# Can lemmings be kept as pets? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 27, 2009, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-lemmings-be-kept-as-pets/515347 "2009-10-27T21:01:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2009, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-lemmings-be-kept-as-pets/515347/1 "2009-10-27T21:01:19Z")
They look kind of Hamster-like … . ---
**Author:** ![pan1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e495f1/32.png) [@pan1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pan1)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2009, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-lemmings-be-kept-as-pets/515347/2 "2009-10-27T21:02:45Z")
Wild animals rarely make good pets. Could you keep one alive in a cage - probably. ---
**Author:** ![Rain\_Soaked](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e19adc/32.png) [@Rain\_Soaked](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rain_Soaked)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2009, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-lemmings-be-kept-as-pets/515347/3 "2009-10-27T21:14:20Z")
Just keep them away from cliffs… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2009, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-lemmings-be-kept-as-pets/515347/4 "2009-10-27T21:38:39Z")
What do you call a guy with a lemming on his head? Darn, too late… ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2009, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-lemmings-be-kept-as-pets/515347/5 "2009-10-27T21:58:51Z")
cliff-ord? heath-cliff? ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2009, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-lemmings-be-kept-as-pets/515347/6 "2009-10-27T22:21:51Z")
> [@Rain\_Soaked](#): > > Just keep them away from cliffs… > > 😃 While we’re fighting ignorance, I hear that the whole cliff thing is something of a misunderstanding. [Lemming - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lemming#Myths_and_misconceptions) As for keeping lemmings as pets, they like to dig and live underground much of the time. This isn’t entirely different from mice, but I’m not sure if lemmings would adapt as well. You certainly don’t see lemmings surviving in tropical areas like mice can and I’ve never heard of them infesting houses. ---
**Author:** ![\_cc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/_/e19b73/32.png) [@\_cc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/_cc)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-lemmings-be-kept-as-pets/515347/7 "2009-10-28T06:13:16Z")
Just keep them away from Walt Disney. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-lemmings-be-kept-as-pets/515347/8 "2009-10-28T11:33:23Z")
> [@'\[cc](#): > > ;11711611’]Just keep them away from Walt Disney. That’s sound advice for most things. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-lemmings-be-kept-as-pets/515347/9 "2009-10-28T11:42:08Z")
The tricky part is to keep them from walking into the rotating knives.