Flamingos are the type of birds that have semi-large bodies. They are also one of the animals that mate for life or live with only one partner forever. Because flamingos are monogamous, people start thinking if flamingos can be a pet and become a loyal pet. Let me give you an answer.
Can flamingos be good pets? No! Flamingos don’t make good pets. They are very expensive, and it is illegal to have one in some countries. You need to fix various permits for you to be eligible to own a pet flamingo, which can be time-consuming and a money burner.
Aside from that, there are other reasons why flamingos cannot be good pets. Let’s go deeper around this topic, and let’s learn more about flamingos!
5 Reasons Why Flamingos Are Not Good Pets
The reasons why flamingos are not good pets are:
- Flamingos are expensive
- Flamingos are wild animals
- Flamingos are high-maintenance pets
- Owning a flamingo is illegal
- Flamingos are messy
Flamingos Are Expensive
The reason why flamingos are not good pets is that they are expensive. Buying a flamingo is expensive. They have lots of needs that you need to provide if you want your pet flamingo to stay healthy and live a longer life.
Like other wild or exotic pets, you need to have lots of money to get a flamingo. Flamingo is not the only thing that is expensive, but also their cages, foods, maintenance, and vitamins. If you add that all up, it can cost you hundreds of thousands of bucks.
Also, you don’t want your pet flamingo to be alone. Flamingos are social animals, and they might get depressed when they live alone. So it means that you need to buy a flamingo pair. Flamingo costs $2500-$3000, which means buying a pair of flamingo may cost you $4000-$6000.
Flamingos Are Wild Animals
Another reason why flamingos are not good pets is that they are wild animals. Even though you raised them since they are young, they can still act wild when they grow up because it’s in their instincts already. Whatever manipulation you do, which I don’t suggest you do, they still have an attitude and instinct of a wild animal.
Yep, flamingos can also be friendly to humans. But only if they have been exposed to humans since their birth. However, as I have said above, even though you raise a flamingo from birth doesn’t mean their wild instincts will be abolished.
Flamingos Are High-Maintenance Pets
Like I have said above, getting a flamingo is not the only expensive thing. Their needs are also expensive. Flamingos are high-maintenance pets that need lots of care. You need a large cage, lots of money for their food and vitamins, and lots of money again for the permit.
It is expensive because you need to maintain two flamingos. Flamingos are social animals that need a mate. So you need to buy two flamingos, which means you need to maintain two flamingos.
Owning A Flamingo Is Illegal
In most countries, owning a flamingo is illegal. There are laws in the United States against capturing wild animals and making them pets. In some places, it is legal to own a flamingo. But it can be time and money consuming to get a permit. However, if you desire to get one and have lots of money and time, try to attain a permit first before getting one from a flamingo breeder.
Flamingos Are Messy
Flamingos are messy, which is why they are not good pets. They do shit and spread it everywhere like any other birds. Their feathers fall off on the ground most of the time. Flamingos are messy, which is why they are high-maintenance animals.
Why Can’t You Have A Pet Flamingo?
The reason why you can’t have a pet flamingo is that flamingos are wild animals and they are protected by laws. There are laws in some countries that do not permit civilians to capture wild animals and make them pets.
Simple people have no idea how to take care of a flamingo. This is why most countries don’t allow usual people to have one as pets. In reality, wild animals don’t need our care to survive because they can care for themselves much better in their natural surroundings than someone can care for them at home.
However, even though wild animals like flamingos can take care of themselves, it doesn’t mean that we should stop helping them to preserve their habitats. Remember, we are still part of this planet, and we are the ones assigned to take care of our planet. Humans are the authority, and we need to use our authority in the right way.
Is It Safe To Have A Pet Flamingo?
Flamingos are not good pets, and the reason why is listed above already. However, even though they cannot be good pets, wealthy people will get a pet flamingo to show how wealthy they are. I don’t have any issue with this. As long as you can maintain your pet flamingo, then get one. But, is it safe to have a pet flamingo?
Is it safe to have a pet flamingo? Probably not. Flamingos are still wild animals that have the instincts of a wild animal. Even though you raised them from birth, it doesn’t mean that their wild instincts will fade away. A flamingo can be dangerous if not handled correctly. So never get a pet flamingo if you do not know how to handle them.
Flamingos are very expensive birds. They are not like chickens or ducks, so don’t expect them to be a hundred percent tamed. They are not great pets not only because they are not safe to be pets, but because they are also expensive. While I am browsing the internet, the last flamingo I saw was for sale at $3000 for one.
Are Flamingos Dangerous?
Many people want to have a pet flamingo because of the beautiful color of skin they have. However, flamingos are not that docile, and they can be hard to train if you have no enough experience.
Flamingos can also be dangerous because they have sharp claws and hooky beaks that can tear through flesh. Luckily, there are still no reports of humans getting killed by flamingos. But this doesn’t mean that we should stop acting cautious around flamingos.
Are Flamingos Friendly To Humans?
Like I have said above, there are no reports yet about flamingos killing humans. So does it mean that flamingos are friendly to humans?
Are flamingos friendly to humans? Flamingos can be friendly to humans, but only if they have been with humans for a long time. They can form long-lasting relationships with humans if trained correctly. Humans have no problem with flamingos, and so flamingos.
However, even though some flamingos can be friendly to humans, it doesn’t mean that all flamingos are friendly. Flamingos that live in the wild their whole life will act aggressively towards humans. You don’t want to bother a wild flamingo that you see because they might attack you.
Even though flamingos can be friendly to humans, I still don’t suggest you get one. They are dangerous, and it is expensive to have and maintain one. If you want to see a flamingo personally, you can go to the zoo or animal park near you to see one.
How Fast Do Flamingos Run?
Flamingos are known for having long necks, pink skin, sharp beak, and sharp nails. But, what people don’t know is how fast they are!
How fast do flamingos run? Flamingos can run 30-40mph. They fly with their head and neck stretched out in front and their legs trailing behind. Flamingos can also run on water because they have webbing between their three toes.
Can Flamingos Fly?
Flamingos fly very well! They fly or migrate to a place where food is abundant, and nesting grounds are safe. Flamingos can fly at a speed up to a maximum of 40 miles per hour in the air. They can fly even at long distances! Flamingos prefer to fly at high altitude to avoid the eagles.
However, even though flamingos can fly, they are not like other birds that can take off quickly. Before flamingos take off into the air, they need to run first to build up some speed. They are like airplanes when they take off.
7 Interesting Facts About Flamingos
Below are the seven different interesting facts about flamingos:
Flamingos are the national bird of the Bahamas
Many people only know that flamingos are only flamingos. They do not know that flamingos have a symbol in one country, and that is the Bahamas. Flamingos are the national bird of the Bahamas.
Flamingos are monogamous
Flamingos are not dogs that will mate whomever they want to mate with. They are monogamous and love to maintain a healthy relationship. Flamingos are like eagles that mate with one eagle throughout their whole lives. I think flamingos have a better love life than mine, hehe.
Flamingos are not pink when they are born
People think that flamingos are born with pink feathers already, which is wrong. Flamingos are not born color pink. It will take three years for the flamingo to get their pink and red feathers.
Flamingos live in lagoons or lakes
Flamingos like to eat algae, diatoms, small insects, and small fishes. That is why they spend their time on lagoons or lakes because food is abundant in that place. This is also the reason why flamingos are called the water birds.
Flamingos are social birds. They love living in a group and fly with their fellow flamingos. Flamingos have better social skills than a human sitting on the computer for 18 hours a day.
There are six species of flamingos
There are six distinct species of flamingos, but it is hard to distinguish them. The six species of flamingos are greater flamingo, lesser flamingo, Chilean flamingo, Andean flamingo, puna flamingo, and American flamingo.
Adult flamingos are four to five feet tall
Flamingos can grow tall. They can grow four to five feet tall. However, even though they are tall, flamingos only weigh between four to eight pounds. They need that weight so that they can fly effortlessly in the sky.
Final Words
Flamingos are cute birds, and I also really want to have one soon. But when I think of getting one, it comes to my mind that it will be cruel if I keep them in a large cage. Yes, it is cool to have a flamingo flying chilling in your backyard. But it is still cruel to lock them up in a limited space.
It is possible to have a pet flamingo. However, I still don’t suggest it to my readers to get one. Why? Because they can be dangerous, expensive, you need to buy them in pairs, and they are high maintenance.
However, if you are wealthy enough to get a pet flamingo and ought to be a responsible owner, then I think you are eligible to get one. But make sure that it is legal first in your country to own a pet flamingo. Cheers!
