How to Babysit an Orangutan

A good babysitter, one that is asked to return, is respectful of the parents, or in this case, the owner's wishes and schedule of the "baby." An orangutan, depending on the age, requires about as much attention as an infant. They are wild jungle animals, and though they are peaceful in nature, you never know what to expect from an animal that is out of his habitat. Read further and learn what you should expect while watching an orangutan.

Things You'll Need

  • Diapers
  • Orangutan food
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Instructions

    • 1

      Ask the owner what the daily schedule is for the ape. According to the website Enchanted Learning in the section "All About Orangutans," the orangutans spend some time every day looking for food and making a nest out of foliage to sleep in at night.

    • 2

      Find out where the animal's eating and sleeping quarters are located. Orangutans are quite peaceful animals that normally sleep a lot; the amount depends on its age.

    • 3

      Ask if the orangutan likes to be held and carried. According to Borneo Orangutan Survival UK, a website that promotes protection to the orangutan, the apes are awkward at walking and like to stay in the trees.

    • 4

      Ask if the orangutan needs his food cut up and if he drinks from a bottle. Feed him whatever the owner has left for you. In the wild, the orangutan eats mostly plants, with a preference to fruit. They also will eat small creatures such as birds or rodents. Baby orangutans are taught by their mothers how to break up food, but an infant orangutan that's a pet probably doesn't have those survival skills.

    • 5

      Check if there are activities that you should avoid for fear of disturbing or threatening the orangutan's territory. "Although orangutans are generally passive, aggression toward other orangutans is very common and they can be territorial," says Borneo Orangutan Survival UK. If they are normally passive in their native habitat, that is not saying they are always passive, especially if they aren't in their natural habitat. If the orangutan is territorial toward other orangutans, it could be territorial to humans if it has lived with them for a long time. You don't want the ape see you as a trespasser on his territory.

    • 6

      Change diapers or clean up messes as needed.

    • 7

      Follow the owner's instructions to the best of your ability. Be gentle and kind to the animal.