# Wolf (wolves!?)



## Rain (Oct 9, 2007)

Just wondering if anyone could give me some information on the keeping of (timber)wolves in the uk under DWA.

Things like;
Size of required enclosure (each, and for small pack 1.2/1.3 ish)
Enclosure requirements (cement base, fences etc)
Dietry needs (how much, how often)

Just any info really. 
Wolves are truely my most favorite animals, and whilst at the moment, I stand no chance of owning one (or more) I'd like to start learning what I can now, so that if the chance should ever come up, I'm well armed with the correct information.


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## Lizard Loft (Mar 1, 2008)

Sorry i cant help you, but like you i love wolves they are amazing animals and i could watch them for hours, so id also like to know this information :lol2:, 

and this can act as a free bump up:2thumb:


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## Frilled13 (Mar 4, 2008)

dude are you mad! i love wolves as much as you but they aint just a dog. They need more than a garden, you need to respect their needs, but if you ur up to it and think you have enough space, time, energy and money then you can do it.


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## craigb (Jun 18, 2008)

I've worked with two different packs of Canadian timber wolves at two different collections in the UK. They need as much space as you can give them so unless you have a couple of acres spare it wouldnt be fair to them. Not sure on requirements you would need to comply with the DWA lincense that would depend on your council. I have gone in with both packs but not on my own and always with a broom handle. These are very dangerous animals and never to be trusted. You would need a seperate yard to lock them away so you could clean their enclosure. Fencing would have to be buried at least 4ft into the ground into concrete as they are excellent diggers and would get out over night if the fencing wasnt good enough. They can be locked up at night in housing but that did effect their coats in one of the packs i looked after. The other pack dug their own dens and were kept out all night but there enclosure had far better fencing. It would cost a absolute fortune to get some and build their enclosure which is ok if your a millonaire but if your not i would look at getting something else to be honest.


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## craigb (Jun 18, 2008)

Feeding wise we fed them horsemeat from the knackers yard and always on the bone for their teeth welfare. Whole deer and we also feed fish. All meat was covered with a carnivore supplement and we fed them every other day.


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## Rain (Oct 9, 2007)

Frilled13 said:


> dude are you mad! i love wolves as much as you but they aint just a dog. They need more than a garden, you need to respect their needs, but if you ur up to it and think you have enough space, time, energy and money then you can do it.


How is it mad? Sorry, but the danger of owning one surely couldn't be (much) worse than owning some of the big cat species?

I know that they arent just dogs, these are wild timber wolves I'm talking about. I have dogs, I know these dogs, I know what they are like and trust them, I would never trust a wild animal. There is a reason they are on the DWA list. I wouldnt expect a timber wolf to come into the house, sit at my feet, beg for scraps from the table etc....

Space would be no issue, suffice to say there would be enough room here (well over 20 acres, of which I'm sure we could convert 3-4 with minimul problem). I'm sure it wouldnt be a problem to put a cement base with the fencing put in it at a good 5-6ft depth.


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## Denis (May 28, 2008)

Yes its no problem if you have the space ect but where are you gonna get one from. I dont think you would be able to import or get from a collection in th uk but im sure there is a way. Anyways, if i see any about when i go camping next week i will give you a shout:lol2:


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## Rain (Oct 9, 2007)

There are ways to import them, generally cubs from the US.


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## Denis (May 28, 2008)

Yh i suppose but that means months of rearing and they are pack animals and so you would probs need a group.


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## Rain (Oct 9, 2007)

I was thinking 1.3 ish if I ever took it to the point of actually doing it.


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## TSKA Rory Matier (May 27, 2007)

Hi Rain, 

You might find this helpful.

Produced for Northern Ireland DWAL, but it is seriously an excellent guideline.


http://tskaexotics.co.uk/wolvesa5leaflet.pdf

HTH

Rory


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## craigb (Jun 18, 2008)

There is a wolf trust in the UK. They use to let paying guests go in with theirs. I have worked with the big cats as well and wolves are easier to work with then cats (far less dangerous). You couldnt really keep one by itself they are a pack animal. A single sex group would be better.


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## Pliskens_Chains (Jun 8, 2008)

ive also enquired about doing this. im not in the correct position to do this atm either.
getting a wolf imported is extremely difficult. often the wolf will have to be imported as another species of dog as customs are actually more funny about dwa species that are mammels than they are about venomous snakes (lord knows why).
there are many wolf hybrids however that are far more acceptable to import but you will still need a DWA for one, or for any dog species that may carry a wolf strain in its recent genetic history.


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## Rain (Oct 9, 2007)

craigb said:


> There is a wolf trust in the UK. They use to let paying guests go in with theirs. I have worked with the big cats as well and wolves are easier to work with then cats (far less dangerous). You couldnt really keep one by itself they are a pack animal. A single sex group would be better.


See, it was info like the single sex groups I was after. Thank you 

I know that there is the wolf trust in wales, my friend sponsors one of the wolves down there. And I know about the re-introduction program in scotland too.

Thank you rory, that will make an interesting read in the morning


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## Pliskens_Chains (Jun 8, 2008)

does anyone know of anyone breeding wolf hybrids in the UK?
whilst we are on the subject of wolves.


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

i'm sure somebody near me who goes / used to go to, the Reptile Room in Cleavely's has a wolf hybrid. 

I'll see if i can find the thread on the forum and pm it you.


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## Declan123 (Dec 29, 2007)

go on erm.... www.epups.co.uk

Theres always wolf hybrids on there


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## Pliskens_Chains (Jun 8, 2008)

wow thanks Meko:no1:
thanks Declan :no1:


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## Rain (Oct 9, 2007)

it's Puppies for sale in the UK for free, Find a breeder and buy a puppy, sell puppies
The z makes it all cool and edgey lol.
Been looking on there for a husky today.


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## craigb (Jun 18, 2008)

THE WOLF


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## craigb (Jun 18, 2008)

sorry not read all that site just had a quick look does do hybrids and nearly 100% pure breeds. It seems to have quite abit of info on there. It is in the states so not sure about shipping but fairly cheap prices though.


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## Pliskens_Chains (Jun 8, 2008)

craigb said:


> sorry not read all that site just had a quick look does do hybrids and nearly 100% pure breeds. It seems to have quite abit of info on there. It is in the states so not sure about shipping but fairly cheap prices though.


 the prices are great but shipping them in can be a pain in the butt. ive heard about them being seized even though the recipient has the required licencing for them.
i would love one in the future though.


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## craigb (Jun 18, 2008)

It shouldnt be a problem if all the lincenses are in place including a import lincense ( i guess you would need one of them) They would need to go into rabies quarantine for 6 months i'm guessing as well but that can be done in situ in their new home as long as it passes inspection by the council. Not sure about hybrids though and what regulations you would need for them ( i've not had anything to do with them at all).


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## Pliskens_Chains (Jun 8, 2008)

craigb said:


> It shouldnt be a problem if all the lincenses are in place including a import lincense ( i guess you would need one of them) They would need to go into rabies quarantine for 6 months i'm guessing as well but that can be done in situ in their new home as long as it passes inspection by the council. Not sure about hybrids though and what regulations you would need for them ( i've not had anything to do with them at all).


 Hybrids still come under the DWA licencing laws. i wasnt aware that quarantining could be done in their new home,m that would be much easier if that were possible. how would you go about getting and import licence? ive never considered that part of it before?


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## craigb (Jun 18, 2008)

Im not 100 % on that as im only thinking of when we had three tigers come in from spain. We done their quarantine in their house and they had a small yard for their daily excercise. Everything from their house like bedding, bones and any left over food and any faecal matter had to be bagged up and sent away to be incenerated. We had to wear protective clothing that stayed in that yard as did all the tools we used to clean. Foot baths going in and going out. It was inspected on several occassions. I think this would only be allowed if importing pure breed timber wolves as i said before i dont know anything about hybrids. It may well only be allowed in a zoo situation as a cant think of any facilities that could be as good as a zoo setup for wolf quarantine.


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## Lizard Loft (Mar 1, 2008)

just so everyone knew, i would never take on wolves unless i has acres and acres of land, but if i ever find myself with that much land, (im only 18 so it can still happen :2thumb 

i would like to know if i was able to or not that was all, i was never going to keep a wolf in my garden


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## SiUK (Feb 15, 2007)

you would have to get the correct quarentine licenses so your allowed to do it, be cleared by DEFRA.


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## animalsbeebee (May 19, 2008)

You could always try getting them through europe,i would imagine just rabies jabs and correct documents,my parents have bought dogs back that way,no quarantine.I was thinking of having wolves at one time,but lack of space ,trevor ley knew of some wolves and hyenas(my favourite) in europe ,very good price,but you had to sort out own quarantine,i could not find a zoo to do it,to do it yourself would be very costly.What is stopping you from getting started on enclosure ,you have plenty of space.


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## Rain (Oct 9, 2007)

animalsbeebee said:


> What is stopping you from getting started on enclosure ,you have plenty of space.


If that was aimed at me.

Because I dont intend on owning one for a very long (thinking 10 years or so) time.


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## animalsbeebee (May 19, 2008)

Rain, why do you want to wait 10 years.


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## Rain (Oct 9, 2007)

animalsbeebee said:


> Rain, why do you want to wait 10 years.


 Because I have far too many other things I want to do before I persue anything like that.


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## Frilled13 (Mar 4, 2008)

Such as?
Anyway, before you said that i was about to post, "Let us see the pics when you get them!", LOL. Anyway, good luck with it when/if you get round to it.
As for me, im thinking more in the way of caimans, for wolves, il never have the space but my dog is wolf enough, he is like a wolf except brindle, and has slightly floppy ears.


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## ian14 (Jan 2, 2008)

If you import a wolf it will have to be quarantined for 6 months at a DEFRA licenced location, which basically is at Heathrow.


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## plugger (Feb 4, 2008)

Been looking at some wolf sites after reading the thread (no I don't want to keep one, just curious) and came across this:

http://www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-countryside/gwd/wolfdogs/wolfdogs.pdf


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## Rain (Oct 9, 2007)

Frilled13 said:


> Such as?


Erm, live a little. I'm 23 at the moment, there's plenty else I want to do before I commit that level of time, money and energy to them. I want to get married for one, I want to progress in my job so that I can afford the very best for my family, and my animals. In other words, I want to enjoy my personal life.

And yes, I know I'd have to arrange a 6 month quaranteen period, and that it would more than likely be via an airports quaranteen centre. I also know that there are costs incured by doing so.


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## arzosah (May 17, 2008)

Why not contact UKWCT - UK Wolf Conservation Trust for information.


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