Kinkajous
What on EARTH is a kinkajou?
Kinkajous come from parts of Central and South America, and are most closely related to the raccoon and the coatimundi (which is essentially a South American raccoon. More on that in another post!). They are nicknamed the “honey bear,” partly because of their golden outer coat, and partly because of their extreme love for the sweet, gooey substance. Kinkajous are playful and active when awake, but because they are naturally nocturnal, they prefer to sleep most of the time. It’s great for this ZooMommy, because sleepy-snuggle time is always her favorite time of the day! Believe it or not, the kinkajou is one of the most common exotic pets in the United States.
LOOK HOW CUTE THEY ARE! This ZooMommy loves kinkajous! Their fur is incredibly soft and luxurious. The way they mew and cry tugs at the heartstrings. And that tongue! It can grow 5 inches long!
The kinkajou is very smart and agile. Although he doesn’t have opposable thumbs, his sharp-clawed fingers are strong nimble, and able to open doors and locks. His long tail is prehensile, meaning it acts as a fifth arm and can grab items independently of the rest of his body. He is an omnivorous animal—like humans, he has flat teeth in the back of his mouth and long canines in the front. These are things everyone who handles kinkajous needs to keep in mind. While the pet kinkajou is known for its sweet and affectionate nature, it is still an animal and can become easily frightened and lash out when upset.
While kinkajous are sweet and lovable, there are problems associated with this species. For instance, they are ringworm carriers. They also lack enamel on their teeth. Without enamel, a kinkajou's teeth carry much more bacteria than the average animal, meaning the chance of a bite becoming infected is much higher. The good news is, a kinkajou that lives in a house is not usually going to be carrying unknown bacteria. However, this doesn’t mean infection will not occasionally occur if a kinkajou owner is bitten.
A domestic kinkajou needs to have his own home. He simply needs a dark, quiet place to which he can retreat without being bothered. Make sure he has a hanging cloth pouch (found in the small animal section of pet stores) to curl up in. The cage will need zip-ties or a combination lock. Because kinkajous can open latches, you’ll need to child-lock all the doors and cabinets in case they ever escape their enclosure. There’s nothing worse than losing a kinkajou in your house, knowing they will leap out at you like a jack-in-the-box if you open the right cabinet door. It also means having to clean up tons of destroyed food containers with loose contents strewn all over. And poop. Lots and lots of poop.
Unlike kangaroos, who lack the dexterity or conscious ability to pry diapers off their bodies, kinkajous will rip diapers off before you’ve even got them all the way on. Besides, their bodies are ferret-like, so not only will diapers slide over their hips, the chances of you finding diapers small enough to fit are slim at best! This means you will need wet wipes on hand 24/7. Also, good luck bathing a kinkajou. Seriously, just use wet wipes.
Kinkajou babies do drink bottled milk, but only for a couple of months. Once his canines grow in, he is ready to eat solid food. As previously mentioned, the kinkajou is omnivorous; however, he prefers fruit over all else. This is why we mix banana-flavored baby food with his milk. We also add some rice cereal for fiber. The more solid his poop is, the easier it is to clean up! This is a losing battle once he’s off the bottle, of course. A diet consisting of 90% fruit is not conducive to creating solid feces.
A kinkajou can learn to walk on a leash and halter. This is great news, because this makes socialization much easier. Because kinkajous can live 20 years or more in captivity, it's important to keep them social to prevent them from becoming surly and unmanageable. A lovable kinkajou is the best kind of kinkajou!
Email me if you have any questions, ZooFriends! Hugs and kisses!
ZooMommy