# Woolly Lemur



## Celisuis (Jul 5, 2011)

Hey All,

I'm looking to get a woolly lemur, as you don't need DWA for them.

Has anyone got ideas for where I could possible source one from?

Or any alternatives  

I've been reading up about feeding and everything so I believe i could. Its the just the sourcing of them.

So...anyone any ideas or alternatives? 

Thanks,

Ryan


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## Zoo-Man (Apr 12, 2008)

Like with the Meerkats your also looking at getting, you should never have just one primate.


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## Celisuis (Jul 5, 2011)

Fair Enough  

I've decided for now to start fairly easy, and i have a pair of sugar gliders coming.

I shall build up from there.

No sense in jumping straight into the deep end, plus the girlfriend wanted some sugar gliders. So decided to buy us a pair for her birthday  

Thanks Everyone all the same


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## bothrops (Jan 7, 2007)

Hi,

As Zoo-man points out, you need to investigate and research the importance of social structure for these animals.

Primates should never be kept alone (neither should meerkats).

There is a wealth of knowledge on these boards and many people on here work with or keep exotic mammals.

If you are after a 'house pet' you may be better looking at something like raccoons or skunk than a colony of meerkats or a troop of lemur.

:2thumb:


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## Celisuis (Jul 5, 2011)

do t


bothrops said:


> Hi,
> 
> As Zoo-man points out, you need to investigate and research the importance of social structure for these animals.
> 
> ...


Thank You for all the advice  Love the boards, so many helpful people.

As I've said, I've bought me and my girlfriend a pair of sugar gliders for now, and will work up from there if need be.

No sense in jumping in the deep end straight away as it were.

I would rather do more years of research to provide the best conditions, rather than do a week and not being able to the best that I can for them.

Sugar Gliders are something we have been looking at for about a year, and look really cute :2thumb: which the girlfriends adores.


Thank You Everyone.


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## vazaha (Dec 31, 2010)

I think the only reason that the _Avahi_ genus are not on the DWA is because these animals, much like their close relative the indri have never been successfully kept in captivity. All animals in the Indriid family, such as all of the sifaka species (_Propithecus sp._) have proven close to impossible to keep alive for any length of time. More recently, and due to advances in the understanding of the composition of their diet, Duke Primate Centre has a successful group of sifaka. This has lead to a few zoos in the UK and across Europe having sifaka, but i think the total number in captivity in Europe is 36. Globally there are no woolly lemurs (_Avahi_) in captivity that i know of.

The main reason this group are so difficult to care for in captivity, is that they are obligate folivores and prefer a diet of young leaves. It is unknown what the chemical components and nutritional ratios of these leaves are, therefore finding a regular supply of British foliage similar to that of what they are used to will be virtually impossible. The majority of woolly lemur species (e.g. _Avahi langier_) are also on the IUCN red list, making them very rare. Taking this into consideration, trial and error husbandry techniques are very ill advised. Until there is a better understanding of wild woolly lemurs diet and they have been successfully kept in captivity, it may be better not to look into getting this species.

If these issues are eventually ironed out, they are one of the few primate species which pair bond so exactly two individuals (1.1.0) would be needed.

Not having a go at you here, just don't want you to go out and purchase any w.c. animals which will almost certainly not survive more than two or three months. Obviously these animals are incredibly beautiful and desirable, and the fact that they leap and bounce around the place would be amazing to watch. I wish you all the best with your sugar gliders too. Also i may be completely wrong, and there may well be a private keeper with a pair in the UK which are thriving, if so i will bow to others greater knowledge.


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## 5plusmany (Sep 29, 2011)

bothrops said:


> If you are after a 'house pet' you may be better looking at something like raccoons or skunk than a colony of meerkats or a troop of lemur.
> 
> :2thumb:


Dunno about anyone else but a 'troop of lemur' sound bloody scary to me!:lol2:


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