Do spider or capucin monkeys make good pets?

Please don't answer if you are against this. I know that monkeys aren't meant to be pets and they will act territorial but those of you who have them would you recommend them?|||I am a Capuchin owner and I have worked with Capuchins, Spider Monkeys, Marmosets, Tamarins, Squirrel Monkeys, Lemurs, Vervets, and several other types of monks. I LOVE my monkeys, but I NEVER recommend them as pets. You need years of researching them and experience with them before you can be a good owner. And YES, THEY BITE! No amount of training will stop that! It is just natural! People email me every single day saying, "I want a baby monkey! Where can I buy one?" or "I really want to raise a baby monkey!" Do you see the keyword here? BABY. Everyone always says 'baby'. Ok, well that baby is going to grow up and get incisors big enough to remove your finger. And I rarely ever get an email from someone saying they want a male. Everyone wants a little girl. Why? Females, in all honesty, can be just as aggressive!





I DO strongly support private ownership of primates! However, only for mature, responisble, committed, and educated owners. People purchase these babies every single day and very few owners actually keep them! Most of them are given to sanctuaries, given to other uneducated owners, or stuffed in a tiny little cage to suffer once they start biting their owners. It's these stupid actions that cause us GOOD owners to pay the price.





In response to your question, spider monkeys and capuchins are some of the hardest monkeys to care for. They look cute and little on TV, but in person are VERY strong and can inflict serious damage. I was once grabbed by a spider monkey and it literally took 2 people to peel me away from him. They are strong! Please email me if you have any questions about monkeys. I'd be more than glad to help you!


Monkus83@yahoo.com|||no pet is good unless you have both the time and the knowledge to work with the animal ..too often people buy pets and go "how cute!" and once they grow up or act like the animal they were meant to be...they get thrown in a corner,or thrown into animal rescues with a slim chance of finding a decent owner .this website gives some very valuable info. before buying one ask yourself these questions


1) are you willing to spend alot of money on a huge cage that is weather proof and escape proof for the monkey? (bird cages are much too small)


2)are you willing to buy lots of toys as well as time to make sure the monkey keeps from getting bored (remember these are smart animals)


3)are you willing to give daily feedings of monkey chow and fresh foods aand vegetables?


4) are you willing to go to a vet that specilizes only in primates (a general vet wont do here)


5) you will also have to pay to go to a primate specialist so that you and your monkey will both be trained


6) is your family okay with this


7) what happens if theres an emergency and you need to leave,will someone properly care for your pet?


8) and last of all, what are your state and city laws for owning an exotic pet?some states require a special liscense|||Years ago I sold arranged customers to pruchase monkeys after long talks with them. There are 2 kinds of monkeys to me. 1.) Wild caught, wild raised like you see in a zoo., and 2.) Born in captivity, born by c-section and never meeting their moms. There was a breeder that had babies born this way and she hand raised them in a bassinet as you would a baby. These were in fact much like people and not pets. They should be raised as such and realize they will always need diapering and a sitter for up to 75 years. You don't just call a kennel when you have plans, and you don't just sell it later on down the road. They bond to you. They love you. They look up to you. I am not against anyone having such an animal, but you must realize this is a lifetime commitment. If you do decide this is for you, contact the USDA in your government section of the phone book and ask for their free brochure on breeders.|||I'm answering, and I'm WAY against this. Bad, bad decision to purchase a Primate for a pet. I'm sure you've heard all the reasons not to- so I'm not going there. And honestly, I cannot think of one good reason to have one as a pet.





BTW, the answer about 75 yr. lifespan. Wrong. There are no primates (besides Humans) that live 75 yrs. |||Yes, those things are ******* awesome.|||that depends on your general opinion of poo flinging.|||not unless you are trained to deal with them.