What Do Monkeys Eat?

In the wild, monkeys thrive on a diet of fruits, seeds, roots, herbs and insects. They are also omnivorous and will eat meat if they can catch it, especially young antelope or rabbits, but the main source of their protein is vegetables.

They use their prehensile tails to help them hold on to branches as they travel and forage for food. Monkeys are largely arboreal, but some species live on the ground (like baboons). They are diurnal, with periods of activity and rest.

Most monkeys, like all primates, are omnivores. Fruits are a major part of their diet, but they also eat leaves and other vegetables, flowers, seeds and nuts. Some monkeys, such as African colobus monkeys, have chambered stomachs that help them digest the hard parts of plants. Others, such as hamadryas baboons and mandrills, have large cheek pouches in which they store food for later consumption, while some, like langurs, eat only leaves.

Monkeys eat both fresh and dried fruits, vegetables, eggs, dairy products, nuts, honey, kashi cereal and chewing gum. They also receive a variety of special enrichment foods, such as marmoset jelly and boiled rabbit meat.

A pizza with a thick crust and plenty of cheese is a treat for most Monkeys, but it can be high in fat. A thin pizza with a marinara or barbeque sauce is a much healthier choice.