How can i own a penguin

These flightless birds live in colonies of hundreds to thousands of members. Trying to buy a penguin is a very bad idea. They are terribly expensive because they are illegal. Penguins are not pets and buying them for captivity is strictly regulated and reserved for zoos. Can Hyenas Be Tamed? Nick Lee is a former vet assistant and animal lover who likes to research, write about and share his knowledge of all things animals.

He has a poodle mix named Theo and a cat named Mariska, who he loves dearly. He has been writing for Ned Hardy since its inception. Your email address will not be published. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Penguins can spend up to about 75 percent of their lives in water as they conduct all of their hunting in the water and their prey can be found within feet of the water surface, so penguins have no need to swim in the deep waters.

Penguins catch prey in their beaks and then swallow whole even as they swim. Certain species only leave the water for breeding and molting. Generally, penguins species closer to the equator will eat more fish and those closer to Antarctica eat more krill and squid. The penguin coloration assists it in hunting seafood like fish and crustaceans since the dark back camouflages these penguins from the predators above, while their white belly makes them less visible to the prey from below.

Most penguin species are endangered and are illegal to purchase or keep as pets in the United States. You can find specific information in regards to the legalities of owning a penguin by going to USDA. Advertising Disclosure: This content may include referral links. Please read our disclosure policy for more info. Was it worth it? Second, because these birds are on the endangered species list, the USDA would only allow you to keep one whose mother was in captivity already.

Even still, you would have to prove that the penguin will be kept in a safe and humane environment, which usually means this social bird that normally exists within groups would need at least a pairing with 1 or 2 other penguins. Next, the penguin would require a suitable habitat with plenty of fresh vegetation, a regulated temperature, a large and deep saltwater pool.

And finally, you must have access to a skilled vet that can diagnose and treat any illnesses or infections such as Bird Flu that may arise. The animals that can be legally imported, bred, researched, transported, exhibited, sold, or kept for personal or commercial use are listed in detail under the Animal Welfare Act AWA ,.

In addition, the illegal wildlife trade also negatively affects human beings. While all pets that human beings own are taken from their original or native environment to live a life of domestication, most of these pets have easy-going lifestyles and have benefited from their human caretakers. The list of domesticated animals is not a long one. It includes dogs, cats, pigs, horses, sheep, goats, chickens, and cows. They are pack animals and need at least 20 or more other penguins for socialization.

To keep a penguin as a pet would also take an exceptional amount of fish, freshwater, and saltwater to survive. Even if you were to have a penguin as a pet, it would mature very slowly and live for up to 15 or 20 years in captivity.

Penguins can eat up to to pounds of fish annually and must be fed daily. Actually, there are cold weather penguins and tropical penguins. Fairy penguins live in Australia where it is usually quite warm. The smaller penguin species usually prefer the warmer climes, while the larger species inhabit the colder reaches. But do you want to get a penguin pet?

What Do Penguins Feel Like? Do Fish Act Dead? Why do They Float Upside Down? Do fish like being petted? And do fish recognize their owners?