Slow lorises are highly threatened by the illegal pet trade, where viral videos of 'cute' lorises being tickled have driven demand. They are one of the only venomous primates and their welfare is severely compromised in captive pet contexts.
Slow lorises have their teeth removed without anaesthesia to prevent bites to owners, causing extreme pain, infection, and long-term inability to eat properly. The 'tickling' videos show animals raising their arms in a threat posture, spreading venom from gland to hand, while actually experiencing acute distress from the bright lights used for filming. Rescued individuals with removed teeth require lifetime specialised care. The combination of wildlife crime and animal cruelty makes the slow loris pet trade among the most welfare-damaging of all illegal wildlife trades.