Saying goodbye to an exotic pet in Slidell
Keepers of unusual pets in Slidell often hear 'we don't do those' first. Here's how to find a yes, what it should cost and what will realistically come home.
- Hedgehogs, gliders, amphibians, spiders
- Individual cremation, confirmed in writing
- Preservation options explained first
Slidell, Louisiana
Exotic pet aftercare in Slidell: the local picture
Slidell sits on the northeast shore of Lake Pontchartrain in St. Tammany Parish, about 30 miles from New Orleans by way of the I-10 twin span. Many residents live in single-family houses along canals, bayous or wooded lots. Because the city lies between the lake and the Pearl River, ask each provider whether Slidell falls inside its regular service area or needs a trip across the lake.
Much of Slidell has flooded at one time or another, from Katrina's surge to heavy rain events, and plenty of residents think twice before burying anything in the yard. Cremation lets you keep remains dry and portable. With private cremation you receive only your pet's ashes; a communal service is cheaper and usually returns none. Both are perfectly reasonable choices for a family.
If you're some distance from a vet in Slidell, the freezer is your friend. A small exotic sealed in a labelled bag keeps well for weeks, which gives you time to find a provider who'll handle the species properly. The one exception is if you want a necropsy: then refrigerate, not freeze, and get your pet to a vet within a day or two, even if that means a drive.
Slidell is home to about 28,341 people, the 12th-largest of the 17 Louisiana communities we cover. Some of the providers who serve Slidell are based about 29 miles away in New Orleans, the nearest larger centre, so collection times reflect that drive.
Families in Slidell often end up using a provider from New Orleans (29 miles, a larger centre), Kenner (34 miles, a larger centre) and Gulfport (42 miles, a larger centre). That is normal: crematories serve a radius, not a single town, and the drive is priced into collection.
46.4%[1]
The NFDA projected Louisiana's cremation rate at 46.4% 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.
If a number here surprises you, the primary material is Embrace Pet Insurance and Merck Veterinary Manual; we only apply it to this.
Why local cremation habits matter for your exotic pet
Because cremation is the minority choice in Louisiana, at around 46.4%[1] for people, pet crematories can be spread thin, so it pays to plan before you need one. If your hedgehog is past three or your glider is slowing down, find a provider now: ask whether they take the species, where drop-off is and what it costs. Our pre-planning checklist for uncommon species covers the rest.
We take the Louisiana rate from NFDA 2024 Cremation & Burial Report state projections (via Occasional Sage) (2024). It is a human statistic; there is no equivalent pet figure for Slidell, and we would rather show a real number than invent one.
What the Slidell seasons mean for exotic pets and aftercare
Heat matters for the drive too. If you're taking a small exotic to a vet or crematory across Slidell in August, pack the sealed bag in a cool box with ice packs around (not directly against) it, and go straight there. For a necropsy, chilled is right; frozen and thawed makes the pathologist's job harder.
Slidell summers are hot: August averages highs around 90°F. Heat works fast on small bodies, so if your exotic pet dies at home in the warmer months, get them into a sealed bag and into the fridge (for a necropsy) or the freezer (for preservation or cremation) within an hour or two. A tiny animal left in a warm room can deteriorate enough to rule out a post-mortem.
How much to budget in Slidell, from gliders to wallabies
Containers are where a small pet's bill can surprise you in Slidell. 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.
We keep the detailed Louisiana price table on one page so it stays current: see Louisiana prices.
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 Louisiana
Never flush a dead axolotl, frog, fish or invertebrate, and never empty its tank water into a garden, pond or storm drain. Amphibian chytrid fungus and other diseases spread this way, and released animals, even dead ones, can carry invasive organisms. Beyond that common-sense rule, here is what Louisiana says about burial and scattering.
Louisiana keeps an official directory of local governments; use it to reach the county or city office that covers Slidell.
For Louisiana's rules on burying a pet at home or scattering ashes, see the Louisiana guide. Local rules in Slidell can be stricter than the state's, especially in homeowners' associations and rentals.
What to do next, in order
- 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 first. Taxidermy, resin and freeze-drying each need the body intact, and once cremation has happened that door is closed.
- 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, remembering that a tiny animal can leave almost no ash, or none at all.
- Decide where the remains will go: into a pendant, a keepsake urn, a planter, or a small grave somewhere burial is permitted.
Memorials that suit an unusual companion
Summers in Slidell are long and humid, with August highs near 90F and very few winter nights below freezing. That means a body needs cooling quickly: wrap it gently, keep it inside on bare tile in a cool, air-conditioned room, and add ice packs around it. The June-to-November hurricane season can also delay pickups, so ask how a provider handles storm closures.
For a plain comparison of the choices, open services, look through our guides and the blog, use the free tools before you ring anyone, or compare your instinct with the poll results. You can also browse every city in the United States. Nearby, we also cover Lake Charles, Shreveport, Baton Rouge and St. George, and every city in Louisiana.
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
Will I have to travel to New Orleans to arrange things?
Not usually. Providers based in New Orleans (roughly 29 miles from Slidell) collect from here as a matter of routine, and the paperwork is done by email or phone. If you want to be present for a witnessed cremation, that is when the drive matters.
Is cremation common in Louisiana?
For people, yes: about 46.4%[1] of Louisiana 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 Slidell follow the human pattern closely, so cremation is the default most families here start from.
Can a provider from a neighbouring town collect from Slidell?
Usually yes. New Orleans is about 29 miles away, Kenner is about 34 miles away and Gulfport is about 42 miles away, all inside a normal collection radius. Get the mileage written into the quote so there is no surprise on the day.
When is the hardest time of year to arrange a burial in Slidell?
There is no frozen-ground season here; average lows stay above freezing all year. The other pressure point is August, when highs around 90°F mean a body needs cooling and collecting quickly.
Can I get a necropsy if I live somewhere small like Slidell?
Often yes, but it may mean a drive. Your local vet may be able to take samples or send the whole body to a diagnostic laboratory, or refer you to an exotics practice in a larger centre such as New Orleans. Keep your pet refrigerated, not frozen, and call as soon as you can, because a necropsy is most useful within a day or two.
Do I need a permit to cremate a protected or CITES-listed pet?
Cremation within your own country usually doesn't need a new permit, but keep your existing permit and any CITES records to hand, because the provider or your permit issuer may ask. Keeping parts, preserving the body or moving remains across a border can involve separate rules. Check with the agency that issued your permit before you act.
Sources and our estimates
- [1] The NFDA projected Louisiana's cremation rate at 46.4% 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] 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.
Get Slidell prices for your unusual pet
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