When scientists first saw a platypus, they thought it was a prank — a furry mammal with a duck's bill, webbed feet, and a beaver-like tail that lays EGGS. Its bill is packed with sensors that detect the electricity made by wiggling prey underwater.
📋 Platypus at a glance
⚡ Superpower
A platypus hunts with its eyes, ears, and nose shut — its rubbery bill senses the tiny electric signals of its prey.
🤩 Amazing Platypus facts
The platypus is one of only a few mammals on Earth that lay eggs.
❓ Common questions about platypuses
How big is a platypus?
Up to 20 in (50 cm) long. The platypus is one of only a few mammals on Earth that lay eggs.
Where do platypuses live?
Platypuses live in the wild: rivers & streams of eastern australia. They are wild animals and are never kept as pets.
How long do platypuses live?
Platypuses typically live ~12 years in the wild.
Can you keep a platypus as a pet?
No — platypuses are wild animals that belong in the wild (rivers & streams of eastern australia), and keeping one would be unsafe and usually illegal. The closest pet you can actually keep is an axolotl — see our care guide.
Could you keep a platypus as a pet?
No — platypuses are wild animals that belong in the wild, and keeping one would be unsafe and almost always illegal. But if platypuses are your favorite, here's the closest pet you actually can welcome home:
Meet the AxolotlBecause no pet is as odd-and-wonderful as a platypus, but for a strange, aquatic, watch-in-wonder animal an axolotl is perfect.
See care guide →
🎬 See platypuses in action
Watch kid-friendly videos about platypuses on YouTube.
▶ Watch Platypus videos on YouTube