![]() The weight and size of baby sloths differs between the six extant species. Read More: The true stories behind these famous baby sloth photos.Three-fingered sloth (Bradypus variegatus) newborn baby (less than 1 week old) clinging to mother. It will instinctively cling to it’s mother’s fur immediately after birth and crawl up towards the safety of her chest where she begins the process of cleaning the young with her mouth. Una publicación compartida de The Sloth Conservation Foundation sloths have been known to give birth to twins, but there is only enough room on the female’s chest for one baby and the sloth’s very slow metabolism only provides enough resources for one, so the weakest twin will usually be rejected.Ī baby sloth is born ready to face the world with eyes open, sharp claws, and fully formed teeth. The afterbirth usually falls to the forest floor and female sloths have been known to descend to the ground to consume it – it is very common for animals in the wild to ingest the afterbirth, even herbivores like sloths, probably for a nutritional boost or to avoid attracting the attention of predators. ![]() ![]() In this position, if the baby falls to the ground, it won’t fall far, and the mother can climb down to retrieve her young.Ī three-fingered sloth after giving birth, Costa Rica / Photo: Agustín Murillo When it’s time to give birth, the mother will usually descend to the lower canopy branches and give birth while hanging upside down. Biologists have never had the opportunity to follow a three-fingered sloth all the way from conception to birth, and so this gestation period is still only an approximation. They are fragile yet fascinating little creatures, and here you can learn everything you ever wanted to know about baby sloths!Ī two-fingered female sloth will give birth to a single baby after a gestation period of 11.5 months, while a three-fingered sloth is thought to give birth after approximately six months. Baby Sloths: everything you always wanted to know!Ī baby sloth is fully reliant on it’s mother to teach it how to survive in the canopy of the rainforest.
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