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Sometimes keeping an exotic animal as a pet is seen as the cool thing to do, but think twice before jumping on the bandwagon. Many animals should never be kept in captivity, not just for the safety of humans, but also for their own safety and well-being. Scroll through the following list of the worst animals to keep as pets. Have you ever owned any of them?

▲The green iguana can be a drain on your bank account, as they require a lot of space, special temperature regulation, and a specific diet. They also live a long time, making them a huge commitment to take on. Finally, if you get on their bad side, they can break your arm with just a flick of their tail.

▲If you keep this popular marine animal as a household pet, you may be unknowingly condemning it to a life of misery. Hermit crabs are actually very social creatures and thrive in large colonies, yet are often kept alone in small tanks. Oftentimes this animal, that lives an average of 30 years, survives only a few short months in captivity. The most common cause of death is suffocation, due to improper temperature and humidity.

▲This common household bird is often considered annoying with its constant squawking and screeching, and it can also be quite mean. Additionally, they require significant time spent outside of an enclosure, however they are nearly impossible to catch once let out.

▲It is said that this cat is still too wild to tolerate domestic life. It also needs to be able to hunt and does not take well to store-bought cat food. They will likely get bored without being able to chase their food.

▲Also known as the Minnesota gopher, one woman warns against keeping one as a pet: "...for the past week when transferring her from indoor to outdoor cage, she climbs on my shoulder and tries to pull out my hair. And when I try to discourage her, she scratches. I'm beginning to fear her."

▲Chinchillas are soft and adorable, but they are highly social creatures and need a lot of attention. They are also not very cuddly, and would rather explore their environment than be held.

▲Armadillos are known to carry leprosy—need we say more?

▲Although not all scorpions have venom capable of killing a human, they do all sting. The Emperor scorpion is the most popular pet scorpion as it tends to be docile, and its sting is comparable to that of a wasp. However, it still poses a threat to children and other pets.

▲Bats should never be kept in captivity, as flying free in the wild is necessary to their health and well-being. A bat kept as a pet will experience terror, loneliness, boredom, and suffer from poor nutrition, according to Vox.

▲Raccoons often act out and bite when unhappy or hormonal. They can also be destructive, and may urinate on your belongings.

▲Taking care of a primate can often feel like taking care of a small child, but the reality is that they are wild animals. They often grow up to be aggressive, uncontrollable, and often, even with the best intentions, are not properly cared for in captivity.

▲As cute as they are, they have sharp claws and teeth—and they aren't afraid to use them. They are also nocturnal and have a tendency to pee on everything.

▲This animal doesn't do well in captivity and it is often illegal to keep one as a pet. Additionally, they are known to develop metabolic bone diseases as the result of a poor diet.

▲This nocturnal animal relies on crabs, lobsters, and turtle eggs for sustenance, making it a very expensive pet to own.

▲This animal often scratches, bites, and injures its owners. It also carries a bacteria that is deadly to humans if transferred through a bite.

▲The fact that these snakes are venomous should probably prevent you from keeping one as a pet. Additionally, if the snake escapes its enclosure, it presents a huge risk to anyone else living in the house, including other pets.

▲As cute as they are, the prairie dog is a large rodent capable of carrying many diseases, including monkeypox. If kept as pets, they often become depressed and sick from a lack of attention, social interaction, and space.

▲Turtles carry the dangerous bacteria Salmonella, yet appear unaffected by it. This makes it almost impossible to know if they are carrying it.

▲This animal is undeniably adorable, and while it may be tamed, it is not a domestic pet. A tamed animal is trained to coexist in the company of humans, but will continue to present a threat to their safety.

▲Coatis are mischievous critters, and are often destructive if kept inside. They are also known to bite and demonstrate unpredictable behavior.

▲The largest and friendliest rodent in the world thrives in groups, making domestication very cruel. More downsides include the fact that they are semi-aquatic creatures, need space, and chew on everything.

▲The fox is not only potentially dangerous and destructive, it also exudes a very strong and unpleasant odor.

▲This animal could eat your baby. Consider yourself warned. Additionally, pure dingoes can never actually be domesticated, according to Dingo Discovery.

▲The dog-wolf hybrid seems to be trending, but a full-blooded wolf is not recommended as a pet. There's a reason why not all wolves evolved into man's best friend—they are not meant to be tamed.

▲While people have tried to train and domesticate zebras in the past, there's a good reason why we don't tend to see them in people's yards. Zebras have different needs than horses—they require years of training, should not be kept in stalls, and can be incredibly aggressive.

▲Also known as a moose, this animal is highly aggressive. Additionally, it requires a massive amount of space.

▲Most people would (hopefully) never consider keeping a bear as a pet, but anyone who tries may suffer deadly consequences. When kept in captivity, this bear can become incredibly aggressive, severely injuring or killing their "owner(s)."

▲Some people seem to think keeping a pet alligator is a good idea, but if their size, sharp teeth, and tendency to feast on large mammals weren't enough of a deterrent, this reptile is also very unpredictable and can run much faster than they'd like you to believe. In the case that the gator turns against you, it's incredibly difficult to defend yourself, as they are covered in bony plates and have incredibly strong jaws.

▲It may be exciting to keep this giant cat as a pet, but think twice about it. After all, you can take the cat out of the jungle, but you can't take the jungle out of the cat. In other words, you are seriously risking your life if you bring a tiger into your home.

▲This animal eats 24 lbs of grass every day to maintain their enormous size. Unless you have access to 24 lbs of grass and a giant property where they can roam free, leave the bison in its natural habitat.