Can Hyenas Be Pets? Everything You Didn’t Know About Hyenas

Hyenas look a bit like dogs, show up as villains in movies, and get a lot of attention online. So can you keep one as a pet?

Here is a short and honest answer.

Can hyenas be good pets? No. Hyenas are wild carnivores with bone-crushing jaws, complex social needs and large home ranges. Even hand-raised hyenas stay wild animals, keeping one is illegal or tightly permitted in many places, and they belong in accredited zoos or the wild.

Let’s look at what hyenas are really like and why they don’t make good pets.

Everything You Should Know About Hyenas

Can Hyenas Be Pets?

Hyenas have a bad reputation, partly because of their “laughs” and partly because movies like The Lion King portray them as villains.

The San Diego Zoo calls that reputation undeserved. Hyenas are intelligent, resourceful animals, and they rarely attack people. That still doesn’t make them pets.

Here are some facts that help explain why.

Habitat Of Hyenas

There are four species in the hyena family, and each lives in its own type of habitat. Brown hyenas live in southern Africa, including desert and semidesert areas.

Aardwolves live in two separate areas: eastern Africa and southern Africa, where they favor open grasslands and scrub.

Spotted hyenas live in Africa south of the Sahara Desert. Striped hyenas live in northern Africa, the Middle East and India.

So hyenas are found across Africa and parts of Asia, in savannas, grasslands, semideserts, swamps, woodlands and even mountain forests.

What Do They Eat?

Spotted hyenas are skilled hunters as well as scavengers. They kill most of their prey with their jaws, not their claws, which are blunt and can’t be pulled in like a cat’s.

Spotted hyenas live in groups called clans, which can have up to 100 members. Working together, they hunt wildebeest, zebras and even Cape buffalo, and chase lions away from kills. They also take smaller animals and scavenge leftovers.

Striped and brown hyenas are mostly scavengers that also hunt small animals and eat fruit and eggs. The aardwolf eats almost only termites.

Why Do Hyenas Laugh?

The spotted hyena is the hyena known for “laughing,” and it is one of the most vocal mammals in Africa.

Why do hyenas laugh? According to the San Diego Zoo, the giggle is used during times of nervous excitement or submission to a dominant hyena. It isn’t a sign of happiness. Their famous “whoop” is a different call that can carry for miles.

Different Types Of Hyenas

There are four living species in the hyena family. They live in Africa and parts of Asia. Let’s check them out!

Spotted Hyena

Spotted hyenas are named for the dark spots on their coat. They have powerful jaws and necks and can crush and digest bone. They are the largest member of the hyena family.

The San Diego Zoo lists spotted hyenas at 4 to 5.9 feet long, about 2.5 feet tall at the shoulder, and 88 to 190 pounds. Females are about 10 percent heavier than males and dominate them, which is the opposite of a lion pride.

Spotted hyenas live south of the Sahara Desert. They are one of the most common large predators in the Serengeti.

Striped Hyena

Striped hyenas have an unfair reputation too. Many people see them as ugly scavengers, but they play a useful role as a cleanup crew in their habitats.

Striped hyenas are a bit smaller than spotted and brown hyenas, and they are the least studied hyena. They live in northern Africa, the Middle East and India.

Legends call them grave robbers. The San Diego Zoo notes a tradition that tombstones were first placed on graves in the Near East to keep hyenas from digging up bodies.

Although they are mostly scavengers, striped hyenas can also hunt. Some prey on livestock such as sheep and goats, which brings them into conflict with people.

Brown Hyena

Brown hyenas have a shaggy dark brown coat, pointed ears, and front legs that are longer than their hind legs. They also have powerful jaws like the other hyenas.

Brown hyenas live in deserts, semideserts and dry savannas of southern Africa. They mainly scavenge, and they also eat small animals, fruit and eggs.

Aardwolf

The aardwolf is not a wolf; it is a member of the hyena family. Its name means “earth wolf.” It has long, pointed ears and front legs longer than its hind legs, like other hyenas.

Aardwolves eat termites. Their teeth and claws are weak, so instead of digging, they lick termites off the ground with a long, sticky tongue and can eat many thousands in one night.

Aardwolves are territorial and live in pairs. They are small and slender and can look a bit like a striped hyena or a fox.

How Much Does a Hyena Cost?

There is no legitimate pet trade for hyenas, so any price you see online is a red flag. Hyenas are bought and kept mainly by zoos and licensed facilities that hold the right permits.

Beyond any purchase price, a captive hyena needs a large, secure enclosure, a meat-based diet, and care from an exotic animal veterinarian. Those costs, plus permits and liability, put hyena keeping far beyond a normal pet budget.

Can Hyenas Be Tamed?

Hand-raised hyenas can become used to their keepers, but taming is not domestication. Hyenas have not been bred over generations to live with people the way dogs have.

Can hyenas be tamed? A hyena raised by people may tolerate its handlers, but it keeps its wild instincts, strength and powerful bite. In some places people have kept striped hyenas, but that doesn’t make them safe or suitable pets.

Even trained zoo hyenas are usually handled through barriers for the safety of keepers and animals.

How Aggressive And Strong Is A Hyena?

Can Hyenas Be Pets?

Hyenas are capable predators, and spotted hyenas can be very aggressive with each other. The San Diego Zoo notes that hyenas do not hunt humans, although there are rare reports of killings.

Female spotted hyenas are larger, more assertive and more aggressive than males. Like most animal mothers, they defend their cubs, so never approach hyena cubs in the wild.

Hyenas have extremely strong jaws that let them crush and eat bone. A bite from a hyena can cause serious injuries.

That is why hyenas should not be kept around people and pets outside of professional facilities.

How To Legally Own A Hyena As A Pet In The United States?

If you live in the United States, the short answer is that most people can’t. Exotic animal laws vary by state, and many states ban private ownership of dangerous wild animals or require permits that are hard to get.

Facilities that exhibit or breed animals usually also need federal licenses and must meet animal welfare standards. Check your state wildlife agency and your city or county rules before considering any exotic animal.

If you want to work with hyenas, look into careers or volunteering with accredited zoos, sanctuaries or wildlife research programs instead.

7 Other Facts About Hyenas

Below are some interesting facts about hyenas:

Hyenas laugh have a deeper meaning

Most people think that a hyena’s laugh means happiness and fun, but that isn’t true.

Spotted hyenas giggle when they are nervous or excited, or submitting to a higher-ranking hyena. They also have over 11 different calls.

Hyenas are smart

Spotted hyenas live in large, complex societies, which takes a lot of social intelligence. Research has found that they can recognize individual clan members and keep track of complex rank relationships.

Claims that hyenas are “smarter than chimpanzees” go too far, though. Different species are good at different things.

Female hyenas are the boss

In spotted hyena clans, females are larger and more dominant than males. The San Diego Zoo notes that even a low-ranking female’s cubs outrank the highest-ranking adult immigrant male.

Female spotted hyenas have unusual anatomy

Female spotted hyenas have an enlarged clitoris that looks very much like a male’s penis. They mate and give birth through it, which makes it hard to tell males and females apart.

Hyenas can count

Researchers studying wild spotted hyenas found that clans can judge how many rival hyenas are calling. They are more cautious when they are outnumbered.

Hyenas have powerful jaws

Spotted hyenas can crush and digest bones, skin and even teeth, which most other predators can’t eat.

Hyenas have a long lifespan

Hyenas are not dogs. They belong to their own family, Hyaenidae, and are more closely related to cats, civets and genets.

The San Diego Zoo lists a median life expectancy of 21 years for spotted hyenas in zoos. Striped hyenas live 10 to 12 years in the wild and longer in zoos.

Alternative Pets For Hyenas

Some people want a hyena because they look tough or unusual, and some simply love animals.

If you like big, powerful-looking animals, a large dog breed is a legal, domesticated alternative. Any large dog still needs early socialization and consistent training.

Below are some alternatives to a pet hyena.

Tibetan Mastiff

Tibetan Mastiffs are a giant breed; many males weigh well over 100 pounds.

Tibetan Mastiffs are independent, protective guardians. They suit experienced owners who can provide training and secure fencing.

German Shepherd

German Shepherds are large, athletic dogs. They are loyal, trainable and protective, and they need plenty of exercise and mental work.

Pitbull

Pit bull-type dogs do not have a “locking jaw”; that is a myth. With good socialization and training, many are affectionate family dogs.

Check local breed rules and housing or insurance policies before adopting one.

Fox

Foxes are wild animals too, and keeping one is illegal or permit-only in many places. Like hyenas, they are not a good alternative pet for most people.

Rottweiler

Rottweilers are large, strong and protective, and they need early socialization and consistent training.

Final Verdict

Hyenas are remarkable and often misunderstood animals, but they are not pets. Even a hand-raised hyena keeps its wild instincts, strength and needs.

If you love hyenas, visit them at an accredited zoo or support conservation groups that protect them in the wild. Always check your local laws before considering any exotic animal.

Sources

Spotted Hyena, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance
Striped Hyena, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance