Having a Pet Bear is like having any other Wild Animal Pet, though some feel they are wonderful pets, many opponents argue that they are unpredictable, impossible to train, and inherently dangerous. Because of this, having a bear as a pet is illegal in many places and is often associated with many rules in others – and with good reason.
About Bears
Bears are mammals that belong to the family Ursidae. They can be as small as four feet long and about 60 pounds (the sun bear) to as big as eight feet long and more than a thousand pounds (the polar bear). They’re found throughout North America, South America, Europe, and Asia.
They have nonretractable claws, short tails, and an excellent sense of smell. They’re typically solitary, except for mothers with cubs. There are eight species: Asiatic black bears (also called moon bears), brown bears (which include grizzly bears), giant pandas, North American black bears, polar bears, sloth bears, spectacled bears (also called Andean bears), and sun bears.
Can Bears Make a Good Pet?
Bears are not domesticated animals. None of the eight surviving species of bears (another three are extinct) should be kept as pets. In fact, a majority of states in the US. have instituted bans on keeping any of the bears as pets. bears are huge, strong, fanged predators that eat dozens of pounds of meat per day and need acres of expensive high-security enclosures. The risk of attack far outweighs any benefit, which makes bears not suitable as pets at any age. However, if you are curious, here are some details about what it’s like keeping pet bears living alongside humans.
Can you own a bear as a pet?
Is it legal to have a pet bear in the US?
You cannot possess, own, or breed any dangerous wild animal. The law defines exotics as non-domestic cats and dogs, bears, primates, numerous reptiles, and more. Wolf-dog hybrids and certain cat hybrids are allowed. A permit is required for falconry and keeping raptors.
The six U.S. states that have no restrictions on keeping large cats, primates, and pet bears include Nevada, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Alabama, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Other states allow primates but not bears and tigers, such as Virginia and Tennessee. Even more, states allow all three of these exotic animals to be kept as pets once a permit is obtained.
Is it legal to have a pet bear in the UK?
It is illegal to keep a Pet Bear or any wild animal in the UK as a pet without a license. Under The Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976 ‘no person shall keep any dangerous wild animal except under the authority of a licence granted in accordance with the provisions of this Act by a local authority.
Pet Bear in Russia
Since it’s not listed in the Red Book of endangered species, a brown bear is the only wild animal that can be bought and kept on Russian territory without a special permit. The younger the bear, the more likely it hasn’t yet tasted meat, which of course triggers the predator instinct. Small cubs are also easier to train, so demand for them is much greater.
On average, a bear cub can be bought for 50,000-100,000 rubles ($700-1500). A bear is considered grown-up when it weighs 100 kg or more. These animals are cheaper, with prices starting from $200.
Bear Temperament
Having a bear as a pet in the house or in your backyard won’t make you feel threatened Bears are multi-faceted individuals, not that unlike us. Bear characteristics can only be generalized so much, but we’ll do our best to give you some general traits.
Bears are highly evolved social animals with intelligence comparable to that of the great apes. Bears often share friendship, resources, and security. They form hierarchies and have structured kinship relationships.
Bears are not as unpredictable and dangerous as Hollywood or the media would have us believe. Bears exhibit very predictable behaviour. This trait can be beneficial to people who come into contact with pet bears.
Bears are not mean or malicious; they are very gentle and tolerant animals.
How Much Does a Bear Cost?
If you have ever thought about owning a bear pet, you have probably wondered how much a cub bear typically costs and how much money it takes to maintain one.
Those are both valid questions because as you might imagine, wild animals are not exactly cheap.
How much does it cost for a bear pet? A pet bear cub typically costs between $1,000 and $3,000. The older bear may cost considerably less from $1,500 to $2,000, and adoption from a rescue organization or private individual seeking to rehome their bear is often an affordable choice. Maintenance costs can run into the thousands.
The cost of a bear as a pet is high for many reasons that should be carefully considered before you even think about contacting a seller.
How much does it cost for taking care of a bear as a pet?
A bear pet costs about $200 To $300 per month to feed, and is basically omnivorous: it eats porridge, fish, nuts and fruit. Experts say it’s better not to give bears any meat at all. A bear eats twice a day. Closer to winter, food should be more varied and plentiful so that the bear goes into hibernation with a surplus of fat and nutrients.
Bear Care
Aside from having a healthy place for your bear to live, complete with a steady diet that includes pounds of meat and plants and herbs each day, it is important to consider the overall care of the bear including his or her medical needs and behaviour. bears are not domesticated animals, and therefore should not be expected to behave like domesticated animals like cats or dogs. Further, their medical needs far exceed the expertise of many local veterinary offices, with complicated medical concerns that could lead to costly and intensive veterinary visits.
Bear Diet
Having a bear as a pet can make you spend a lot on food, In the wild, Bears spend most of their time perusing a patchwork of habitats throughout the year, feeding on vegetation, insects and other more reliable, though lower-calorie food sources. Plant foods make up the majority of a bear’s diet – sometimes as much as 90 per cent.
However, if you have a pet bear, fish and meat are important sources of protein and fat, though most non-coastal bears rely on carrion (including winter-killed animals). Some bears, however, become very effective predators on newborn elk, moose, deer or caribou. Others live in areas where salmon, suckers or other fish spawn for part of each year.
Housing a Bear
bears need many acres of a highly secured landscape; they can and do jump, climb, and swim their way out of many enclosures constructed to be bear-proof. bears have been known to escape from zoos and private properties they come across mainly because, in captivity, they associate humans with the delivery of their meals. In the wild, they roam on several miles of land, so a large plot of fenced-in land with access to ponds or small lakes, trees, and shelters is what a bear needs to be safe from the world—and to keep humans safe from them.
Even in a large enclosure, the owner must provide enrichment opportunities. bears need to use their predator brains to catch, play, jump, climb, and explore, and a bored bear will be an unhealthy bear. Zoos often use large plastic balls that bears will jump on in pools and offer hanging containers with food inside as well and large tree limb apparatus areas to climb in and on. Without complex enrichment regimes, bears can and do get bored to the point of medical depression.
Do bears attack Humans?
Although rare, attacks on humans have occurred, inflicting serious injuries and death. Each bear and each experience is unique; there is no single strategy that will work in all situations and that guarantees safety. Most bear encounters end without injury. … Most bears will avoid humans if they hear them coming.
Can Bears be Friendly to Humans?
Bears are normally shy animals, they can be friendly with humans in some species, retiring animals that have very little desire to interact with humans. Unless they are forced to be around humans to be near a food source, they usually choose to avoid us.
Can bears be tamed?
Bears can not be tamed, they are wild animals, and though they can be trained to a certain level, they can’t ever be entirely domesticated or tamed. Besides, bears can be dangerous animals sometimes that may act driven by their predatory instincts.
Can Bears be Trained?
Bears can be trained like dogs, Some handlers have successfully trained bears by raising them from cubs, this can reduce their aggressiveness towards other species and become generally friendlier animals or even be kept as a pet.
Can you buy a pet bear?
Before thinking to buy a bear as a pet you should know Ownership of bears in captivity is illegal in most countries, there are some exceptions, but most of them require special permits and exotic animal licenses to keep them in captivity. There’s a series of legal paperwork and equipment you’ll need to keep your bear pet, your neighbors, and yourself safe.
