# Can a pet walrus be kept? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 10, 2009, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-pet-walrus-be-kept/502526 "2009-07-10T03:05:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![MeDrewNotYou](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@MeDrewNotYou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeDrewNotYou)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2009, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-pet-walrus-be-kept/502526/21 "2009-07-10T15:15:41Z")
You could always get [a plush lolrus with bukkit.](http://www.lolmart.com/lolrusplush1.html) ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2009, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-pet-walrus-be-kept/502526/22 "2009-07-10T15:38:16Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > The original is an elephant seal. Which, somewhat surprisingly, is even bigger than a walrus. The largest of the latter reach maybe 4,400 pounds, but the largest known elephant seal weighed over _11,000_. ---
**Author:** ![sweeteviljesus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/898d66/32.png) [@sweeteviljesus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sweeteviljesus)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2009, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-pet-walrus-be-kept/502526/23 "2009-07-10T15:42:19Z")
Ren Hoek: Excuse me, sir. Would you like to buy some rubber neepples? Horse: No…No, but do you have any rubber walrus protectors?[produces Walrus] Walrus (whispering): Call the police! ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2009, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-pet-walrus-be-kept/502526/24 "2009-07-10T15:42:45Z")
On the subject of keeping a walrus: “If you love it let it go. If it returns to you cherish it, if not it was never truly yours.” ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2009, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-pet-walrus-be-kept/502526/25 "2009-07-10T16:05:53Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > The original is a real elephant seal at a waterpark in Japan. One of his tricks involved the bucket and sticking his tongue out. I know the story is on cheezburger somewhere. Couldn’t find it on cheezburger but here’s [the story](http://everything2.com/?node_id=1914006). ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2009, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-pet-walrus-be-kept/502526/26 "2009-07-10T16:26:29Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > The original is an elephant seal. Ignorance fought. [Actual Walrus (Sans Tusks)](http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.livbit.com/article/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/walrus3.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.livbit.com/article/2008/12/04/walrus-plays-saxophone-in-turkey/&usg=__7DbD-Raa_4M2y-hO2BwxPMuWCnI=&h=350&w=450&sz=29&hl=en&start=5&tbnid=VRjwMfws7eO15M:&tbnh=99&tbnw=127&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dwalrus%2Bhuman%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den) Don’t miss the video at the bottom. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2009, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-pet-walrus-be-kept/502526/27 "2009-07-10T16:42:22Z")
_Yoko brought her walrus There was magic in the air_ ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2009, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-pet-walrus-be-kept/502526/28 "2009-07-10T16:55:18Z")
I guess on the SDMB the time has come [ > [@](#): > > “To talk of many things: > Of shoes–and ships–and sealing-wax– > Of cabbages–and kings– > And why the sea is boiling hot– > And whether pigs have wings.” ]([The Walrus and The Carpenter](http://www.jabberwocky.com/carroll/walrus.html)) Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2009, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-pet-walrus-be-kept/502526/29 "2009-07-10T17:09:47Z")
I love this board. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2009, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-pet-walrus-be-kept/502526/30 "2009-07-10T18:18:20Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > Couldn’t find it on cheezburger but here’s [the story](http://everything2.com/?node_id=1914006). He’s REAL?! But he looks…so…cartoonish! Is that just me? ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2009, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-pet-walrus-be-kept/502526/31 "2009-07-10T18:35:31Z")
Paging **iamthewalrus(:3=**. I’d love to hear his take on this one. ---
**Author:** ![ajdebosco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@ajdebosco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ajdebosco)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2009, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-pet-walrus-be-kept/502526/32 "2009-07-10T18:58:48Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > I guess on the SDMB the time has come > [url=[The Walrus and The Carpenter](http://www.jabberwocky.com/carroll/walrus.html)] > > Regards, > Shodan “I deeply sympathize.” With sobs and tears he sorted out Those of the largest size, Holding his pocket-hankerchief Before his streaming eyes. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![palindromemordnilap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/db5fbb/32.png) [@palindromemordnilap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/palindromemordnilap)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2009, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-pet-walrus-be-kept/502526/33 "2009-07-10T19:05:53Z")
> [@Marienee](#): > > A Walrus is listed on CITES Appendix III at the request of Canada which means they are regulated to prevent unsustainable exploitation. You can import one and if you get a permit which will require that the animal was captive bred (they don’t say so, they say “not illegally obtained” but this generally means captive bred) and that it is shipped in a way that will not harm teh animal. In order to keep it, you will also need various permits at the Federal, State, and local level. > > Getting those permits takes a couple years, including being rejected and appealing, so you will have plenty of time to study up. But in general, if you don’t know enough about them to answer those questions by yourself, you can’t get a permit. As you should not. It’s also illegal under the Mann Act to “transport a female across state lines…” Oh, wait, never mind, that’s for immoral _porpoises_. ---
**Author:** ![wevets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9a140/32.png) [@wevets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wevets)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2009, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-pet-walrus-be-kept/502526/34 "2009-07-10T20:50:03Z")
I knew there were places that had trained walruses, but trained Elephant Seals? I can’t get anything from **runner pat** ’s link, does anyone know what the backstory is? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2009, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-pet-walrus-be-kept/502526/35 "2009-07-10T23:22:26Z")
> [@wevets](#): > > I knew there were places that had trained walruses, but trained Elephant Seals? I can’t get anything from **runner pat** ’s link, does anyone know what the backstory is? I just checked it and got a 503 error, hopefully just temporary. The elephant seal in question was trained to do tricks including holding the bucket and “smiling”(sticking tongue out). Photos were given the LOLcat treatment ([here are the 2 originals](http://www.ihasabucket.com/)). LOLrus came into being as some thought the seal was a walrus and later photos of walruses hunting for their stolen bucket continued the meme. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-pet-walrus-be-kept/502526/36 "2009-07-14T17:32:22Z")
Those pictures always bothered me because it didn’t look like a walrus. But I have to agree, “Lolrus” sounds better than “LolElephant Seal”. So, I guess the question here is … can an elephant seal be kept? ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-pet-walrus-be-kept/502526/37 "2009-07-14T17:52:33Z")
What about Lolephant Seal? ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-pet-walrus-be-kept/502526/38 "2009-07-14T18:07:51Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > What about Lolephant Seal? But we already have a regular lolephant. [![](https://lolmoth.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/lolephant.jpeg) ](https://lolmoth.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/lolephant.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-pet-walrus-be-kept/502526/39 "2009-07-14T18:09:30Z")
WHY do you want a walrus? This is killing me. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-pet-walrus-be-kept/502526/40 "2009-07-14T18:18:00Z")
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