The fashion for exotic pets is spreading more and more. Not everyone is already ready to be content with an ordinary cat or dog: raccoons, iguanas, snakes and even lemurs appear in apartments. I must say that this option is one of the most suitable, since it is quite possible to keep a lemur at home. What is needed for this?
Where to buy a lemur?
Of course, you don't have to go to Madagascar to get him. Moreover, in no case should you buy a wild one, stolen by poachers from the natural habitat of a lemur. It will most likely be a frightened, unhappy, possibly sick animal that will never become tame. There are nurseries where lemurs are bred and raised specifically for home keeping. Such animals get used to humans from childhood and are easily tamed. However, you should not take home a baby younger than three to four months old. Little lemurs experience stress very hard: parting with their mother too early can turn into illness for them, or even death. Also, when choosing a lemur, note that males have a calmer temperament than females. The addresses of the nurseries where lemurs are raised can be found on the Internet.
There are many varieties of lemurs, of various sizes, constitutions and colors, but the most popular for domestic maintenance is the feline, or ring-tailed lemur. This is the same variety that can most often be seen in photos and in cartoons: a long-legged gray animal about the size of a cat, with a long striped tail. He is known for his affectionate disposition and ability to become attached to the owner. Black and red-bellied lemurs are also suitable for home keeping. The smallest species of domesticated lemur is the mouse lemur. It weighs about 300 grams and has a body length of 20 cm (including the tail).
Lemur in your home
The lemur has one feature that creates the greatest difficulty in its content. This is his nocturnal lifestyle. In the wild, lemurs search for food and communicate mainly at night, and prefer to sleep during the day. The habit of its wild ancestors also affects the domestic lemur quite strongly. Therefore, accept the fact that you will have to give the lemur food at night, during the day he will not keep you company in spending your leisure time, but will sleep most of the time in his shelter and wake up in the evening. However, if you spend all day at work, maybe this is for the best?
A prerequisite for keeping a lemur in the house is a cage or an aviary for him. A lemur, unlike a cat or dog, needs its own shelter, where it can feel safe. If you do not provide him with a cage, he will seek such a shelter and find it somewhere in a wardrobe or in a closet. This is unlikely to suit you.
The cage should be large enough so that the animal can move freely around it. She needs to be hidden from the light so that the lemur understands that he will not be disturbed here. It is best to use hay as bedding. The lemur will also be very happy to have thick branches and climbing ropes in the cage. Make sure that the cage is not in a draft, near a heater, or in an overly crowded area of the apartment. The food bowls and drinker must also be in the cage.
Of course, this does not mean that the lemur should sit in a cage without getting out. He can and should be released to walk around the apartment and communicate with people. Remember that lemurs, like cats, are not accustomed to the litter box. But if there is a cell, the lemur will at least get used to leaving all traces of its life there.
Lemur menu: are you afraid of cockroaches?
Another possible problem in keeping a lemur is that insects must be included in its diet, because this is its natural food. So if you would not like to deal with mealworms, crickets and cockroaches every day, it is better to give up the dream of a lemur. If this prospect does not scare you, then you can buy food insects at the “bird market”. But, of course, the lemur is not alone in living with cockroaches: its diet should also include eggs, vegetables, fruits and dairy products. Remember that food from your table - such as sweets or fried foods - should not be given to the lemur, as it may develop allergies.
Lemurs live long enough - from 10 to 30 years. Therefore, when deciding to purchase a lemur, you need to understand that your pet will accompany you through life longer than a cat or dog - provided that you take proper care of it.
