This paper looks at how a retail native mammal pet industry may be structured and regulated. The factors which determine a native mammal's suitability to pet keeping are reviewed. The paper also presents a short list of species with sufficient potential to warrant evaluation as pets. This short list was developed on the assumption that there was more conservation value in commercially breeding rare and endangered species as against abundant species. The list is not exhaustive and excludes several common species known to thrive as pets.