Slow loris is a slow-moving, small-sized primate that is usually found in some of the southeast Asian countries like Indonesia, Thailand, Borneo, Philippines, Vietnam, etc. These animals are now in the endangered animals list as they are hunted and used for medicinal purposes. Slow loris is said to have various therapeutic properties and so the body parts of this animal are used in the traditional medicine of these countries. Nowadays, they are also traded as exotic pets. You may also get tempted to adopt a slow loris as a pet but there are many more things than meets the eye. Let us find out the various aspects about slow loris and its prospects as a pet.
Slow Loris Facts
Slow loris belongs to the family Lorisidae and genus Nycticebus, with five species. These small-sized animals grow to a maximum height of around 15 inches. They are found to have a maximum body weight of around two kilograms. Slow lorises have thick and short fur in a wide range of shades but reddish brown color is most commonly seen. The body of a slow loris is short and stout with stocky limbs that are almost similar in length. They have a round face with round eyes that are large in size and a white line runs between the eyes to the tip of the nose. The ears of this animal are mostly not seen, due to the thick fur. The tail is also stumpy and is mostly kept close to the body.
Slow lorises are nocturnal animals, who are arboreal too. They spend most of their life on tree tops and are active during night. During daytime, these animals curl like balls and sleep on the branches of trees. During the night, they hunt for prey and feed on insects, fruits, buds, shoots, small birds, bird eggs, etc. Slow lorises are really slow moving and their strong limbs are adapted to arboreal life. They have specialized blood vessels on their limbs, so that muscle cramps do not develop as a result of holding on to the tree branches for a long period of time. For slow loris, there is no special season for breeding and the gestation period is around 190 days. In most cases, the litter consists of a single offspring, though it can be two. These animals are often preyed upon by pythons, hawk-eagles, orangutans, etc. They may defend themselves by rolling like a ball or with horrible bites. Now that you have a basic idea about slow loris, let us take a look at the various aspects of slow loris as a pet.
How is Slow Loris as a Pet
You might have come across some online advertisements stating slow loris for sale. It is a fact that cuteness is one of the most important factors that people look for in a pet. In that way, slow loris can be ideal as pet. Apart from that, they are small in size, slow moving, etc., and all these factors are ideal for pets. However, there are some dangerous slow loris facts that you may not be aware of, till date. Slow loris is said to the only poisonous primate in the world. These animals produce toxins in the branchial glands located on the inside of their elbows. This toxin is sucked into their mouth and is delivered through powerful bites. It is also said that they deliver the toxins not with their sharp canines, but with the small teeth located in front of the lower jaw. Such bites can be unexpected and extremely painful. The wounds caused by these bites take some time to heal and may sometimes develop infection too. There are some reports of human deaths caused by slow loris bites.
So, slow loris is not at all suitable to be raised as a pet, especially, in families with other pets and small kids. It is a wild animal that cannot be domesticated fully, as training a slow loris is a difficult task. Apart from that, being an animal enlisted in the endangered species list, trading of slow loris and keeping them as pets are illegal in many countries. Even if you come across ads stating ‘slow loris for sale’ in USA or in any other region, it is better to ignore them. Illegal trafficking of this animal is one of the most common reasons for its dwindling population and so don’t encourage anybody to adopt slow loris as pet. Let the animal live peacefully in their natural habitat.