Bush baby.

[LizardLohan]

Hey guys, i have a few questions that i am having a hard time finding an answer to. Does anyone here know anything about bush babies? It is a possibility (for me) to have one as they are small , dont have free range of the house (making it easier for my parents), but still live as long as a coon. I would love to have one, or two (as they are pretty social) but i cant find too much on care or were to get one (care comes first though). I figured i would ask, because any information would help me out. I have quite a soft spot in my heart for primates, but cant get a big or too long living one. (and my dad dont want a marmie ). So if anyone knows anything please post; plus it will help any lurker that are wondering.

I hope to hear from you guys,

much love.

[LizardLohan]

AWW! look at this!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=6KGYtUseatU&feature=related

thats one the the cutest things i have ever seen... I might jsut sent it to cute overload!

[LizardLohan]

Primates are now illegal in PA, but I would still love any information about the bush baby. They are very lovely creatures.

[Eeyor216]

primates are not illegal in Pa, it is just a pain/difficult to obtain a permit needed to own one(or any exotic). You are suppose to contact the game comm. for an exotic animal ownership application & get 2 yrs exp. working w/ them. Then have your supervisor/manager of facility write a letter to the game comm. stating all the exp. & hours you have spent w/ them. No required hrs, but must be 2 yr.s. It also must be a zoo or managerie of some kind, not a private pet owner. Then you will be inspected yearly & will pay a fee. Even though I had the exp. I was always afraid to apply for a permit b/c of the horror stories I have heard about the Game Comm. If you really want one contact an animal facility & volunteer your services. good luck!

[TamanduaGirl]

A friend has one and just got another one but she baby sat one that came from a bad situation it started mutilating it's self and had to be put down. Any primate is a HUGE responsibility.

[Lionsniper]

A gal I knew had one for a long time--she used him in her educational programs--I only got to meet Gizmo once--extremely friendly and their paws look like something from ET--he was quite old when I met him so he passed away shortly after that--I don't believe they are hard to care for at all, diet-wise--more like a lemur than a monkey as far as I could tell--she owned a capuchin that was more needy of your attention--btw, this was a greater bushbaby--there is a good publication called Animal Finders Guide--they are for sale in there from time to time.

[Otolemur]

Here is a snip-it of what I always e-mail people who are interested in my Greater Bushbabies (may vary somewhat according to the circumstance, but this is for people asking basic information).

"As for caring for a Greater Bushbaby, here are the pros and the cons as I see it.

Pros- They are beautiful, intelligent animals and have a lifespan that is several years past that of a cat or dog. Their behavior (if their habitat is set up properly and naturalistic allowing for true observation) is wonderful to watch and study. They cannot "fling poo" like other primates and their stools are more like rabbit-sized pellets. They are interesting, hardy, captivating and gregarious little creatures.

Cons- Expensive inital cost (3-4.5K for an O. Garnettii Bushbaby from a *good* breeder), habitat (you will spend no less than 1K making a suitable habitat to keep your adult Bushbaby outdoors as these are very active animals who do not deserve to be cooped up in a small environment such as a parrot cage... if you live in an apartment, forget about it), food (fresh food is a *must* for Greater Bushbabies, they will get obese if they are kept on monkey chow and it is not balanced for them, and they require "special" items in their diet as well such as Acacia gum, nectar, live crickets, etc. on top of the usual fruit and protein sources), and toys. You cannot diaper a Bushbaby as not only will this not allow them to do their natural urine washing (if you plan on spending much time with your Bushbaby you can count on getting drenched in pungent odor due to their natural marking instinct) and is thus cruel, but they are also capable of demolishing a diaper which is a real hazard if the bits are swallowed. Most people, after being around them, are put off by the smell of their urine alone and I know even educational facilities that have rehomed their Bushbabies due to this. They are nocturnal and can become very boisterous at night. Their bites can cause massive injury (I know this firsthand as I've been bitten clear through one side of my finger and out the other) and, as with all exotics, you can never be completely sure if "instinct" may kick in even just for a moment and you take a big nip that may require medical care. A Bushbaby is not suitable to be around children (even supervised at any age). As with almost all primates, they do not enjoy being restrained or handled excessively... even the most interactive animals. They nip frequently, even if it is without intent to injure. Adequate veterinary care is difficult to find and expensive. Legality can be difficult to ascertain and you would need to know without question that you can keep non-human primates in both your state and county, which will require a great deal of research and phone calling. Hands down, Bushbabies do not make good "pets" and none bred in captivity are very removed from the wild.

Those are the strait facts. I realize my summary can be counterproductive in selling but I never want to sell any animal to a person who does not realize the intense amount of care and responsibility that goes into keeping such an animal. I love them and keep them in spite of all that is mentioned above and others choose to do the same. If you read all of that information meticulously and thoroughly and still decide to pursue purchasing a Greater Bushbaby for future observation/study, one-on-one limited interaction, or breeding and can provide the care that I mentioned above, then you are a good candidate to own one. I will be happy to answer any other questions you may have about them. Keep in mind that I do make any potential buyers fill out a questionaire before purchasing and ask for references, among many other things. "

Take it for what it is worth (years of experience and a facility/career dedicated solely to Greater Bushbaby spp.) and I hope this helps somewhat. There is much more detail to be explained about their care and natural behavior but this is an overview for anyone wanting some general knowledge as it pertains to a Greater Bushbaby's "pet quality".

Regards,

Jennifer

[micky36]

Primates are now illegal in PA, but I would still love any information about the bush baby. They are very lovely creatures.
gclub

[TamanduaGirl]

Aw someone should have thanked Otolemur for that info. Maybe they would have kept posting. Sorry about that. It was good info.

[TamanduaGirl]

Baby Bush Baby
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPC5qDF5vwY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcMobhjPD9M