Where can you purchase penguins for a pet in the US. I have found
www.penguinwarehouse.com but I also found that that place was not
real. I would like to know of a place that sells penguins.

Can I keep a penguin as a pet?
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/Peter_and_Barbara_Barham/faq.htm#pet

Over the years we have often been asked about the possibility of
keeping penguins as pets. We are no experts, but we have talked to
several. They all are completely against the idea.
First off, all species of penguin are protected so that you could only
(legally) get a penguin from a Zoo that had bred it.

Secondly, you would need a constant and reliable supply of fresh
frozen fish as well as appropriate vitamin supplements, you would also
need to know a vet who was familiar with penguins and the many
diseases they are prone to when kept in captivity.

Thirdly, you would need to be able to feed the birds every day so you
couldn't take any more vacations! You can't just put a penguin into
kennels!

Fourthly, you would need to build a suitable enclosure to keep the
bird - remember different species have very different environmental
requirements (temperature, vegetation etc.). For example, there are no
species of penguin that could live outside year round in say Chicago
with its wide temperature variations. Plus all species of penguins
require access to a large, deep and clean pool of water - preferably
salt water.

Fifthly, penguins tend to live in large colonies - anything less than
say 20 birds would not be sufficient. So you would need a very healthy
income. Zoo's here reckon it costs around 400 pounds (700 US$) per
year just to keep a penguin in fish!

Finally, why would you want to keep penguins for yourself anyway? They
are much better left in the wild or in well looked after breeding
colonies in Zoos and Aquaria. Remember that nearly all species are
endangered to some extent or another.

We would strongly discourage anyone from trying to keep a penguin as a
pet - except the cuddly toy variety!

Why not just adopt a black and white cat???

Steph53

TLSPIEGEL is very correct in saying that penguins must be left in
their wild state. Back in the 70`s, I lived on and managed an island
resort that was also a sanctuary for the "fairy" or "little" penguin.
They remain at sea all day and return to their burrows/nests each
evening. Nothing deters them and a tourist industry has grown up
around the regular evening arrival and march up the beach. If allowed,
they will make nests under existing houses/shacks and squawk ALL
night. Sleep is nearly impossible. The resort, since demolished, had
to seal off the cottages to prevent access to the penguins and ensure
the evening rest and sleep of the guests. The island is still a
penguin rookery/sanctuary.
However I did have a situation occur when two chicks were orphaned. We
fed them crushed muellies [ sardines] and later full ones and they
thrived on human interaction. When they matured [ lost their fluffy
down and grew feathers] we released them back to the wild. This was
recorded by the local T.V. channel. One sour note was the action of
the wildlife department of the government [of the day]. Their rule was
that no interaction should take place at all. If this advice had been
followed, the two chicks would have died. Even today, it is my hope
that there are hundreds more fairy penguins zooming about in the sea
as a result of my positive action. It was attempted because I was in
the ideal situation to do something about it.
Yes!,they can be tamed but must be part of a colony.

http://www.angusrobertson.com.au/featuredbook1.asp?StoreURL=angusrobertson&bookid=1863025324

This is a children's novel about a brother and sister handraising an
orphan little (fairy) penguin.  A lovely story, I remember it fondly
from my childhood.

A.

I hope you think this through; as glamorous as it may seem, look at it
from the penguin's point of view. I have known people who've kept
unusual animals at home, everything from a hedgehog to an otter to a
kinkajou, and aside from the animal always seeming like a lost soul
and out of it's element, there were other care considerations that
went unheeded.  Just like a long-lived dog these animals need care
until the end of their natural life span; are you personally willing
and able to provide that, even when the novelty wears off?   Even if
by the slim chance you are, this is not a good idea.

Thank you for all of the information about this. I was wanting to be
more informed about their care and if there was a market on penguins.
I had thought the care would be fairly close to that of another bird,
but I was wrong. Thanks again, I now know that I am defiantly not a
penguin man.