r/sloths 21d ago

National Aviary, Pittsburgh

Post image

I got to feed and pet a sloth today!!!

Upvotes

11 comments sorted by

u/stephan_e 21d ago

VIVIEN!!! I met her when she was a lil baby. She loved sweet potatoes

u/Heavy-Basket152 21d ago

I got to feed her sweet potatoes...she LOVES them

u/Familiar_Ad_2737 4d ago

That sloth looks so happy

u/Heavy-Basket152 4d ago

She was and she was so sweet

u/rw_lck 21d ago

Petting a sloth isn't good for them. I know they're super cute but please educate yourself and others that love sloths: https://www.slothconservation.org/blog/sloth-encounters-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly

u/Heavy-Basket152 21d ago

How about not making assumptions. We went to a sloth interaction where their trainer handed us food to feed her. And we were told how to pet her and allowed by handler to do so

u/HoarseNightingale 21d ago

There are many places that say they are for conservation that aren't and it's usually s bed sign if they let you hold them. I'm not sure if petting is as scary for them. This grouo has heard of many cases where places that say they are for conservation aren't and it's easy to forget that not everyone knows about the abuses and that most of us wouldn't have done any extra research before we went on an encounter. And not all animals are the same. There could be ones in v captivity that are ok being touched. For most sloths this is beyond terrifying but I'm not convinced there stent exceptions.

Please everyone the op is likely a very kind person. Wr shouldn't assume that they didn't do any research. Even if the OP didn't - most of us wouldn't have done any research other than looking for a conservation center. I probably wouldn't have done the research myself beyond that if I didn't belong to this community.

It would be best if we didn't assume things about people who post here. Personally I would love to know where the OP went. The center might be totally on the up and up. And patting an animal isn't the same as holding them for a photo. Let's please not accuse people of not caring enough when we don't know all the facts ourselves.

u/rw_lck 21d ago

Petting a sloth shows that you didn't educate your yourself or even read what I shared. If you're not a vet or conservation specialist, you shouldn't be touching it

u/Heavy-Basket152 21d ago

I’m not reading what you shared because you’re an idiot who didn’t read my response. The handler was there, a conservationist was there and we were told how and where to gently pet the sloth. Now piss off 🖕