How to Take Care of a Pet Kinkajou
Kinkajous bear a striking similarity to some primates.
A Popular Exotic Pet
In recent years, exotic pets have been surging in popularity across the United States and foreign countries such as Japan. Seeing "exotic" or non-traditional species of animals being kept as pets is a common sight on social media platforms. It's also common to see people engage in heated debates over the subject.
While snakes, frogs, spiders, and birds (with the exception of raptors and some softbills, such as toucans) are now normalized to own, exotic mammals as a whole are still not. If you ask about owning one, more often than not, you will be scolded and simply told not to get one. As a result, not much reliable information is available to prospective owners.
Kinkajous (Potos flavus) are one of the most popular species of exotic mammal kept as a pet, alongside foxes and small wildcats like the serval (Leptailurus serval). They attained temporary notoriety for a period of time in the early 2000s after the Hollywood celebrity Paris Hilton got bitten by her pet kinkajou, the so-called "Baby Luv," and more recently by the Netflix animated movie Vivo featuring one as a main character.
Whether you are an aspiring owner looking for information on how to care for a pet kinkajou or simply curious about the topic, this article will explain essential facts you need to be aware of.
A kinkajou enjoying a snack.
What Is a Kinkajou?
What is a kinkajou, anyway? While this may seem like an odd question, understanding the species you're interested in is the first step one should take before pursuing anything else.
Kinkajous may share some visual similarities with primates or marsupials, but they are members of the Procyonidae family. Other members of this family include the well-known raccoon (Procyon lotor) and coatimundi (Nasua nasua). Procyonids are characterized by many common morphological characteristics, but seldom are their shared behavioral tendencies discussed.
All procyonids are gregarious, food-motivated opportunists who exhibit excellent problem-solving skills. Most are nocturnal, with the exception of the coatimundi. They are extremely high-energy and spend most of their active hours in the wild foraging for food using their dexterous hands and clever minds. And perhaps the most important fact is that when threatened or confronted (or when they perceive to be), almost all of them will take on animals much larger than them and fight with an unexpected intensity. It's important to know that these traits will display themselves in captivity as well, be it in professional zoological facilities or in your home.
Caring for a Pet Kinkajou
Kinkajous are high-energy animals, as discussed above. While some sources recommend keeping kinkajous in large parrot cages and dog crates, this is only suitable for them while they are very young.
Adults need access to an absolute bare minimum 6x6x8ft cage, according to the Florida Fish & Wildlife Services. To prevent behavioral issues and boredom, you will either need to allow your kinkajou plentiful time outside of such a cage and free-roaming a room of your house or opt to construct something larger.
Providing a proper enclosure will easily be just as expensive, if not more, than the initial purchase price of the animal itself.
Kinkajous are adept at climbing and strong enough to pull apart cheap enclosure materials like chicken wire. Nothing of a weaker gauge than field fencing should be used to construct the enclosure, and all must have completely enclosed roofs. Additionally, kinkajous are escape artists and will need door locks that are incapable of being manipulated from the inside with their paws.
Every enclosure should be filled with furnishings that allow your kinkajou to climb, such as ropes, swings, and wooden beams, as well as a nesting box for them to sleep during the day.
An appropriately sized and furnished outdoor kinkajou enclosure.
Feeding your pet kinkajou is a much more simple task. Kinkajous are omnivores but lean more towards a frugivore diet than coatimundi or raccoons do. However, this does not mean you can just pile a bunch of grapes and bananas into a bowl and call it a day.
Diabetes is a common affliction for captive kinkajous [1], which feed on low-sugar and high-fiber fruits in the wild, so sugary fruits like grapes, oranges, bananas, and strawberries must be fed in moderation.
A readily available basic diet capable of sustaining growth and reproduction over
a 16-year period consists of 8 to 12 oz (227–340 g) of domestic dog kibble with
27% crude protein, 4 to 12 oz (113–340 g) of fresh fruit and/or vegetables, and 1 to 2 oz (28–57 g) of dried fruit.
— Kevin Wright & Mark S. Edwards,
Commercial dog kibble is the backbone for most professionally recommended diets for kinkajous and is used in the diet plans for a majority of zoos in the American Zoological Association [2]. The nutritional ratios are suitable to create a well-rounded diet for omnivorous procyonids when combined with other food items.
Kinkajou have strong jaws and sharp teeth that can inflict deep puncture wounds.
Are Pet Kinkajous Dangerous?
On very rare occasions, kinkajous have stolen the media spotlight for their aggression towards humans. Most recently, in 2019, a Florida man was attacked by an escaped kinkajou who snuck into his house looking for food.
It's a well-known fact that all animals can bite, but not all animal bites are equal in the damage they can do, and some animals are less willing to bite than others. Kinkajous are prone to mood swings and have teeth that can create deep puncture wounds, which will almost certainly get infected due to the bacteria in their saliva. This means their bites can be very serious and will almost always require a trip to the hospital for antibiotics.
Responsibly owning a kinkajou or any animal, regardless of whether it is domesticated or not, means understanding and respecting their capacity to bite or scratch you. While a little kinkajou may be infinitely less dangerous than a large dog or horse in regards to their ability to kill a human, kinkajous can still bite. Some will bite more than others, and most owners will likely find this to be a gamebreaker when considering them as pets.
Conclusion
If you would like a pet kinkajou, consider if you can commit yourself to such a pet for their entire lives—which is up to a maximum of 40 years.
Owning a kinkajou as a pet can be a dream come true for some and a truly rewarding experience. But for others, it's a pursuit best left alone for the wellbeing of both the human and animal involved.
Sources
[1] Wright, Kevin, and Mark S. Edwards. Considerations for Kinkajou Captive Diets - Accessed 11 Aug. 2023.
[2] AZA Small Carnivore TAG 2010. Procyonid (Procyonidae) Care Manual. Association of Zoos and Aquariums, Silver Spring, MD. p.114
[3] Caging For Common Class III Pet Species. 68A-6.012 : Standard caging requirements for captive wildlife - Florida administrative rules, law, code, Register - FAC, far, Erulemaking. (n.d.). https://www.flrules.org/gateway/RuleNo.asp?id=68A-6.012
This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.
