Hyenas and Baboons as Pets

It’s not known whether the guys in Nigeria are money collectors or are just into the local equivalent of pet as penis replacement. Rather than following the American trend of pit bulls, they have opted for baboons and hyenas instead.

staying in south africa (i do), you get a lot of misconception about what goes on here. no there’s no wild animals roaming in the streets, but fuck — nigeria seems to be a different story. these images have triggered a curiosity in me that i want to satisfy. i want to go there and check it out for myself. yeah — and theres nothing exotic about the bottom feeders of nature. hyena’s hunt in packs and will rarely attack a live prey. the feed on carcasses lions leave behind.

This is actually bullshit. Hyenas are far more efficient hunters than lions and it is lions, due to their size, that often steal hyena kills. Hyenas are very cool animals and not to be fucked with.

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57 Comments


  1. tyer

    15 September 2004 at 7.08 am

    I have always wanted a hyena as a companion, but not because I need a fearsome animal but because I am interested in them and always have been. I understand that they are dangerous but still want one- it depends on how you raise and animal.

    Reply

  2. Mr. Jowee

    21 November 2004 at 10.24 am

    Having a hyena wouldbe about as cool as having a jaguar or cheeta; it can’t be tamed, and therefore would rip your neck out as soon as its mind snaped (probably around puberty). Unlike cheetas and other cats, hyenas are usaully docile and have much different manurisms. This is probably becasue they don’t belong to the leidea family, but to their own hyenadea (sp?) family.
    Also, the genitals look almost the same.

    Reply

  3. coreyfro

    25 May 2005 at 8.41 pm

    While exotic pets need speciallized handling, hyenas and cheetahs actually make quite good pets…
    …compare to other very large killer beasts…
    cheetahs actually live much longer in captivity than they do in the wild due to the rigors of wild cheetah live… cheetahs are like a sports car, they are light, fast, and fragile… because of this, they age quickly, and will lose their edge (speed) if they have the slightest injury, thus starving.
    In captivity, they can live up to 20 years. In the wild, 7 is old.

    Reply

  4. Moegar

    13 August 2005 at 1.05 am

    thats bullshit hyenas as is any other mammal tameable to a certain extent , if treated corectly .Nile moniter lizards are supose to be very me and untamable ….wrong my nile monitor is as docile as my savannah moniter. Its all in how you treat the animal , i know a person with an alligator that are freindly as a dog …….

    Reply

  5. Neodeuccio

    18 September 2005 at 2.01 am

    Look, if you guys are going to be commenting on hyenas, you really should pick up a book first. Firstly, hyena’s hunt and kill the vast majority of their own game. They steal very little from lions, and lions steal just as much from them. And saying that an animal can’t be domesticated is stupid. It might not be easy, but that doesnt mean it can’t be done. And here’s about as much proof as I’ll ever need… Photo from Duke Magazine

    Reply

  6. Z

    9 October 2005 at 2.14 pm

    if someone is selling or knows of someone who is selling or knows how i can get my hands on a hyena cub, please email me, ive wanted a pet hyena all my freakin life.

    Reply

  7. Dedrick

    15 October 2005 at 2.36 pm

    A male Lion would devour a pathetic little bitch hyena, you bitches

    Reply

  8. Dom Deville

    16 October 2005 at 6.42 pm

    After seeing that pic or the hyena licking that lady’s face, I kinda want one now. They really are misunderstood, the males are probably less agressive, because the females are dominant in the pack.
    Cheetah once were used in a similar matter as a retriever by Persian royaltee I believe. I have reason to believe they’d make a better pet than any other large cat. They are the only member of the cat family with nonretractable claws. I guess, it comes down to which one would cost less, a spotted hyena or a cheetah

    Reply

  9. Anonymous Coward

    21 December 2005 at 4.18 pm

    No exotic animal should be kept as a pet. They are not meant to be kept to a small confined space such as a house. Also, you have no idea how to care for them. Quit being self-centered and let the wild animals lead a natural wild life. It doesn’t depend on how you raise an animal, all wild animals have wild instincts. It is wired into their genes so they can survive.

    Reply

  10. Attila

    27 December 2005 at 9.02 am

    Love Hyenas-would only take one 4 a pet that a zoo or someplace threw away or when i live in Arizona again, its a nice thought , but i’d never capture a wild one and make it miserable in captivity!

    Reply

  11. iona fergusson

    20 January 2006 at 5.12 am

    Am interested in the photo of the pet hyena but need a high res image. Can you get in touch with me on the above email and let me know. Thanks

    Reply

  12. Pepe

    25 March 2006 at 2.57 am

    Uhh…sorry folks, pit bulls are rough and tough, just like their macho owners. But if anybody thinks a hyena is going to cuddle up and keep your feet warm over the long winter, well, then I am quite sure that you never had your go with one of these beasts. You have to be nuts to even consider having one of these closeby. And a wild one? Man, just read a little bit about what these guys can eat! They have consumed Anthrax and didn’t even get a belly ache, and that ain’t no bull! Get real.

    Reply

  13. Miren

    31 March 2006 at 9.20 am

    Having a wild Hyena as a pet is quite dangerous dont you guys think? From what I have heard is that they are kindove like dogs in the sence that you can kindove mold them the way you want (to be agressive, very nice, etc…) But I still believe these animals are quite dangerous. (If you think walking a pitbull is dangerous a hyena is very dangerous). They might not have the desire to fight 24/7 to the death like a pitbull does but just imagine if you completely forget to feed it or for some sudden reason it goes crazy (you know how hyenas are) on you or your kids then your dead meat. And believe me when they get crazed or hungry they can be as persistent as a pit. I honestly do not think both the Hyena and Baboon are quality pets just too unpredictable and dangerous (they are constantly killing people in Africa). Ohh and one thing I forgot, we do not know the diseases theseanimals might have not including such powerfull jaws that could cripple you so easily.

    Reply

  14. Ryan Boyette

    5 April 2006 at 7.40 am

    Interesting stuff, Ive always had a profound interest in Heyenas myself. Have often thought of owning one as a pet. From what I know there are 4 species of Heyena (Spotted, Striped, Brown, and the Ardwolf) IS there a particular species that is more apt to social living with human beings ? Also where would you go about aquiring something such as this as a pet anyway obviously you wont find them in the local classified adds haha ? Any feedback would be great….

    Reply

  15. Andrea

    17 April 2006 at 6.38 pm

    “They might not have the desire to fight 24/7 to the death like a pitbull does” WTF… do you actually think that a DOMESTICATED dog is MORE viscious than a WILD hyena? Miren is a fucking idiot.

    Reply

  16. Mark The Beast

    18 April 2006 at 3.39 am

    Hyenas are incredible hunters. Have any of you ever owned a pit bull? It depends on how you raise them, they are naturally agressive but also extremely loyal. Most that are vicious are either made to be killers by cruelty or proper training or underexcised or instituitionalized by being kept in smaller cages or pens without proper mental or physical exercise.

    Reply

  17. Rabid

    19 April 2006 at 7.59 am

    Spotted hyenas are extremely awesome and powerful animals. The females are larger than the males and more dominant. They often hunt and live in extremely large packs. A lazy male lion (as most of them are) would think twice before messing with one hyena not to mention more. Most animals are trainable to some extent and I would love to have a pet hyena but to have a pet hyena you would need sufficient funds and space to keep it happy, so it is not advaisable.

    Reply

  18. bufordtjustice

    20 April 2006 at 10.21 am

    is there honestly some douche bags out there that are dumb enough to compare a hyena to a pit bull? i dont care how much of a bad ass you think your “pit” is, a hyena would crush that animal and is 1000x more dangerous

    Reply

  19. coreywashdc

    24 April 2006 at 12.36 pm

    I think a having a Hyena for a pet would be ok because its the way you raise them specially if you get one as a pup.

    Reply

  20. California

    26 April 2006 at 6.28 pm

    I have seen many documentarys that show hyenas and lions going at it, but once the male lion shows up..its over. No matter if theres 5 hyenas or 20. I mean 20 hyenas could easily take the male lion but they dont for some reason and take off running once he shows or is sensed. Oh yeah theres a few videos on the net that show pits ripping apart hyenas and vice versa, its a good matchup…if you have a game pit bull that is. There are many other larger dog breeds that can handle themselves against hyenas like the Japanese Tosa, Presa Canario, Irish Wolfhounds are also kept in some places to keep animals such as wolfs away.

    Reply

  21. bent

    10 May 2006 at 8.43 pm

    alot of you are fucking idiots, pit bulls are like any other dog, its how you raise them, pits aren’t naturally aggresive they only seem that way because there are alot of them out there. it would be cool to have a hyena though, i would only if i lived on a farm or something…

    Reply

  22. shawn

    19 May 2006 at 1.26 pm

    my favorite is the striped hyena. i dont like the mentality of having one as a pet, but if a young pup is orphaned id be first in line to give it a try. nurture and give shelter and never take for granted what your deeling with. with adequet resources i would relly like to see a hybrid of male striped hyena mated with a female timberwolf. not for fighting or meanness. but hell yeah to the big ol freek faktor

    Reply

  23. Imajicka

    22 May 2006 at 8.05 pm

    The documentaries I’ve seen have shown hyenas successfully driving lions from prey. Lions don’t dominate hyenas like some people imply. Yeah, overall lions are more of a match, but it’s not one-sided. And hyeanas have the strongest jaws, pound per pound, of any mammal. They can snap a human thigh bone like its nothing!

    Reply

  24. Cal_Engineer

    23 May 2006 at 8.18 pm

    Ok, I have studied hyenas for many years. Hold on, I need to take a shit

    Reply

  25. Cal_Engineer

    23 May 2006 at 8.42 pm

    Ok, back. As I was saying, people should think more than twice before considering to have a hyena as a pet, especially the spotted hyena. Hyenas are Africa’s most successful predator. According to the documentary “Predators at War”, it indicated that Hyenas are accounted for over 50% of the entire kills in Africa. Lions, on the other hand, steal more kills from Hyenas than the other way around. However, if there is a huge clan, Hyenas are more than capable of taking kills from lions….if you don’t believe me….see “lions vs hyenas”…the video.
    In addition, the physical characteristics of hyenas proves that hyenas are natural born killers. With a strong built neck, rough fur coat, extremely powerful jaws, and long sturdy front legs…..it makes hyenas to be efficient hunters and fighters. The only disadvantage to the hyena is its behind legs…which are sloped down and weaker than the front legs. This makes hyenas to run slower than other predators in the African savannah. However, the clans of the hyenas make the hyena to be one of the most successful hunters in the world. In addition, the digestive system of the hyena is incredible. Possessing one of the most acidic digestive system in the animal kingdom….the hyena is capable of digesting anything that it eats.
    I also want to mention a little about the hierachal clan structure of the hyena. The female is dominant as it possess more testoreme than the male. The genitals of both sexes are almost identical in appearance. Also, I once saw this documentary…”eternal enemies”…where a male lion attacked a matriachal female hyena….it was a battle for survival….the femal hyena seemed to be loosing…however, the rest of the clan ganged up on the male lion which forced him to let go of female hyena. This type of “looking after” is very rare in the animal kingdom….but it is common within hyenas, lions and even wolves.
    Lastly, for all those idiots who think a pitty pitbull is capable of taking upon a hyena…..i think you should get your facts straight. First of all, a pitbull is a domesticated dog…a hyena is a wild animal (belongs to the hyaenide family…it is not a DOG…more closely related to the mongoose or cats than it is related to dogs). A hyena has to hunt and fight to survive…a pitbull doesn’t have to do any of that shit. Hyenas are known to intentially fuck with lions…..your pitty pitbull would walk away with it’s tail between it’s legs. Any animal that fucks with lions definetely deserves my respect…and this goes for hyenas, tigers (fucking with asiatic lions in India) and several others. Believe me, when I say that a hyena is dangerous, I really mean it. It would kill your pitbull….one bite to the neck of your pitbull….it’ll snap your dog’s head off. If you don’t believe me, I suggest you do an independent research and let the experts say for themselves.
    The only bad thing about the hyena is the way it kills it prey……in a pack it’s even worse….they don’t wait for the prey to die (like lions and tigers do)…but start eating it while it is still alive!!!!!!

    Reply

  26. Slim Dog (aka the Lying Sack of Shit)

    26 May 2006 at 9.30 am

    I have three pet hyenas. A male and two females. They ate six pitbull last year while I was roming the streets of Everett Washington (you can have pet hyenas there). You could say things are pretty serious there. I got two hyenas two years ago after I read this post. Hyenas are very tamable you just have to disipline them and yell stuff at them in Hyenaisse so they understand their sensai. I use numb chucks too. peace out, Slim Dog

    Reply

  27. tania

    31 May 2006 at 6.39 pm

    you guys are all idiots. hyenas are not pets, and they should stay that way, for their good as well as ours. as an animal lover, it pisses me off when we somehow get the idea that it is ok to change the life exotic animals were born to live. this is all about a bunch of macho shit and i am sickened that i stumbled on this site.

    Reply

  28. Off the Cuff

    24 June 2006 at 7.38 am

    I love this shit… Really, I do. Debates over hyenas as pets. I mean people have tigers as pets in Vegas as well as other wild animals and no one complains, so shut the fuck up. I am Nigerian and American, born in the states but raised in both. Remember this, you chumps… 3rd world countries are more live than you pussyfoots. These are handling and training traditions that have been handed down through generations – lion hunting, hyena tracking, and much more. Speaking of pitbulls, I have a pitbull and I love that dog. It is loyal and trustworthy and good with kids, but a game animal is a game animal whether it is domestic or wild. Check me in 2008 with my hyenas and wolfpack you suckaz! God made man to have dominion over the animals. Remember that, baby!

    Reply

  29. nokomis

    4 July 2006 at 7.11 am

    Man made God so he could blame all of his idiocy on someone else…Remember THAT, baby! Other traditions handed down from the generations include religious intolerance, slavery, and female genital mutilation. Your argument is a poor one.

    Reply

  30. Anonymous Coward

    4 July 2006 at 2.48 pm

    It amazes me to read many of these completely ignorant comments. The most rediculous quote being…”god made man to have dominion over the animals.” Unbelievable. I hope that asshole “off the cuff” is reincarnated into a circus chimp. Have some respect for the human race and the Earth and leave the poor WILD animals alone. To everyone who is considering taking part in the exotic “pet” trade…Your shitty karma will come back to haunt you. You are disgusting pigs.

    Reply

  31. wildchild

    6 July 2006 at 2.45 pm

    For anyone looking to purchase Hyena Pups and have $4000 buks laying around here is a place in Augusta Georgia that rescues orphans for sale the permit is another $1100.Good luck

    Reply

  32. Dan

    10 July 2006 at 6.40 am

    Just found this on the net, the Nigeria people with Hyenas are street entertainers. They all have sticks to hit the heads of the hyena if they get aggressive. Most of them have scars from the animals attacking them.
    Pieter Hugo’s photos of The Hyena Men of Nigeria

    Reply

  33. Red Wolf

    10 July 2006 at 9.35 am

    Thank you to Dan, who has proved to be one of the few commenters with a clue.
    I’ve been wondering how long it would take someone to find the Pieter Hugo photos and it only took two years of mostly moronic comments. Can’t say it hasn’t been entertaining.

    Reply

  34. teaBagger (aka Shit4Brainz)

    27 July 2006 at 5.20 pm

    Hyena’s are tameable.
    I have taught my pet hyena – nibbles to lick my scrote

    Reply

  35. cassandra

    29 July 2006 at 8.12 am

    i have been looking into this topic becuase i read an article in a maxium magazine and these people belive in blck magic and weird shit liek taht to “control the animals i also read taht they drug teh anaimals …. and about hyenas the females are nto to be fucked with the have inlarged clitoras’s and hight testostrone and tehy are teh domanit over the males …

    Reply

  36. Stephen

    31 July 2006 at 6.01 pm

    in the last maxim magazine (with jessica simpson on the cover i believe) there is a 4 page article about the men in nigeria with the pet hyenas and babboons. they also have pythons. and like dan said, they are just street entertainers, and the men captured the dogs as cubs and sedated them heavily through the years to take the edge off.

    Reply

  37. Chris

    2 August 2006 at 8.55 am

    I have been lookng to hyneas for a long time. I found out you can own a pet hyena but it can never be trusted. I have a great intrest in owning one unfortnatly in the usa most of the states prohibit it. But here is my question in a fight which would win a hyena or a game pitbull? I believe the pitbull would get killed quickly but comparing the facts It seems quite even except for the size. The hyena hunts for live animals like buffalo for food where the game pitbull fights for fun I believe the pitbull has more jaw pressure but the hyena also has very powerful jaws capable of supporting its own weight while hanging, much like the pitbull the hyena is in its own family group much closer to the cat than k-9 let me know what yous guys think I have to believe after weighing all options my money would go on the wild hunter rather than the fighter feel free to email me cmann19078@yhoo.com

    Reply

  38. Anonymous Coward

    4 August 2006 at 12.51 pm

    HELLO PPLES HYENS R REALLY KOOL ANIMALS AND U R LOSER CAUSE U R LOCKIN THEM UP THEY DONT DESERVE IT I HATE U

    Reply

  39. Trine

    12 August 2006 at 10.37 am

    Off the cuff, I don’t agree with you. But okay, you have relations to Africa where almost everything is going wrong. Aids, killings, wars, poverty, killings, disseases, overpopulation. And racism against white people -or are they just envious that they don’t succeed in anything? Where would you prefere to live? In Nigeria among black people or in USA among white people? And why?

    Reply

  40. DAN CONDELLA

    21 August 2006 at 4.47 am

    LOOKING TO BUY A HYENA

    Reply

  41. the Hyena (ritually disemvowelled troll)

    22 August 2006 at 3.18 am

    Wll hr’s th dl whch shld jst bt pt n nd t ths tpc, (nd hp t ds). hyn s wld nml ys? Thy hnt thr fd nd r xtrmly grssv. Bt f rsd frm cb t wll ccpt y s mmbr f t’s fmly nd t wll b XTRMLY dcl. f hwvr sm strngr wlks nt th hs t wll ttck s t’s bst y gt t t knw ll yr frnd whl t’s stll bby. f y r hvng hyn s pt thn n t shldn’t b lckd p 24/7 nsd yr hs. B sr t tk t tsd frqntly nd gv t ttntn. ls mk sr yr hs s lrg hs s y hv ngh rm s tht th hyn dsn’t fl cptvtd. ls, hyn cn b tmd lk ny thr nml. t’s clld cndtnng nd vry nml hs t. f y hv ny bjctns y cn g fck yrslf nd g t hll ftrwrds.

    Reply

  42. Jessica

    8 March 2007 at 3.59 am

    As to the comment above by the Hyena, I don’t speak leet. Sorry.
    I think it’s bullshit about that man has dominion over animals. If man had dominion over all animals they wouldn’t be getting killed by them still and the animals would all look exactly like domesticated breeds. House cats did come from somewhere you know, not that they came from the really huge cats like lions or tigers. But they eventually shrink (at least I think they do) and change. Most housecats don’t look like their wild brethren at all unless they were selectively bred by humans to mimic such animals, but they’re still domesticated.
    I think most of the large animals of the exotic pet trade actually have some form of birth defects from interbreeding for quick sale. It’s like what they do in puppy mills except I don’t think these expensive aniamls come with a lemon law (I’m not going to say this for sure, so I might be wrong). But what I do know is that the animals are sometimes abused badly because they aren’t tame little pets. What really bothers me is that if a human does something obviously provocative around an exotic, then it’s said exotic’s fault and they end up being murdered and then there is one less tiger/lion/hyena/etc. that could have been used for a breeding program or should have actually been outside in the wild. I personally believe there should be a ban on all wild-caught animals and on some of the more dangerous exotics as pets. I can’t completly condone having smaller, less dangerous exotics as pets such as birds (even though, with their huge, powerful beaks they can, and have been known, to badly wound people) non-poisonous reptiles (the Gila Monster is a poisonous lizard before someone says there aren’t any) and snakes. For anything larger I’d rather observe them at a zoo or else go out in the wild and observe them myself.
    If you really want an exotic pet then start a rescue. You can observe them and be happy in knowing you saved an animal instead of buying one and supporting the abuses of the exotic pet trade.

    Reply

  43. Red Wolf

    8 March 2007 at 10.21 am

    Jessica: First off, your insightful comment is appreciated amid the flood of stupidity this post has attracted.
    Second, the comment you initially refer to isn’t written in 1337, the vowels were removed because the commenter was a moronic troll who thought that leaving abusive comments was entertaining. Oh look, he appears to look even dumber than he did before (which you noticed and it was the point of the exercise)

    Reply

  44. PD

    9 March 2007 at 2.55 am

    I’ve heard of people keeping striped hyenas in the middle east as pets, but not spotted hyenas, though there are accounts of farmers keeping spotteds as guard dogs, but there still wild & often end up running off to join a pack if they get a scent.
    Hyenas are NOT dogs,so will not behave entirely like a dog. they can be very aggresive toward each other, often leaving bad scars which, if it was against a person, could easily kill or maim that person. plus you woudn’t get any sleep cos they howl all night! and it can be heard for miles
    so in short,id say its not a very good or practical idea.
    Also, for those who say a pitbull cud beat a hyena in a fight… just think about it! hyenas are much bigger & heavier, and are known to kill leopards and cheetahs one on one, so a pitbull wudnt be much of job for a hyena!!!

    Reply

  45. Kevin B

    8 April 2007 at 7.54 am

    I love this site…..i have read the comments and lost it….some of the best comedy i have read in a long time. HYENAS AS PETS…CRAZY…..it would be like having a killer bee in a jar..You could never control the killer nature of these animals. One day they would snap and i would hate to be the one on the other end of the leash…WHATS WRONG WITH A POODLE????????????

    Reply

  46. Mark

    21 December 2007 at 1.03 am

    Cal_Engineer is one of the few on this blog who actually argues intelligently regarding this subject. Thanks. And Trine what the hell were you talking about? How did the racism come into this blog. Racism is a man made thing just like the domestic dog. There is only 1 human race, unless your the sole surviving neanderthal and you have the world’s scientist fooled. Then again that idiot probably left this blog long ago since he probably can’t read to well.

    Reply

  47. john

    15 January 2008 at 12.04 pm

    all this is bullshit who the hell is fucking dumb to think about have a pet as a hyenas it is going to bite your ass off your body and the pit bull thing is bullshit

    Reply

  48. john

    15 January 2008 at 12.05 pm

    bastards

    Reply

  49. quanit

    27 April 2008 at 7.48 am

    dude ive seen pple who sell hyenas in da U.S they r USDA aproved but they only sell to pple who’ll educate pple about them not keep as pets. plus u can tame any animals from the wild but it will still always have that wild blood coursing through its weins the only way to prevent them from going on a massacare if u do have one is to keep reel calm develop a strong relastionship with it and make shure he knows ur da boss once they find out theyre stronger than u theyll come after u, still i say if u can get one and educate pple on them do so

    Reply

  50. Animalafficionado

    9 May 2008 at 11.53 am

    if you want to see a nice interaction between humans and wild hyenas..go to youtube and type hyena harar. there is a long tradition in the city of Harar Ethiopia between certain individuals and the wild hyena population..i cant explain..just see for yourself..

    Reply

  51. Anonymous Coward

    21 July 2008 at 3.54 pm

    I have owned a male spotted hyena for 15 years. I purchased him in the ilegal pet trade as a pup. Raising the pup was an unusual experience. When the pup reached 2 years of age he started showing more aggression then usual but not to the point of concern. His name is Kong. Kong is great with my kids and acts much like a normal dog. Disciplen is the key to a great Hyena pet. NEVER rais your hand to the Hyena, train with love and repetiton. I am now purchasing a Female Spotted Hyena in U.S.A. currency for $15,000. I will breed and sell In approx 5 years if everything goes to plan. I obtain all legal liscenses and documents for these magnificent animals. When my pups arive they will be sold through the national exotic pet trade auction.

    Reply

  52. Quanit

    1 September 2008 at 4.14 am

    O.k i actually know websites in which legal authorities are registered with U.S.D.A and legally sell very exotic animals such as big cats and white tigers. They sell Striped and Spotted Hyena cubs although I want a Brown Hyena since in Texas any hyena is legal. I want a Brown Hyena because they need 3 ilbs of meat w/ bones and 4 ilbs of fruit and veggies which is much easier then buying 7 ilbs of meat and bones plus hyenas have strong stomach so you can get roadkill deer of the road but dont rely on roadkill personally if your getting brown hyenas grow ur own fruits and veggies and farm chickens. But from hardest to easiest to own I will go through the list Spotted Hyena, Striped Hyena, Brown Hyena, Aardwolf

    Reply

  53. Austin DN

    5 October 2008 at 7.48 pm

    Interesting thread here… Have to say, I’ve always been intrigued by the idea of having a pet hyena. They’re extremely fascinating, though misunderstood, animals, and ever since I was a small child I’ve been drawn to them. For starters… no, I don’t think pulling a hyena out of the wild and trying to make it your pet is a good, let alone sane idea. And honestly, I’m not even fond of the idea of taking in a cub from a parent who was taken out of the wild. Still, with the exception of the aardwolf all species of hyena can display a social mentality similar to that of a dog, meaning a hyena could potentially see you as part of its family.
    I’m not doubting any of the stories on here, but I have to say spotted hyenas are naturally agressive animals, since they’re so loaded with testosterone. If you honestly have one that’s the sweetest hyena in the world, good for you, but I’ll wait a bit before I say its okay for the people of the world to start taking in spotted hyenas as the new Fido. Though I have to say, Striped Hyenas seem much more likely to be widely tameable. They’re far less agressive, aren’t known for attacking large prey (humans), and are relatively common. It gives the child in me hope of one day adopting my own new hyena friend. 🙂
    But at the same time, I’m not stupid. Hyenas of all species need, and deserve, to be treated with a great deal of respect. If I were to find out that a Striped Hyena can be tamed, and had more than the resources required to give him/her the food, space, medical care, and trainning required then hey, I’d do it.
    Because I still think about it from this standpoint… once upon a time, all dogs and cats were just as wild as any other animal. If we managed to prevent the wild canines who would one day be man’s best friend from mauling our faces off, then whose to say that maybe with the right approach hyenas could be bred, raised, and trainned into equally pet-capable animals. Its just a thought, and if it proves to be false then I know I wouldn’t be a fool and get a hyena anyways.
    Still, doesn’t hurt to dream, does it?

    Reply

  54. Fennie

    5 December 2008 at 3.27 am

    You freaks, WILD ANIMALS ARE NOT FOR THIS KIND OF THING!
    NO, You can´t have an hiena or a cheetah! YES it´s pretty, but it´s NOT A PET FOR IDIOTS like you. Live and let live.

    Reply

  55. bern

    11 April 2009 at 5.05 am

    A pitbull game or not is no match for a hyena or any other large predatorial wild animal.Game dogs are gamed to go against other dogs not against wild animals.Even even game pitbull breeders have warned potenial owners of these fighting dogs as saying :’These dogs have been engineered to fight with other dogs;not wild animals.So if you fight these dogs against wild predatorial animals,they will either be killed or seriously hurt.”And don’t even try to talk about the pitbull getting a hold of the wild animal’s throat.The wild animal”s reflexes are much to fast.A wid timberwolf dodges bear and mountain lion claws on a regular basis.A hyena dodges lion and leopard claws on a regular basis.A hyena will crush the skull of any domestic dog with one bite and no problem.Wild animals have been gamed by nature itself;therefore they have the ultimate game.

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  56. andrew

    14 August 2010 at 12.19 am

    Look quit a few oof u have a functional brain get off the subject of fighting hyena’s and pit bulls lets try raising themm together i personaly have three pits and they all have differances one is an american blue nose another one is a rat pit and lastly my lab pit but like a hyena clan i have seen all three take on other animals together only to defend my family i have only shown them love and strong words. My daughter loves all three of them and they are more protective of her than any animal i have seen. In conclusion a hyena would be ok to it takes the person willing to do the job alot of time and patience but just like a pit alwasy know what your getting into before its to late. thanks

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  57. Anonymous Coward

    15 September 2010 at 4.19 am

    To try to put this hyena crap to rest i will tell off a sight i personaly was witness to in south africa. I was a U. S. Marine on a peace keeping opp when one day a pack of wild, YES WILD, hyenas came into the village looking for hand outs. Some were even playing with the kids in the village. The pack had become so used to people they treated them like long lost family members. It is all about how one treats the animal. And anyone who thinks any domestic breed could stand up to one of these animals needs to get to the zoo and check out these 150 lbs, 4 ft tall, lion killing beasts.

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