How to Care For a Capuchin Monkey

Capuchins are a type of New World monkey native to South and Central America. They tend to range from 12 to 22 inches long not counting the tail, and weigh up to two and a half pounds. They are known as being the most intelligent of the New World monkeys, and for this reason they have long been human companions, from the days when organ grinders performed with trained monkeys to the exotic pet fad of today. Monkeys are by no means easy pets to keep,and as they can live to be 40 or even 50 years old in captivity, you really need to make sure you are ready for a long-term commitment before adding a pet monkey to your household.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Cage
• Primate diet
• Supplemental food, vitamins
• Toys
• Collar/halter and leash
• Vet

1. Check with your municipality to make sure it is legal to own a pet monkey in your area. There was a recent case in Montgomery County, Maryland where a capuchin named Armani was separated from her owner for seven months until the Maryland Circuit Court overruled the county's decision to remove the pet from her owner. If you do not have the time or the resources to fight a prolonged court battle, you'll need to make sure you live in an area where pet monkeys are permitted by law before adding a capuchin to your family.

2. Build a very tall (6 feet at minimum), strong cage in which to secure your monkey. Although you may wish to give your capuchin free run of the house while you are home, there are too many dangerous situations that an unsupervised monkey can get into when you are not around, so a roomy cage is more of a kindness than a cruelty.

3. Feed your monkey a varied diet. Start with a good commercial primate diet, then supplement that diet with fruits, cooked and raw vegetables, seeds, nuts, hard-boiled eggs and wheat bread. You can also feed your monkey insects like grasshoppers, crickets and mealworms as these are eaten by monkeys in the wild. You may also wish to use a good primate vitamin supplement, which can be sprinkled over the monkey's food.

4. Stimulate your monkey with plenty of toys. Toys that are tested as safe for babies and toddlers should be good for monkeys too, and you can pick these up for next to nothing at any thrift store.

5. Take your monkey out for a walk using a collar or halter and leash. Although your monkey will probably choose to ride on your shoulder, you do need that leash to grab if he starts getting into something he shouldn't.

6. Find a good veterinarian to deal with your monkey's health concerns. Your capuchin will need a complete health exam once a year, complete with TB test, parasite examination and a complete blood screening. Your locality may have particular vaccination requirements for monkeys, so you'll need to call around in order to find a vet who is up to speed on monkey care. If you are having difficulty locating one, call your nearest zoo and see if they can recommend a vet.

Tips & Warnings

• Capuchins are very clever at being able to escape from cages, collars and leashes,. so check with fellow monkey owners to see how they manage to monkey-proof these items
• Keep all medications,matches, lighters and so on out of the reach of your monkey, the same as you would do with a small child