I live in a state that is pretty lax on "dangerous" wildlife, I've already read up on the required fencing and permits. My question is anyone know about what these species go for on the open market?
I believed i saw a tiger in Texas for 20k. I dont know about the costs in wisconsin but id think around the same price. Lions could be less, maybe 10 to 15k (im just saying what i saw). Maybe if you have connections you can get them cheaper. Ive never seen hyenas for sale tho.
The fact that you have put dangerous in inverted commas shows your lack of knowledge of large carnivores.
Sorry I wasn't trying to imply that they aren't dangerous, I just find the whole regulatory system funny is all. In WI there is more paperwork involved in owning deer than big cats. And animals like 1/8th wolf dogs and bobcats are classified as dangerous where other animals for example alligators and crocodiles are not.
Yes, I do. I imagine several of us do. I'd also suggest you read this and then forget about owning a big cat.
Hello PrimoCulture Farms I suggest you read the following: State Laws Governing Private Possession of Exotic Animals. "No person may possess any live wild animal unless the wild animal is legally obtained" is especially important. There are dealers who take animals from the wild illegally and this can impact on species survival (see State Laws Governing Private Possession of Exotic Animals). I agree with Buldeo. When I answered 'Wild Animals' questions on Allexperts, I had several enquiries from people who wanted to keep exotic pets, but didn't realise about the potential risks involved to themselves or to visitors (see Dangerous Exotic Pets : The Humane Society of the United States). While it may be legal to keep dangerous animals as pets in Wisconsin, there are moral elements in keeping pets. If you have thousands of dollars to pay to buy and keep lions, tigers and/or hyenas, I suggest you spend the money to protect these species in the wild, rather than risking your life and the lives of neighbours and visitors.
Not entirely true unfortunately... you would be needing to enter the enclosure regularly for cleaning and maintenance, and that is where mistakes tend to happen, even in reputable facilities... Big cats especially are powerful (and quiet when stalking) animals and need to be treated with considerable caution and respect. In the occasions big cats do get out, due to their nocturnal and secretive nature they are extremely difficult to refind and capture, at which point they are a hazard to people and animals in the local area. Read any AZA care manual for lions, tigers, jaguar, etc and you will see the strict recommendations and cautions for working with big cats. Big cats are excellent and powerful predators, and their keeping and care cannot be taken lightly.
There's always a risk, even in zoos you'll hear about keepers getting killed by big cats every now and again.
How do you plan on housing the animal? I imagine you have plenty of food to create a diet but it could be very expensive if you don’t have a surplus. You will also need special medicine and enrichment. The cat is never the expensive part, it’s the diet, upkeep, and housing. This could run you thousands of dollars. If this is a serious consideration, I suggest reading a few keeper manuals. I, personally, don’t care for exotic big cats as pets. I feel that they cause inherent chaotic danger. It not only presents a danger to you but also the zoological community’s reputation. I highly advise against keeping big cats as pets. I’d argue that a serval or savannah cat is a better option.
Or, to quote Dr. Malcolm “you were so preoccupied with whether or not you could that you didn't stop to think if you should.”
