PLEASE NOTE the photos on this website are the property of KANZAKITTY and are not to be copied

Click here Kinkajou Accessories to view the Original Bailey Bags by Denise

Be sure to check out the Exotic Animal Diets we are now offering.

There are different sizes of Kinkajous, weighing anywhere between 3 and 15 pounds.  While growing up in Panama, Matt had the larger type as a pet.  We have 10 of the smaller Kinks weighing between 3 and 6 pounds and 2 of the larger weighing approximately 15 pounds.

  Kinkajous are nocturnal, being most active between 7 PM and 1 AM and then again just before dawn.  During the day they sleep in hollow trees or a "nest" of leaves.  They are arboreal (tree dwelling), in the wild they live in the rain forest canopy, seldom if ever coming to the jungle floor.  However in captivity, they will play on the ground.

    Kinkajous have prehensile (grasping) tails, that are used like an extra paw when climbing.  (See photo at left)  It is nearly as long as the body.  Kinkajous can turn their hind feet backwards so the clawed toes can be used while descending head first.  The front paw are sensitive and the palms are bare skinned.

     Kinkajous vision is poor, they cannot see the differences in color, they rely primarily on their senses of touch and smell.  Kinkajous communicate with each other by scent marking around their home range.  The scent glands are located in bare areas on either side of the face corners of the mouth, the throat, and on the abdomen.  (See photo at right showing glands on neck)     They also have a variety of calls, from a soft bark to shrill screams.  Although the Kinkajous have scent glands they really have no noticeable odor.

    The diet of the Kinkajou in the wild would consist of fruits like figs, bananas, melons, grapes, leaves, honey, insects, bark, frogs, bird eggs, and they use their long tongues (20 cm / 6 inches) to extract nectar from Balsa flowers.  When eating they will turn on their back and sometimes upside down so they do not lose any juice from the fruits.  Kinkajous are the only carnivore that is also a "pollinator", a very important role in ecology.  As the animals feed on nectar, pollen adheres to their face and is deposited on other plants as they move blossom to blossom.     

  Life span is approximately 20 to 25 years, longer in captivity.

   Breeding: Kinkajous reach sexual maturity between the ages of 1.5 and 3 years.  The female is in estrus approximately every three months.  After a gestation period of 98 to 120 days, the female gives birth to 1 or rarely 2 offspring.

Common names:  Kinkajou, Honey bear      Scientific name:  Potos flavus    Family:  Procyonidae (raccoon)                  Role:  Pollinator, Seed disperser
 

     The status of the Kinkajou in the wild is listed as threatened.  This is due to the loss of habitat and fur hunting.  Hopefully by breeding in captivity, we can help save these wonderful animals.                

We now accept Paypal

Be sure to check out the Exotic Animal Diets we are now offering.

Click here Kinkajou Accessories to view Bailey Bags

      For more information about Kinkajous check out these free discussion groups:                                      

  http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/kinkajous

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PROCYONIDAE

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Procyonid_Viverrid

http://www.topica.com/lists/kinkajous

F.A.Q.'s  
                                
Q.  Do Kinkajous make good pets?

A.  For the right person, Kinkajous can be a great pet.

Q.  Do Kinkajous use a litter box?

A.  No.  But when Kinks wake up they will generally eliminate in the first 20 minutes.  Once they have finished it is "safe" to let them out to play for an hour or more.

Q.  Should I keep my Kink in a cage when I am not around?

A.  YES.  Kinks left to roam on their own can get into all kinds of mischief.  It is best to keep them locked up for their own safety.

Q.  What kind of a cage do I need?

A.  Bigger is always better.  However, large parrot / macaw cages work well for Kinks.  It should be large enough to put branches or parrot type toys for climbing.  A shelf for eating.  And a nest box for sleeping.

CARE SHEET

  Your baby Kinkajou is eating Esbilac puppy milk replacer mixed as per instructions on container (we use powdered).  The baby will eat about 1 to 2 ounces of formula mixed with dry Rice baby cereal, add about a 2 inch piece of banana mashed to the mix and let the baby eat it out of a small dish.  The baby will eat some, rest, and then eat more.  He/she should be fed morning and night.  You can start offering whole banana pieces right away.  Slowly add new fruits to your baby's diet such as: papaya, melon, mango, peaches, etc..  Let him/her have time to adapt to a new food before offering another new food.  Around the age of four months or so your Kink will be ready to try some hard dry dog food or monkey chow biscuits.    The hard dry food helps supply extra vitamins and protein, but is also very good to help clean their teeth.  When they are only eating the soft fruits their teeth get very brown and dirty.  They dry food cleans teeth and exercises the gums.

 We feed our adults about 1/4 cup of dry dog food plus fruits such as papaya, melons, mango, peaches, apples, oranges, pears, pineapple, apricots, figs, kiwi, and vegetables like, carrots, romaine lettuce, corn on the cob (raw), tomatoes, etc in the evening.  For treats they enjoy, marshmallows, raisins, dried plums, honey, juice, fruit nectar, occasionally they get a little yogurt, a donut, or sweet cereal.  We also offer cooked chicken or turkey.

  Keep your baby clean.  After every feeding be sure to wash your baby's face and paws off with a warm wash cloth.  Your Kinkajou can have a bath using warm water and a mild soap, just be sure to rinse all the soap off and towel dry.

  Your Kinks claws/toenails should be trimmed just like a dog or cat, just clip the tips off with fingernail clippers or pet nail trimmers.  Be careful not to trim too far so they don't hurt or bleed.  IF you should cut a little too close and the nail bleeds you can apply a little Corn Starch to help clot the blood.

   Kinkajous are best kept in a large pen when grown, 3 ft X 4 ft X 5 or 6 ft tall is a good size.  Supply branches for climbing, a shelf for eating, a water bottle hung on the outside of cage, and a nest box for sleeping.  Toys can be stuffed toys with sewn facial parts (no hard eyes or noses), parrot hanging toys, and some ferret toys.  Your Kinkajou is happiest playing with you.  They will follow you around and love to play chase.

  Spay or neuter.  If your Kinkajou will be just a pet you may want to consider spaying/neutering at about one year of age.  This does not have to be done but it can help calm the hormones.  We recommend waiting until they are a year old before you have the procedure done.

  Vaccinations:  At this time there are no vaccinations approved for wild animals, however you may want to have your veterinarian give your Kinkajou a rabies shot when he/she is 6 months old.  Be sure it is a KILLED virus vaccine.