Saying goodbye to an exotic pet in Firestone
Finding someone in Firestone who will cremate a hedgehog, a tarantula or a wallaby can take more than one call. Here's what it costs, what to ask and what to do with your pet in the meantime.
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Firestone, Colorado
Finding a provider for an unusual pet in Firestone
Firestone's newer neighborhoods are laced with ponds, greenbelts and trails where families spend long summer evenings outdoors. Those summers can reach the high 80s, so if your pet dies during a heat wave, bring them into the basement or another cool spot with a towel beneath them. In winter, lows in the 20s and the occasional blizzard can slow travel along I-25, so plan any collection or drop-off around the forecast.
St. Vrain State Park lies at the edge of Firestone, a chain of ponds along St. Vrain Creek known for herons, pelicans and quiet shorelines. Some families choose a place like this to sit and remember rather than to scatter, because scattering there falls under state rules. Others set a native shrub in the backyard, or leave the box of ashes untouched in a closet until a decision feels possible.
If nobody within driving distance of Firestone will cremate your species, ask a specialist provider further away whether they accept small pets by arrangement, frozen and sent in insulated packaging. Not every courier carries animal remains, so the provider should tell you which service to use and how to pack. It adds cost, but for a tiny exotic it can be the difference between an individual cremation and none.
Firestone's population is around 20,129, the 33rd-largest of the 36 Colorado communities we cover. Some of the providers who serve Firestone are based about 29 miles away in Denver, the nearest larger centre, so collection times reflect that drive.
Families in Firestone often end up using a provider from Frederick (4 miles), Longmont (8 miles, a larger centre) and Erie (9 miles, a larger centre). That is normal: crematories serve a radius, not a single town, and the drive is priced into collection.
77.4%[1]
The NFDA projected Colorado's cremation rate at 77.4% for 2024.
9-12 years[2]
Pet sugar gliders live about 9-12 years; adults weigh about 85-170 g.
4-6 years[3]
African pygmy hedgehogs live an average of 4-6 years; adult males weigh 400-600 g and females 300-400 g.
3-5% of body weight[4]
Embrace notes cremated remains typically weigh about 3-5% of the pet's original body weight.
The published sources behind those figures are Merck Veterinary Manual and Merck Veterinary Manual.
The local attitude to cremation, and to unusual pets
Where cremation is as routine as it is in Colorado (roughly 77.4%[1] of human funerals), pet crematories are more likely to have a viewing room or let you be present as the cremation starts. Keepers of unusual pets often find this reassuring, because it removes any doubt about whether a tiny animal was handled on its own. If you'd like to attend, ask when you book, since it usually needs a set appointment.
Source for the Colorado number: NFDA 2024 Cremation & Burial Report state projections (via Occasional Sage) (2024). Nobody publishes a pet cremation rate for Firestone, so the human figure is the best local signal available.
Seasons in Firestone and the first hours after a loss
Some keepers in cold places like Firestone cremate first and bury the ashes, or plant a small memorial, once the ground thaws. For amphibians and axolotls it's the safer route anyway, because cremation removes any disease risk to wild frogs and salamanders. A keepsake urn can sit on a shelf all winter.
There's no need to drive to a crematory on an icy day in January, February, March, November and December. A small exotic keeps in the freezer for weeks, so wait for clear roads. When you do travel, pack the body in a cool box so it stays frozen in the heated car, and keep your living animals' heating on a backup plan in case the power goes while you're out.
Why a tiny pet doesn't always mean a tiny bill in Firestone
If you're weighing preservation against cremation in Firestone, the gap is large. One freeze-dry studio lists about $950 for a hedgehog, rat or ferret[5], several times a private cremation in the lowest weight band, and preservation takes months. Some families choose cremation and put the difference toward a custom memorial; others feel a preserved animal is worth it. Both are reasonable once you know the numbers.
For a line-by-line price table, see the Colorado overview; for what's included in each option, see our services.
Free tool
Cremation cost calculator
Estimate a realistic price range for your pet's size, location and the type of cremation.
Paperwork, disposal and burial rules in Colorado
Two kinds of rules can touch an exotic pet's aftercare in Colorado. The first are ordinary burial and scattering rules, the same as for a dog or cat. The second are species rules: permits, protected-species records and, for amphibians and aquatic animals, a general duty not to release anything, alive or dead, that could spread disease or invasive species into the wild.
To find your county or city office in Colorado, start with the official Colorado local government directory.
The rules that apply across Colorado (home burial, scattering and who oversees pet cremation) are summarized on our Colorado page. Firestone may add its own conditions, so check with the city or county before digging.
The first day, step by step
- Take a breath. A small exotic in a sealed bag in the freezer is safe for weeks. Nothing has to be decided tonight.
- Keep anything you'd like to hold on to now: a shed molt, a few quills, a tuft of fur, a feather or a photo of them in their enclosure.
- Think about preservation before cremation. Freeze-drying, resin or taxidermy all need the whole body, and none can happen after cremation.
- Contact a provider through your vet or directly, or send us your pet's details and we'll check who takes your species.
- Choose individual or communal, knowing that very small animals may return little or no ash.
- Decide where the remains will go: a keepsake urn, a planter, a pendant or a small burial where it's allowed.
Memorials that suit an unusual companion
Firestone is one of the Carbon Valley towns of southwest Weld County, alongside Frederick and Dacono, an area named for the coal once mined beneath it. Today it is mostly newer subdivisions near I-25 and Colorado 119, about 30 miles north of Denver, with Longmont just to the west. Providers based in Longmont, Boulder County and the northern Denver suburbs may all serve your address, so comparing a few quotes is easy.
or look at how readers voted in our polls, browse in-depth guides or recent articles, The services page is the place to compare what is included, use the free tools before you ring anyone. If you live between Firestone and Fort Collins, Colorado Springs, Denver and Aurora, either page applies. Every other community in Colorado, and all of the United States, is listed too.
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Free tools to help you plan
Cremation cost calculator
Estimate a realistic price range for your pet's size, location and the type of cremation.
Ashes weight estimator
See roughly how much ash to expect back, by species and body weight.
Aftercare options compared
Compare private, communal and water cremation with burial on cost, timing and what comes home.
Questions people ask
How does Firestone's weather affect exotic pet aftercare?
July is the hottest month in Firestone, with average highs around 88°F, so prompt collection matters most then. Average lows drop below freezing in January, February, March, November and December, which can make digging a grave hard until spring.
Where are the providers that serve Firestone actually based?
Some are local, and some run from Denver, about 29 miles away. That is normal for a town this size. What matters is the collection time they quote for Firestone and whether the drive is priced into the total, so ask both up front.
Can a provider from a neighbouring town collect from Firestone?
Usually yes. Frederick is about 4 miles away, Longmont is about 8 miles away and Erie is about 9 miles away, all inside a normal collection radius. Get the mileage written into the quote so there is no surprise on the day.
Is cremation common in Colorado?
For people, yes: about 77.4%[1] of Colorado deaths end in cremation, according to NFDA 2024 Cremation & Burial Report state projections (via Occasional Sage) (2024). Nobody publishes the same figure for pets, but in our experience pet choices in Firestone follow the human pattern closely, so cremation is the default most families here start from.
My pet died after being bought recently. Should I contact the breeder?
It's worth it. Reputable breeders of gliders, hedgehogs and axolotls often want to know about early deaths, may offer advice on a necropsy and sometimes have health guarantees that require one. Keep the body refrigerated, not frozen, until you've spoken to them and your vet.
What if my skunk bit someone before it died?
Tell your vet before arranging cremation. There's no licensed rabies vaccine for pet skunks, so health officials may require rabies testing after a bite, and testing must happen before cremation. It's rare, but once the body is cremated it can't be undone. Keep the body refrigerated while you find out.
Sources and our estimates
- [1] The NFDA projected Colorado's cremation rate at 77.4% for 2024. NFDA 2024 Cremation & Burial Report state projections (via Occasional Sage), 2024.
- [2] Pet sugar gliders live about 9-12 years; adults weigh about 85-170 g. Merck Veterinary Manual - Table: Sugar Gliders at a Glance.
- [3] African pygmy hedgehogs live an average of 4-6 years; adult males weigh 400-600 g and females 300-400 g. Merck Veterinary Manual - Overview of Hedgehogs.
- [4] Embrace notes cremated remains typically weigh about 3-5% of the pet's original body weight. Embrace Pet Insurance - Bury or Cremate Your Dog? Costs, Pros & Cons, 2025.
- [5] Freeze-drying costs about $850 for a bearded dragon, $950 for a hedgehog, rat or ferret, and $650–$1,350 for a small bird at one Ohio studio. Animal Family Pet Preservation – Pricing, 2026.
- [6] Private cremation cost per pound falls with size in the US: roughly $9.2/lb for a 15 lb pet, $4.2/lb at 60 lb and about $4.0/lb at 100 lb. Our estimate: band midpoint price / representative weight: 0-30 lb (midpoint $137.50 / 15 lb) = $9.17/lb; 51-70 lb ($250 / 60 lb) = $4.17/lb; over 90 lb ($400 / ~100 lb) = $4.00/lb. How we calculate.
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