Monkeys are fascinating animals, endlessly entertaining and sometimes incredibly affectionate. However, keeping a monkey as a pet requires loads of time, money and patience. They are highly intelligent and never boring, making them rewarding companions for the special types of people who can accommodate them. Before adopting one, find out if it is legal to own monkeys in your area and make sure you can provide a large, sturdy cage with lots of toys.
In the wild, most monkeys live in troops of a few females with their young and either a single male (as in hamadryas baboons, mandrills, most guenons and langurs) or several males (as in marmosets and some tamarins). Unlike humans and other great apes, monkey babies are helpless at birth and must be carried on Mom’s back or by Dad until they are old enough to walk independently.
Most monkeys are omnivorous, with plants making up 90% of their diet. Nevertheless, some species have specialized anatomy for exploiting particular food sources and are considered frugivorous or insectivorous. For example, gelada monkeys have long digestive tracts to absorb hard-to-digest leaf nutrients. And colobus monkeys use multi-chambered stomachs to ferment plant matter, much like ruminants do with grass.
In captivity, balance a monkey’s diet by feeding them three meals a day and small snacks every few hours. Keep in mind that they will eat their favorite foods more than other food, so be sure to have plenty of variety. It is also important to have a lot of things for the monkey to play with, as this helps them burn off energy instead of chewing on their cage bars.