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Penny is very active and enjoys jumping on her parents to get them to play. Sixpence enjoys sleeping under heat lamps and trying to find alone time away from her daughter Penny. Mego is Penny’s father and came to the Zoo in 2014 from The Duke Lemur Center in North Carolina. He enjoys sleeping in the sun and showing off his “hanging” behavior (behavior you would see in the wild). Mego can be easily recognized by the white ring around the base of his tail. Weaning occurs at about 4 months and sexual maturity at about two years. Mothers will carry each in her mouth rather than on her back like other lemur species. Young are removed from the nest after a week or two. Births take place in well-concealed tree nests, unusual for diurnal primates. Litter size is typically two to three but can be up to six, and mothers can nurse six simultaneously. Ruffed lemurs are one of only a few primates that have litters. Red ruffed lemurs are polygamous, and breeding is seasonal in the wild between May and July. These prosimians (primates evolving before monkeys and apes) have a life span in the wild of 15 to 20 years but can live more than 30 years in human care. Lemurs groom each other for hygiene and to cement social bonds. Females are the central force in groups and dominant to males. Scent marking is another means of communicating and defending territory. Loud, raucous, barking vocalizations allow group members to stay in contact, and serve as warning to intruders and warn of the presence of predators. Males and females form separate overlapping ranges. Established territories are defended against other groups.

In some areas, groups are small with two to five individuals and in other areas or when fruit is plentiful, larger loose affiliations are formed of up to 32 individuals. Social organization varies depending on season and habitat quality. Humans also hunt and trap lemurs for food and the pet trade. Wild predators of red ruffed lemurs are boa constrictors, eagles, hawks, and fossa (a weasel-like animal). Small amounts of fruit for training purposes. Variety of vegetables, greens, starches, and low-starch biscuits. Red ruffed lemurs are mostly frugivores in the wild consuming fruit, nectar and pollen, but also leaves, seeds and flowers.