Giraffes For Sale

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Giraffes

If for whatever reason you have your heart set on owning a giraffe and hopefully don't live in an apartment, you should be advised that as an exotic animal there some states that either outright prohibit their ownership or seriously restrict them. Nine states (Idaho, Alabama, Nevada, Missouri, Ohio, North Carolina, South Carolina, West Virginia, and Wisconsin) prohibit owning any exotic pet without a permit.

No Giraffes currently listed for placement

Twelve states (Delaware, Arizona, Maine, Indiana, Montana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Rhode Island, and Texas) require a permit to own any exotic pet. Finally, there are nine states (Florida, Arkansas, Illinois, Louisiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Virginia, and Nebraska) where there is a partial ban on exotic animals, which means a giraffe would be illegal. In the remaining 20 states, owning an exotic animal is totally illegal.

That said, if you live in a willing state and you still have your heart set on a giraffe, there are a few things that you should know in order to make yourself, your giraffe, your neighbors and the authorities happy.

Overview of giraffes

The first thing you should know about owning a giraffe is that even getting one is very difficult. First, there are only about 20 breeders in the United States who offer giraffes, and most of these will only do business with zoos and other institutions. In fact, most experts point out that there are only about 350 giraffes in the United States today, and most of those are owned by zoos. There are only a few individuals who own giraffes, and these raise them so that eventually they can be purchased by a zoo.

Why such a hassle? Simply put, giraffes are not only wild animals, but they can grow to more than 16-20 feet tall and weigh an average of 2,628 lbs. They are native to mid-continent Africa, from the area of Somalia on the north and the northern tip of South Africa in the south. This area where they are native is largely plains, which is a good thing since a giraffe can sprint up to 37 mph over a short distance, and up to 31 mph over several kilometers.

The spots amd patterns of the giraffe help the animals blend into their natural environment and blend into the trees and other surroundings to help the giraffes from predators

How much does a giraffe cost?

Purchasing a giraffe is no small endeavor either even if you do have the money required, which range on average from $40,000-$80,000 that would be required to acquire a healthy, giraffe. And at this price, you would probably have to deal with a "going out of business sale" at a zoo, since and younger giraffe would probably set you back more than that.

How much space does a giraffe need?

One of the prime drawbacks to owning a giraffe privately is, of course, their size and the area they would need to occupy if owned. This problem is minimized when a giraffe is young, but once it grows to about four months old it would be necessary to move it to a larger area where it can live in a space that they would be more accustomed.

What do Giraffes eat?

Giraffes are ruminants, eating almost exclusively leaves and grain, although they have been known to lick the meat off of dead carcasses in the wild. Regardless, they will usually eat about 75 lbs of foliage daily. For the most part, giraffes eat during the first and last hours of the day. Between these hours, they ruminate, which is just generally doing nothing but chewing their cud and watching out for predators. Giraffes normally live long lives, especially considering that they are ruminants, up to 25 years. Considering their size and the potential effect of their powerful kicks, giraffes have few predators.

Giraffe Breeding

Giraffes live largely in groups of as many as 32 individuals. This is primarily done for feeding and breeding purposes. The most stable members of these groups are the females and their young, while males will move about frequently, sometimes many miles from where they normally spend their lives. Giraffes are largely polygamous, and their gestation period is 400–460 days, after which a single calf is born.

Veterinary Care

Needless to say, it would require not only a veterinarian with a unique skill set to work on a giraffe, he would also need a very specialized work space to accommodate these rather tall and large patients. If for no other reason than their size, veterinarians who work with these types of animals normally don't work in private practice. Instead, they work for the institutions where their animal patients live and work on the premises.

All of this is a long way around saying that unless you have been entrusted with some very unique circumstances, perhaps you should consider owning something a lot smaller, as well as traditional, like a dog.

Comments

  • My Love <3 on November 4
    Lee Dingman: They are real. if they aren't then what did I see when I went to the zoo. I bet you also think the Earth is flat and that Australia isn't real.
  • London on October 19
    Giraffes are real you dingbats!!!!!!
  • A.J. on October 17
    Umm...I'm pretty sure "Lee Dingman" is having a laugh at your expense. And so am I.
  • wtf lee D on October 6
    this comment section is so funny
  • Anthony Ireland on September 24
    Interested in purchasing a giraffe
  • rhianna on August 27
    i want a baby giraffe
  • D. M. T. on June 28
    I'm in Florida and we had exotic animals when my father was alive.. you need a permit. There are three classes of permits for different stages. I have been around giraffes but never really bothered to touch one until recently and I cannot express the feeling of being in its presence. It was like a slow motion cloud. Just pure joy and contentment. Sweet, like a girl expressing excessive gentle love of a tea party. Like balloons, softly cascading in gentle winds. I was in the Erie zoo in Pennsylvania and I'm appalled at how that zoo cares for their exotics. In the freezing weather, they're confined in a very small barn and during season, they're in an enclosed area with no room to run. Maybe a quarter of an acre... Or a third. The giraffe I touched was in a traveling petting zoo. It stands all day in a turn around space. So sad.... And it's ok for these businesses to own one? That amazes me.
  • buğra on May 17
    i love giraffes,is a beautifull animal❤️🦒
  • Giraffeguy on April 23
    Lee dingman, have you actually never been to a zoo? Giraffe are definitely real. I’ve literally touch one and fed them. Also I love giraffes and I would love to own one but it’s not practical unless you owned your own zoo and had really good knowledge about their needs. I think they’re the most beautifulest animal on the planet and they’re so precious.
  • Moe Lester on March 22
    I really want a giraffe for my niece.
  • 😿y no giraffe emoji on March 20
    I looove giraffes but I am really really young... like... around 10. First of all a giraffe is 1 of my favorite animals. Top 5. Since I'm a girl it would of course be a cat, ranking 2 would be... The amazing... the wonderful... giraffe! But recently I learned that they cost a lot of money, which is a depressing matter since I'm 10 and I have like.. 20 dollars total which I have been saving for like a year now. Surprisingly if y'all are all curios of how I have this tablet I am writing this story on... I won it in some random hotel claw machine thing or video game thing I cannot seem 2 remember. Well, back to my life story, I love giraffes bla bla bla, I can't afford a licens or a giraffe itself, can I please just have a free one now and get the permit and licens junk along with paying you later whenever I am older in 11 years whenever I am 21. Please accept my offer. I'd tell u guys my name but I ain't allowed to express my personal info...Thankyou - anomalous
  • coolgirl128 on March 15
    i love giraffes theyre practically my life #coolgirlvibz #giraffeowners
  • ryan on February 13
    i want a giraffe
  • oscar pedro on February 8
    you can't own a giraffe it's illegal
  • Anonymous on January 20
    giraffes are great i want one
  • Illiana Baltimore on January 5
    i love giraffes but i have no money can i get it for free?
  • Mason on September 14
    i would like to own a giraffe
  • Stephanie Hague on September 6
    Haw much are baby giraffes
  • Maria Bassett on September 4
    We live in Texas and are looking for a couple of tame giraffe.
  • Exotic Ranch on August 12
    Some the information in this article is incorrect or inaccurate. I live in Texas and own an exotic animal ranch. We have been considering the purchase of Giraffes for a couple of years now. The actual price range for a Giraffe is $30,000 to $135,000. It all depends on the current market. There is no permit required to own a Giraffe in Texas nor any other exotic animals. We have Axis, Oryx, Eland and Zebra, just to name a few. With that being said, there are some exceptions to not needing a permit. 1- Living within the city limits and 2- owning any animal classified as a predator. (fox, bear, lion, tiger, hyena, etc.)
  • Dano on August 4
    Giraffes are so cool; the first one I petted was at a zoo at Panama city Florida! His name is Sidney! He sprinted out like a big dog, and was so friendly! Yes he wanted treats; what a beautiful animal, and they don't have teeth at the front of their mouth so they can't bite! How they survive in the wild is that they can cut a lion in half using their rear legs! The most I've ever seen in captivity was in New Zealand, but I'll bet Sande-ago Zoo would have as much!
  • Holly on July 6
    @Lee Dingman dude giraffes are real do you live in the same place as the Giver
  • Taylor on June 24
    I love giraffe I want one
  • Nick Brandsma on June 15
    Can I have it for free?
  • Giraffelover on May 18
    First off, I don't beleive for one second the Lee Dingman thinks giraffes are not real. Second off I would love to have a giraffe as a pet if they weren't so high priced. :)
  • gabriella on May 3
    i would totally buy a baby giraff i dont think i spelled that right .their adorble and are very fluffy but i cant cause its not legal or what ever .
  • Moe Lester on March 20
    This giraffe will get all the kids to come to my house!!!
  • Giraffe Lady on February 8
    Ok whoever said giraffes arent real, They need to look up ¨are giraffes real¨ Like seriously, GIRAFFES ARE REAL!
  • Momo on February 1
    I don't understand why anyone would want to own a giraffe unless they're very rich and have(or are planning to have) their own private Zoo like Michael Jackson. they may be cute fuzzy and cool but they look extremely hard to take care of. if you want a pet settle for a fox or Hedgehog or ferrets or snake or something like that or even a rare dog. it's not worth the hassle.
  • Nothing on January 18
    I want a giraffe but I can't buy it because I'm 11 years old righ now :D
  • Justin lucas on January 14
    In ohio you only need permits for big cats primates and V-snakes snakes longer than 12feet are banned however there are no laws against things like tegus monitors or any other big or small lizards excluding the "komodo dragon" and the "poisonous dart frog"
  • Ron on December 13
    Ignorant to own a Giraffe. Why be that stupid? Just enjoy them at the parks or zoo!
  • Molly on November 12
    If I ever come to the USA can I come and visit with my sister? It is her dream!
  • Leila on October 25
    OMG they’re so cute but I wish I had a giraffe in adopt me lol but my friend is giving me one Lo lo lo lol
  • Lee Dingbat Hater on October 24
    All my homies hate Lee Dingbat
  • Jake on October 9
    Giraffes are cool. It would be awesome to own one if practical
  • Mike N. on October 1
    I think giraffes are neat.
  • no thanks on September 15
    lee dingbat; go to Africa you twit...
  • Lee Dingman on September 1
    It doesn’t matter though because Giraffes ARE NOT REAL. I know people like to joke about me but I’m serious; they don’t exist.
  • Lucinda on August 4
    I love giraffes so I could use one
  • Gracie on July 23
    I want a baby giraffe but maybe when i'm older😍
  • Bud on July 20
    Yes I would like to order 1 giraffe please. They have long necks, if yano what I mean ;)