Wild At Heart
To start out bluntly. Monkeys don’t make the best pets, don’t get me wrong they are cute, curious, wonderful creatures, however they do not settle into domestic life as well as say l a cat or dog. Primates have highly specific needs that are extremely difficult to meet in a typical household. In the wild, they spend their day foraging, climbing and interacting with other members of their group. Keeping a primate in a cage or confined space, like a room or even a house not only can limit their natural behaviors but can also lead to psychological issues such as depression and self-harm.
This topic is a hard one to write about, there are many people that have pet monkeys, one of the most common species being the Callithrix jacchus, white tufted marmoset; who believe they are providing a good home for their pets. However, there is more to it than just providing a loving caring home, It is how the pet was even available for purchase in the first place that is the most concerning. There are currently no federal laws on primate ownership, in the US each state has their own set of regulations. Some states have no regulations, some partial restrictions whereas others have outright bans on primate ownership. Many states in the US allow people to breed monkeys and sell them as pets, however in most cases the way they initially get these monkeys in order to breed is a horrible reality that everyone should be educated on.
Most people that are after a pet monkey want the cute little baby, in order to get them monkeys may be smuggled out of their native forests, after their parents are killed by poachers, or if breeders need an initial breeding male/female they are usually wild caught and then sold to the breeders. The process of this is terrifying to the monkey, with the mode of transportation usually being in small cages by plane, ship or vehicle, unfortunately some don’t make it all the way to their destination. Some breeders have been doing this for years, you may find a baby that was born in captivity in the breeders home who ensures you they are well taken care of, however, without the strict regulations on this, most breeders are in it for the money. In order to sell baby monkeys, they take them from their parents, sometimes wean them early in order to sell them. This in itself is a traumatic experience for both baby and mother, there is unfortunately no sugar coating this.
This is a topic that many have different opinions on, or simply want to stay happily oblivious to. Primates are highly intelligent creatures, keeping them happy and healthy in a captive setting is a challenge. Working at a primate sanctuary, I have seen what happens to a monkey that has been kept as a pet its whole life. They are physically and psychologically harmed, the people that owned them were doing the best they could and were loving owners, however what the monkey needed was to be in the wild, brought up by its own mother, living the wild life they were meant to live.