What It Would Really Cost to Own a Pet Panda?

Quick Take

• The food bill alone would shock most millionaires, and bamboo is only part of the problem. See the food costs →
• Cuddling a panda sounds like a dream, but the reality is something most people never see coming. See the cuddling reality →
• Pandas have a daily habit so extreme it would consume more of your time than your actual job. See the cleanup demands →
• Even if money were no object, there's one thing a pet panda flatly refuses to give you. Explore their solitary nature →

What would it be like to have a pet panda? Only a handful of conservation-oriented organizations are lucky enough to house giant pandas, which they “rent” from the Chinese government. Over 700 pandas are living under human supervision at breeding centers or zoos, with only around 65 living outside of China. You can’t legally own a giant panda. However, what if you could? Let’s explore what it would be like if you were the proud owner of a panda bear.

You Would Have an Insanely High Food Bill

If you had a pet panda, you’d need a great deal of disposable income for the food bill alone. Or you would need enough land to grow your own. Giant pandas eat between 70 and 100 pounds of bamboo daily. The upside is you’d have a lot of fun watching your pet panda eat.

Pandas have a special way of eating that involves using all five fingers in unison with their teeth. They carefully peel off the bamboo’s tough outer layer to expose the tasty insides. After eating the shoots, giant pandas will nibble on the leaves. They strip the leaves off the stalks, crunch them up into little leaf balls, and swallow them whole.

Giant Pandas Defecate a Lot

Picking up after your pet panda would be a real chore. Pandas have impressive gut microbes, but they aren’t the best at digesting all of that plant dry matter. On some days, they defecate more than 40 times. You’d spend hours each week cleaning up after your panda.

Panda feces are also relatively large. Their typical feces are 6 inches by 3 inches. You’d also have to figure out a way to clean the panda’s cage without disrupting their alone time.

Giant Pandas Are Loners

Even if you could own a panda, you wouldn’t have the kind of relationship you might share with your dog or cat. Pandas are always sleeping, defecating, or eating. Pandas spend 8 to 12 hours sleeping every day, broken up into naps. They also spend up to 14 hours eating. Plus they rarely want anything to do with people.

Adult pandas spend much of their time alone, living solitary lives. They may interact with one another during the spring breeding season from March to May and sometimes in the fall. However, the rest of the year, they generally avoid direct contact with other pandas.

Giant Pandas Don’t Cuddle

Cuddles and kisses from your pet are enjoyable, but don’t assume you’ll get the same type of attention from a giant panda. Though the idea of cuddling a panda is enough to make anyone smile, the reality isn’t so sweet. Pandas don’t want you to touch them. These animals have large teeth, sharp claws, and unpredictable temperaments.

If you went to hug your pet panda, he might knock you down with a powerful paw swipe. Or he’d bite you out of irritation. Plus, if the panda doesn’t bite you, the bugs might. Giant pandas usually carry fleas, ticks, and mites.

Pandas Are an Expensive Long-Term Commitment

Having a pet panda would be a long-term commitment. In the wild, giant pandas usually live around 20 years, and they can live for more than 30 years in captivity. When China loans out pandas to other governments, these rentals come at a steep price. Each giant panda requires an annual fee of a million dollars.

You’d also have to pay for hard-to-find, specialized veterinary care. A regular vet won’t know how to care for an exotic animal like a panda. Finally, housing your panda would be another huge expense. Pandas need a home range of at least 3 to 7 square miles. They like being able to explore their environment and stretch their limbs. If the habitat is too small, your pet panda would become depressed and possibly ill.

Final Thoughts

Although giant pandas do not make good pets, they are fascinating animals. It’s illegal to buy giant pandas, but even if you could, it would be a full-time commitment. You would need to hire a team of full-time helpers. Additionally, giant pandas eat up to 100 pounds of food a day, and when they’re not eating, they’re defecating. You’d constantly be cleaning up after a pet that wants nothing to do with you. These big, adorable bears are solitary creatures and just want to be left alone. Finally, a panda would be one of the most expensive pets you could own. You’d need about a million dollars annually just to rent one from China, and that’s before providing food, housing, and medical care.