Saying goodbye to an exotic pet in Highland
Finding someone in Highland 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.
- Wallabies and other large exotics too
- Paperwork for protected species
- Keepsakes that suit very small pets
Highland, Indiana
Who handles exotic species near Highland, and how to reach them
Highland is a compact, mostly residential town in northern Lake County, about 25 miles from downtown Chicago, bordered by Munster, Hammond and Griffith. Much of its housing dates from the 1950s and 60s: brick ranches, Cape Cods and bungalows on modest lots, with a handful of apartment complexes near the main roads. Northwest Indiana providers reach Highland easily, often the same day, but it's still sensible to get the full price in writing.
The Little Calumet River forms Highland's northern edge, with levee trails running along it, and Wicker Memorial Park is a long-standing green space where many families spend time outdoors. Scattering ashes by the levee or in a park may need the managing agency's approval, so ask first. On Highland's smaller lots, a shade-garden corner or a pot of perennials on the back steps can become the memorial.
If nobody within driving distance of Highland 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.
With roughly 23,409 residents, Highland is the 44th-largest of the 50 Indiana communities we cover. Some of the providers who serve Highland are based about 25 miles away in Chicago, the nearest larger centre, so collection times reflect that drive.
For a second opinion on price, Munster (2 miles), Schererville (4 miles) and Lansing (5 miles) are close enough that their providers cover Highland routinely. Two written quotes tell you more than any price list.
56.5%[1]
The NFDA projected Indiana's cremation rate at 56.5% 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.
Where these figures come from: Merck Veterinary Manual and Merck Veterinary Manual.
How Indiana thinks about cremation
In Indiana, about 56.5%[1] of people are cremated. That places it in the middle: plenty of crematories, but not all of them used to unusual requests. Exotics vets are the best bridge, because they deal with local providers regularly and know which ones have handled small mammals, amphibians or invertebrates carefully.
For the Indiana figure we rely on NFDA 2024 Cremation & Burial Report state projections (via Occasional Sage) (2024). Read it as a picture of local custom around death and remembrance in Highland rather than as pet data.
Timing exotic pet aftercare in Highland's climate
Snow and ice can delay collection from Highland, especially from rural roads. For a small exotic that doesn't matter much: the freezer keeps them safely. For a larger animal like a wallaby, ask the provider what they'd do in a storm before you need them, and keep the body somewhere cold, sheltered and away from wildlife.
Winter is when heating failures happen. A power cut or a failed heat mat in January, February, March, November and December can chill a room of tropical exotics fast, and sugar gliders, hedgehogs and many invertebrates don't cope with cold. If you lose an animal this way, tell the vet so they can judge whether a necropsy is useful, and warm the rest of your animals gradually, not suddenly.
Budgeting for an exotic pet's cremation in Highland
Crematories price by weight band, and the lowest band usually runs up to 10 or 30 lb, so a 150 gram glider can cost the same as a small cat. Nationally, pets up to 30 lb typically run $45 to $75 for communal and $100 to $175 for private cremation[5]. Highland providers will sit around those figures, more with home collection, a certificate or a special keepsake urn.
The Indiana 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.
What Indiana rules mean for an exotic pet
A few exotic pets carry health rules as well as wildlife ones. If a skunk or other mammal bit someone shortly before it died, health officials can require rabies testing, and that has to happen before cremation. There's no licensed rabies vaccine for pet skunks, so this comes up more than keepers expect. Otherwise, the rules that matter most in Indiana are about burial and scattering.
Not sure which office covers Highland? The Indiana local government directory is the official list.
For Indiana's rules on burying a pet at home or scattering ashes, see the Indiana guide. Local rules in Highland can be stricter than the state's, especially in homeowners' associations and rentals.
From enclosure to ashes: the steps in Highland
- Check that they've really died. Some exotics look lifeless when they aren't: a cold hedgehog attempting hibernation or a tarantula lying on its back to molt. If you're unsure, warm gently and call an exotics vet.
- Decide what you want first: a necropsy (post-mortem), preservation or cremation only. This decides how you store the body.
- Seal your pet in a labelled bag. Note the date, the weight and what species they are. Don't add tank water for a frog or newt.
- Refrigerate for a necropsy, freeze for preservation, and use either for cremation only. Aim to reach the vet within a day or two if you want a necropsy.
- Gather paperwork: breeder or purchase record, plus any permit or CITES certificate.
- Call a provider with the species and weight, then ask two things: have they cremated one before, and what exactly comes back to you.
- Get the price in writing, including collection, the container and any certificate.
Memorials that suit an unusual companion
Winter in Highland lasts from November into March, and January lows fall to around 15 degrees, cold enough that a detached garage or back porch can hold a pet's body overnight if the provider can't come until morning. Humid July days in the mid-80s are the opposite problem. Choose the coolest room in the house, lay your companion on an old sheet, and slide wrapped cold packs underneath.
run the numbers with the free planning tools, The services page is the place to compare what is included, browse in-depth guides or recent articles, or see how other readers answered in our polls. Close to Highland we also cover Fishers, Indianapolis, Fort Wayne and Carmel; the full list for Indiana and for the United States is a click away.
Reader polls
What would you choose?
Vote anonymously and see how other readers answered. The results are live counts from people who visit this site, so they show real opinions, not a scientific sample.
Has a pet crematory ever hesitated over, or turned down, your species?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
Would you want a necropsy (an animal post-mortem) before cremation?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
If you had to decide today, which aftercare would you choose for your pet?
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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
Is cremation common in Indiana?
For people, yes: about 56.5%[1] of Indiana 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 Highland follow the human pattern closely, so cremation is the default most families here start from.
When is the hardest time of year to arrange a burial in Highland?
January, February, March, November and December: average lows are below freezing then, and frozen ground makes a home grave slow or impossible until it thaws. The other pressure point is July, when highs around 84°F mean a body needs cooling and collecting quickly.
Can a provider from a neighbouring town collect from Highland?
Usually yes. Munster is about 2 miles away, Schererville is about 4 miles away and Lansing is about 5 miles away, all inside a normal collection radius. Get the mileage written into the quote so there is no surprise on the day.
Where are the providers that serve Highland actually based?
Some are local, and some run from Chicago, about 25 miles away. That is normal for a town this size. What matters is the collection time they quote for Highland and whether the drive is priced into the total, so ask both up front.
Can someone collect my wallaby or other large exotic in Highland?
Some providers can, especially those that also handle large dogs or farm animals. Give the weight and the full length, including tail, so they can send enough people and check their chamber fits. If they can't collect, you may need to deliver by car or trailer. Ask about mileage if the provider is based near Chicago.
How much does exotic pet cremation cost in Highland?
Most small exotics fall into a crematory's lowest weight band, so private cremation in Highland usually costs about what a small cat's would: roughly $100 to $175 nationally, with communal around $45 to $75. Large exotics such as wallabies are priced like big dogs. Collection, a keepsake urn and a certificate can add to the total, so ask for a written, itemised quote.
Sources and our estimates
- [1] The NFDA projected Indiana's cremation rate at 56.5% 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] CareCredit's pet cremation guide lists US communal cremation at $45-$75 and private at $100-$175 for pets up to 30 lb. CareCredit (Synchrony) - How Much Does Pet Cremation Cost? (Sept 2023), 2023.
- [6] Published ashes-return times across the network's markets range from same-day (paid express) to about 4 weeks; a conservative typical window is 3-14 days. Our estimate: min/max across sources: Lambeth 3 days; US 5-10 days; RSPCA QLD within 14 days; AniCura Sweden 2-4 weeks. How we calculate.
Tell us about your exotic pet
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