Redditors who have held/petted a penguin, describe and/or rate your experience?

1. The penguin thought he knew me because I have the same voice as his primary care taker (according to the lady in charge of letting people pet him) so he got real excited for a second them very confused. 9/10 would pet again
   — ran_swonsan


2. 7/10 Soft, and kind of squishy when you pet it because the feathers have a weird sort of give to them. They are SO. DAMN. BITEY. I have the opportunity to feed them, and the handlers warned me to hold the fish as far back as possible on the tail so I wouldn't get nipped. All the handlers had scars on their hands. Penguin tongues have a one-way texture on them to help them swallow fish, and its very abrasive. Plus, sharp beaks.
   — girlofgallifrey


3. 7/10 much softer than expected, tad bit bitey, tendency for projectile pooping.
   — EclecticGoogler






4. Found a fairy penguin struggling to escape a rockpool once. Little fella was getting battered by incoming waves and was close to death - I think he was exhausted or injured or something. Pulled him out, wrapped him in a towel and drove him to the nearest vet which was about half an hour up the coast. He sat up in my lap the whole way there, didn't seem fazed by the prospect of being inside a moving vehicle. Maybe he was in shock. The vets took him off my hands and called me to say Wildlife Victoria had taken him to be released upon recovery. 10/10 would do again - despite fishy smell. Edit: spelling
   — Ratbagz11


5. 10/10 would pet again. I used to be a surf lifesaver when I lived in Australia. During one shift, I was guarding from behind the break (where the waves form) on a rescue board, just laying on it and enjoying the water and the sun. A fairy penguin popped up next to me. It was super little, and just floated next to me for a while, and let me pet it a little before popping back underwater.
   — charmedistheone


6. 10/10. I was visiting San Diego for a wedding and the mother of the groom paid for a few of us to go to Sea World specifically for a penguin tour. So they brought us into a room and brought a single penguin that we didn't get to pet. There was an educational part using the little guy as a demonstration. It was awesome and I thought that was it. Then the handler said "Are we all ready to go into their enclosure?" So we go. First off, penguins are stinkier than I imagined they'd be. Secondly, I had gotten my nails done with acrylics for the wedding and the penguins heckin' loved it. I ended up with the whole enclosure swarming me for neck scratches. They all leaned into it like cats do.
   — yaktopus






7. I met a penguin named Trout at a penguin painting event. We all Sat in a circle on the floor and he visited everybody but he JUMPED INTO MY LAP! Best day ever. And they love shoelaces. Great way to bamboozle the other guests and get more attention. Just let them untie your shoes. They are so soft. Can be bitey for sure but not much more than a cat or puppy. 10/10 would let penguin jump on me again.
   — alloutpenguinwar


8. 10/10 would pet again. His name was fatboy.
   — patchinthebox


9. I worked in an African penguin rehab center for a couple of summers, They are soft especially if they are young (they're called "blues" then because they are all grey and no black & white yet). They can be very bitey as adults! but when tame they basically act like dogs, always want attention and cuddles!
   — worrycheesepuff






10. Mate is a professional diver and cleans the penguin enclosure at Taronga Zoo Sydney I have never had so much career envy
    — jiffysdidit


11. When my daughter was about a year old we took her to pet a penguin. She tried to eat it. We all ended up getting soaked and smelling like wet penguin all day. 10/10 would do again.
    — BuckarooBonsly


12. Son age 13 got to sit with and pet a penguin at the Miami Florida Seaquarium via the special (extra $ and special scheduling) programs they have there. He said that it's feathers were very soft but dense feeling. The penguin also had its mate getting riled up behind a temporary fence because those penguins apparently are very paired up. He and the 4 other people had to wear similar jackets and boots (provided by the program ) as the keepers. They also had to have patterns and shiny stuff (like eyeglasses ) kept to a minimum because the penguins fixate on those things. . Definitely recommend this experience to anyone able to get there. Son loved the experience. Once in a lifetime event.10/10. I also once saw a penguin exercised by its keeper out of its cage at the Houston Texas airport. That was really different while being on a business trip.
    — econobiker