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Looks like we have a match. I don't know where in the U.S. the publisher of the "hissing critter" found this skeleton, but perhaps a hyena could have escaped a zoo or something and been living wild???
I think you nailed it. Several have been seen crossing roads etc.I sent him a photo of a Rhodesian Hyena and he said that was very very close.
I tried to do a search for it and came up with nothing. There's a Rhodesian ridgeback, but that's a hound dog, not a hyena. Do you think your friend could give an estimate about the approximate size of the skeleton?
So many people like to have exotic pets, and import them illegally, that maybe someone had a pet hyena and turned it loose. There are a lot of strange private zoos, or animal collections, in some states that allow that. And we've all heard of people having wolves as pets. I don't think a pet hyena gone feral is unbelievable. Think about it. if your illegal pet hyena goes missing, are you gonna call the cops? That's like calling to report that someone stole your weed!
Last edited by TheShadow; 10-06-2017 at 09:16 AM..
So many people like to have exotic pets, and import them illegally, that maybe someone had a pet hyena and turned it loose. There are a lot of strange private zoos, or animal collections, in some states that allow that. And we've all heard of people having wolves as pets. I don't think a pet hyena gone feral is unbelievable. Think about it. if your illegal pet hyena goes missing, are you gonna call the cops? That's like calling to report that someone stole your weed!
When the law comes around they just let them go. Plus the guy that let's them go for no good reason.
So many people like to have exotic pets, and import them illegally, that maybe someone had a pet hyena and turned it loose. There are a lot of strange private zoos, or animal collections, in some states that allow that. And we've all heard of people having wolves as pets. I don't think a pet hyena gone feral is unbelievable. Think about it. if your illegal pet hyena goes missing, are you gonna call the cops? That's like calling to report that someone stole your weed!
Keeping a hyena as a pet would be insane. They're fairly large, very powerful, and dangerous animals. Turning one loose would be worse, especially for the hyena. A pet hyena wouldn't go feral because they're already feral. If a hyena has been raised by humans as a cub, it would have a hard time surviving on its own in the wilds. Apparently, hyena cubs need to learn from other hyenas how to hunt for food. And speaking of food, hyenas eat a lot of meat each day, about 33 pounds a day (990 pounds per month). That would amount to a pretty hefty grocery bill. If a person raising a hyena turned it loose for any reason, then that person has no business owning one in the first place. It would be more compassionate to have it put down.
It's possible a hyena may have escaped captivity or had been released. But it's hard to say how well it would survive. If the alleged "Hissin' Critter" is in fact a hyena, and it was unable to survive, that might explain the skeleton. It may have starved to death. But then that would assume the skeleton is that of a hyena. We need more information about that skeleton, preferably an identification from a professional zoologist.
Keeping a hyena as a pet would be insane. They're fairly large, very powerful, and dangerous animals. Turning one loose would be worse, especially for the hyena. A pet hyena wouldn't go feral because they're already feral. If a hyena has been raised by humans as a cub, it would have a hard time surviving on its own in the wilds. Apparently, hyena cubs need to learn from other hyenas how to hunt for food. And speaking of food, hyenas eat a lot of meat each day, about 33 pounds a day (990 pounds per month). That would amount to a pretty hefty grocery bill. If a person raising a hyena turned it loose for any reason, then that person has no business owning one in the first place. It would be more compassionate to have it put down.
It's possible a hyena may have escaped captivity or had been released. But it's hard to say how well it would survive. If the alleged "Hissin' Critter" is in fact a hyena, and it was unable to survive, that might explain the skeleton. It may have starved to death. But then that would assume the skeleton is that of a hyena. We need more information about that skeleton, preferably an identification from a professional zoologist.
Not sure what you mean by "crossbred". Do you mean a crossbreed that's part hyena?
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Originally Posted by Versatile
Insane?
I meant keeping a hyena as a pet is not the greatest idea for good reasons which I pointed out.
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Originally Posted by Versatile
The countryside is inhabited by the strange.
So you're saying Oklahoma's countryside has strange things living there? All over the state? Or just the area where the skeleton were found?
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Originally Posted by Versatile
They have seen several live ones,
Who saw several live whats? Hissin' Critters? Hyenas? Or what?
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