Slow lorises are venomous nocturnal primates suffering catastrophically from the illegal pet trade driven partly by viral videos. Their welfare as a zoo species and their complete unsuitability as pets requires understanding.
Slow loris welfare suffers catastrophically from the illegal pet trade. "Tickling" videos that appear cute actually show animals in severe distress — their arms raised is a defensive posture, not enjoyment, and their drowsiness indicates torpor from stress and inappropriate temperature. To be sold as pets, loris teeth are clipped or removed without anesthesia — a painful procedure that causes oral infections, nutritional deficiency, and inability to produce venom for self-defense. Even with teeth intact, lorises cannot thrive in captive conditions accessible to private owners. Their specialized nocturnal ecology, complex dietary requirements, and profound sensitivity to stress make keeping them in typical pet conditions a severe ongoing welfare harm.