# Could a walrus be kept as a pet? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 23, 2011, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-walrus-be-kept-as-a-pet/575736 "2011-03-23T16:57:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-walrus-be-kept-as-a-pet/575736/21 "2011-03-24T18:44:00Z")
On the show _Tennessee Tuxedo_, Chumley was a SOUTH POLE, walrus, which is very rare. So Mr Livingstone, took him back to the zoo and being so loyal Chumley insisted Tennessee come with him. Tennessee was just a South Pole penguin so he wouldn’t have been anything special, despite his ability to talk, 'cause apprently every animal in Livingstone’s zoo already has this ability. Oh yeah I forgot “Dah-ah-hee, dah-ah-hee, a gee Tennessee” ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-walrus-be-kept-as-a-pet/575736/22 "2011-03-24T19:05:06Z")
I’ve heard that otters, for as much fun as they look on tv, are a pretty bad idea. They bite. Duh. . . . ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-walrus-be-kept-as-a-pet/575736/23 "2011-03-24T20:19:07Z")
> [@Sunspace](#): > > Retromingent: word of the day! Somebody, please, take it as a username! ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-walrus-be-kept-as-a-pet/575736/24 "2011-03-24T20:27:16Z")
> [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](#): > > I’ve heard that otters, for as much fun as they look on tv, are a pretty bad idea. They bite. Duh. . . . I can confirm this. I used to work in a public aquarium that had both river otters and sea otters (and penguins, but no walruses). The river otters were well known to be vicious and bit their keepers on more than one occasion. The sea otters were a little bit more human-friendly, but there was one incident while I worked their where a seemingly friendly sea otter ripped out a good chunk of a trainer’s throat with its claws. Any wild animal can be dangerous. ---
**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:** [March 24, 2011, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-walrus-be-kept-as-a-pet/575736/25 "2011-03-24T20:29:50Z")
> [@The\_Hamster\_King](#): > > Only if you has a bukkit. The original was an [elephant seal](http://icanhascheezburger.com/2007/01/14/i-has-a-bucket/), not a walrus. ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-walrus-be-kept-as-a-pet/575736/26 "2011-03-24T20:34:16Z")
I had the pleassure of working with Malaysian River Otters at one time and they turned out to be quite tame… but boy did they smell. Whew! ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-walrus-be-kept-as-a-pet/575736/27 "2011-03-24T21:18:07Z")
> [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](#): > > I’ve heard that otters, for as much fun as they look on tv, are a pretty bad idea. They bite. Duh. . . . Mink are the same way. They’re actually quite similar critters to ferrets, and while the latter also bite, they can be easily trained not to. Nonetheless I’ve heard of people who keep mink as pets anyway. Come to think of it, mink, ferrets, and otters are all mustelids. There must be something inherently bitey about that family. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-walrus-be-kept-as-a-pet/575736/28 "2011-03-24T21:31:54Z")
A walrus with whiskers is not a good pet. And a walrus which whispers is worse even yet. When a walrus lisps whispers through tough rough wet whiskers your poor daddy’s ear will get blispers and bliskers! (thanks to Dr. Seuss) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-walrus-be-kept-as-a-pet/575736.md?page=1)