Is there anyone who does not like a cuddly critter?
Soft fur and warm bodies are hard to resist; however, some animals do not want to be petted.
Some animals even find petting to be threatening!
Another example of an animal that does not want to be petted, for a variety of reasons, is wombats!
What Are Wombats?
Wombats are thought to be related to bears, but they are actually not.
They can be found in Australia and in some places in New Zealand. Wombats have short tails, and are known for their extremely soft fur.
Wombats are marsupials, meaning they are mammals with pouches for their babies to stay in.
Wombat babies, called Joeys, stay in their mother’s pouch for about six months, when they are born, they are only about two centimeters long!
There are three types of Wombats:
- The largest species is the common wombat, which can reach lengths of one meter and weights of 35 kg.
- Smaller than the common wombat is the southern hairy-nosed wombat, and it has softer fur.
- Lastly, the third type is the northern hairy-nosed wombat. There are only around 100 breeding adults left in the world.
Are Wombats Friendly?
Wombats really aren’t that social.
In the wild, they live alone and will only come together for mating reasons. They are nocturnal, meaning they sleep during the day and come out to eat at night.
Wombats are also very territorial. They will mark their territory by urinating, defecating, and scratching trees.
The only case where you might witness a wombat being friendly is when it’s a baby/nesting and it’s trying to get its mother’s attention.
Other than that, wombats typically do not like being around people.
In 2016 – a woman was attacked by a wombat the entire incident was violent and resulted in her receiving more than 20 bites and scratches many of which required stitches. You can read all about it here.
Do Wombats Make Good Pets?
If you’re curious if wombats enjoy being touched because you plan to get one as a pet, slow your roll.
For multiple reasons, wombats do not make good companions.
Vicious
If you didn’t take the time to read the article about the woman who was attacked by a wombat, you might have missed some important information.
Wombats are vicious creatures, and they will not cease in their attacks until they are satisfied with the results or until something else stops them.
Most of this aggression is protective in nature.
They are protective of their young and protective of their spaces. So, if you get too close to them and they feel threatened, they will attack you.
Destructive
Wombats are, once again, incredibly destructive animals.
They’re natural diggers and are very good at it. If you’re getting a wombat, be prepared for your yard to look like a war zone.
Heck, they will even attempt to dig into your home whenever they feel like it.
Thus, carpet or floors, doors, cupboards, and everything else that isn’t clay tile, concrete, or metal is going to be breakfast, lunch, or supper.
Illegal
So what is one major reason not to have a wombat as a pet?
It’s illegal. Many places prohibit having potentially dangerous exotic animals as pets—and for good reason.
Wombats are native to Australia, and since they are endangered, wombats are very protected.
You cannot export wombats out of the country—not even for pet purposes. Perhaps an exception can be made for repopulation efforts, but that is about it.
Encountering a Wombat
Even if you’re not thinking about having a wombat as a pet, you may be asking, “Do wombats like to be petted?” just because you have come in contact with a wombat.
In the rest of this article, we have said wombats are dangerous animals who absolutely do not like to be petted. That is true.
There is one time you might come in contact with a wombat that it would be okay to pet one.
In this section, we will look at the one, limited time a wombat does not dislike being petted, and you may come in contact with a wombat.
Hands-On At The Zoo
In the U.S., the zoo is likely the only place you will experience a wombat.
Chances are, if you visit a zoo with wombats, it will be an exhibit at a program zoo with some type of hands-on experience to interact with the wombat.
Zoological facilities that have wombats often also have koalas and kangaroos and potentially other Australian animals. If you are wanting to interact closely enough to pet a wombat, your best option is to find a zoo that has opportunities to interact with animals up close.
The difference between petting a wombat in one of these exhibit experiences types of experiences and finding one in the wild, is the age of the wombat.
At Young Ages – Wombats are cute and docile and don’t possess the aggression in the wild that adult wombats have.
Australia
In Australia, the only time you might come across a wombat by chance would be if you traveled.
If you’re traveling there, one word of advice, wild wombats are serious animals and it is in your best interest to respect them in their habitat.
If you can pay closer attention, see if there is a baby wombat, or joey nearby.
If you get too close to a baby wombat, the parents will become even more stressed by your presence, and it wouldn’t end well for you if you are on foot and they exhibit fight or flight behavior.
Treat a wombat in the wild with a distance and if you see one on the road, never pet or approach one.
All you can do is admire from a distance and leave it be.
Final Thoughts
So, if you’re still asking yourself “do wombats like to be petted?” the answer is “no.”
Wombats are not friendly animals and do not make good pets.
If you are looking for a cute marsupial companion to cuddle, it’s much better to go for a sugar glider.