How does one in America,virginia go about owning a Hyena?

Question

No I have 20 acres and I am a professional builder. I would apply for any permits and I would take any classes to allow me to have a licence to have one. I was not suggesting to sleep in the same bed with it. I find most or all of these answers obnoxious, rude, and down right offensive. Is there someone out there who could help me? People are aloud to get tigers and lions if they get the right USDA licensees. There has to be a way I could open up a zoo, conservatory, or something. What would I need to do?

http://www.michaelstevenson.com/contemporary/exhibitions/hugo/nigeria.htm

http://www.treasureranch.com/treasure/rzuinfofiles/hyena.html

YOU ARE ALL DUMB AS HELL

Answer 1

To be very honest with you, you can't own a Hyena legally in this or any other country as far as I know.
They are extremely aggressive predators and even if you were by some chance able to get a baby hyena chances are at some point it would turn on you.

But I just have to know, why on earth would you want to own a Hyena?

Answer 2

First you need to learn as much as you can about Hyenas. I'm not trying to be rude, but not knowing how much you know, I'm just suggesting that you need to know what you are getting into. Hyenas are very wild animals, with wild instincts. Be prepared that the first question people may ask you if you apply for any type of permits, etc, is "Why hyenas?"

This is a good question for yourself. Why do you want a hyena? If you are looking for a pet, I'd say forget the hyena and go for something more domestic. Wild animals are not good "pets". If they are kept in captivity it should be for good reason, not to be your companion and friend. If you are going to take on a wild animal like this, you need to be prepared to be comitted, mentally, physically, financially, and to have the time and energies it will take to take care of this animal for the rest of its life.

If you are serious about this, your first job would be to learn to write a business plan, and the Small Business Administration can help you with that. Many people try to take shortcuts, not bother with a plan, and the end result is often major failure.

Good luck.

Answer 3

Why don't you volunteer in one of those wild life places just to get the feel of things. Ask yourself why a Hyena? Really why?
being a builder doesn't have anything to do with wildlife. Hyenas don't use a building.
20 acres is also a no go - I wouldn't want to be your neighbour.
Leave the poor hyena in his group in the wild. None of us should possess wild animals.
I appreciate your interest but you need to put it to better use like volunteer. You could build pens in a zoo or something like that and still be around animals.

Answer 4

I hope you have A LOT of money. Only because, you are going to need VERY expensive housing for an animal like this. They can dig out from under a fence, but concrete is horrible for their paws. You would also need a roof, or a very high fence over top of the enclosure. The enclosure would need to made of a sturdy, yet flexible material, that is not toxic to the animal....not to mention, something it can't chew through. You'll be hard up to find a material you can use for an enclosure that a hyena CAN'T chew through. This is why very few zoos even have these animals on display, they are difficult and expensive to contain...and feed.

Don't think you can feed him dog food. You're just asking for a very sick hyena if you do that. They need raw meat, AND BONES...Raw, uncooked bones, of course....and most importantly, organ meats (intestines, hearts, livers, etc). I worked with rescued big cats, at big cat rescue in Tampa, FL (www.bigcatrescue.org) and I wouldn't reccomend feeding a hyena the meat that humans eat either. It gave the cats at BCR cancer within only a few years due to all the antibiotics and hormones we put in meat. You will need to find very pure meat to feed your hyena.

Veterinary care....forget about it. The chances of FINDING a vet that will treat it are slim, and the cost will be astronomical if you do. Not to mention, it better be spayed or neutered if you want it to be at all docile and not overly agressive. AND you're dealing with a pack animal. They don't like to be alone. Leave it alone all the time, and it's bound to get sick, and/or vicious.

All of this and I'm assumming you were planning to keep it as you would keep a zoo animal....NOT as a pet. I don't think I need to tell you the dangers inherant in that. Like wolves, Hyenas establish a pecking order, and in time, EVERY canine tries to become the alpha male/female, and WILL challenge you for this position. How well do you think you'll fair against jaws that bite through Elephant bones?

All food for thought. I'm being totally honest, and not trying to be judgemental. I used to want a leopard. Then I got my degree in wildlife biology and animal behavior, and worked at Big Cat Rescue. Check out the site sometime. And also realize that there are few places like Big Cat Rescue, that mainly save animals that people buy and try to make into pets. Most of the big cats and wild animals like hyenas end up euthanized because there is no place to put them when the owner can't take care of them anymore.

I hope this helped.

Answer 5

I think you are in the wrong section ... I don't think there is anything that you can do to own a Hyena ... Also have you checked out all there is about the hyena's /// they eat anything and everything ... killing all kinds of animals and eat kills left over by lions.... I really don't think you will be bringing this kind of an animal here ... leave them in their own habitat...

Answer 6

Good job, Chalice....a zoo? Please....let's do something that will help our domestic little friends out there living wild without someone to care for them....or are you considering feeding domestic cats to this wild killer you thinking of owning....?
If you don't like the comments your reading,,,,maybe it's time to really THINK about what you're wanting to do...

Answer 7

sneak in the mill mt. zoo and see what u can turn up P.S dont smell like a sweaty oily human Hyenas just love that flavor

Answer 8

In your dreams.

Even if you could manage this illegal act, you'd be dead as soon as it had grown big enough to get you - so within a few weeks. Have fun with that!

Chalice

Answer 9

sounds like an awesome idea you could nurse this ugly stinky little thing until it gets the strength to rip your dick off and then proceed to devour you and your family .... put me down for two.
what kind of a question is that

Answer 10

You don't.....these are wild animals and are illegal to own as pets. Get a dog.