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Original poster

Hypothetical question about giraffes

231 replies

Curlygirl06 · 05/04/2025 21:37

Dh and I were having a debate about giraffes (wild evening here!).
If you had a pet giraffe and you took it out for a walk, would you put a collar and lead up the top by its head, or down the bottom of its neck by its body?
One of us thinks it should go up by its head, so that you could gently pull its head down if you were going under a low bridge, for example, or pull it to the side if you were going round a corner so it could see where its going.
One of us thinks it should be by the body as otherwise you'd have a bloody long lead (duh, it's a giraffe so obvs!) and you could guide it just as well from the bottom as up the top.
YANBU of course it should be at the top by the head.
YABU of course it should be at the bottom of its neck near the body.

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Mistunza · 13/10/2025 01:21

Jc2001 · 12/10/2025 21:02

Where abouts is a giraffe's Adams apple?

hm. Well of course female giraffes don't really have visible ones.

I have a vague idea that giraffes don't really make a noise. Maybe their voice boxes got mangled in all the stretching. Or maybe that's an urban myth and they are positively chatty. I must confess, with some embarrassment, that I have not fully reviewed the previous 10 pages of discussion before launching in with my possibly redundant point.

There are probably some 7 year olds somewhere in the world who have a particular interest in giraffes and could answer many of our questions.

Original poster
Curlygirl06 · 12/10/2025 21:24

Jc2001 · 12/10/2025 21:02

Where abouts is a giraffe's Adams apple?

Now that's a good question!

OP posts:
Jc2001 · 12/10/2025 21:02

Where abouts is a giraffe's Adams apple?

HRTQueen · 12/10/2025 21:00

I personally wouldn’t have a pet giraffe after being stalked by one at a wildlife park

for some reason it started to stare at me then followed me as I walked away, he (maybe a she) walked but turned its head to the side and just stared. Later in the day I walk past again and he/she noticed me and stared again walking over to be closer 😬 very unnerving

As I speak with knowledge of experiencing giraffe behaviour it woudl have to be at the base of their neck so you could use more of your own strength against theirs

Original poster
Curlygirl06 · 12/10/2025 20:51

sophiasnail · 12/10/2025 20:42

I have never had a pet giraffe BUT I have had greyhounds which are not a dissimilar shape.... their collars have to go just behind their ears, otherwise the collar is big enough to slip over their heads when they bend down. I expect a (very large) greyhound collar would be perfect for a giraffe!

That's my girl!

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sophiasnail · 12/10/2025 20:42

I have never had a pet giraffe BUT I have had greyhounds which are not a dissimilar shape.... their collars have to go just behind their ears, otherwise the collar is big enough to slip over their heads when they bend down. I expect a (very large) greyhound collar would be perfect for a giraffe!

Original poster
Curlygirl06 · 12/10/2025 20:25

Silverbirchleaf · 09/10/2025 10:24

Hi all, Hope you don’t mind me resurrecting this thread, but saw this and immediately thought of this thread .

Discuss, (or carry on giraffe discussion)

Hi original poster here! How funny, we were talking about giraffes wearing pants (as in underwear, rather than trousers) yesterday. I told you we talk about giraffes a lot in this house.
Today's giraffe discussion was whether giraffes would be sick standing up, thereby getting sick down their front, or whether they'd bend down and be sick closer to the ground. (I'm sure that, like horses, they can't actually be sick, but we were discussing moving giraffes around the world on boats, and if they got seasick?)

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Silverbirchleaf · 09/10/2025 19:39

Wordsmithery · 09/10/2025 13:16

It has to be up near the head. Otherwise, while you've got the body under control, the head could still be free roaming, licking any people who happen to be nearby (including you), or even biting if it's in playful mood.
Fun fact: giraffes can't talk.

How do they communicate with each other? I guess I always imagined they grunted at each other, a cross between a pig sound and a cow mooing.

Wordsmithery · 09/10/2025 13:16

It has to be up near the head. Otherwise, while you've got the body under control, the head could still be free roaming, licking any people who happen to be nearby (including you), or even biting if it's in playful mood.
Fun fact: giraffes can't talk.

ScottBakula · 09/10/2025 13:07

@Silverbirchleaf , this thread definitely needed resurrection.

Definitely B , there is no point in your dog wearing trousers if it doesn't cover its bum , mind you it'd be a bit of a faff taking them down / off every time your dog wanted to go to the loo. 🐕

lljkk · 09/10/2025 10:27

Giraffes are so dim, you'd be at the bridge a long time before it figure out to duck its head.

We watched a young giraffe trying to figure out how to cross a stream to reach the other side (where the lush grass was). 3 of its group had just crosed but No.4 couldn't figure out where to put its feet. Went back.

Silverbirchleaf · 09/10/2025 10:24

Hi all, Hope you don’t mind me resurrecting this thread, but saw this and immediately thought of this thread .

Discuss, (or carry on giraffe discussion)

Hypothetical question about giraffes
Snazzysausage · 15/05/2025 14:10

I think a soft bridle on its head,no bit, and a neck collar with a loop of both reins to control. Guide generally with the lower neck collar but in an emergency requiring the head down ie to go under a bridge, use the bridle as well.🙂🤔

Original poster
Curlygirl06 · 15/05/2025 13:36

Gundogday · 15/05/2025 07:07

You can’t just say that without giving us more detail. Do you live in Africa? Near a zoo? Etc. Don’t leave us hanging!

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Not far from Longleat x

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Dogaredabomb · 15/05/2025 11:36

Re giraffes and straws, no that wouldn't work. And I think they have something special about their tongues, maybe they can turn it into a straw. Dogs' tongues have an incredible design, like scoops. Really God was having a bit of a giraffe when he made giraffes.

Gundogday · 15/05/2025 07:07

Curlygirl06 · 14/05/2025 12:06

We have giraffes up the road!

Show quote history

You can’t just say that without giving us more detail. Do you live in Africa? Near a zoo? Etc. Don’t leave us hanging!

ScottBakula · 14/05/2025 22:36

Curlygirl06 · 14/05/2025 12:06

I wanted to see it move, but it never did. Can you imagine how it would look when/ if they had to move the entire crane somewhere else? Are there wheels under the feet, do the legs move independently?
Anyone in Malta at the mo, that's where it was.

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Ok , now as well as wanting to put actail on it I want to paint legs and feet on its wheels , each one in a slightly different position so it looks like each foot is touching the floor at a different time.

>>> goes to check next flight to Malta and regulations for taking paint and long tassley rope on planes <<<<

Original poster
Curlygirl06 · 14/05/2025 12:08

TracyBeakerSoYeah · 13/05/2025 20:04

Wonder if the crane driver is a MNetter 😂

I'll give it a go!

OP posts:
Original poster
Curlygirl06 · 14/05/2025 12:06

AppleDumplings · 13/05/2025 20:39

Saddle all the way. Shouldn't even have been a discussion. Now go find a stray giraffe to test it out.

We have giraffes up the road!

OP posts:
Original poster
Curlygirl06 · 14/05/2025 12:06

ScottBakula · 13/05/2025 21:13

I really want to put a tail on that crane 😄

I wanted to see it move, but it never did. Can you imagine how it would look when/ if they had to move the entire crane somewhere else? Are there wheels under the feet, do the legs move independently?
Anyone in Malta at the mo, that's where it was.

OP posts:
Gundogday · 13/05/2025 22:11

Love that this thread is still going.

Giraffe in London zoo.

Hypothetical question about giraffes
ScottBakula · 13/05/2025 21:13

I really want to put a tail on that crane 😄

AppleDumplings · 13/05/2025 20:39

Saddle all the way. Shouldn't even have been a discussion. Now go find a stray giraffe to test it out.

TracyBeakerSoYeah · 13/05/2025 20:04

Wonder if the crane driver is a MNetter 😂

Annascaul · 13/05/2025 13:34

Curlygirl06 · 12/05/2025 22:34

Hi it's me again. We were on holiday, and there was a massive big crane- painted like a giraffe! How cool is that? I was so excited.

That’s amazing 😻