# coatimundi



## David V (Jan 3, 2009)

So I met a coatimundi for the first time yesterday and I fell in love with it. It's the most affectionate animal I have ever came a cross and if I could have taken it home there and then I would have. But unfortunately it's not for sale. Is there anyone here who breeds them as I would like to get one as a baby so I could raise it myself and build a relationship with it from as young an age as possible. The pet shop where I met the coatimundi said he can get me one for £600 but I'm not sure if that would be a captive born animal or wild caught. Is £600 a good price for one? If not what is a good price?


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## mrcriss (Nov 2, 2010)

David V said:


> So I met a coatimundi for the first time yesterday and I fell in love with it. It's the most affectionate animal I have ever came a cross and if I could have taken it home there and then I would have. But unfortunately it's not for sale. Is there anyone here who breeds them as I would like to get one as a baby so I could raise it myself and build a relationship with it from as young an age as possible. The pet shop where I met the coatimundi said he can get me one for £600 but I'm not sure if that would be a captive born animal or wild caught. Is £600 a good price for one? If not what is a good price?


It's not a good price for one....from a breeder, you're looking at £350-£400. The enclosure should cost around another grand.

Also, never buy from a shop. They're ill equipped to care for animals like that, and more often than not the animals come with issues. From a breeder, you get to see the place it was brought into the world, and to check out the care it has received. 

There are no wild caught ones in the UK....they're too common to bother with importing.

Please don't buy one any younger than 8 weeks. This would be an incredibly irresponsible breeder to sell them younger.

Also, if you're expecting an "affectionate" animal, then I suggest you spend some time with a coati that is having a strop (they all do), and find out what it's like to have one try to rake you with it's claws and huge teeth!

And finally, don't forget that coatis are going on the invasive species list next year, and keeping them is going to become not impossible, but altogether more awkward. So maybe a little more thought then just falling in love with one in a shop? Don't fall for nifty sales patter, and listen to your head rather than your heart.....that's my best advice, coming from someone that kept coatis for years.


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## feorag (Jul 31, 2007)

:up: Excellent advice. Do lots (and lots - and lots) of homework!


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## David V (Jan 3, 2009)

mrcriss said:


> It's not a good price for one....from a breeder, you're looking at £350-£400. The enclosure should cost around another grand.
> 
> Also, never buy from a shop. They're ill equipped to care for animals like that, and more often than not the animals come with issues. From a breeder, you get to see the place it was brought into the world, and to check out the care it has received.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the reply. I'm not just getting one because of the affection. I'm aware they can be very possessive and have a bit of a tantrum if you try to take things away from them. I recently spend 4k on a shed for my water monitor so an enclosure wouldn't be an issue. I think his price is so high because he is probably buying from the breeder at £350-400 and sticking a couple hundred on for profit. If I had to get dwal or similar to keep one that's bot an issue I'm happy to pay for all that. I think I came across a bit naive there in my first post. I will do my research on them and I don't expect a big furry ball of love lol. I'm used to getting scratched and tail whipped by a 6ft monitor so I'll be prepared for the stropyness. I would appreciate if you could give me some info on care, diet, enclosure size and what to put in the enclosure. What sort of decor do you provide? More naturalistic or more domestic style?


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## mrcriss (Nov 2, 2010)

David V said:


> Thanks for the reply. I'm not just getting one because of the affection. I'm aware they can be very possessive and have a bit of a tantrum if you try to take things away from them. I recently spend 4k on a shed for my water monitor so an enclosure wouldn't be an issue. I think his price is so high because he is probably buying from the breeder at £350-400 and sticking a couple hundred on for profit. If I had to get dwal or similar to keep one that's bot an issue I'm happy to pay for all that. I think I came across a bit naive there in my first post. I will do my research on them and I don't expect a big furry ball of love lol. I'm used to getting scratched and tail whipped by a 6ft monitor so I'll be prepared for the stropyness. I would appreciate if you could give me some info on care, diet, enclosure size and what to put in the enclosure. What sort of decor do you provide? More naturalistic or more domestic style?


If you really want my advice on doing it properly, then I'll give you it, but it's not always what people want to hear and is often just ignored. 

Firstly, I'd suggest not having just the one. They are a social animal, and even though all the literature says that wild males are solitary, the difference in behaviour when they have company is SO obvious....they really do benefit from it. Human company, no matter how often you think you'll be at home, isn't really a substitute for coati company. And you won't really understand this until you see them kept in pairs/trios.

Secondly, I'd suggest you look into getting 8 week old PARENT-reared youngsters. Partly because I think the practice of forced hand-rearing is ethically abhorrent (they deserve learning coati behaviour from their mum, and their mum deserves to be able to complete the breeding process), but also because you end up with animals that are also able to be tamed, but still have certain boundaries and aren't quite so trying and bolshy when it comes to the "terrible teens" (18-30 months). Hand reared can be a right pain in the arse!

There are people that will swear that both of these pieces of advice are bull****, but really it's not.

Enclosure size.....as big as you can. They'll use every square inch of space available. I would recommend no less than 30' long really. They're so constantly active, and to avoid stereotypical behaviour starting, I'd fill it to the brim with climbing opportunities and daily changes to enrichment. You have to be seriously inventive when it comes to enrichment, because boredom creeps in very very quickly. Enclosure design.....doesn't have to be naturalistic (although there are lovely naturalistic enclosures around), but just focus on excitement for the animal. They're incredibly destructive (like a mammalian tornado), and so when you think it's secure enough, make it 50% more secure!!!

Diet.....there's tons of info out there. One thing I will say is to introduce them to as much variety as possible whilst still young, because it will save you a load of headaches later on with fussy feeders. They seem to develop tastes as youngsters.

One more thing...these are not animals to have any where near kids! Seriously! It only takes one second or one wrong move. My friend had his bottom lip cut completely in half, during play! (which incidentally was by a hand reared)


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## aardvark28 (Oct 10, 2013)

Really excellent response in my opinion. Just one thing to say is that there is no such species as Coatimundi - the term is much misused but is only a native 
South American name for lone males of the Coati (species) that have been pushed-out from the familial group. The native people thought that living alone they must be a separate type of animal from those that they would see living in groups.


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