Exotic Pets: Guide to Pet Kinkajous

The kinkajou is a nocturnal rainforest mammal that lives in trees and is able to grasp trees with their prehensile tails. Kinkajous come from the rainforests of South America (the northern part), Mexico, and Central America. They are related to the North American raccoon, red pandas, coatimundi and other animals from the procyonid family. The pet kinkajous can be a lovely animal. They are also known as the honey bear.

They have a very docile and friendly personality for a procyonid. They can get aggressive if not spayed or neutered. They are capable of biting. Remember they are nocturnal, don't insist on waking kinkajous. Plan your play and activity period for when they are awake. There is little worst than an upset procyonid. They can also get aggressive and bite if you don't spend a couple of hours a day with them. They are not an animal to ignore, they are a high maintenance pet.

Use your head when approaching these animals. If you have the scent of strange dogs stay away from them. and anything else of this order in your behavior, it will make them nervous and upset and even possibly nip.

You never yell at or hit a procyonid - ever. You spend months and years building a loving a trusting relationship. They can be a challenge and if given an opportunity be plenty destructive. They are brilliant animals. The key, lots of loving attention and keep them engaged, busy, and plenty of exploration during their awake period - nocturnal. These animals need plenty of room in their kinkajou cage.

They do live a relatively long life of 20-24 years (average they have been known to live a long life) in captivity. They may outlive you, look for kinkajous for adoption.

They are not an overly large animal about the size of a small cat 3-8 pounds or 1.36 kilograms to 3.63 kilograms.

Health and Vaccinations

Find a veterinarian familiar with kinkajous is critical before you consider acquiring one. Several vaccinations are essential even including one that is a vaccination for a bacteria that can be contagious to people and dogs for that matter. If you want kinkajous and also have a dog, please discuss the Leptospirosis vaccination with your veterinarian. The vet may suggest giving the vaccination to the dog as well.

The kinkajous will also need a combination canine distemper/ parvovirus/ hepatitis series with boosters, rabies vaccinations with boosters, and feline panleukopenia with boosters.

Kinkajous can also have internal parasites including a roundworm called baylisascaris. Baylisascaris is also called the raccoon roundworm. It is highly contagious to humans and can cause serious damage.

Procyonids can also get salmonella, please stay away from fresh raw meats.

They can also get severe dental problems because of their soft diet. Stay on top of their teeth by having regular physical and dental check-ups with your veterinarian.

Kinkajous can get quite aggressive with sexual maturity. They can bite. They should be spayed or neutered before they reach sexual maturity. Males will reach sexual maturity around 1 1/2 years (18 months) and females around 2 1/2 years (30 months). They should not be fixed too early on account of health risks but don't wait too late. Plan accordingly with your veterinarian.

It is cruel to remove the claws from any animal of the procyonid family, and this includes the kinkajous. They would be crippled and disfigured, and it is nothing short of animal abuse. The same with removing any teeth.

The kinkajous mainly eat fruit but will supplement their natural diet with nectar, bark, insects and other proteins like eggs and vertebrates, along with flowers and some plants. However, they are primarily fruit eaters. one of their favorite foods is hibiscus flowers and leaves.

A Diet for a Kinkajou

Avoid citrus fruits, avocados, and strawberries though I doubt the strawberry allergy problem. Don't feed fat sugary foods like honey.

Monkey biscuits work fine for a base diet anywhere from four to twelve depending on the size and age of the animal. Some of the biscuits can be soaked in fruit juice and offered throughout the day. Remove wet foods that haven't been eaten so that the animal doesn't become ill. Offer fruits and other fresh produce (papaya, mango, apricots, peaches, apples, bananas, sweet potatoes, and other similar foods and dried fruit a few example dates, figs, dried papaya, apricots, and so forth should be offered throughout the day. They will get the majority of their protein from the monkey biscuits. They will love you forever if you are able to grow and provide hibiscus flowers and leaves. Make sure there is no chemicals or insecticides on these plants.

Enclosure for the Kinkajou - Kinkajou Cages

The enclosure for the kinkajou should be the size of a small room with considerable height. They will need climbing branches and vertical shelves. Supply a hide box. (To feel safe in the wild they will hide in hollow spots in trees; dead trunks/branches)If you can't keep them in a suitable enclosure, don't get one. You will need to spend considerable time socializing with the kinkajou. Keep the enclosure clean. Make sure they always have plenty of fresh filtered water.

Remember they have very sharp claws, and plastic water bottles don't survive those claws. Use heavy crocks that are firmly attached. They do enjoy playing in water so expect to change the water frequently. Many of these animals love to swim.

They will need plenty of toys rotated frequently. Bring in a somewhat shallow tub of water to play in. Hide toys in tubs with leaves or mulch hiding the toys. The kinkajou needs to be kept busy to avoid behavioral problems. They will grow bored easily, and it is your job to keep them busy with plenty to do. Keep the kinkajous busy with containers holding hidden food. Give them plenty of opportunities to explore.

Many procyonids can learn to use a litter box including the coati and the raccoon. However, the kinkajou usually doesn't learn to use the litter box. If you choose to have the enclosure inside it is up to you to keep it clean, the kinkajou has no interest in cleaning.

The species is from a warmer climate, and you can't expect to keep it outside without warmth and protection from the elements. Use a safe heat source.

To find kinkajou breeders and kinkajous for sale try the different exotic pet or pet classified sites. Be very wary of who you buy from. Don't forget to look for exotic pets for adoption or kinkajous for adoption. They do live a long lifespan, and you may have a delightful surprise.

Facebook Diana Geiger

My Ferret Book Guides and Exotic Pet Books Guides