Many animals use poison as a way to detract predators or kill prey. The platypus stands unique as a mammalian species that shares this toxic trait. Strange as it may seem, some people have them as pets. When you think of venomous animals, species such as rattlesnakes and scorpions probably come to mind. As if you need any other reason, there’s one that might hit closer to home. Its care and diet are not easy to replicate for the hobbyist.

It’s threatened in the wild and it’s probably not even legal. Keeping a platypus as a pet is almost entirely out of the question. It also hoards or stashes its food, which can make maintaining the water quality an issue if it decays.Ī post shared by Deal-Breaker A platypus needs to see a prey species moving around to trigger its predatory instincts. It’s not an animal that is captive-bred, which means it may not recognize commercial or processed food. The other problem with keeping a platypus is that it eats a lot of food every day, and it’s picky. That means a heavy-duty, high-capacity filter and everything else that brings. It also needs a large water body that you must maintain to keep it healthy. If you know your way around a pet store, you’re probably realizing that it’s not an inexpensive proposition to keep this animal as a pet when feeding live food. Oh, and you must offer them live food, although you can try freeze-dried products. All of these species require pure water, too. In the wild, platypus feed on invertebrates of all sorts. So, you’re talking about a lot of space that is also pristine because of the other vital factor for a Platypus. It’s not any better with agricultural wastewater effluents. The home range for a Platypus is from 0.14–0.25 square miles, not a small chunk of change since that translates to 89–172 acres.Ĭlean water is essential since the platypus is sensitive to toxins and urban surface water runoff. It enjoys hanging out in streams, splashing in the water, and hunting for food. In the wild, it lives in inland wetlands. If for some reason, you were able to get a Platypus, you have to think about how you would keep it. Is it really humane to import an animal that is on the brink of disappearing in the wild? We think not. Besides, you have to consider the ethics behind making such a choice. So, if you thought it would be easy to get one, sorry to disappoint. It also makes it next to impossible to export, except to zoos and scientific institutions. The Australian government forbids keeping the platypus as a pet. These factors have prompted the country to list it as a protected species. They have decimated the species habitat, along with many other animals in Australia. Things haven’t gotten much better for the platypus in the last few years because of bushfires. That’s enough to raise a plethora of red flags. They have dropped so much that the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources ( IUCN) has listed the species as near threatened. The animal only lives on the east coast of Australia, no place else. The more important fact to bear in mind is the platypus’s status in the wild. It’s safe to say that the platypus is probably a transitional species that managed to survive its environmental challenges. It’s part mammal, part duck, part beaver, and part sting ray, with its electrolocation. When you look at it, you can’t help but think that Mother Nature is laughing. It lives part-time in water, which isn’t unusual for an animal of its kind. It’s a mammal, but it is also an egg layer, which we associate with birds and reptiles. The platypus, also called the Duck-Billed Platypus, is an anomaly from several fronts. Platypus in the Wild Image Credit: Martin Pelanek, Shutterstock There are many reasons to strike one off of your shortlist, beginning with its conservation status in the wild. However, if you have your heart set on a platypus, you should probably look elsewhere. It could be something benign, such as a pony or crossing into uncharted territory with a kangaroo. The term exotic means a lot of different things, depending on your state.

It may be hard for someone who isn’t an enthusiast to understand why 4.5 million American households have a reptile in their home. Who can deny how cute a Golden Retriever puppy is or sweet a playful kitten looks? For some, it’s also about having an exotic pet. Many animals find their way into people’s homes because they’re so cute, making them hard to resist.

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