Slow lorises are venomous nocturnal primates whose teeth are cruelly clipped before being sold as pets, causing infection, behavioral abnormality, and a slow decline from inadequate care in domestic settings.
Slow lorises subjected to tooth clipping experience acute pain and chronic infection risk from the procedure. The removal of their primary defense mechanism increases vulnerability while removing the behavioral option that would normally signal stress to owners. Animals that survive the pet trade typically die within years from dietary deficiency, stress, and untreated infection. The characteristic raised-arm posture in viral videos is a fear and venom-delivery preparation, not an expression of enjoyment.