When you think of playful, cuddly animals, honey badgers would probably come at the very bottom of your list, if they made it on the list at all! Buckeye Honey Badgers surprised us all, though, when they shared a video of one of their honey badgers, Thys, playing with his human dad just like a toddler!
Friendly, playful honey badgers were nowhere on our bingo cards when we started watching this video. Thys is gently nipping, much like a dog does when they play, and hiding in his dad’s shirt. He accepts little thumps on his belly and even gives his dad some snuggles and kisses!
Buckeye says in the video’s caption, “Thys is always full of surprises,” and he definitely surprised us!
Commenters were surprised, too. @Zero shared, “The most fearless animal on earth is just a big baby!” @Zitterbart added, “Honey Badger DOES care after all!”
Related: Honey Badgers Destroy Cardboard Box to Get to Toys in Cute Video
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Commenters
Wondering if honey badgers make good pets? They absolutely do not.
Royal African Safaris describes them as “The honey badger has been named an indomitable, unhinged aggressor, persistent, relentless, the world’s most ferocious animal, and a lot else besides.”
“Small though it be – about the size of a small dog – this tough little character is utterly and completely fearless. In fact, The Guinness Book of Records has rated it the bravest animal on earth, and the media is replete with verifiable accounts of the honey badger taking on lions, leopards, buffalo, snakes, and humans.” We’ve even seen a honey badger take on an elephant!
The author of the article shared, “Yet there is my own story of people stroking and befriending them – completely wild individuals – with every sign that they’re loving it. Other folk have made friends with honey badgers, but in these interactions, there is something different from most animals. There is no fawning, no deference, no subservience. Absolutely none. They interact with you totally on their terms, without hostility – and crucially without any sign of fear…. And yet this animal is not all brawn and no brain. It is intelligent; really intelligent.”
Sounds like honey badgers have a lot more to them than just their tough reputation!
This story was originally reported by PetHelpful on Nov 3, 2025, where it first appeared in the Pet News section. Add PetHelpful as a Preferred Source by clicking here.