Monkeys are diurnal (active during the day), social creatures that live together in groups. These groups, known as troops, are organized into a variety of different social systems. Some troop structures include a one-male leader that has access to multiple females for mating. Other troops contain several males that compete for the opportunity to lead the group, and still other troop structures have no leadership structure.
Some species of monkeys are vegetarian while others eat both plants and animals, such as insects and birds. Monkeys can also use tools to extract hard-to-acquire food from branches or bark, such as termites and honey. They may even consume plants’ underground storage organs, which are rich in carbohydrates.
A monkey helper is a monkey that has been trained to assist with activities of daily living for people who have physical or cognitive challenges. In addition to retrieving dropped items, helping with a drink of water and turning pages in books, our monkey helpers are also capable of opening drawers, pushing buttons and switches for remotes, phones, computers, and so on, and scratching itches.
Despite the ability of monkeys to learn, they do not make good pets because they require full commitment from their caretakers all day every day. They cannot be left alone for extended periods because they will become bored, depressed and aggressive. A monkey can also carry hepatitis and other diseases that can be transmitted to humans. Before considering a monkey, check with state and local laws to determine whether they are legal to own where you live.