Prohibited pets

Certain animals are prohibited to be kept as Pets in Queensland.  These animals are generally considered a threat to Queensland’s agriculture, primary industries, natural resources and the environment.  These may include:

• American corn snakes
• Anoles – all types
  
• Boa constrictors
  
• Ball pythons 
  
• Chameleons 
  
• Dingoes 
  
• Feral pigs 
  
• Ferrets 
  
• Fire-bellied newts
  
• Fire-bellied toads
  
• Foxes 
  
• Gerbils 
  
• Gecko species exotic to Australia including leopard, tokay and Madagascar
  
• Hermann’s tortoise 
  
• Hamsters 
  
• Iguanas 
  
• Monkeys 
  
• Poison arrow (dart) frogs – all types 
  
• Rabbits 
  
• Red-eared slider turtles 
  
• Squirrels 
  
• Stoats 
  
• Weasels 
  
• Wild dogs
  

The keeping of most of these species of declared animals is illegal and subject to a penalty.  However, permits are able to be issued. 

You should contact either your local council or Biosecurity Queensland if you have any concerns.

Local councils also have the power to ban the keeping of certain animals. For example, the Brisbane City Council does not, for example, allow people to keep:

• American pit-bull terriers; 
  
• Dogo Argentino; 
  
• Fila Brasileiro; 
  
• Japanese Tosa; 
  
• Dingos; and 
  
• Roosters in residential areas.
  

You should contact your local council for their specific rules on prohibited animals.  See the following for a list of all Queensland local Councils.