Binturongs
Ben is a gentle soul and smells like Fritos!
The Binturong, (Arctictis binturong), is 24-38
inches long with a tail nearly as long as its body. No matter what the books say,
they can easily top 50+ lb. The base of the tail is heavily muscled and thick
with the tip being prehensile. It is used to grip branches and help the animal
balance when in the trees. Their limbs are short and very strong. They have a
thick, coarse, glossy coat that is fairly long. The ears are rounded and covered
by gray fur but there is a a covering of long black ears that extend well past
the rounded tops and come to a pointed tuft giving the whole ear a pointed look.
The face is covered by grizzled gray fur. The eyes are golden brown and whiskers
are white. Their feet have strong claws for climbing. Although their general movements
are slow and deliberate, they are capable of moving rapidly when necessary with
a rambling gait. Their soles of their paws are naked. They can breed any time
of the year with a gestation of 81-99 and can ! have from one to six young but
often only two. Babies are weaned at 6-8 weeks and are sexually mature at 2.5
years. They are long lived in captivity.
In Captivity
Binturongs in captivity can be interesting animals. They are not suitable as house
companions due to their size, poor toilet habits and odor. Binturongs secrete
a musk that is reminiscent of popcorn or warm cornbread. Unless you want someone
to think you live in a tortilla factory, you should reconsider having one in your
home. The musk will permeate everything with which they come in contact. The odor
is not repulsive but it is overwhelming in a closed environment. We feed ours
bananas as a staple, with other seasonal fruits, a sprinkling of vitamins, chicken
twice a week and an occasional hard-boiled egg. Cooked carrots, sweet potatoes
and similar items may be added. We keep our dry dog food free-choice. We furnish
a complete diet and care instructions with all of our animals.
They need a place to nest and a place to climb. They like shelves and wooden boxes.
These animals are very strong and animals kept as companions should be neutered
and declawed. They can become very moody during breeding season and can begin
to bite or threaten. Some animals never do, but the possibility is there.
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