This species of sloth is typically found in the upper canopy of tropical rainforests of northern South America. They spend most of the day sleeping, becoming active at night to consume leaves, fruits, flowers, and maybe the occasional bird egg. As their name suggests, they are not fast, and prefer to use slow movements to keep out of site of potential predators. Approximately once per week, they will descend to the forest floor to defecate, and then either climb back up the tree they were on, or switch over to a new one to continue grazing for food or looking for mates.