 or 296-3344
Mississippi
Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks
(601) 364-2214 or 364-2022
Montana
Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks
(406) 444-2950 or 444-2535
Nebraska
Game and Parks Commission
(402) 471-5462 or 464-0641
Nevada
Department of Wildlife
(702) 688-1500 or 688-1549
New Hampshire
Fish and Game Department
(603) 271-3421 or 271-2461
New Jersey
Division of Fish, Game and Wildlife
(609) 984-0839 or 292-6685
New Mexico
Department of Game and Fish
(505) 827-7934
New York
Department of Environmental Conservation
Division of Fish and Wildlife
(518) 457-3400 or 439-7635
North Carolina
Wildlife Resources Commission
(919) 662-4370 or 733-7291
North Dakota
Game and Fish Department
(701) 221-6335
Ohio
Department of Natural Resources
(614) 265-6300 or 265-7027
Oklahoma
Department of Wildlife Conservation
(405) 521-3851 or 521-2739
Oregon
Department of Fish and Wildlife
(541) 872-5260 ext. 5518
Pennsylvania
Game Commission
(717) 787-4250 or 787-5740
Rhode Island
Division of Fish and Wildlife
(401) 277-3576 or 789-3094
South Carolina
Wildlife and Marine Resources Division
(803) 734-3833 or 734-3888
South Dakota
Department of Game, Fish and Parks
(605) 773-3485 or 773-3381
Tennessee
Wildlife Resources Agency
(615) 781-6585 or 781-6610
Texas
Parks and Wildlife Department
(512) 389-4419 or 389-4822
Utah
Division of Wildlife Resources
(801) 538-4846
Vermont
Department of Fish and Wildlife
(802) 241-3700
Virginia
Department of Game and Inland Fisheries
(804) 367-1000
Washington
Department of Wildlife
(206) 753-5719 or 753-5728
West Virginia
Department of Natural Resources
(304) 558-2758 or 348-2771
Wisconsin
Department of Natural Resources
(608) 266-2621 or 267-7857
Wyoming
Game and Fish Department
(307) 777-4530 or 777-4582
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