Pandan civets (or luwak civets) is perhaps one of the most famous subspecies of civets. If their names sounded familiar, you may know them as the “star chefs” of the worlds most expensive coffee: Kopi Luwak. Their prestigious titles have earned their well deserved global fame, and have truly become a hot topic in both the culinary and fauna world.
On the other side of the coin, Pandan Civets are also notoriously known for their clumsiness and reckless tendencies. These wild animals are often hunted down for destroying house plants and gardens. Despite so, some people have taken the liking of these rowdy civets; and had even adopted them as their animal companions.
If you’re one of the enthusiasts, and would love to adopt a fiesty civet just as they had, be sure to read through this article for a list of interesting things you should know about Pandan Civets.
1. Characteristics and Personality
In short, Pandan Civets are predatorily, nocturnal (they are mostly active during 6pm to 4am), and wild. They are what scientists classify as Arboreal, in which they mark the same tree for their resting and safe space. Pandan Civets mark their territory by making a visible mark on the ground that gives a clear distinction between the territories.
Unless provocated, Pandan Civets are relatively domesticated and would not attack. They have a relatively calm life, excluding mating season.
2. Subspecies Clarification
Though Pandan Civet’s taxonomical evaluation is still a work in progress, there are approximate about 30 subspecies discovered from the year 1829 to 1992.
3. Understand Their Needs
Some say that raising a Pandan Civet of your own would require as much attention as raising a newborn baby. Perhaps they’ve compared the amount of effort you’d have to dedicate with a shared experience of waking up at least 3 times in the middle of the night to monitor and feed them. Pandan Civets are nocturnals by nature, and it is in their evolutionary genes that is responsible for waking up in non conventional hours to “hunt” sweet fruits. Choose their night meals carefully, and consult nutritionists if you have to.
4. Reproduction and The Life Cycle
Interestingly enough, civets do not immediately mate when they meet a potential partner. They are usually monogamous and would arrange meetings from time to time (1 to 15 days) under the same tree to copulate.
They find their mates through the scent of their anal secretions. When the copulation happens and they fall pregnant, female civets would carry their offsprings for around 2 months and are able to give birth to two litters (2-5 babies per litter) a year – using around a month after birth to be able to reproduce again. Healthy baby civets would usually weigh around 80 grams.
5. Life Span
In the wild, most Pandan Civets survive up to 15-20 years of their lives. If you’re planning to domesticate a Pandan Civet, be sure to monitor their health and go for routine check ups to ensure a good long healthy life.
6. Habitats
Pandan Civets thrive in the tropical weathers of South East Asia, Himalayans, South China, and Semenanjung Malaya. Their habitats are mostly found in deep forests with plenty of greenery and a lot of food sources.
7. Adaptation
They are well known for their ability to adapt to any kind of environment situations, because they could be found in almost every corner of the world. Civets produce a distinct secretion from their anus that is used to attack potential predators that intent to harm them.
8. Predators
Though a civet feeds off other animals, they are still prey to some. Some common predators of theirs are lions, tigers, leopards, big snakes, and alligators.
9. Living Environment
Though they are wild animals that should be free, raising a civet with no boundaries isn’t the safest way to properly raise one. Pandan Civets adopts a curious and lively personality, so – by default – their living spaces should accommodate these attributes too. If you’re considering on adopting one of your own, here are some helpful tips in constructing their ideal living space:
- Civets are defensive animals that could cause fights when unsupervised and prompted, therefore it is wise to invest on a cage when we’re not around to supervise. Be sure that it is constructed with sturdy material.
- Said cage should be easily cleaned. Civets could be litter-trained, so we could provide a litter box for them
- Civets love digging so they’d appreciate if you provide them fun tunnels for them to dig around in. They also love climbing, so a hammock is great to keep them entertained.
- The surface of the cage should be comfortable to walk on, to avoid cuts and bruises on their feet.
- If you do not want to invest on a cage, dedicate a place nearby trashcans for them to inhabit. Simply line the area with old newspaper for them to rest on, and designate a small corner for their feeding area.
10. Their Diets
Civets are omnivores by nature. Their diets mostly consists of fruits, herbs, insects, small snakes, frogs, and lizards. They are relatively low maintenance in terms of their diets.
11. Grooming
Civets are relatively low maintenance when it comes to their grooming, though they require baths and other practices every now and then. Baths, however, should be restricted up to once a month – unless there are special doctor’s note that might need them to be bathed more often. This is because frequent showers can mess up their natural oil levels that could leave their skins uncomfortable, dry, and flaky.
Other practices may include trimming their nails to prevent from getting stuck in places. Do this for around 2-4 times a month, though it varies in time of growth for every civet. Routinely clean their ears too, to prevent infections. Consult professionals on how to effectively clean them and for possible medications that could calm down any existing infection.
12. Medical Care and Needs
Specialists would often recommend on vaccinating civets from Distemper (airborne disease commonly that causes seizures and death. Its most commonly found in dogs) and Rabies for every week. If you have a civet of your own, be sure to consult professionals to tailor a health routine for your civet. Some common issues you’d need to consider are the following:
- Pandan Civets are also prone to influenza. Consult medical professionals and get them vaccinated to prevent getting infected in the first place.
- When placed in extreme temperatures, Pandan Civets could catch heatworms. Be sure to familiar yourselves with the signs for prevention and maintenance.
- Be sure to keep your civet’s dental health at top shape. Brush their teeths for every year to prevent any potential infections.
- Diarrhoea is also a common health drawback most civets would experience. This is mainly caused of a poor diet with high carbohydrates and sugar, or a parasite infection. Consult medical professionals to prescribe you the right medicines to cure the diarrhoea. If it remains untreated, civets could be at risk of developing Limfoma.
- Older civets are also prone to choke up hairballs. When untreated, this can cause anorexia, diarrhoea, and general vomiting. Be sure to isolate civets from toxic foreign materials, and medicate them for at least once a week.
On that note, most Pandan Civets are extremely responsive to over-the-counter medicine. To prevent further damage, be sure to consult professionals to prescribe you the right medication and other medical actions. It might be pricier at first, but it expels any impending costs that might be charged if the damage goes worse.
So there you have it, some interesting things you should know about Pandan Civets. Though they are one of the most endearing animals you could ever had the pleasure to meet, they are by default wild animals – therefore it is unwise to attempt to domesticate them unsupervised. If you’re considering on raising one of your own, be sure to consult professionals for further help and advices.