Play with baby lions/tigers/etc at a UK zoo?

Stuff · 1 Jan 2014 at 21:27

Thought it would make a nice present to be able to go to a zoo or something and get to get up close with some cubs of some sort, but I'm not sure where this would be possible. Anyone know anywhere in the South (East?) where this is possible?

orderoftheflame · 1 Jan 2014 at 21:46

I doubt it. :confused:

They're wild animals still. Not toys :|

Stuff · 1 Jan 2014 at 22:09

orderoftheflame said:
I doubt it.

They're wild animals still. Not toys :|

Well, I assume they're not wild as they'll be in a zoo and just born :rolleyes:

And letting someone 'play' with it like a kitten isn't going to do any harm to it.

However, I know this is possible, I just don't know where to look to read about or arrange it :confused:

roccles · 1 Jan 2014 at 22:09

You can feed the giraffes at Marwell zoo not sure if you can interact with any of the big cats though.

Stuff · 1 Jan 2014 at 22:10

roccles said:
You can feed the giraffes at Marwell zoo not sure if you can interact with any of the big cats though.

Not quite the cute, cuddly experience I had in mind for her

But thanks!

Hyburnate · 1 Jan 2014 at 22:11

The only place you can interact with wild animals like big cats is not in England and it's frowned upon supporting places that do as all the animals are drugged up.

Rich1988 · 1 Jan 2014 at 22:11

Stuff said:
Well, I assume they're not wild as they'll be in a zoo and just born And letting someone 'play' with it like a kitten isn't going to do any harm to it.

However, I know this is possible, I just don't know where to look to read about or arrange it

I dont even... what! *facepalm*

orderoftheflame · 1 Jan 2014 at 22:12

Stuff said:
Well, I assume they're not wild as they'll be in a zoo and just born And letting someone 'play' with it like a kitten isn't going to do any harm to it.

However, I know this is possible, I just don't know where to look to read about or arrange it

They're not domestic pets..

I presume you failed to read the news reports earlier in the year of the keeper mauled to death by a tiger? Bred in captivity means nothing.

Hyburnate said:
The only place you can interact with wild animals like big cats is not in England and it's frowned upon supporting places that do as all the animals are drugged up.

This.

roccles · 1 Jan 2014 at 22:13

When you see photos of people petting tigers they are usually chained up and drugged to the eye balls (the tigers not the people!) i have never heard of this in the UK it's usually somewhere like Thailand.

kitkat9933 · 1 Jan 2014 at 22:13

Many places around Africa let you do this. Nothing in the Uk though.

Stuff · 1 Jan 2014 at 22:16

This is the kind thing I'm referring to, not fully-grown tigers..

Malevolence · 1 Jan 2014 at 22:16

You can do it Stateside too, as a guy on these boards did and posted the pic here.

Clipsey said:
Latest purchase: Me hanging out with this little guy:

daaaawwwwwww

Deleted member 66701 · 1 Jan 2014 at 22:18

You're not going to get anything like that in the UK as it goes against all the animal welfare polices every UK zoo has.

They are caged wild animals - they should only be in a zoo for research, educational purposes and preservation (i.e. breeding programmes) - not some cute entertainment for your girlfriend.

Stuff · 1 Jan 2014 at 22:21

That tiger is so cute!

amigafan2003 said:
You're not going to get anything like that in the UK as it goes against all the animal welfare polices every UK zoo has.

They are caged wild animals - they should only be in a zoo for research, educational purposes and preservation (i.e. breeding programmes) - not some cute entertainment for your girlfriend.

Any domestic animals are essentially 'caged wild animals'.. Sure, the drug use isn't acceptable and I didn't know about that until now, but if people were to pay to have short sessions of seeing the animals in order to help contribute towards the costs of looking after them.. it doesn't seem too bad?

MeEsH BaKkA · 1 Jan 2014 at 22:24

Im willing to bet that a Staffie sized tiger cub is hardly the safest thing to pet.

orderoftheflame · 1 Jan 2014 at 22:25

Stuff said:
Any domestic animals are essentially 'caged wild animals'..

There's a big difference between tamed and domesticated.

Dogs, cats and cows are not wild animals. Nor are tigers and lions in zoos domesticated. Very few of them are tamed at all, hence a keeper being mauled to death earlier in the year...

Uncle Petey · 1 Jan 2014 at 22:26

Stuff said:
Any domestic animals are essentially 'caged wild animals'..

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA. No.

asim18 · 1 Jan 2014 at 22:30

Stuff said:
http://i.imgur.com/3IGHRlM.jpg[IMG]

This is the kind thing I'm referring to, not fully-grown tigers..[/QUOTE]

You do realise non-fully-grown tigers need to eat as well right?

There's a gift shop at London Zoo where you can buy a cuddly tiger to cuddle and stuff.

Stuff · 1 Jan 2014 at 22:32

orderoftheflame said:
There's a big difference between tamed and domesticated.

Dogs, cats and cows are not wild animals. Nor are tigers and lions in zoos domesticated. Very few of them are tamed at all, hence a keeper being mauled to death earlier in the year...

But dogs maul children/babies too.. We don't know the thinking of any animal, and as tame/domesticated as they may seem, can you ever fully trust any animal?

Uncle Petey said:
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA. No.

Thanks for the intelligent input

asim18 said:
You do realise non-fully-grown tigers need to eat as well right?

There's a gift shop at London Zoo where you can buy a cuddly tiger to cuddle and stuff.

Doesn't mean my girlfriend will be dinner

batsy · 1 Jan 2014 at 22:32

Don't forget to bring plenty of supermarket bread to throw over the barriers for the Polar Bears. Bonus points if you're able to lift the kids/gf higher than the barrier.

Play with baby lions/tigers/etc at a UK zoo?

Deleted member 66701

Deleted member 66701