# Interested in Camels



## MattNgooseneck (Dec 16, 2012)

Hey y'all I am interested in raising camels. Yes Camels! Does anyone have experience with them? Know where I may get a young camel. 
Any information would be helpful
I am in Georgia.

Matthew N Gooseneck


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## JJ Grandits (Nov 10, 2002)

Why Camels? I worked with one once during a living nativity at church. God was in a bad mood when He came up with the Camel.


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## chickenista (Mar 24, 2007)

Well... like any herd animal, you can't have just one. It's cruel.
They do have different needs than say cows or goats.
They can be very sweet, but you have to play by their rules. Get to know them, their language etc...
They are big. They are heavy. They are strong.

Before you attempt to own some camels, you need to find a zoo or preserve in your area and work with and care for and hang out with their camels first.
Truly.. you must. To do anything less would be negligent.


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## bluemoonluck (Oct 28, 2008)

chickenista said:


> Well... like any herd animal, you can't have just one. It's cruel.
> They do have different needs than say cows or goats.
> They can be very sweet, but you have to play by their rules. Get to know them, their language etc...
> They are big. They are heavy. They are strong.
> ...


I completely agree with chickenista on this. If you find someone who has a few, or if your local zoo has some, spend a bunch of time with them and learn all you can! Search the internet and see if there is a forum dedicated to people who own/raise camels, join it, and read all the old posts. You'll get more honest information from people who own them than you ever will from someone who wants to sell you one.

You're going to have to handle all their foot care on your own as well, so you need to learn how to do that before you proceed too. I know when we were studying zoo medicine in vet tech school, we were told that one of the biggest challenges that zoos faced was keeping the animals' feet in proper shape.

You also need to check around your area and see if there is a vet who knows enough about camels to be willing to work on one. If your camel hurts himself, and there are no vets around who are capable of helping, you'll be in quite a bind.


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## MattNgooseneck (Dec 16, 2012)

Thanks y'al!l all good advice! 
My six year old has been in love with camels since she was two. I don't know where this comes from but she devours all she can about them. In reading to her books about camels and talking to a couple of owners. I feel it would be a unique pet. We watch the YouTube.com/camelsandfriends vids to. We love her camel videos. So really from watching her vids that I saw it was possible to own and raise camels.


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## Sculkrusha (Feb 10, 2013)

Gday Matt, Yeah, come down here and grab as many as you want.
Australia has the purist breed of camel in the world and actually exports them to the Arab Emirates and Afghanistan.
Trouble is they are wild and pretty hard to catch and as they are an introduced species and hence.....feral, so they are shot by the hundreds.

Cheers......Scul


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

First, you don't have to get your six year old a camel. She'll be happy with a kitten. Horses hate camels, but they can learn to tolerate them, like having cats and dogs in the same house. You could probably aid in supporting a camel in a zoo. This is one of the fundraising things zoos do. Then, you can go to the zoo and point out her camel.


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## BarbadosSheep (Jun 27, 2011)

Do not get a camel just because your child likes them. Consider a llama instead. They are quite similar, although a llama tends to be a lot easier to handle and keep. Or maybe even alpaca. They are all closely related and have very similar looking faces only not nearly as nasty.


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## Rock (Jan 5, 2009)

MattNgooseneck said:


> Thanks y'al!l all good advice!
> My six year old has been in love with camels since she was two. I don't know where this comes from but she devours all she can about them. In reading to her books about camels and talking to a couple of owners. I feel it would be a unique pet. We watch the YouTube.com/camelsandfriends vids to. We love her camel videos. So really from watching her vids that I saw it was possible to own and raise camels.


 Take your 6 year old to the nearest zoo 1 a week for the next year and clean the camel pen. If she still wants one after that you both will have learned how to tend them and what it takes to care for them. Mean time she gets to be with a camel without putting anyone human or animal in jeopardy.


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## lasergrl (Nov 24, 2007)

Wow I'm surprised so many negatives about camels.
They have a MUCH better temperament then a llama. Foot care is not difficult at all. They have toenails that need trimmed sometimes. Nutritional needs are very modest.
They are actually quite easy to handle if you start with a bottlebaby or a young weanling.
I know one that lives with horses no big deal. 
The biggest problem is finding a trailer that's big enough once they are grown.
Most people have them for trail riding. They are comparably easy to train to a horse. You must use a hackamore no bits.
Of course you do NOT want an intact male! That's probably where everyone's bad opinion is coming from? Intact males are just horrible.
They average $5,000-$7,000 for a baby dromedary. Bactrians are $25,000


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## MattNgooseneck (Dec 16, 2012)

OK , OK everyone listen. I am not getting a camel because my six yr old wants one. I'm getting one because I want one. I live in the country. No where near a zoo. I am not stupid, I will properly research anything before I get into it. In fact I now regret this post, it was a mistake.


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## lasergrl (Nov 24, 2007)

Don't worry about it! Camels are a domesticated animal. They are not wild animals. Just because they are uncommon does not make them a poor choice as a livestock animal. I would trust a camel around a child sooner then a horse. But I've been around them and know how they are.


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## Allen W (Aug 2, 2008)

I've thought about getting some for brush control. They are browsers and have a lot more reach then goats.


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## Rock (Jan 5, 2009)

MattNgooseneck said:


> OK , OK everyone listen. I am not getting a camel because my six yr old wants one. I'm getting one because I want one. I live in the country. No where near a zoo. I am not stupid, I will properly research anything before I get into it. In fact I now regret this post, it was a mistake.


People can only reply to what you post, I quoted the stuff you said about your girl and the camels. Then post up what I think would be a good/safe approach for everyone involved. Aint have nothing to do with being stupid or anything else, just sort of a test drive type thing!
I wish you nothing but the best of luck!
PS: there might be some closer than you think, even saw a rental thing 

https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=camels+in+georgia&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=lw


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## d'vash (Apr 25, 2013)

Beaumont Exotics have a camel. Everyone there are extremely knowledgeable about all animals. If you send Sacha message about any of your questions, I'm sure she'd be happy to answer them, and provide you with some good constructive criticism too.


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## terradura (Mar 19, 2012)

MattNgooseneck said:


> In fact I now regret this post, it was a mistake.


No, I think it is an interesting topic to consider. I'm interested to hear various experiences. As was said, they are a domestic animal and can certainly be raised. 

There was someone in Etna, CA (near the OR border) who had an elephant. Had it for many years and it was in all the parades.


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## MattNgooseneck (Dec 16, 2012)

An elephant? Hmmmmm.....


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

Hey, I'd like a camel, too. But as Rock wrote, we can only reply to what you post.


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## JasoninMN (Feb 24, 2006)

I think most of the "advise" if coming from experience gained by watching the big screen. Like donkeys, camels are portrayed as evil stubborn animals in movies. 

I doubt a zoo is going to let just anyone walk in and start cleaning cages and working with large animals. I would go visit a breeder, you will get more advise and hands on experience.


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## KIT.S (Oct 8, 2008)

The Canby Fiber Festival, usually in September, has had camels and yaks as well as the more common fiber animals. Somone used to have a pair right outside of Albany, and I've seen camels for sale locally in the farmer's newspaper (Capital Press). Of course, shipping from Oregon might cost as much as the original camel, but if we've got some, someone closer to you probably does too. 
By the way, the fiber wove up very nicely. Better hand than I would have expected.
Kit


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## mnn2501 (Apr 2, 2008)

on a lark, I put "camels for sale" into Google and came up with quite a few.


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## Molly Mckee (Jul 8, 2006)

There are several people in our area that have camels, I have heard that they do petting zoo type things with them. I certainly wouldn't want one, they can really eat. Or at least these people buy a lot of hay. I do think finding a vet would be a challenge .


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## d'vash (Apr 25, 2013)

I read you will require both a federal and state permit to have camels in Georgia. 

There's a lady from Cario, GA with Zebras, Camels, Capybaras and Lord knows what else! She's on several forums; Backyard Chickens, Goat Spot and Cattle Today. I think her name is Donna, but she goes by the name 'cameldairy' on the forums. I'll PM you her contact info.


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## lasergrl (Nov 24, 2007)

There is no federal permit. They are considered domestic livestock by the u.s. government. State permit would be a maybe. Wouldn't surprise me with how strict Georgia is (savannah cats being illegal). They are even legal in California and they don't allow gerbils there.


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## primal1 (Aug 22, 2003)

I looked after a camel for a year, they can eat but keeping up with the watering was a bigger challenge lol. I also looked after the 40 horses and they all got along just fine.. it was amazing to turn them out in the morning and see the camel dart across the field faster than the arabs.
I did hear stories about other people being spit on but i guess Lumpy liked me well enough.. he was fond of drinking straight from the hose and i would take the time and let him everyday.


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## d'vash (Apr 25, 2013)

lasergrl said:


> There is no federal permit. They are considered domestic livestock by the u.s. government. State permit would be a maybe. Wouldn't surprise me with how strict Georgia is (savannah cats being illegal). They are even legal in California and they don't allow gerbils there.


Are you sure? That's what I was told by someone who owns camels in the US. Unless, the laws have changed since?

ETA- Or the person is, somehow, mistaken...


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## JasoninMN (Feb 24, 2006)

You need a USDA permit if you are going to use your camel to make money.


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## lasergrl (Nov 24, 2007)

JasoninMN said:


> You need a USDA permit if you are going to use your camel to make money.


That's true if you are selling or showing you do. You need the usda for any type of pettinf zoo or nativity though even if it was just donkeys and chickens. No usda just to own one. They won't even give you a permit if you can't show you will be profiting.

Here is a very down to earth website:

http://camelphotos.com/CamelVsHorses.html


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## Joshie (Dec 8, 2008)

lasergrl said:


> There is no federal permit. They are considered domestic livestock by the u.s. government. State permit would be a maybe. Wouldn't surprise me with how strict Georgia is (savannah cats being illegal). They are even legal in California and they don't allow gerbils there.


They don't allow gerbils? You've got to be kidding! Wow.


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## DarleneJ (Jan 29, 2012)

Nevermind...


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