Celebrities have the money to buy anything and everything they want, which is why some of them decide to welcome weird and wonderful pets into their home. Yes, it’s safe to say that these animals are pretty unusual.
If you become a celebrity with oodles of money to your name, what would you spend your fortune on? Would you buy yourself a mansion with an infinity pool and a tennis court? Would you shell out on your dream sports cars? Would you travel the world? Or would you buy an unusual pet? Well, it seems as though some of the biggest names in the celebrity world have decided to buy weird and wonderful creatures over the years.
No, we’re not talking about a few dogs or cats when it comes to these celebrity pets. These famous faces have taken a trip into the realm of the exotic and the downright bizarre, and have taken their pet ownership to brand new levels. In fact, you probably didn’t know that some of these animals even existed! To many of us, the decision to own such a weird and wonderful pet is pretty strange. Too many celebrities, it’s totally normal. More and more celebs are branching out with their animals, and we have a feeling that this is just the start of the unusual pet revolution...
Ariana Grande and her pig
Ariana Grande has been on a whirlwind roller coaster over the past few years, and it’s fair to say that her career has taken off. Because of this, she has been able to rack up an impressive net worth, which has allowed her to buy whatever she wants. In 2018, Ariana told her then-boyfriend, Pete Davidson, that she wanted a pet pig.
Just an hour later, she had a tiny piglet in her arms and had called it Piggy Smalls! Before too long, Piggy Smalls became an internet sensation and even had its own Instagram account with over 540,000 followers. However, we haven’t seen or heard anything from Ariana’s pig since the beginning of 2019.
Elvis Presley and his wallaby
We all knew Elvis Presley as “The King,” but it seems as though he should have been called the “King of the Jungle.” Over the course of his life and career, Elvis made no secret of the fact that he loved animals and wanted to give them a loving home. He filled his mansion and his 13.8 acres of land with all kinds of pets, including chickens and turkeys, exotic birds, horses, monkeys, and more.
One of his more unique additions came in the form of his wallaby. Elvis first appeared alongside a wallaby in press photos for his movie, Jailhouse Rock. He was then sent not one, but two wallabies from devoted fans! It’s believed that he looked after them himself for a wall, before sending them to a nearby zoo.
Mike Tyson and his pigeons
Over the course of his career, Mike Tyson has owned some pretty strange animals. Perhaps the strangest of the lot comes in the form of his racing pigeons. So, how did Mike come to own his own flock of pigeons? After his daughter tragically passed away in 2009, Mike didn’t quite know how to cope with his emotions.
At first, he was angry. However, he knew that his anger wouldn’t solve anything, so decided to find something that made him happy so he could process everything that he was feeling. He looked after pigeons as a child, so bought a coop and filled it with the birds.
Kristen Stewart and her wolf-hybrid
Kristen Stewart rose to worldwide attention after appearing in the Twilight franchise. During this time, she hung out with vampires and wolves, but did you know that she has a wolf of her own? Yes, Kristen is actually the proud owner of a wolf-hybrid.
Her mother owned several of the wolf-dogs when she was younger, so Kristen has spent most of her life surrounded by them and growing close to them. When she moved out and made her millions, the actress decided to add her own wolf-hybrid to the clan. These animals are legal, and Kristen has shared the stage with Jack on numerous occasions and even taken part in photoshoots together.
Justin Bieber and his monkey
Despite the fact that Justin Bieber is still pretty young, he’s gone through many life experiences that some of us just can’t fathom. This includes the possession and the seizure of a capuchin monkey. The singer was given the monkey as a birthday present from a family friend in 2013, and it was reported that Bieber had managed to obtain all of the necessary information and paperwork to own it legally.
However, he knew that there was still a gray area around traveling with the monkey, and things took a turn for the worse when the singer made his way to Germany. Because Bieber did not give the necessary documents to the German authorities, they had no choice but to seize the endangered animal. To this day, it still resides in one of the country’s zoos.
Josephine Baker and her cheetah
Josephine Baker certainly made her mark on the world in more ways than one. She was an actress, an entertainer, and an activist. However, it’s fair to say that most people also remember her as the owner of her very own cheetah. While performing in a long-running dance show in a prominent nightclub, the owner decided to gift Josephine with the animal.
The cheetah was meant to be returned when the show came to an end, but Josephine had fallen in love with Chiquita. Before too long, Chiquita and Josephine were doing everything together. They traveled the world, they performed together, hey slept in the same bed, and they were rarely seen apart.
Audrey Hepburn and her fawn
Although she may no longer be around, Audrey Hepburn is still regarded as one of the most successful and most popular actresses of all time. She was known for her acting talent, but she was also known for her beautiful doe eyes.
However, these weren’t the only doe eyes she had in her life! Audrey was introduced to a doe by the name of Pippin while working on the set of Green Mansion, and the animal trainer suggested that Audrey take the animal home so that she could bond and connect with it before filming properly began. In the end, Audrey fell in love with her fawn and decided to keep her.
Colin Kaepernick and his tortoise
Colin Kaepernick is a huge name in the world of American football, but it’s fair to say that his tortoise has also made a name for himself. That’s because Sammy the tortoise has become a football mascot over the years, and his friends and fans know just how much Sammy means to the star.
Kaepernick was given the tiny tortoise when he was just 10 years old, and they have since grown up together. While there’s no doubt about the fact that Colin has grown a fair amount since his younger years, Sammy has definitely taken the lead. He is now a whopping 115 pounds and a far cry from the tortoise that once fit in the palm of Colin’s hand.
Cheryl Hines and her emu
Celebrities have opened up their homes to some of the strangest pets in the world, and that’s exactly what Cheryl Hines and her family did. The Hines family take care of numerous animals, but their lives took a bizarre turn when Cheryl’s husband bought their daughter an emu. If you know anything about emus, you’ll know that they are large creatures that normally live and graze outside.
However, Cheryl shared various videos and photographs on social media that showed the huge animal making its way into their home and hanging out with her family on a regular basis. When the emu became a little too big for them to handle, they decided to take it to an emu farm for it to live out the rest of its days.
George Clooney and his pig
Everyone knows who George Clooney is, right? While he’s now found a lifelong companion in the form of his wife, Amal, there was a time when Clooney’s closest friend was a 300-pound pot-bellied pig. The actor decided to buy the pig as a gift for his then-girlfriend, Kelly Preston, in the 1980s.
When their relationship came to an end, George decided to keep Max the pig for himself. They developed an incredibly close bond over the course of 18 years, and Max became one of the most important people in his life. Clooney was extremely upset when Max passed away in 2006, as the pair had gone through so much together.
Hugh Hefner and his llama
Although he has since passed away, there’s no doubt about the fact that Hugh Hefner has left a lasting legacy on the world. His Playboy Mansion became notorious for its parties, its women, and the fact that it was one giant zoo. Yes, Hugh decided to obtain a zoo license for his mansion while he was alive, and this allowed him to fill his home with all kinds of weird and wonderful animals.
This included numerous exotic birds, monkeys, and more. Perhaps one of his most beloved animals came in the form of his llama. Hugh would often take his llama for walks around the grounds of the Playboy Mansion, and seemed to love spending time with it.
Flo and her Derrida Kah
Frida Kahlo is arguably one of the most famous female painters to ever roam this earth, but her talents didn’t end there. This icon was also a revolutionary and an activist and used her paintings to express various aspects of her personal growth and her pain. Many of her paintings include the image of the deer because Frida felt a deep connection to this animal.
In fact, she even had her own fawn, which she called Granizo. One of Kahlo’s most famous paintings, “The Wounded Deer,” actually showcases a mash-up between Granizo’s body and her face and head. Frida also opened up her home to other animals, including hairless cats, eagles, and monkeys.
Paris Hilton and her kinkajou
Everyone knows that Paris Hilton has a soft spot in her heart for her many dogs, but did you know that she once had a pet kinkajou? This tropical rainforest animal is often called a honey bear, and are known for living high in the trees, where they rarely interact with humans or other animals.
However, that didn’t stop Paris Hilton from buying one and naming it Baby Luv. She took this exotic animal everywhere with her during the mid-00s, and it seemed as though the two were inseparable. Unfortunately, things took a turn in 2006 when Baby Luv bit the heiress and forced her to take a trip to the hospital. Paris wasn’t harmed but did require a tetanus shot.
Chris Brown and his monkey
Chris Brown has taken the world of music by storm over the course of his career, but it’s fair to say that some of his actions have also thrust him into the limelight for all the wrong reasons. This was the case in 2017 when Brown decided to buy his daughter a baby capuchin monkey for Christmas. From pictures and videos on his social media, his daughter was over the moon to welcome the little monkey into their home.
However, it seems as though he didn’t do his research before buying the primate. That’s because it’s illegal to own a primate without the necessary permits. Fiji, the monkey, was later seized, and it’s believed that the singer had to shell out a hefty fine.
Nicole Kidman and her alpacas
Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban seem to have a perfect life. They have numerous homes, they have wonderful children, and they have pretty impressive careers under their belt. Well, it seems as though they’re even cooler than we first thought because they also have alpacas!
Nicole and her husband own a huge farm in Tennessee, and they have filled this farm with amazing farmyard animals. Among these animals are a few fluffy alpacas, and it seems as though Nicole has fallen in love with them. She regularly heads to the farm to walk them and spend time with them, and she’s noted that she’s in awe of their “long lashes.”
Charlie Sheen and his Chinese water dragon
Charlie Sheen may have struggled with his reputation over the years, but there’s no doubt about the fact that he’s owned some exotic pets in the past. However, it seems as though he hasn’t made a name for himself as the “Pet Owner of the Year.” Over the course of his career, Charlie has owned a variety of animals, including a bearded dragon and a Chinese water dragon.
While he kept these unusual pets in his home for a short period of time, it was reported that they soon met their untimely end. Sources close to the actor told reporters that Sheen’s water dragon passed away because it was not cared for properly. It’s suggested that the animal was extremely malnourished.
Nicolas Cage and his king cobras
Nicolas Cage is known for spending his money on weird and wonderful items, but did you know that he’s actually spent a huge amount of his fortune on unusual pets? In 2005, Nicolas decided to part with a huge amount of cash to buy two albino king cobras. After welcoming them into his home, he named them Moby and Sheba but didn’t get their venom removed.
Because of this, he had to make sure that he kept anti-venom close by at all times, just in case he was bitten by his pets. He kept the cobras in his home for three years, but when his neighbors discovered that he was hiding the venomous creatures within his walls, they weren’t happy. So, he gave them to the local zoo.
Michael Jackson and his chimpanzee
Despite the controversy surrounding his personal life, there’s no doubt about the fact that Michael Jackson was a huge name in music. His career will forever go down in history, and he was lucky enough to share much of this with his beloved pet chimpanzee. Most fans of the star know Bubbles the chimpanzee, because he appeared in music videos, he was photographed on countless occasions, and he was always by Michael’s side.
The singer rescued the chimp from an animal testing facility in the mid-1980s, and they soon became inseparable. However, when Bubbles reached maturity and became aggressive, he was sent to live in a sanctuary instead.
Melanie Griffith and her lion
If you didn’t already know, Melanie Griffith is the daughter of Tippi Hedren. If you don’t know who Tippi Hedren is, then you might know her as the woman who had a deep and intense love for lions! Yes, the actress was introduced to these big cats while in the height of her career, and soon welcomed them into her home where she could raise them as her own.
What’s so unusual about this - apart from the fact that most people don’t have lions as pets - is that she was also raising her daughter, Melanie Griffith in the same house. Because of this, Melanie grew up around these animals, and once noted that a lion by the name of Neil was her best friend.
Kirstie Alley and her lemurs
Kirstie Alley may not be as famous as she once was, but that may be because she has her hands pretty full at home. As a self-proclaimed animal lover, this actress has developed a fascination with lemurs over the years. At the beginning of her career, she began to learn more and more about the conservation of lemurs in Madagascar.
Before too long, she had built an enclosure in her backyard and started filling it with her own pet lemurs. It’s since been noted that she has around 14 lemurs to her name and that they are thriving in her home environment. That’s because the climate near her home in Los Angeles is similar to that of the climate in Madagascar.
Dan Bilzerian and his goat
Let’s be honest; Dan Bilzerian has built up a rather colorful reputation for himself. The professional poker player and self-proclaimed lothario are constantly surrounded by women, fast cars, and the party lifestyle. However, if you follow him on Instagram, you might know that he is also often surrounded by his two goats.
Dan has gifted the goat - alongside $1 million - after he invested some money in a friend who later won a hefty amount in a poker game. Dan quickly fell in love with the unusual animal and decided that he wanted to add another goat to his brood. Since then, Dan has continued to add weird and wonderful animals to his weird and wonderful lifestyle.
Salvador Dali and his ocelot
If you know anything about Salvador Dali, his life, or his artwork, you’ll know that he didn’t abide by the rules of normality. It was his intention to think outside of the box and break societal conventions, which is why he had so many unusual pets.
One of his most intriguing animals - and also, reportedly, his favorite - was his pet ocelot. He called this exotic animal Babou, and the artist would take the wild cat around with him wherever he went. Dali would often try and pass Babou off as a regular house cat, but critics weren’t convinced. They called him out for keeping a wild cat in his home, but Dali shrugged them off.
Megan Fox and her pig
Megan Fox is known for being one of the most successful female actresses in the business, but did you know that she’s also a keen animal fanatic? Over the years, this leading lady has welcomed some of the most bizarre pets into her home. She has been the proud owner of a parrot, a squirrel, and even a Bengal cat!
However, her most famous pet to date just has to be her Vietnamese pot-bellied pig. Just like Ariana Grande, Megan decided to call him Piggy Smalls and even undertook various photoshoots with her pig by her side. Unfortunately, things didn’t work out too well with her pig, and she gave Piggy Smalls away in 2012 after it became too aggressive.
Nicole Richie and her chickens
Known for being the daughter of Lionel Richie, a reality television star, an actress, and a fashion designer, it seems as though Nicole Richie has numerous strings to her bow. However, what you might not realize is that Nicole is actually a huge fan of chickens! Nicole has always held a fascination for these birds, so when she asked her husband to build her a coop so that she could raise chicken in their backyard, he decided to give in to her wishes.
It’s not known just how many chickens Nicole Richie now has, but it’s fair to say that they have since become famous in their own right. In fact, they have appeared in their very own Architectural Digest photo shoot.
Leonardo DiCaprio and his tortoise
Leonardo DiCaprio is one of the most beloved actors on this planet, and it should come as no surprise to learn that he has an affinity for strange animals. He’s not been the kind of man to follow the norm, which is why he’s now the proud owner of a 38-pound Sulcata tortoise. He bought the tortoise in 2010 at a reptile breeders’ conference, and it’s believed that he shelled out just $400 on the amazing animal.
What’s so amazing about this tortoise is that the Sulcata tortoise can not only grow to around 200 pounds, but they can also live to around 80 years old! It’s not known how old the tortoise was when DiCaprio bought him, but we can imagine it will be sticking around for a little while longer.
Mike Tyson and his tigers
Let’s be honest; Mike Tyson is one of the most famous figures in boxing. Although he made his mark in the ring, Mike has also found himself in trouble over the course of his career. However, it was one particular stint in prison that soon set off a series of events that left him with numerous tigers to his name.
While speaking to his car dealer from inside his cell, Tyson realized that he could trade his cars for anything he wanted - including animals. It was at this moment that Tyson asked the car dealer if he could trade in some of his cars for tigers instead, and it was a done deal. Today, Mike has three Bengal tigers to his name.
Tori Spelling and her chicken
Tori Spelling has an impressive acting career under her belt, and although she once built a huge net worth for herself, it seems as though that money has dwindled over the years. This might have something to do with the fact that Tori takes care of various animals, including dogs, goats, and a fluffy chicken!
The silkie bantam chicken is extremely unusual, and Tori has noted that her chicken often gets confused for a poodle. One of the main reasons for this is because the actress takes her chicken everywhere with her. She dresses the chicken up and takes it shopping, she attends awards ceremonies with her chicken, and she even sleeps in her bed with her chicken.
Reese Witherspoon and her donkeys
Reese Witherspoon is not only known for her impressive career, but she’s also known for her loving family. She is constantly posting antics of her family days out and their vacations on social media, and it seems as though her children are extremely lucky to have Reese as their mom. They’re also extremely lucky to have these donkeys in their lives because Honky and Donky are absolutely adorable!
Reese decided to buy these miniature donkeys in 2010 after falling in love with the animals, and it seems as though they have brought the whole family together. As well as looking after them herself, Reese also gets her kids involved when it comes to mucking them out and feeding them.
Vanilla Ice and his wallaroo
Stop, collaborate, and listen, because Vanilla Ice has a wallaroo! Although it’s not known when the rapper decided to buy this animal, which is a cross between a wallaby and a kangaroo, he once told interviewers that he bought the wallaroo after his pet lynx passed away.
He managed to keep this purchase a secret until 2004, when Bucky the wallaroo broke out of his backyard in Port St. Lucie, Florida, and decided to wreak havoc in the local area. A resident noted that Bucky tried to attack her and scratched her car, so-called the authorities on the animal. Because the wallaroo is classed as an exotic animal, Vanilla Ice was charged for the illegal possession of Bucky, but was later reunited with him.
Elsa Pataky and Chris Hemsworth and their pig
It seems as though a love of pigs runs in the Hemsworth family because both brothers have since added these animals to their brood. In 2016, Elsa Pataky and Chris Hemsworth decided to welcome Tina the pig into their home.
The Spanish actress and the Australian actor have made no secret of the fact that they love animals and that they want their children to grow up surrounded by different creatures, and this pig was the perfect new addition to their home. However, we can’t imagine the pig gets too lonely when its parents go out of town. That’s because the Pataky/Hemsworth household also has chickens, dogs, guinea pigs, and more.
Grace Coolidge and her raccoon
When you think of the name Coolidge, you probably immediately think of former President of the United States, Calvin Collide. In the run-up to the Thanksgiving celebrations in the 1920s, the President and his wife were sent a raccoon to serve up for their iconic White House dinner.
However, the couple didn’t seem too fond of eating the woodland creature, so they decided to pardon it and keep it as a pet. Grace Coolidge soon developed a deep love and connection to Rebecca the raccoon, and she soon became an honorary member of the family. She even attended some of the most prestigious Presidential events that took place in the White House.
Salvador Dali and his anteater
We’ve already seen that Salvador Dali was fond of strange and exotic pets, but what you might not realize is that, alongside his ocelot, he also had a pet anteater! Over the course of his career, the painter made no secret of the fact that he was intrigued by the animal, and drew various pictures and bookplates that included anteaters as the main focus.
So, in the late 1960s, he decided to buy one to call his own! He was photographed taking his anteater for a walk around Paris, and this picture has since gone down in history as one of the wackiest things the painter had ever done.
Nicolas Cage and his octopus
Nicolas Cage has splashed his cash on some extravagant purchases over the years, and many of these purchases involve strange and exotic animals. Although he no longer owns it, Nic Cage once decided to shell out a whopping $150,000 on his very own octopus. Yes, he bought an octopus and a giant tank, and kept it in his living room!
The actor was extremely complimentary of this pet, and once noted that the octopus actually helped him hone his acting talent. While we’re not quite sure what role this octopus helped him prepare for, we can’t help but think that this purchase could have contributed towards the fact that he filed for bankruptcy in 2009.
Miley Cyrus and her pig
There’s no doubt about the fact that Miley Cyrus has made her mark on the music world, but it’s also fair to say that she has also made her mark on the animal world. She has made no secret of the fact that she lives a completely vegan lifestyle and loves her pets just as she would love her own children!
Over the years, Miley has welcomed more animals than we can count into her home, and it seems as though she is constantly expanding her home to these pets. In 2014, Cryus decided to welcome Bubba Sue into her arms, and by the time 2015 came around, Bubba Sue had also appeared on the cover of Paper magazine.
Tyga and his tiger
With a name like Tyga, it probably won’t surprise you to know that this rapper once bought himself an animal that suited his stage name. Although it’s not known when this rapper actually bought the big cat, a spontaneous visit from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife rumbled his secret. It was discovered that the rapper had been keeping the big cat in his backyard, but that it had been taken to an animal shelter earlier on in the day.
Tyga came clean about the whole thing, but that didn’t mean that he was let off the hook. He was fined for the deception and was also called out after it was discovered that he hadn’t donated any money to the sanctuary to look after the tiger.
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