There are many considerations before procuring another swan. First, are you absolutely sure that the remaining swan is a male? Have you had the swan sexed? If not, this can create major territorial problems if you get two males.

Second, how old were the swans? If this pair is an older pair, the male may not re-mate. By the time you get a new mate for this male, it could drop dead from old age and you will be starting all over again replacing him for the new acquired swan.

In fact, most male swans will go about their lives just fine and have no real interest in another swan. If he does show an interest, you will need to keep the new swan in a pen (enclosed top and bottom for protection againt predators, with the pen positioned 1/2 in water, 1/2 on land with feeder in the pen). The swan will need to stay in the pen for 1-2 weeks for acclimation and to ensure that the remaining swan does not reject it and try to injure or kill it.

Third, many states have now changed the rules on ownership of swans. You may need a permit to acquire another swan. If the swans are male and female and capable of producing offspring, many states now view this as breeding and you may need a breeder's permit. Also, all cygnets will be required to be pinioned at 1-3 weeks of age, which means you will need to capture them and transport them to an avian veterinarian for this procedure. You cannot keep the cygnets away from the parents for too long or rejection may occur.

In any case, by the time the next breeding season comes around, the parents will be kicking the older juveniles from the pond in order to start a new family. Do you have somewhere to place the older juveniles once this occurs? Again, this may require a breeder's permit unless your pond or lake is sufficient to house 1-13 cygnets and parents on a yearly basis.

Fourth, if you are still interested in acquiring a new swan, we would suggest you contact Bob Knox at Knox Swans
(847-875-3947). Bob is a reputable swan breeder with many years experience in swan care and placement. The Regal Swan