What Are the Pros and Cons of Keeping a Pet Sloth?
- Originally Written By: Kelly Ferguson
- Revised By: Phil Riddel
- Edited By: Heather Bailey
- Last Modified Date: 09 May 2013
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Copyright Protected:
2003-2013 Conjecture Corporation
Exotic pet enthusiasts frequently turn to a pet sloth for a family-friendly, cuddly pet. They have easy-going temperaments and can be affectionate and even playful; they are long-lived, often surviving for 30 years or more in captivity; and they are unlikely to run away. While sloths can make good pets for some people, there are a number of drawbacks to keeping one. As with other exotic pets, they are expensive to obtain, may be illegal in some places and may require special licenses and permits. Depending on the species, they may have special dietary requirements and specialist veterinary care is likely to be very expensive, making costly exotic pet insurance advisable.
Pros
To many families and individuals, owning a pet sloth seems appealing, as they are “cute” animals that are usually good with small children. Since they are also typically slow moving, they are fairly easy to keep track of and do not tend to try to escape or run away. Although they can make sounds, they are not generally noisy and are very unlikely to engage in destructive behavior, such as scratching furniture or chewing up clothes or cushions. The fact that they are generally very clean animals that are comfortable living in the house once they have gotten used to it also makes sloths attractive as pets.
Cons
The disadvantages of owning a pet sloth, however, are often substantial enough to discourage most people from purchasing one. They are exotic animals that are often difficult to buy legally, so the purchase price is likely to be very high. There is the possibility that the pet may become ill and require highly specialized veterinary care, which could be extremely costly. This makes exotic pet insurance very advisable; it may, in fact, be a legal requirement in some places. Even if a sloth can be purchased and kept legally, many establishments, such as hotels, pet boarding facilities and apartments, will not allow them because they are considered exotic pets.
Types of Sloth
There are two main types of sloth — two-toed and three-toed — which belong to different families. Within these categories, there are four species of three-toed sloths and two species of the two-toed variety, giving six in total. The names refer to the number of toes on the forelimbs; all species have three toes on their hind legs. The three-toed forms have more specialized diets, involving particular species of plants, supplemented by bugs. For this reason, the two-toed types are more commonly kept as pets.
Behavior
In the wild, these animals spend almost all of their time high in trees, suspended from branches. As pets, they will behave similarly and will enjoy climbing and hanging from anything suitable. In their natural environment, sloths descend from their trees only to defecate, which they do infrequently, typically about once a week. They do, however, produce a large volume of feces.
The sloth’s thick fur harbors many parasites, such as mites and ticks. Because of this, they tend to scratch a lot. Their parasites are not thought to pose a threat to humans, however.
Baby sloths cling to their mothers until they are old enough to fend for themselves. A pet sloth will usually demonstrate similar behavior and will happily embrace its owner, which greatly adds to their appeal. If properly looked after, they are affectionate and, despite their slow movements, surprisingly playful. Many owners have reported that their pets enjoy playing “peek-a-boo” using an old blanket.
General Care
A pet sloth needs to be provided with something to climb on that is strong enough to take its weight. It will enjoy climbing and hanging from real or fake trees inside the home. If this is not possible, it may be happy climbing other structures, such as wooden or metal frames, that have been constructed for this purpose. Ideally, it should have a large living space in which it is allowed to roam and play. At the very least, a tall, roomy cage should be provided to give the animal plenty of room to climb around.
Sloths live in areas with continually high temperatures and are not well adapted to life in temperate regions. They have a very slow metabolic rate and are unable to warm themselves in cold conditions by shivering. For this reason, it is essential to provide a constantly warm environment to ensure that the animals remain comfortable and healthy.
Properly caring for a sloth also requires obtaining special food that can be expensive and difficult to find. Suitable food can sometimes be purchased from zoos or zookeeping resources, but this is not always the case. Additionally, some people may be too squeamish to feed the pet its proper diet, which may include insects. Two-toed sloths appear to be less specialized in their diet and will eat a variety of vegetable matter, but it is important for owners to ensure that they receive enough of all the trace nutrients they require. Anyone considering keeping a sloth as a pet should seek expert advice applicable to the particular species.
Legal Issues
Sloths are generally considered to be “exotic” pets and this means that potential owners may have to meet certain conditions and obtain special licenses or permits. Before considering keeping this animal as a pet, it is essential to check out any legal requirements. These vary from country to country and, in the US, from state to state. In some countries and some states, it may simply be illegal. Keeping a sloth under these circumstances could result in a large fine or even imprisonment, as well as confiscation of the animal.
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Discuss this Article
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anon331675
Post 12 |
@anon330669: Thank you. A cat's natural habitat isn't "in a house". Also, a sloth born in captivity is no longer considered a "wild animal". If you can properly care for a sloth, there's nothing wrong with getting one.
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anon330669
Post 11 |
Do most of you disagree with having dogs and cats as well? Animals didn't come from captivity. They came from the wild. Personally, I feel that if the pet is well taken care of it isn't a bad situation. If a person has the financial capability which would come with the price of buying one, they should be able to have it. Animals aren't as complex as a human being. I'm sure some of these people are thinking this way. If they are fed, get plenty of exercise, and have stimulation and love, that is basically all any living thing requires to be happy. Anything else is either too much or too little. |
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anon329781
Post 10 |
The cons aren't all that bad compared to most pets. If introduced as regular pets, as opposed to being exotic pets, they would be less of a hassle than owning a dog. Bring on the sloths! |
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anon301415
Post 7 |
While I feel that sloths should never have been introduced to the pet trade in the first place, now that they're here, I think they should stay. It is true sloths belong in the wild, but now that they are in the pet trade they can be used for education (as long as they are being cared for properly. If sloths were made illegal as pets, people would resort to smuggling sloths with money as the primary focus, rather than the well being of the sloth. Sloths are one of God's many wonderful creatures and should be treated with the respect, care, and love, all creatures deserve. If a civilian can provide those needs, then I see no problem owning a sloth. I plan to get a sloth later in life after I go to college (I'm only 16 now), and will provide ample space with trees, hammocks, and a proper diet. I will use the sloth as a way to educate others and as a loving companion. However, not all sloths should be kept as pets. The pygmy three toed sloth is critically endangered and should only be placed in breeding programs. |
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kentuckycat
Post 6 |
@stl156 - I have to say that I find your argument compelling. Most of the time it depends on the animal itself and whether or not it is possible for them to even return to the wild. Sloths do make great pets, but it is up to the owner to be able to properly care for them and make sure they are being humane in their care. If they were domestically raised they cannot return to the wild, thus they have to stay in captivity and hopefully have a good owner. It is easy to say that these owners of exotic animals should not have them, however, most of the time these owners have the resources and the money to properly care for them and do so. It is the bad owners that get the bad press and what you hear about. This is definitely an issue where people have opinions based off of what they have heard. However, the question that should be raised is the issue of ethics and whether or not exotic animals should be owned at all, in regards to these animals living outside of their natural habitat, as opposed to pointing fingers at all the exotic pet owners and focusing neglect and abuse as the primary rallying cry to banning exotic animal ownership.
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stl156
Post 5 |
@Izzy78 - Although you may be right, I feel like we should not totally condemn people that own exotic animals. Sometimes it can be a good thing for people to own exotic animals, because they are caring for a species that may be threatened and they protect this animal from being killed in the wild or from poachers that will just kill it. Also, usually these exotic animals are not taken directly out of the wild. They usually grow up in captivity and would not survive in the wild otherwise and it only makes sense for someone to own them and care for them. The same thing goes for zoos that house exotic animals. There is no reason to send the zoo animals back out into the wild because they probably would not survive. In zoos they have appropriate knowledge and resources to accommodate these animals and make it as comfortable possible for them. |
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Izzy78
Post 4 |
@titans62 - I have to agree there is really no reason for someone to own an animal like a sloth. The only reason for someone to own it would be to say that they own an exotic animal, but they are owning an easy going exotic animal that is not dangerous like a lion or tiger. The problem with owning a sloth is that first off they are going to be very expensive to own and require extensive care. I worry that people that decide to own exotic animals, like sloths, will not be able to provide the proper care to the animal and not do absolutely everything that is necessary in order to be completely humane with this animal. I also agree that there is no reason to own an exotic animal that is taken well out of its habitat and put in a place that is a completely different environment that they are not able to adapt to. |
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titans62
Post 3 |
To be totally honest I do not see any reason for someone to own a sloth. I have always thought of them as being very dirty animals, despite being cute and cuddly and in reality a very appealing pet to have. However, the costs will drive the owner insane and the other thing that has to be considered is that a sloth is an exotic animal that probably is not living in their natural habitat. Thus they become a special needs animal and in order for the owner to be right and humane they have to continually go the extra mile to accommodate their pet sloth. I find it to be a very bad idea to own a sloth and feel like it is one of those pets that someone should not be able to own. They come from the wild and they belong in the wild. |
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Crispety
Post 2 |
@BrickBack -You make a good point. Also what happens if a person changes their mind and does not want the animal? Sometimes people get into fads and want to own a wild animal like this because of a movie they saw and don’t realize the work it takes to maintain an animal like this.
People also have to realize that wild animals regardless of their reputation can be unpredictable and act like wild animals. Although the sloth has a mild reputation because it is a wild animal it could adversely react to something and maybe get a little violent.
That is the thing with wild animals. They can be really unpredictable and then people are shocked when they attack or harm others. I think that these animals are illegal to own as pets for a reason. |
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BrickBack
Post 1 |
I think that sloths are really cute, but the whole idea of keeping wild animals as pets is a little cruel. I think that these animals need to be in their natural habitat and keeping one of these animals in a home is not right.
Also a lot of these wild animals carry diseases and it might be better to see them in a zoo. I think that if you really want a sloth, it might be a good idea to give money to a wildlife fund that helps these animals in their natural habitat.
This way you can care for these animals, but not need to have them in your home. |
