Can hyraxes be kept as pets? This question is not uncommon. The name “hyrax” sounds quite exotic, and their small appearance makes them appear harmless. The typical adult rock hyrax weighs about 4 to 12 pounds with their head to body range being 12 to 22 inches. Their lifespan is about the same as any household pet, as they live about 8.5 years. Hyraxes can live up to 12 years in the wild–14 years if they are kept in captivity!
These creatures originate from Africa and the Middle East specifically, residing around most of Africa and along the Arabian Peninsula–even all the way to Lebanon–meaning not everybody would be able to find them.
Hyraxes are omnivores, meaning that they eat meat and plants; their diet consists of grasses, herbage, leaves, fruits, insects, lizards, and bird eggs. Typically they eat twice a day, once in the morning and once during the late afternoon. They eat around 34 grams of food per day, which is pretty low for an animal its size.
When described, hyraxes seem like any typical pet, so why wouldn’t they be suitable pets? Well, the answer is because of their behavior around humans. Although they are social animals among each other–commonly found in colonies of up to 50–they aren’t found to be social with humans. The watcher of the colony is known to shriek when any predator approaches, which includes humans. Their living conditions would also be very difficult for humans to accommodate, as hyraxes prefer to live in natural habitats such as cliffs, mountain peaks, and rocky outcrops. Hyraxes also prefer hot weather, so a human’s ability to provide all of these things would be very difficult.
Although these cute animals seem innocent, they are extremely aggressive and will bite anything that makes them feel threatened. The male will get very territorial over the females and their area of land when they’re around rivals.
The hyrax has many predators including eagles, pythons, servals, jackals, wild dogs, hyenas, and leopards. They live in colonies: kopjes, which consist of 50 to 60 members, including one dominating male and 20 females with their young.
Although it is not fully known why hyraxes stick out their tongues, it is thought to be a way of communication for them. Another way hyraxes communicate is by letting out very loud screams. They do this to communicate that there’s danger nearby, to attract mates, and to communicate with social groups.
Ultimately, hyraxes are very complex creatures who are loved by many people around the world, but due to various factors, they are unfortunately better off in the wild than as pets.
