Lemurs, the captivating primates from Madagascar, have caught the eye of exotic pet enthusiasts worldwide. However, before considering a lemur as a pet, it’s crucial to understand their conservation status, social needs, the legalities of ownership, and the care they require. This guide delves into the essential aspects of lemur pet ownership, offering insights into why this commitment may not be for everyone.
Table of Contents
overview of lemur as pet
Should I Avoid Keeping a Lemur as a Pet?
The Lemur is an Endangered Species
Lemurs are among the most endangered groups of animals on the planet, primarily due to habitat destruction and the illegal pet trade. Supporting conservation efforts, and choosing not to keep lemurs as pets, can be a step to protect lemurs.
Lemurs are the most endangered group of primates on Earth, with around 96% of species threatened with extinction. Although it is illegal in some states to keep lemurs as pets, thousands of lemurs have been illegally removed from their wild habitat and kept as pets or tourist attractions.
Many organizations are fighting the impact of lemur sales and advocating their conservation in their natural habitat.
Lemur Conservation
Efforts to protect lemurs include habitat preservation and rehabilitation programs. Declarations against the personal possession of primates:
American Society of Climatologists
Association of Zoos & Aquariums
International Climatological Society
North American Primate Sanctuary Alliance
Lemurs Like to Live in Communities
Lemurs are social animals that thrive in groups. Isolating them as pets can lead to behavioral and health issues.
Even though the vast majority of pet lemurs in the United States come from captive breeding, the issue persists because lemurs are inherently social creatures. When a newborn lemur is taken to become a pet, it is removed from its mother immediately upon birth. Separation from their mother has serious physical and emotional consequences for the baby lemur, which can last for the whole of its life.
For mental well-being, lemurs require extensive maternal interaction and education. Lemur infants are held constantly by their mothers for the initial five months, a critical period for their proper emotional and psychological growth. Removing a baby lemur from its mother at such an early stage can significantly disrupt the animal’s brain development, leading to severe social and behavioral issues in pet lemurs.
Baby lemurs raised by humans often find themselves alone, cut off not only from their mothers but also from all the other lemurs. This is difficult for a primate accustomed to being part of a group, where it forms close bonds with its species, notes DLC’s Charlie Welch.
DLC’s Meg Dye points out, “Lemurs are not like dogs or cats, and it’s almost impossible to replace their need for lemur companionship with human companionship.” Lemurs have a whole set of integrated behaviors and social structures.
Trying to substitute human interaction for the complex social environment they are designed for doesn’t work. When isolated from their specifics, lemurs may resort to behaviors that are harmful to them, such as walking in circles, grooming themselves to the point of injury, or even biting their tails and limbs.
The Lemur is a Wild Animal
Despite their adorable appearance, lemurs are wild animals with specific needs that can be challenging to meet in a home environment.
Cats, dogs, and horses are all domesticated animals. This implies that over time periods of several thousand years, natural selection and selective breeding eradicated the animals whose temperaments were not conducive to living alongside humans.
When you observe a wild animal acting benevolently towards a human, it’s most likely to have become to humans. That coyote or dolphin or black bear has become habitually associated with humans, and in some instances has been trained.
However, its instinctual wildness will never vanish, this can lead to habituated wild animals being erratic and even dangerous. A celebrated instance is Mantecore, a white tiger that participated in Siegfried and Roy’s incredible Las Vegas magic show.
During a live performance in 2003, Mantecore, then 7 years old, had spent all of his life with humans, including being bottle-fed as a cub, he attacked Roy Horn, this resulted in the performer’s paralysis and ended Horn’s career.
Lemurs Can Be Very Aggressive
Lemurs have complex social structures and can exhibit aggression, especially during mating seasons or when they feel threatened. Lemurs are creatures that have a domineering nature. Their pre-conditions for socialization necessitate the presence of an alpha, typically a woman.
While lemurs that are petted seem to enjoy their calm and content nature as children, when they reach their sexual maturity (typically between the ages of two and four), they begin to demand structure and take over. Without other lemurs around, they can attempt to take over their owners in the manner that naturally occurs by lunging, chasing, grabbing, and biting.
We often receive calls from people asking how to keep their lemur that bites or scratches them, or wanting to give them up and asking for a lemur shelter near them.
The dangers aren’t solely limited to the owners of lemurs. A young woman sought help at the Lemur Center after being attacked by a stranger’s pet lemur in a small pet store in Ohio.
Lemurs Smell Bad
Lemurs have scent glands they use for communication, which can produce strong odors not conducive to indoor living. Lemurs, while enchanting to watch, carry a less enchanting trait for potential pet owners, a distinctive odor that is far from compatible with indoor living.
This odor originates from their natural behavior of scent marking, a critical form of communication among these primates. Lemurs possess specialized scent glands, which they use to mark territory, signal social status, and communicate reproductive readiness. In wild life, these odors allow community members to recognize each other and mark their territory.
In the home, however, the strength and persistence of these odors are highly unpleasant. Unlike domestic animals, for whom occasional bathing helps to manage odors, the odors produced by lemurs are inherent to their biology and cannot be easily reduced.
This aspect of lemur behavior, so essential to their existence in the wild, presents a significant challenge for maintaining them as pets, as the strong, musky odors are not only difficult to eliminate but also can permeate household spaces, making them a less-than-ideal companion for those unprepared for the realities of their care.
Taking Care of a Lemur is Hard
Their diet, habitat needs, and social requirements make lemurs particularly challenging pets to care for properly.
Taking care of a lemur is more extensive than the commitment to common pets, this presents a unique set of challenges that can be challenging for even the most dedicated animal enthusiasts. Lemurs have specific dietary requirements, which you need to know about to ensure a balanced diet and avoid the risk of malnutrition.
Reproducing their natural habitat is no mean feat; lemurs need a lot of space, and perhaps the most difficult aspect of caring for them is meeting their complex social needs. Lemurs are social animals, and like to live with their fellow lemurs.
Providing this level of social excitement in a domestic setting is difficult and often impossible, this results in issues of stress and behavioral issues. All these factors, which are beyond the reach of the average person, demonstrate the incredible difficulty and responsibility involved in providing quality care for a lemur.
The Price of a Lemur
Lemurs are Expensive. The cost of buying, feeding, housing and veterinary care for lemurs is very high. The American Kennel Club estimates that maintaining a lemur will cost you around $16,000 over a 10-year lifespan. Here at exoticanimalpet, you can buy your baby lemur for as little as $1,500. You are curious about where and how to buy a lemur in the United States.
Where to Buy a Lemur Pet
You can buy a lemur from a breeder specializing in primates, from a private individual you may find on an exotic animal forum, or from a pet shop like ours. You should research thoroughly and ensure any purchase is legal and ethical. Sanctuaries and rescue organizations may occasionally adopt out lemurs to specialized homes.
Adoption at sanctuaries and rescue organizations are also a common and inexpensive way of getting a lemur. But sometimes lemurs have undergone traumatic experiences, and it’s difficult for them to adapt to life in captivity.
By choosing to adopt a lemur from one of these organizations, you can rest assured that you’re getting your pet legally, as some pet shops obtain their primates illegally. It is therefore necessary to carry out thorough research to ensure that the purchase of your lemur complies with legal and ethical standards.
How to Buy a Pet Lemur
Potential owners must navigate a complicated landscape of legal and ethical considerations, including obtaining necessary permits and ensuring they can provide an appropriate environment.
Is keeping a Lemur as a Pet Legal?
The legality of lemur ownership varies by location, with many areas prohibiting it outright due to conservation concerns and the welfare of the animals. It’s up to you. LCF advocates for legislation and regulations that prohibit the practice of pet lemurs in the USA. The current regulations and laws regarding this subject are different from one state to another. Some states prohibit all animals with pets.
Other states forbid larger primates like chimpanzees from being slaughtered (other apes also). Some states prohibit the possession of pets like lemurs, while other states have no rules at all regarding the possession of pets. LCF will still promote the damaging effects of owning a lemur privately. The health and wellbeing of animals, as well as public health and safety, is threatened by private ownership.
Taking Care of a Lemur Pet
What to Feed a Pet Lemur
A lemur’s diet is varied and should include fruits, vegetables, and protein sources to mimic their natural diet in the wild. In captivity you can feed your lemur with pre-packaged primate cookies and a variety of healthy fruits and vegetables. Food is accessible from specialized locations via online. Fresh fruit is available in your grocery store.
Habitat of Lemur Pet
Lemurs need a large outdoor territory to live well. These animals enjoy the natural sunlight greatly, as a result, they will be healthier, more hygienic, and more joyful in an outdoorsy environment that you frequent. As children, they can be raised in a medium to large sized wire cage, but as adults, they want to leap on a variety of toys that are stimulating.
They reside in the tropical canopy, so they enjoy being elevated in the tree. Enclosures should have lots of trees or something very similar to a tree. A large cage that you can enter and spend time with your lemur is the most effective. The larger the better in regards to the size of the cage. Yes, they require an encasement! Even if the cage is completely surrounded by time.
Health of Lemur Pet
Regular check-ups with a vet experienced in primate care are essential to maintaining a lemur’s health.
Interaction with Lemur Pets
Lemur Pet Interaction
- Lemurs are not typically dangerous to human, but lemurs can bite or scratch if threatened.
- Lemur can be friendly to human, but their social and environmental needs must be met.
Lemur Pet Interaction with Other Pets
Lemurs interact perfectly with other animals of their species. As for other pets such as dogs and cats, it all depends on the primate’s upbringing from an early age. If it was used to being with other pets as a baby, there will be no problem.
Is a lemur a good pet?
Lemurs can make affectionate and engaging pets for individuals or families with the time, resources, and dedication to meet their needs. However, it’s essential to understand that lemurs have specific social and behavioral requirements that must be met to ensure their happiness and welfare.
Can you have a lemur as a pet?
It is illegal to keep lemurs as pets in most states. So if yo want to keep a lemur as a pet, but you must first check the regulations governing the possession of exotic animals in your local jurisdiction.
