Slow Loris Pet Trade: Viral Videos and Hidden Suffering

Slow lorises became internet celebrities through viral videos, driving demand for illegal pet trade that causes immense suffering. Understanding the welfare reality behind cute appearances is essential.

Key Facts

Slow lorises are the only venomous primates, producing toxin from a gland near their elbow that mixes with saliva
Traders remove slow loris teeth with nail clippers or wire cutters before sale, without anesthesia, to make them safer to handle
The vast majority of slow lorises confiscated from the pet trade die within a year due to stress, inappropriate diet, and infection from tooth removal
Slow lorises are nocturnal and highly stressed by daylight handling — videos of lorises being tickled show animals in a freeze fear response, not enjoyment
All slow loris species are protected under CITES and their trade is illegal internationally

Welfare Considerations

The slow loris pet trade represents animal welfare suffering disguised as cuteness. Every viral video of a slow loris being petted represents an animal whose teeth have been removed without anesthesia, who is being handled during daylight against its nocturnal biology, and who is showing a fear response mistaken for contentment. The tooth removal causes chronic pain, infection, and often death from inability to eat properly. There is no ethical way to keep a slow loris as a pet.

What You Can Do

Never share or like slow loris pet videos — engagement drives demand for the trade
Report slow loris videos to the platform as animal abuse — YouTube and Facebook remove many when reported
If you see a slow loris being sold or kept as a pet, report to TRAFFIC or local wildlife authorities
Share accurate information about slow loris welfare with anyone who expresses interest in them as pets
Support the Little Fireface Project working on slow loris conservation and trade reduction