Can mongoose be pets in US?

Answer 1

Some species of mongoose are pets in their native places in Asia and Africa, the Mideast and southern Europe. They require a good trainer, however.

It is illegal to have any of the thirty species in the US because they can devastate our native ground dwelling animals. For example, mongooses were imported into some West Indies islands for rodent control, but they pursued 7 species of amphibians and reptiles to extinction. They also eat eggs and birds. Another disastrous importation of mongooses, in 1883, left Hawai'i with permanently altered ecosystems.

These are wonderful, fascinating, complex little animals beautifully adapted to their native wild places. The US also has some equally lovely little animals that are native here. For example, captive-born Southern Flying squirrels make good pets and of course ferrets do, too.

Answer 2

Mongooses are kept as performing animals in India, where they have mock fights with snakes. However, they are illegal to import to the United States or New Zealand. Presumably, this is to avoid the risk of them becoming invasive species.