Why shouldn't you actually pet a sloth?

Great advice on why you shouldn't handle wild sloths by the Sloth Institute Costa Rica. read more

After ensuring the sloth’s safety and return to his territory we spoke to the gardener and explained why he shouldn’t touch a wild sloth again (unless in immediate danger) and how it is very stressful to be handled by people and can get them disoriented, lost and sick. read more

Generally, sloths are considered exotic pets. This only implies that potential owners might have to comply certain requirements like permits and special licenses, as well as meet some conditions. Before you consider keeping a sloth as a pet, it is important that you check out any local legal requirements. read more

Whether this was intentional or not, the tone of the story effectively glamorises the concept of owning a pet sloth. From what I’ve seen, the standard response to the images seems to be: I want one! And that is where the problems begin. The sad reality is, sloths that are sold as pets usually come from the wild. read more