Penguin Encounter

The king and emperor penguins lay only one egg while all other penguin species lay two eggs. As mentioned, penguins will need to be in groups to live a natural, healthy lifestyle. Penguins are used to living in cold environments, and that’s why they need really low temperatures to survive out of their natural environment.

• We hope that instead of buying you should consider adopting a penguin at a local zoo.
• There’s a reason domestic animals are domestic, though, and why wild animals should stay wild.
• You can find specific information in regards to the legalities of owning a penguin by going to USDA.gov.
• In this case, penguins could be one of the worst pets ever.

They’re a ton of fun to watch and they fill you with the overwhelming desire to hold them. But you should stick to viewing these birds at the zoo and in nature documentaries. The reality of keeping penguins as pets is that it’s not feasible, and it’s certainly not legal. So, put on Happy Feet to get your fix of penguins, because you won’t be keeping one as a pet anytime soon. There are many exotic animals that are perfectly legal to keep as pets in the United States. Granted, some of these animals will require you to get permits and prove you have proper accommodations for them.

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Welcome to the most respected, domesticated penguin dealer on the Internet! Relax and take a look around our site where you can find information on our company, our products, and what goes into the care of a penguin. Penguin Warehouse, Inc. sells certified purebred penguins, useful penguin books, and many other items to make you and your new pet happy. Even if you lived in Alaska, it would be very difficult to recreate the perfect artificial habitat for these birds. In America, you can only acquire penguins for your wildlife sanctuary from other captive penguins — not from the wild — meaning that you can buy a chick born to a mother from another zoo. One obvious reason for why not is because of their conservation status.

Maintaining a pool of saltwater is also expensive as penguins need deep water to swim and dive into. The pool will require regular cleaning because penguins often poop How to buy a penguin in the water they swim in. Depending on the size and number of the penguins, you will need to make special living arrangements for the number of birds you plan to get.

African Penguin (Spheniscus Demersus)

They care for injured or abandoned baby penguins or help increase the penguin population in captivity. As if their voracious appetite wasn’t enough, you ought to be aware of the fact that penguins defecate a lot too. To spare you the mental (and somewhat olfactory) image, let us just keep it at this — getting a penguin equals a lot of cleaning. As you probably assumed, an average residential pool will not do.

That means you have to have either an on-site or on-call vet who is an expert in bird and penguin-related diseases. You might be able to buy a penguin without getting in trouble with the authorities if you own a zoo. In that case, however, you would have to ensure that the penguin in question was born in captivity. In addition, you would have to prove to the authorities in charge that you can provide a suitable environment and companionship for it.

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Furthermore, laws regarding the sale, possession, and purchase of exotic animals differ from state to state. In this case, penguins could be one of the worst pets ever. Sorry if this dashed your hopes of keeping a penguin as a pet, but if you’d like to learn more about why this isn’t possible or legal, then keep reading. When you choose a symbolic animal adoption, you generously support WWF’s global conservation efforts. Every donation helps save endangered wildlife, protect fragile ecosystems, and build a future where people live in harmony with nature.

The laws regarding penguins are far stricter than with other exotic animals, not just in the US, but in the entire world. Suffice to say that penguins are definitely illegal to keep as pets in America. Most of the time, educational materials, books, and other freebies are given in the process of adopting a penguin. At times, the thank-you package includes a private visit to the organization’s facilities and getting to know your penguin. When the donation is quite big, the benefactors even get a special treat. They get a chance to take part in the release of a penguin into the wild.

How Much Do Penguins Cost?

Penguins like to live, eat, and move around in groups so you will need space for them accordingly. Penguins require living spaces that have vegetation, cold water, pools of clean saltwater, and temperature control. Dressed for a night on the town sporting their black-and-white plumage, the African penguin is the only species of penguin found on the African continent. Preferring warmer water temperatures unlike their Antarctic counterparts, their unique black stripes and spots serve as their identification, similar to a human fingerprint. Also known as the black-footed penguin, this species is one of the most endangered penguins in the world—numbers have declined by 60 percent in the last 28 years. Welcoming Ripley’s new colony in 2020 is just the beginning of conservation efforts and a growing flock, helping people learn about these vulnerable creatures.

Donating to zoos for penguin adoption is also a great way to spread useful knowledge about these wonderful birds. Also, the penguin must be born in captivity, and it should not be a penguin that has been isolated from its natural habitat. As penguins fall under protected species, you cannot simply go to a pet shop to buy a penguin. This overnight provides you access to the entire aquarium for a “feather-filled” night. Sleep right next to the penguins and watch them waking up in the morning. After Breakfast you will meet and touch one of the birds.

Plus, a penguin, when adopted, will need to come from a facility that holds a USDA permit. Let’s just say the chances of owning a penguin as a pet is extremely slim. Even then, you can only get a penguin from a facility that holds USDA permits. Also, penguins are social creatures that need to be close to other penguins to communicate, mate, and socialize. This is why penguins need to live with other penguins and if you are thinking of buying a penguin, be prepared to buy more than one or two of them. Penguins need a habitat with vegetation, enrichment, temperature control and a large deep pool of clean salt water.

First off, penguins need cold conditions to live and survive. The temperatures in their native Antarctica can plunge several degrees below zero and penguins need to be in the cold weather for their biology to function properly. If the weather around them is too hot or not cool enough, they will not be comfortable.

When you buy via links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. In all instances, penguins have essentially retained the same coloration, having dark backs and pale bellies. Unfortunately, you will not see penguins for sale on this or any other website.