How to Groom a Pet Monkey

Grooming a pet monkey can be a tricky business. You can groom a pet monkey while it is an infant. However, monkeys grow larger teeth and become more aggressive as they get into young adulthood. This makes grooming more a matter of keeping your monkey safe and happy. Your primate vet can groom your monkey more easily as he ages. Read on to learn more.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Insect trap
• Diaper covers
• Grooming branch
• Diapers
• Pet shampoo

Provide Grooming Tools for Your Monkey

1. Hang a natural teeth and nail grooming branch in your monkey's cage. These are made from real tree branches with colored sand glued to it. As your monkey runs his nails over it, the sand acts as a natural nail file.
2. Use an insect trap to keep flies away from your pet monkey and his food. These traps use sticky strips that you hang outside of your monkey's cage to trap flies and wasps.
3. Find a good soft wire slicker brush, a comb that has both fine and coarse teeth.

Ask Your Vet to Groom Your Monkey

4. Have your primate vet remove tartar build up from your pet monkey's teeth. Vets use an instrument called a scaler to scrape built up stains from teeth. You should not try to remove tartar your self as you are likely to be bitten.
5. Ask your vet to remove any matted hair while the monkey is sedated during its regular physical examination.
6. Get your monkey's nails trimmed while sedated by the vet.

Obtain the Correct Monkey Grooming Supplies

7. Purchase diapers for premature babies for your infant monkey. Infant monkeys are much smaller than newborn human babies; so they need diapers that fit snuggly.
8. Lay in a supply of diaper covers. Monkeys are even better than children at removing their diapers. Using diaper covers can stop young monkeys from taking of their diapers.
9. Buy baby wipes without perfumes to use after changing your young monkey's diaper. Perfumes can cause allergic reactions that could lead to an expensive vet visit.
10. Choose diapers made specifically for monkeys for the most secure fit. These diaper fasten in the back to make to more difficult for the monkey to remove its own diaper.

Use Care When Bathing Young Monkeys

11. Remove your infant monkey's collar before you bath him. Collars can shrink when wet and irritate your monkey's neck.
12. Shampoo your pet monkey with special pet shampoos. Choose fragrance free cat or dog shampoos. For extra soft fur, choose a pet shampoo with a built in conditioner.

Tips & Warnings

• Your vet may need to tranquilize your monkey to groom it.