And the best part is Pua likes giving hugs too. She'll drap herself over me and wrap her arms around me or if I'm holding her to my chest and scritch her back she'll wiggle her claws a bit and scratch my back too. She likes hugging my hands a lot too and curles up around one to nap since it's easier for little self to hug just a hand or arm.

The lifespan is kind of unknown really. They aren't studied much at all in the wild so only lifespans are based on zoo tamanduas. For a long time it was 9.5yrs then recently one reached 11 so they say 9-11 years but but mexiacan a slightly different species of Tamandua reached 16. She's tamandua tetradactyla. Care has improoved a lot for them in recent years with studies into their diet so Tamandua T could well make it that old too. So idealy they probaly could live as long as a small dog. My last dog made it to 16.

They run about 1,700-3,500 I got Pua for a bit less but she was real sick and much older than they claimed so in some ways she could of been a rescue not sure she would have made it if she went to someone else. But when I am able to get her a mate I know some great people to deal with next time. I'm certainly not disapointed in her though, she couldn't have been sweeter than if I had raised her from a youngster. There are so few of them around they don't go to any rescue groups but are just resold but even that's not common. They are very rare even for exotics. They only have one baby at a time and nurse it for 6 months to a year and a five month gestation and mom prefering to wait a bit between babies you get one every couple years if you're lucky.

I'm fairly certain on her being about 3 now based on certain indicators so based on official statistics I could have her maybe another 6-8yrs but possibly longer since I've tried to give her the best food mix possible and she has it a lot nicer being a house pet rather than a zoo tam. I'll lover her for however long I have her though.

One more pic
Her Hugging my arm