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A message from Russell...
My foster folks had to create this page out of necessity, as so many people were asking about wombats as pets. We do NOT make good pets (see the case study on Daphne), as we are native wildlife and should be considered as such. It is also ILLEGAL to keep a wombat as a pet throughout most of Australia.
Let's be blunt and go straight to the point - wombats are not open to being pets. Full stop, period. We cannot stress this enough, nor will we answer any further emails asking us where you can 'buy a pet wombat'. YOU CANNOT. Such places do not exist, and if they did, it is likely that they are operating illegitimately. (If you do know of a place that is selling wombats, please let us know (an anonymous tip-off will do) and we will take matters further).
Whilst the next few pages might seem to be that we are a bit bitter on this issue, we are trying to avoid the worst case scenario whereby a wombat comes to us (or another carer) that has been kept as a pet. This usually occurs after the person has unsuccessfully tried to care for the wombat and it is causing problems. The typical situation is where a wombat is being kept at home 'for the kids' because it's cute and cuddly. Read our Pet Wombats - Case Study page for some more information.
The pictures on our web site might give you the impression that wombats might make a great pet with their affectionate and playful natures when young. Most animals at an early stage are like this. Very cute, very affectionate and very loveable. Unfortunately, they don't stay that way. No human being should try and hinder the natural growth process by wanting to 'domesticate' a wombat. We have found that wombats, in even the most domestic of settings, will revert back to their 'wild state' and turn against their foster mothers/fathers.
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Wombats - Classification - Hazardous!
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Taronga Zoo in Sydney (one of Australia's major zoos) has a classification scheme for it's animals. Animals that can kill you (such as a lion, tiger, bear etc) are classified as 'Dangerous'. Wombats, believe it or not, come in at the next classification scheme and are rated as 'Hazardous'. This means that they won't generally kill you (hopefully not, but still possible perhaps), but they can seriously harm you with their teeth, claws and powerful bodies. Bear this in mind, as all wombat joeys will (hopefully) grow into adults with a temperament to match the hazardous rating.
The bite marks from a recently released wombat (Rocky).
Read the story, "Night of the Wombat" and discover how these occurred ( version 6 PDF file - approx 300kb). This person was lucky that these were bites from a juvenile wombat and not from a fully grown male. The marks are largely superficial and could have been a lot worse.
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When we receive a young wombat joey into care, they will usually bond to us quickly, and are generally playful and energetic. As they become older and mature, carpets become ripped up, screen doors are tossed aside and bookcase shelves are suddenly seen as edible objects by these critters (read: "Wombats of Mass Destruction"! or WMDs). Having a home with decor set in baltic pine is not wombat proof, nor practical. Aluminium and steel start to look like smart and attractive options. This chewing and biting behaviour is totally natural to a wombat. You cannot be angry at them for behaving this way. It's the way that they are (part of their nature and development) and because we raise them to be returned to the bush, this natural behaviour is encouraged.
When wombats reach the above stage of maturity, it's time to move them outside into a special enclosure that has a burrow in it so that they can do their wombat thing, and we aren't literally eaten out of home. Arms, fingers, toes and shins are now fair game for the wombat if you're in it's enclosure - we can show you some of the bruises and cuts (from claws and teeth) from still 'playing' with these wombats when they reach this stage. An adult common wombat will grow to anywhere from 30 - 40 kilograms. They are solid muscle, and when fully matured, tend to become solitary creatures and shun company. When they are annoyed, cranky, or displaying signs of being territorial, they are best avoided.
We have seen the solitary behaviour and the shunning of company by wombats on numerous times with the wombats that we have had in care. After 12-15 months of care, we become quite attached to the wombats ourselves, but then they tend to 'switch off' from us and don't want our company anymore. This is usually prior to their being released back into the Australian bush. We can see that by keeping them in an enclosure that we are not doing them any favours, nor do they appear to be happy. It actually makes our job a little easier to release them as we know that once they are back in the bush, they are much happier (and where they really belong).
The only way that you could 'keep' wombats for a time here in Australia would be to perform wildlife caring, with the view of the wombats NOT being kept as pets but being cared for until they can survive for themselves back in the bush. We have received cases ourselves where members of the public have rescued a wombat and have tried to raise it themselves. This tends to end in disaster by the time the wombat is finally receiving the appropriate and correct care by a licensed wildlife carer. It does not make our job any easier to try and rehabilitate a wombat that has been raised incorrectly and give it the necessary skills to be released back into the Australian bush.
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