Mouse Lemurs: The Pros And Cons Of Keeping Them As Pets

Mouse lemurs are native to the island of Madagascar and are intriguing primates with endearing personalities that have made them sought-after pets. However, they are not good pets. They are wild animals with special physical, mental, and emotional needs that captivity cannot cater to. They are also social creatures that need to stay in groups, and owning a single lemur is cruel and detrimental to the health of the individual. They are also very expensive to keep, with a lifespan of 20-30+ years and a cost of over $200,000 to care for one during its entire life.

Lemurs are wild animals with unpredictable instincts

Lemurs are wild animals with natural survival instincts that can make them unpredictable and even dangerous. They may seem affectionate and tame, but their wild instincts remain, and this can lead to aggressive behaviour as they reach maturity. This is a result of their natural social structure, which requires an alpha, generally a female. With no other lemurs around, pet lemurs may attempt to establish dominance over their owners through lunging, chasing, grabbing, and biting. This behaviour can be sudden and unexpected, and it puts both the owner and others at risk of injury.

Lemurs are also strong and agile, with sharp claws and teeth, and they can easily climb walls and jump from high places, making them difficult to control in a domestic setting. Their unpredictable nature as wild animals means that they pose a significant risk of injury to those who come into contact with them.

In addition, lemurs have complex social and behavioural needs that cannot be met in a domestic setting. They are highly social animals that live in large groups in the wild, and they require interaction with other lemurs to thrive. When isolated from their own kind, lemurs can become lonely and depressed and may develop harmful coping strategies such as repetitive pacing, over-grooming, and self-injury.

Lemurs also have specific behaviours, such as scent-marking and vocalizations, that may not be understood or tolerated by humans. Trying to force them to behave like typical pets can lead to frustration for both the lemur and the owner.

Overall, lemurs are wild animals with instincts and behaviours that are not suited to life in human homes. They require a rich social environment with other lemurs and the space to roam freely and climb trees. Captive environments often fail to meet their specific dietary, social, and environmental needs, compromising their health and well-being. Therefore, it is important to remember that lemurs are wild animals with unpredictable instincts, and they should not be kept as pets.

They are social creatures that need to be around other lemurs

Mouse lemurs are forest dwellers that live in female-dominated groups of up to 15 animals. They are highly social creatures that need to be around other lemurs. They spend most of their time in trees and can move nimbly from branch to branch and tree to tree.

Captive lemurs often suffer from psychological issues, which can stunt the growth of their social skills and lead to abnormal behaviours, such as self-harm and aggression. This is because they are usually separated from their mothers much earlier than in the wild, which prevents their proper development. They are also often kept in isolation from other lemurs, which is detrimental to their mental health.

Lemurs have complex inborn social habits and structures that cannot be satisfied by humans. They need to be around other lemurs to form strong bonds and live in natural family groups. Without this, they can develop harmful coping strategies such as repetitive pacing, over-grooming, and self-injuring.

In the wild, lemurs move in groups and share strong family bonds. This means that social interaction is very important to them. In captivity, they depend on their owners for social interaction and can become aggressive if this need is not met.

They are expensive to buy and care for

Lemurs are expensive to buy and care for. The cost of buying a lemur from a "reputable breeder" ranges from $2,500 to $10,000. However, the cost of care is much higher. Captive lemurs can live for 30+ years, and the cost of care for a single lemur over its entire life can exceed $200,000. This figure does not include the initial purchase price or unexpected veterinary visits.

Finding a veterinarian who is qualified to treat lemurs can be challenging. Lemurs are exotic animals with unique needs, and even among exotic animal veterinarians, many refuse to see primates. Those who do often have limited knowledge of lemur diseases and treatments.

Lemurs also require specialized care at home. They have complex health, behavioural, social, environmental, and nutritional needs that can only be met by a team of knowledgeable professionals or in their natural habitat. Captive lemurs require a rich social environment with other lemurs to thrive. They are typically kept alone or in pairs, which causes them to suffer psychologically and can lead to self-harm behaviours and aggression.

Lemurs also require a lot of space to move around and leap, as they would in their natural forest habitat. In captivity, they are often kept in enclosures that are too small for them, leading to weakened muscles and other health problems.

Their dietary needs are also very specific, and they require a consistent and proper diet to avoid becoming overweight or underweight. In the wild, lemurs feed on fruits, nuts, and insects, but in captivity, they are often fed mainly fruits and primate biscuits. This can lead to nutritional deficiencies and health issues such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.

Overall, the financial and care commitments involved in owning a lemur are significant and should not be taken lightly.

They are endangered and at risk of extinction

Mouse lemurs are not good pets, and they are also an endangered species at risk of extinction. Here are some reasons why:

Lemurs are the most endangered group of mammals, with 95% of species facing a high risk of extinction. The pet trade is one of the biggest threats to these creatures, as it normalises the idea that they can be kept as pets and promotes their illegal trafficking. This trafficking fuels the removal of lemurs from their natural habitats, which further endangers their already fragile populations. In their natural environment, lemurs live in complex social groups, and removing them from their mothers too early can cause lifelong psychological and behavioural issues. Captive breeding also creates physical and behavioural problems in lemurs due to overbreeding and interbreeding.

Their forest life and dietary needs cannot be replicated

Lemurs are forest dwellers, spending their days leaping through trees and covering large distances. In captivity, they are often kept in enclosures that are too small, leading to muscle atrophy and other health issues. Additionally, their specific dietary requirements are challenging to meet, resulting in malnutrition, obesity, and chronic conditions like diabetes or heart disease.

They are social and require a rich social environment

Lemurs are highly social animals that thrive in the company of other lemurs. In the wild, they live in groups, with the average Ring-tailed Lemur troop ranging from 6 to 24 individuals. In contrast, captive lemurs are often kept alone or in pairs, leading to psychological suffering, stunted social skill development, and aggressive behaviour.

They are wild animals with unpredictable instincts

Lemurs have wild instincts and are not domesticated like cats or dogs. They retain their natural instincts, which can make them unpredictable and even dangerous. As they reach sexual maturity, their socialisation needs become more critical, and they may exhibit aggression towards their human caretakers.

They can spread diseases to humans and vice versa

Lemurs and humans are both primates, which increases the risk of zoonotic disease transmission. Close contact without proper protective equipment enhances the likelihood of disease spreading between lemurs and their human owners.

They are illegal to own in most places

While some people consider lemurs as pets, it is illegal to own them in most places. In Madagascar, it has been illegal to kill, keep, or export lemurs as pets since 1964. In the United States, there is a federal law that prohibits non-human primates from being imported from other countries for the pet trade. Additionally, most states in the US have made it illegal or very difficult to own lemurs. Only a few states, such as Texas, Nevada, Florida, Alabama, and Nebraska, have virtually no restrictions on pet lemurs.

The illegal ownership of lemurs as pets is driven by the demand for exotic pets, which some people consider a status symbol. However, lemurs are wild animals and have special physical, mental, and emotional needs that cannot be met in captivity. They are also protected due to their endangered status, with 95-98% of over 100 lemur species threatened with extinction.

The process of obtaining a lemur as a pet is complex and involves seeking a license, finding a breeder, and locating a qualified veterinarian. It is also expensive, with costs ranging from $2,500 to $10,000 for purchasing a lemur and over $200,000 for lifelong care.

Lemurs are social creatures that thrive in complex groups with other lemurs. Removing them from their natural environment and keeping them isolated can lead to psychological issues, abnormal behaviors, and aggression. They also have specific dietary needs that are challenging to meet in captivity, often resulting in nutritional deficiencies and health issues.

Overall, the illegal ownership of lemurs as pets poses risks to both the animals' well-being and public safety, and it contributes to the illegal trafficking of endangered species.

Frequently asked questions