Jaguar as a pet??
I have always loved cats and all animals. I think jaguars are beautiful creatures and was wondering if it was safe and leagal to get one as a pet. I live in Pennsylvaina. If I had gotten a big cage, all fenced in, like it looks in the zoo, would I be able to keep one. If my hosue was big enough do you think I could keep it inside? Are they argessive? Are there any recorded cases of them attacking/killing humans? Please don't have a rude/disrespectful answer. Thanks for your time everyone!
Update:I have 2 bengal cats. They are nothing special, except that they need to be the alpha. Ones a boy and ones a girl.
Update 3:How about a bobcat?
Comments
Whether it's a jaguar or a bobcat, it really isn't a good idea to keep a wild animal as a pet. It can be very dangerous and expensive for you and unhealthy for the animal.
Instead, I would recommend supporting an organization that's better equipped to care for these animals. Zoos, for example, are able to closely monitor their animals' health, keep tabs on the captive gene pool, and help to educate people about conservation and endangered species.
http://www.helium.com/tm/148154
http://www.helium.com/tm/263663
Maybe you could try volunteering at your local zoo to learn more about big cats and be around them.
It is not a good idea to keep a big cat as a pet, because they are dangerous wild animals. They only belong in the wild or in zoos and yes there are reported cases of Jaguars killing people. Plus, it is illegal. I would suggest a Bengal Cat (not a Bengal Tiger), a domesticated house cat that has spots like a leopard. I own two of them. Go to http://www.leopardlanecats.com/ to see them.
Sloane
NO big cator any other wild animal should be kept as a pet - no matter how large the enclousure would be.... unless for some reason it couldn't survive in the wild alone ( think zoos etc )How would you feel if shoe was on the other foot ? a Jaguar captures you & puts you in a cage ?
I'm sure your emotional& physical health would soon deteriorate... the same applies to animals
demosticated animals can be kept as pets wild animals can not..
Captured big cats loose their minds litterally if enclosed in cages - whether alone or with others of their kind - go to a zoo u will find them franticaly pacing back & forth - its heart wrennching to see
Wild animals require WILD HUGE borderless spaces to roam, hunt etc - with out it health goes down hill & mental state
Jaguars like any other large cats - if given the urge they will attack you - no matter if you've raised them from a cub or not .... Owning one - let along keeping one inside as a pet is like playing russian roulette with only one bullet missing....
Plus have you concidered how much meat you's have to feed a large cat ? I'm talking at least $1000
a month easily - adopt domesticated cats they aer mini panthers & they technically cant eat you or you loved ones with in minuites -- plus much cheaper to keep
When I was young, I dreamed of exotic animals. My mother had a cat and I loved it, so I thought getting even a BIGGER cat - like an ocelot or a lynx - would be even better. My best friend raised horses and I dreamed about Zebras. A farm down the road had goats, so I dreamed about African antelope with huge horns and how beautiful they are. Then, I went to the zoo. I studied all the animals. I talked to the zookeepers. Yes, some of the antelopes were tame. The Zebras were stubborn and difficult to train. A Zebra can pull a cart or carry a pack, but you can't ride one. The big cats were untrustworthy. Even the ones which had been pets and donated to the zoo were unpredictable. Some of them were very affectionate. But the zookeepers said they just don't make good pets. Exotic animals are very expensive to keep. They require special food and there are very few veterinarians who know how to treat them. When I grew up, I went to my friend and bought a horse. I must admit that having a horse was so rewarding, I eventually became interested in breeding and showing, which I then proceeded to do for 30 years. I found out about exotic breeds of goats and bought a few to eat the weeds in the pasture. They were absolutely gorgeous animals. People driving by would often stop to admire them. Because they were domesticated animals, they were happy living on my ranch. I gave up the idea of big cats altogether because I found satisfaction from owning two beautiful Persian cats. They slept on my bed at night and sat on the sofa next to me when I read the newspaper. I realized that small cats have advantages. If you have a tiger, for example, who gets the sofa? There sure isn't room for BOTH of you. What you might want to do is visit some dog shows, cat shows, horse shows, dog shows, goat shows, etc. There, you can see many kinds of different animals you perhaps thought were boring. Talk to the owners and listen to their stories. I'm sure that you, like me, can find exactly what you want in a domesticated animal. There are some really exotic animals in every breed and there's one out there waiting to be found by you. When you do get an animal, don't be too anxious to get more. Two animals will keep you very busy and you have to make sure there is enough money for food, shelter, and vet bills. It is a serious mistake to take in a lot of animals because it becomes way too expensive to properly care for them. So start with two animals you can love and cherish. Then, if you decide to open a rescue, find a group of investors who will help you with the start-up costs and maintenance. There are significant tax advantages to owning an animal rescue, which will help offset the costs. But make a solid business plan first and then proceed cautiously. I wish you the very best. People who love animals, like yourself, have my deepest respect and admiration.
Don't even think about if it's legal or not, think about how the jaguar feels. They are the happiest when they're free in their natural habitat, and keeping one in a cage in your house wouldn't do it or you any good. Plus its would be VERY expensive to keep a jaguar (think of it as a horse, only it eats meat). It would probably get depressed and lonely.
I think if you love big cats so much, you should go traveling more like go to Florida or South America and see them in the wild. They are a lot more majestic and beautiful than if they were laying around in a cage.
Um...well...I would suggest that an animal like that, regardless of its history vs. humans is not the kind of animal that would be good as a pet. remember that guy out in Las Vegas who raised a tiger from a kitten and then went and got his neck chomped on? And that was a tiger who thought of this guy as a superior creature. I am sure that if you got a big cat like that it would need papers and you would need some sort of license. All of that though is nothing compared to the fact that the animal would probably hurt you.
They are wild animals, they should not be kept as pets. And because they are an endangered species, it is illegal. I would stick with domestic cats. If you like the look of a jaguar or a more exotic cat, look into getting a Bengal cat. They are beautiful, and safer and legal :-)
I wouldn't recommend it. First of all, Jaguars are on the verge of being an endangered species. Second, they are solitary hunters who live in jungles and love water. It would not be happy living in your cage. Third, it is absolutely at the very top of the food chain and has one of the most powerful bites of all big cats. It has such a powerful bite because of its unique style of killing its prey. It crushes the skulls of its prey. They are beautiful, but a very dangerous wild animal.
Jaguars are very beautiful. The contours of their bodies are sleek and graceful. It's not a good idea to keep one as a pet.
Consult this site for more information:
http://www.exoticcatz.com/species.html
it would be VERY mean to have one as a pet or any other wild animal because that are WILD!!!!!!!!! not pets!!!!!!!! please think about the animal how horrible it would be for it and not yourself, im sorry if its a little harsh but its true,wild animals belong in the WILD!!!!!no where else!!!!!!