Celebrities with Wild Pets
The rich and famous have a tendency to do wild things with their money—including buying unusual and often exotic animals that they attempt to domesticate.
From cute little pot-bellied pigs and shoulder monkeys to venomous snakes, massive octopuses and ferocious tigers, these 36 celebrities have taken the whole “pet” thing to the next level.
And while some of these celebs welcome their wild ones into their beds at night, some have learned the hard way that they are, in fact, wild animals—and not all can be domesticated.
Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson had a chimpanzee named Bubbles. He apparently went with him everywhere, slept in his bed, and ate dinner at the table with him.
Now, Bubbles is living in a sanctuary in Florida.
Justin Bieber
Justin Bieber also had a primate pet—a capuchin monkey named OG Mally (pronounced “maul-ee”). The monkey was gifted to Bieber from a family friend and became a close companion to him.
Unfortunately, the monkey was confiscated from Bieber during a trip to Munich, Germany. OG Mally now lives at the Serengeti Park in Copenhagen.
Mike Tyson
It's no surprise that Mike Tyson has owned a number of big cats during his career, but the most famous would be his three Bengal tigers. He got them as babies, but as they got bigger, he donated two of them to a local sanctuary.
He kept one named Kenya for 16 years. She weighed 550-pounds and lived inside his home and slept in his room with him.
However, Kenya was still very much a wild animal at heart, and one day tragedy struck that changed everything for Tyson.
The Ring Magazine, Getty Images
Mike Tyson: Incident
Sadly, Kenya ended up tearing off the arm of a neighbor who showed up unexpectedly. Tyson paid the woman $250,000 and was incredibly remorseful.
Later, he shared that he regretted having a tiger living in his home after all.
The Ring Magazine, Getty Images
Slash
Guns N’ Roses’ Slash is known for his love of reptiles. For many years, his collection of about 75 snakes—including pythons—were a notable aspect of his public persona, with many of them appearing in his music videos and photoshoots.
Upon the birth of his first son, however, Slash found a new home for his reptile collection.
Elvis Presley
Back in 1957, an Australian fan gifted Presley a wallaby. And then again, in 1962, another Australian fan gifted him yet another wallaby. He later donated both of them to the Memphis Zoo.
That wasn’t his only exotic pet, though. Presley also had a chimpanzee named Scatter and a squirrel monkey named Jayhew, and a mynah bird who could chip phrases like, “Elvis isn’t here.”
George Clooney
George Clooney once had a potbelly pig named Max, whom he loved dearly. Apparently, the pair was “inseparable.” Max was even seen rooting around on set many times, and had even come between Clooney and many of his relationships, where he had to choose between his partner or his pig (and the pig always won).
Max gained his wings back in 2006 at 18 years old.
Matteo Chinellato, Shutterstock
Paris Hilton
Paris Hilton went viral when her kinkajou—a racoon-like creature—bit her, sending her to the hospital with minor injuries. The pet’s name was Baby Luv, and Hilton took her everywhere.
Apparently, Baby Luv was just one of two kinkajous she had at her ranch. It’s unclear whether she still has them, or any others.
Phyllis Gordon
Back when exotic pets were trendy, actress Phyllis Gordon had a pet cheetah. She even took the cat for leashed walks on city streets.
Not only that, she once shocked fans at a restaurant when they discovered she had a marmoset in her handbag.
Tom Felton
Back when Harry Potter’s Tom Felton was a kid, he had a pet chinchilla named Stanley. While chinchillas are not all that outrageous, he reportedly brought the pet everywhere with him, including behind-the-scenes on Harry Potter.
Salvador Dalí
Spanish artist, Salvador Dalí had a pet ocelot—a mini jaguar—named Babou. It is said that Babou went everywhere with Dalí, and even joined him at the dinner table.
Universal History Archive, Getty Images
Leonardo DiCaprio
Leonardo DiCaprio apparently bought a tortoise at the North American Reptile Breeders Conference and Trade Show, for $400.
The 10-year-old Sulcata tortoise is expected to live another 70 years. DiCaprio has been photographed walking his exotic pet with a leash on city sidewalks.
Christopher William Adach, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Kirstie Alley
Kirstie Alley apparently had about 14 lemurs—one of which she snuck onto a plane pretending it was a monkey.
In addition to her lemurs, Alley also housed a flock of wild birds (for which she held a special license), as well as monkeys.
Audrey Hepburn
At one point, Audrey Hepburn took a role where she was to interact with different wildlife. This led to Hepburn adopting a pet fawn, which she named Pippin.
She can be seen in multiple photos bonding with Pippin.
Erling Mandelmann, CC-BY-SA-3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Nicholas Cage
Nicholas Cage once owned two albino king cobras, a male named Moby and a female named Sheba. He had reportedly paid $276,000 for them.
These cobras are known for their highly potent venom, and Cage had often told interviewers that he felt the snakes were casually “plotting his death.”
Nicholas Cage: Snakes
In addition to the deadly cobras, Cage also had a rare two-headed gopher snake, which he named after the Batman villain Harvey Dent (two-face).
All three snakes were eventually donated to sanctuaries. Harvey lived to be 14 years old—which is rare for a snake with that abnormality.
KARL-JOSEF HILDENBRAND, Getty Images
Nicholas Cage Part 2
Snakes were not the only exotic pet Cage has owned. According to reports, back in the mid-1980s, Cage bought an octopus for $150,000. He named it “Cool,” and kept it one of his two large aquariums in his Hollywood apartment.
Cage believed Cool somehow helped him with his acting.
It is believed Cool was eventually donated to a zoo, along with his venomous snakes.
Nicholas Cage Part 3
We could probably do an entire list of just Nicholas Cage’s exotic pets.
The actor has also reportedly owned an African Pied Crow named Hoogan, which Cage said had “a bit of a goth vibe,” and could speak full phrases.
He also has a love for exotic lizards and large cat breeds that resemble small jungle cats.
Martha Stewart
Martha Stewart has many farm animals, which includes a sizeable collection of birds (chickens, ducks, geese). But her most prized possession is her two peacocks, which are often referred to as the “Blues Brothers.”
Vanilla Ice
Vanilla Ice reportedly owned a wallaroo—a cross between a wallaby and a kangaroo. His name was Bucky Buckaroo, and he had famously run away once, with Ice’s pet goat, Pancho.
Ice cared for the wallaroo from infancy for 14 years. He then moved his beloved Bucky to a farm where he could visit regularly.
Tippi Hedren
Actress, animal rights activist, and model, Tippi Hedren has a love for big cats. After filming in Africa, Hedren fell in love with a lion and decided to buy her one of her own.
She named him Neil and he lived peacefully with her family for many years. The 400-pound cat enjoyed afternoons at the family pool, and apparently had full run of the house.
There are numerous photos of her family playing with the lovable lion. Though she did later admit that it was “stupid beyond belief” to put her family at risk by allowing an animal with “no conscience or remorse genes” to roam free.
Ice-T
After taking a trip to the Bahamas where he swam with sharks, rapper Ice-T and his wife fell in love with the dangerous sea creatures. So much so, that they installed a massive aquarium in their home and filled it with several pet sharks.
Tracy Morgan
Tracy Morgan appeared on the Animal Planet show Tanked in 2013, needing help transitioning his giant Pacific octopus, named Bwyadette, to a larger tank.
Morgan opted for a customized tank inspired by the movie JAWS, costing $400,000. It requires a whopping 2,700 gallons to fill.
Hailey Bieber
Hailey Bieber and husband Justin Bieber own two Savannah cats—which are a cross between a domesticated cat and a wild African serval.
Their names are Sushi and Tuna and cost the pair $35,000.
Salma Hayek
Salma Hayek gifted her husband a Southern white-faced owl for Valentine’s Day one year. Hayek did all the research into how to properly care for the exotic pet, and has since become very close with the owl, which is a female named Kering.
Kering will even sleep with Hayek when her husband is away.
Kristen Stewart
Kristen Stewart apparently has four wolf-dog hybrids named Lily, Lola, Jack and Tommy. She keeps them on her mother’s land in California, and visits them weekly.
The four dogs were rescued and are legally owned. And while neighbors struggle to believe they’re domesticated animals, the four dogs are fully licensed, well-socialized and kept on plenty of acreage within a natural environment.
Reese Witherspoon
Reese Witherspoon has a historic Wallace Neff ranch in Ojai—a bucolic village in the foothills of north L.A. On this ranch, she has two donkeys who have become more like pets than most of the other animals.
Their names are Honky and Tonky and their favorite pastime is annoying the neighbors. Apparently, they “hee-haw” all the time—including at night.
Megan Fox
Apparently, Megan Fox has a soft spot for rescues. She told interviewers that she simply “can’t resist” taking in new creatures, regardless of their kind.
At one point, Fox had five dogs, two cats, two birds, a squirrel and a pot-bellied pig named Piggy Smalls.
Apparently, after Piggy Smalls joined the family Fox stopped eating pork.
Spc. Ethan Ford, Wikimedia Commons
Ariana Grande
Interestingly enough, Ariana Grande also had a pet pot-bellied pig of the same name—Piggy Smallz.
Back when she was engaged to Pete Davidson, the couple got the pig on a whim, and Davidson fell in love quickly, getting their “bougie pig’s” face tattooed on his side.
Dan Bilzerian
Poker champion, Dan Bilzerian has a pet goat that he named Zeus. The goat lives in his home with him, goes for leashed walks, and sometimes sleeps in his bed.
It is rumored that Dan may have more than one goat, and a few cats.
Grace Coolidge
Former First Lady Grace Coolidge apparently had a pet racoon named Rebecca, which she took on leashed walks and actively played with.
The Coolidge family also owned a pygmy hippo, two lion cubs, a wallaby, and a bear.
German Federal Archive, CC-BY-SA 3.0, CC BY-SA 3.0 DE, Wikimedia Commons
Marc Anthony
Marc Anthony apparently rescued a wild deer in danger and then ended up taking it home. He claims the deer wouldn’t leave his side, so it ultimately became his pet.
Anthony named the deer Bamboo, and enjoys posting photos of the two of them on social media.
World Economic Forum, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Anton LaVey
Anton LaVey—American author, musician, and founder of the Church of Satan—owned a lion which he named Togare.
LaVey apparently took Togare grocery shopping, and on leashed walked throughout the streets of San Francisco.
San Francisco Chronicle/Hearst Newspapers via Getty Images, Getty Images
Tori Spelling
While chickens are not exactly “exotic,” they sort of fit the list when they’re domesticated.
Tori Spelling apparently owns a fluffy white Silkie chicken named Coco, who she calls her “house chicken.” Spelling has four hens in an outdoor coup, but Coco lives inside with the family, sleeps in a bed and eats in the kitchen. Spelling apparently coordinates outfits with Coco, too, and knits her homemade sweaters.
Josephine Baker
Josephine Baker, famous dancer, singer, and actress, owned a pet cheetah named Chiquita. The cat apparently traveled the world with her Baker, rode in her car and slept in her bed with her.
Frida Kahlo
Artist Frida Kahlo was another famous person who owned a deer named Granizo. Kahlo and her husband Diega Rivera owned a whole bunch of interesting pets, including monkeys, dogs, and exotic birds.
Billie Eilish
Singer Billie Eilish has a love for spiders. After doing a stunt in one of her music videos where she put an actual, live spider in her mouth, she revealed that she owned a Green Bottle Blue Tarantula at home named Cooli, and that she is absolutely fascinated by the eight-legged creatures.
Toglenn, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Nicole Kidman
Back in 2017, Nicole Kidman told Vogue that her favorite thing about her Australian mansion is her pet alpacas. When asked why she wanted those particular animals as a pet she said, “because they’re pretty. They have long eye lashes!”
Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Cara Delevingne
British model and actress Cara Delevingne is a proud bunny mom. Her pet bunny, named Cecil Bunny Delevinge, apparently has its own Instagram account with 10,000 followers.
Miley Cyrus
Miley Cyrus is very public about her love for animals. She has had many dogs and cats over the years, but her most unique pet was her pig named Bubba Sue.
Bubba Sue, who was nicknamed Pig Pig was adopted in 2014 and lived a happy life, often photographed playing with Cyrus. Sadly, she died in 2019.
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