Is it legal to own a hedgehog in Georgia?
The short answer
No. Hedgehogs are illegal to keep as pets in Georgia. State law and DNR rules classify all insectivores — shrews, moles, tenrecs, and hedgehogs — as wild animals requiring a license that is issued only for commercial, scientific, or exhibition purposes, never for pets. Georgia DNR cites disease-transmission risks in defending the ban.
What Georgia law says
O.C.G.A. §27-5-5 and Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-8 place hedgehogs (order Insectivora/Eulipotyphla) on the wild animal list; a wild animal license is unavailable for private pet ownership.
Which agency regulates hedgehogs in Georgia
Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division is the authority for hedgehog (Atelerix albiventris) possession in Georgia.
Is there a permit for pet hedgehogs?
No. There is no permit pathway that allows private pet ownership. Wild animal licenses are issued only for exhibition, scientific, or commercial purposes — not pets.
Penalties for owning a hedgehog illegally
Possessing a regulated wild animal without a license is a misdemeanor, with fines up to $1,000, possible jail time, and confiscation.
Local city and county rules
The ban is statewide; no Georgia county or city can authorize hedgehog ownership.
Legal alternatives in Georgia
- Sugar Glider in Georgia — A palm-sized gliding marsupial, legal in most states but banned in a handful of cities and states.
- Ferret in Georgia — Fully domesticated for millennia, yet still outlawed in California and Hawaii — the most mainstream 'exotic' pet in America.
Frequently asked questions
Why are hedgehogs illegal in Georgia?
Georgia DNR classifies all insectivores as regulated wild animals, citing disease risks to humans and livestock; efforts to legalize them have so far failed.
Sources
More animals in Georgia
- Is it legal to own a raccoon in Georgia?
- Is it legal to own a monkey in Georgia?
- Is it legal to own a serval in Georgia?
See all animals on the exotic pet laws in Georgia page, or compare every state on the pet hedgehog laws by state page.
Last verified 2026-07-13 against the cited primary sources. This is a research directory, not legal advice — confirm current rules with Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division and your local animal-control authority before acquiring any animal.