Baby sloth's first checkup!

On May 27, 2021, Philadelphia Zoo welcomed a baby Hoffmann's two-toed sloth into the world. Recently, our veterinary team visited mother and baby inside Small Mammal House to them full physical exams.
Our veterinary team checked mom Latte's heart and lungs with a stethoscope. They also checked on her mouth, teeth as well as her fur. Our vet team also gave her a nail trim. Sometimes, sloths' nails can get too long and interfere with how they get around or how they grab food to eat.
The baby received what our vet team calls a "well-baby" exam. A blood sample was collected for genetic sexing (we're still waiting on those results!). Our team says the baby is healthy and growing up strong.
Our veterinary technician Jenna also did a series of biometric measurements on the baby. Outside of the Zoo, she volunteers at The Sloth Institute in Costa Rica. This biometric data along with their weight gives that team a better picture on how infant sloths are developing. It also helps them gauge how old a baby sloth is that may come into their care.