Cremation for unusual pets in Lakewood, Colorado
Exotic pets rarely fit a crematory's usual routine. We explain the choices in Lakewood plainly and can email you options from providers who handle unusual species.
- Fridge or freezer advice for Lakewood
- Written prices for small and large exotics
- Pickup from your home or exotics vet
Lakewood, Colorado
What arranging exotic pet cremation in Lakewood is like
Colorado has one of the highest human cremation rates in the US, and pet cremation is similarly common in Lakewood, where small suburban lots, rentals and homeowners' association rules often rule out backyard burial. If you want the ashes for a later trip into the foothills, choose a private cremation; a communal one is cheaper and returns nothing. Ask for a written total including collection, so you can compare options calmly.
Lakewood's weather swings quickly. Summers are sunny and warm, around 88F, with afternoon storms and hail, while winters bring snow and cold nights well below freezing. On a hot day, move your pet to a cool basement or air-conditioned room and add towel-wrapped ice packs. In winter you have more time, and if a snowstorm closes roads, it's fine to wait until they're clear.
If your exotic pet was put to sleep at a clinic in Lakewood, remember that the euthanasia drug stays in the body. A fox, raccoon or neighbor's dog that digs up a small grave can be poisoned by it, which is one reason vets in mid-sized places often steer families toward cremation. If you still prefer burial at home, protect the spot with a paving slab or a heavy planter, and keep it well away from any vegetable bed.
With roughly 156,927 residents, Lakewood is the 5th-largest of the 36 Colorado communities we cover. Denver, roughly 6 miles off, is the closest larger centre, and a share of the providers who cover Lakewood run from there.
Lakewood sits within easy reach of Wheat Ridge (5 miles), Denver (5 miles, a larger centre) and Englewood (6 miles). A provider based in any of them will usually collect from Lakewood; ask what the mileage adds to the bill.
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 numbers above come from Embrace Pet Insurance and Merck Veterinary Manual, if you'd like to read the original sources.
The local attitude to cremation, and to unusual pets
Cremation is the norm for people in Colorado: about 77.4%[1] of people who die there are cremated. That usually means well-established pet crematories and staff who are comfortable talking about ashes. It doesn't guarantee they've handled a glider or a spider, though. A high local cremation rate makes it more likely you'll find a provider nearby; the species question still has to be asked directly.
That Colorado rate is a human one, published by NFDA 2024 Cremation & Burial Report state projections (via Occasional Sage) (2024). We quote it for Lakewood only as a pointer to how families here already think about cremation.
Lakewood weather, enclosures and timing
Some keepers in cold places like Lakewood 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.
For larger exotics kept outside, such as wallabies, a death in January, February, March, November and December often happens in a snowy paddock. Cold slows changes to the body but doesn't stop foxes and other scavengers, so move your animal into a shed or garage and cover it. Call a provider early in the day; rural collection in winter depends on daylight and road conditions.
Prices for small and large exotics in Lakewood
Containers are where a small pet's bill can surprise you in Lakewood. By our estimate, a 1 oz keepsake urn can cost about a third more[5] than a full-size wooden urn from the same crematory, because small, finely made pieces aren't cheaper to produce. If a standard urn is included, ask whether they'll swap it for a keepsake at no charge, or return the remains in a simple pouch you can move later.
The Colorado price table breaks costs down by size; our services page explains what sits behind each line.
Free tool
Cremation cost calculator
Estimate a realistic price range for your pet's size, location and the type of cremation.
Permits, protected species and burial in Colorado
Some exotic pets carry germs that can pass to people, most famously Salmonella in reptiles and amphibians, which is why the CDC advises washing your hands after every contact. The same care applies after death: wear gloves or wash well after handling the body, and double-bag it if it shares a fridge with food. Local burial and scattering notes for Colorado follow.
Colorado keeps an official directory of local governments; use it to reach the county or city office that covers Lakewood.
Start with the Colorado rules, which cover burial, scattering and oversight for the whole state, and treat Lakewood's local ordinances as a possible extra layer.
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: one photo of them at home in their tank, a feather, some fur, a couple of quills or an old shed skin.
- Think about preservation before cremation. Freeze-drying, resin or taxidermy all need the whole body, and none can happen after cremation.
- Contact a provider yourself or via your vet, or just send us your pet's details instead and we'll find out who accepts your species.
- Choose individual or communal, remembering that a tiny animal can leave almost no ash, or none at all.
- Decide where the remains will go: a keepsake urn, a planter, a pendant or a small burial where it's allowed.
Honoring a pet most people never got to meet
Lakewood sits right where Denver's suburbs meet the foothills, with ranch-style homes, townhouses and apartments across the flatter east side and larger lots near the hogback and Green Mountain to the west. If your pet dies at home, mention whether there are stairs, a steep driveway or a narrow street when you ask for options. Snow and ice can make hillside driveways hard to use in winter.
or see how other readers answered in our polls, try the free planning tools, Compare every option on our services page, read our guides and latest articles. If you live between Lakewood and Thornton, Denver, Fort Collins and Colorado Springs, either page applies. Every other community in Colorado, and all of the United States, is listed too.
Reader polls
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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
Does the Lakewood climate change what I should do first?
Only the timing. In July, with highs near 88°F, cool the body and book collection the same day. In January, February, March, November and December, when lows sit below freezing, a home burial may have to wait for a thaw, so cremation with ashes returned keeps your options open.
Where are the providers that serve Lakewood actually based?
Some are local, and some run from Denver, about 6 miles away. That is normal for a city this size. What matters is the collection time they quote for Lakewood and whether the drive is priced into the total, so ask both up front.
Why does the Lakewood page quote a human cremation rate?
Because it is the best local signal we have. NFDA 2024 Cremation & Burial Report state projections (via Occasional Sage) (2024) reports about 77.4%[1] of Colorado residents are cremated. There is no official pet equivalent, and inventing one would be worse than quoting a real, clearly labelled number.
Which nearby towns can I compare with Lakewood?
The closest communities we cover are Wheat Ridge (about 5 miles), Denver (about 5 miles) and Englewood (about 6 miles). Providers based in those places often serve Lakewood too. Ask each one for a written total that includes collection, so the distance is priced in.
How much ash will my axolotl or frog leave?
Very little. Amphibians are mostly water and have light skeletons, so a large axolotl may leave a gram or two and a small frog possibly nothing visible. Many keepers still choose individual cremation because it means their animal was treated alone and with care. Ask the provider in advance so you know what to expect.
Will a pet crematory in Lakewood cremate a hedgehog or sugar glider?
Most will, but not all have done it before. When you call, give the exact species and weight, and ask whether they cremate small animals individually, whether they use a tray to collect fine remains and how much ash they expect to return. A hedgehog usually leaves a tablespoon or two; a glider leaves a few grams.
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] A 1 oz keepsake urn can cost about a third more than a full-size wooden urn at the same crematory. Our estimate: CA$106 heart keepsake / CA$79 solid wood urn. How we calculate.
- [6] Private pet aquamation costs about 2.5 times communal aquamation at the same provider. Our estimate: mean of tier ratios 150/50, 200/75, 250/100, 350/150, 450/225. How we calculate.
Find a Lakewood provider who takes your species
Tell us what you need and where you are. We'll reply by email with clear options and prices so you can decide in your own time.