Cremating Birds and Reptiles: Special Considerations for Exotic Pets

The day your bird or reptile dies, the world can feel both painfully quiet and strangely busy. You’re grieving, and you’re also suddenly making decisions: who to call, what the vet can help with, and whether to choose exotic pet cremation. If you’re here because you want your companion handled with care—and you want to understand your options before you’re making choices through tears—you’re in the right place.

Cremation is also becoming a common choice across the U.S. The National Funeral Directors Association reports the U.S. cremation rate is projected to be 63.4% in 2025, and the Cremation Association of North America reports a 61.8% U.S. cremation rate in 2024. As more families choose cremation, questions about urns, keepsakes, and keeping ashes at home have become everyday family questions—especially after a beloved pet dies.

What to expect with bird and reptile cremation

Families often search for bird cremation or reptile cremation because they’re worried about the return step: bird ashes returned, reptile ashes returned, and whether the amount will feel “right.” With birds and reptiles, it’s common for the cremains volume to be smaller than people expect—particularly when the pet was tiny to begin with.

Bird anatomy is one reason. Encyclopaedia Britannica notes that many wing bones are hollow and connected with the air-sac system. That doesn’t make your bird’s life “less.” It simply means the mineral material left after cremation can be modest. Reptiles vary widely too: cremating a lizard is different from cremating a snake, and both can differ from a shell-bearing species. The most useful expectation is not a perfect number, but a clear explanation from the provider about what is typical for your pet’s species and size.

It also helps to know what “ashes” are. In general, cremation is a controlled process that reduces remains to bone fragments, which are then processed into finer particles. The Cremation Association of North America describes cremation in these terms, and that basic idea applies whether you’re cremating a parrot or any other companion. If your pet was exceptionally small and you’re anxious about “mixed material,” the best next step is to ask how the crematory protects tiny remains and how it retrieves them. Funeral.com’s guide on pet cremation for birds and small pets is also written specifically for the “minimal ashes” situation.

Private vs. partitioned vs. communal: choosing a cremation option that matches your comfort

If you’re looking for private cremation exotics, slow down and confirm what the provider means. In pet aftercare, the same word can be used differently from one business to the next, and you deserve clarity.

The Pet Loss Professionals Alliance (PLPA), part of the ICCFA, publishes commonly used definitions. In its Cremation Definitions and Standards, PLPA defines private cremation as one pet in the cremation unit during the process. It also defines partitioned cremation as more than one pet in the chamber with separation while cremated remains are intended to be returned—while noting that some incidental commingling can occur despite best efforts. This isn’t meant to frighten families; it’s meant to set honest expectations and highlight why provider practices matter so much for small pets.

If you don’t know what to ask, a short set of clear pet cremation questions can bring the decision into focus:

• Is this private (only my pet in the chamber), partitioned, or communal?
• What identification method stays with my pet from intake to return?
• How do you handle very small birds or reptiles so remains are protected and recoverable?
• What should I expect for the return container and the approximate amount returned?

If you want a plain-language explanation of tracking and terminology, Funeral.com’s Journal article on private vs. communal pet cremation and tracking can help you compare options without feeling pressured or “sold to.”

Urn sizing for birds and reptiles

Once the service type is decided, you can think about the memorial container. This is where families begin searching for pet urns, pet urns for ashes, and sometimes cremation urns—and quickly learn that the right choice is mostly about capacity, not style. For an exotic pet urn size, ask the crematory what volume they typically return for a pet similar to yours, then choose an urn with a little extra space so the sealed inner bag fits comfortably.

Funeral.com’s guide to pet urn sizing explains how capacity is measured (usually in cubic inches) and why rules of thumb can break down for birds and reptiles. That’s why many families end up choosing small cremation urns—or, if more than one person wants a portion, keepsake urns. If you’re also looking for guidance on how to choose a cremation urn—materials, closures, and what “secure” really means—Funeral.com’s guide to choosing a proper urn is a helpful, unhurried next read.

If you’d like a calm place to browse, these collections are organized by size and purpose: pet cremation urns, pet keepsake urns, small cremation urns, and keepsake urns. And if pet loss is happening alongside human loss in your family, Funeral.com’s main collection of cremation urns for ashes can support broader funeral planning with options organized by size and material.

Cremation jewelry and “small but close” memorials

When ashes are minimal, the most meaningful keepsake is often the one that feels close in daily life. That’s why cremation jewelry, especially cremation necklaces, can work well for birds and reptiles: a pendant typically uses only a tiny portion.

If you’re new to the idea, Funeral.com’s Cremation Jewelry 101 guide explains how pieces are commonly filled and sealed. When you’re ready to browse, you can explore cremation jewelry and cremation necklaces at your own pace. And if jewelry isn’t right for you, some families choose a symbolic memorial instead—like a figurine urn that reflects the pet’s presence—using pet figurine cremation urns as a gentle option.

Keeping ashes at home, water burial, and deciding what to do with ashes

After cremation, the most common question becomes what to do with ashes. Many families choose keeping ashes at home—at least for now—because it feels steady and private. If you’re worried about spills, pets, children, or moving, Funeral.com’s keeping ashes at home safety guide offers practical steps that reduce worry without turning your home into a fortress.

Other families plan to scatter, and some consider water burial or scattering at sea because water feels symbolic or restorative. Funeral.com’s article on water burial vs. scattering at sea explains the difference in plain terms. When water is involved, it’s also wise to check official guidance: the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency provides information about burial at sea and requirements that can apply to offshore scattering of cremated remains.

How much does cremation cost, and how do you plan without regret?

It can feel uncomfortable to ask about money during grief, but cost questions are part of responsible care. If you’re wondering how much does cremation cost for a pet, the biggest drivers are usually the service type (private vs. communal), transportation, and whether an urn is included. Funeral.com’s guide to pet cremation costs breaks down common options and ways to lower stress and expense without lowering dignity.

If you’re also arranging human services, it may help to have benchmarks: the National Funeral Directors Association reports 2023 national median costs of $8,300 for a funeral with viewing and burial and $6,280 for a funeral with cremation. Funeral.com’s cremation cost breakdown explains typical line items so you can ask clearer questions and avoid paying for things you don’t want. In the end, good funeral planning—for pets or people—means choices you can live with, made in an order that protects you: service first, memorial item second.