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Any marmoset monkey Owners???

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marmoset
24K views 37 replies 15 participants last post by  MarkaCiz 
#1 ·
I was wondering if there is any other Marmoset Monkey owners on here? I have a 5 month old Male marmoset. I have had him since he was 6 weeks old. He is the most sweetiest and adorable exotic pet ever. They are very common pets in Florida.
 
#2 ·
I dont think that anyone here does... But you need to post pics once you get 20 posts!! I want to see one, LOL :D
 
#5 ·
I have a pic of him and my Dogs in my Album. If you can look it up you will be my Tarzan. :) They are one of the smallest monkeys from South America. They only get get up to 16 inch and weigh about 1lb maybe less. But you do have to get a Class III Permit to have a monkey as a pet in Florida. Not sure about other states. but I do know Where I grew up in New Jersey they are Banned also RI,MASS, Some Parts of N.Y. Like i said all states have Diff. rules. But I have NO regrets of getting him. All together cage, monkey,food worth a yr,toys and other little thingsi spent about $3000. Wel, My Husband did. LOL! this is my Early
X-MAS Gift from him! LOL!
 
#7 ·
Awww, I saw his pic! He is SO cute! :heart:
 
#9 ·
Awwwww - he is adorable and sooooo small. :angel:
How does is he around the house when he has to go potty? - does he return to his cage for this or does he wear a diaper when out of the cage?

I use to own and breed Sugar Gliders - thats about as exotic as I have gone with pets.
 
#11 ·
Yeah, he is definatly adorable!
What do they eat? Ive seen monkeys on TV, and it looks like it would e fun to make their dinners, LOL. (I just enjoy feeding animals... Hehe :p)
 
#13 ·
I do have diapers but he seems to go into hiscage when he needs to go. He does not poop or pee on anyone or anything. lol! I feed him a special can of meet made for primates. And he also gets Fresh Fruits an Veggies, Yogurt, baby cereal,Monkey biscuits, Monkey O's He loves pizza crust and Jello. mainly they can eat almost anything as a person eats. The minutes he sees me get home from work at 8:30am he knows it it breakfast time and playtime out of his cage. He starts calling me with his little screech. TOOO CUTE! I have NO regrets on spending Big bucks for my Little Man.
 
#14 ·
I had read alot of stuff about marmosets that people say about them and 75% of the people are sooo off on things. These little guys are not mean. someone wrote that having a marmoset is like having triplets. LOL! **** no, not even close. I have a daughter that has a little bit of autism but not bad like other kids and she is more work then Tarzan and that is 1 kid. I read people said they smell. Not at all. I had Suger Gliders and they have a stronge smell. LOL! I would have 5 marmosets before I get a ferret put it that way. LOL! But you do have to learn about them before getting one and you do need to have time for them just like a kid.
 
#15 ·
They sound so fun! If I even got a marmoset, it would eat dinner with me every night! :p Reminds me of the bird I used to have- He LOVED Life cereal and oatmeal cookies. Anything "people food"!
 
#18 ·
LOL, Im sure it would be fun, but my mom would flip :p I live in MN though. Do you know if they are legal here? Just wondering... Ive never met anyone with a monkey as a pet!


How long do they live? I know that some monkeys will live 50+ years. I bet they need a ton of attention too.
 
#19 · (Edited)
I think it's great you like your marmoset. I truly hope you can be a good family for it.

However, despite your "research", you really have no idea what you are in for with just the experience of five months and only one animal. It's a bit presumptious to recommend to someone else that they consider ownership, when you don't know that person (although Jess is a great pet owner) and you really don't know much about the animal you are taking care of.


I know a little bit about captive primates too. For instance, I know that the marmoset you have now, is nothing like the animal you will have when he becomes sexually mature. During the first year or so, they are cute, tractable, sweet and loving. The perfect substitute for a baby human. In five years, it won't be like this, ...not at all.


Here is a quote from a web site for exotic veterinarians:
People often ask about the differences between marmosets and tamarins. The differences can be classified in 2 different ways. First, taxonomists distinguish the differences between marmosets of the genus Callithrix and tamarins of the genus Saguinus by their teeth. The incisors of marmosets are enlarged, so that they are the same length as the canines which enables them to gouge holes effectively in trees so as to consume the nutritive gums and saps (called exudates). The canine teeth of Saguinus species tamarins are longer than the incisors,1 which means that they can inflict a deeper bite. Because of the differing lengths of the tamarin's teeth, some government organizations have classified tamarins as more dangerous animals than marmosets. While the tamarin's teeth may allow a deeper bite, it is the innocent-faced marmoset that is much more likely to chomp a human's face, ear, or nose! This defines the other way that marmosets and tamarins may be differentiated. As far as aggression goes, it is the marmoset that is usually more aggressive and dangerous! Hand-raised marmosets are quite fearless around humans. They may actively and aggressively defend their territory and their owner against strangers and family members. They may quickly jump to a visitor's shoulder, then launch an attack on the face or ears. They usually bite quickly, but the bite is prolonged, meaning that once they bite, they do not let go. Sometimes, they bite, and keep chomping down, causing multiple bite wounds in the same area. Other marmosets bite toes, hands, or knees as the preferred sites. On occasion an enraged marmoset may bite its owner in a case of misplaced aggression when it sees a person it considers a threat. A tamarin may also attack strangers or a person it perceives to be an intruder to its environment, and it also may bite family members that it does not like. A hand-raised callitrichid is quite fearless around humans.



Like any puberty-driven teenager, there will be hormones, conflict, territoriality and, ...in this case, there will be biting as the animal seeks to become the dominant member of the family. Then when it's mature, no strangers will be allowed in the house. Please come back then and tell us how it is.


What I think is most telling about pet primates is what the people that take care of them, professionally, think about them.


In working over 20 years at a large, metropolitan zoo, I've known all kinds of keepers. Almost every herp keeper I've ever known has had their own collection of herps. I've known many bird keepers to have extensive collections of birds (I was one, and I still have quite a few birds). I've known hoofstock keepers to keep things as exotic as camels and zebra. I even knew an elephant keeper that owned his own elephant for a short time.

However, I've never, ever known a primate keeper that thought that keeping pet primates was a good idea. The primate keeper I married, spent 20 years taking care of everything from Tamarins to Orangs to Gorillas. She loved every day of work with them. We even raised woolly monkeys in our home for awhile. No one who works with them would want one. When they are no longer babies, they are like irritable, unpredictable, 2 year old humans with fangs, claws and no rules or boundaries.


Admittedly, a marmoset will never tear your face off like an angry chimp, but they can be pretty destructive and inflict some respectable wounds. But, to say they can be good pets when you've had hardly any time with this animal is foolish.



Check out: Monkeys As Pets


In my experience, the only people who will tell you they make good pets is either 1. Someone who wants to sell you one, or 2. Someone who really has no idea what it's like to take care of a primate long term.


Sure, there are a few people who can manage good, private primate ownership. ...just like there are also people out there who are professional soccer goalies and who have played in the World Cup. ...I've never met one those folks either.


I really, honestly hope you are one of those people. Not for your sake, but for the sake of the animal that you have chosen to take into your care. I hope your stewardship is better than you describe it. Equating it with having a kid in one sentence, then calling it a pet in another. Describing an inadequate diet. Encouraging others to get one, when you, yourself have no idea what you, yourself, are really in for. You really ought to get to know what's in store for you, before you start trying to recruit other folks. Primate ownerships isn't for just anyone, ...I'm not sure it's for anyone. I'd like to see you prove me wrong.

Bob
 
#20 ·
This is to Mygala, I do not know U, and you do not know me. yes, I have had my Marmoset for 5 months since he was 6 weeks old. I have been reading about these little monkeys for 4 yrs. Because i wanted to make sure I Knew what I was getting myself into having a marmoset. So, Please dont tell me I have no clue what I am doing. 2nd I am not sure where about u live, Not sure if u are from the USA but in Florida marmosets and Tamrins and Popular animals. I have a friend that has a marmoset at she is 5 yrs old and never had a problem with her likeu are saying. But yes all animals are Diff. I see that u are angry and seem to be against having marmosets as pets. believe me in florida People have so many diff animals as pets that i never tought you could have. Lemurs are Very popular too. Alot of breeders. Please do not Judge me. U dont even know me. you r talking to me like I am a kid. I am 35 yrs old married and have 3 kids myself. and if you do not believe marmosets are pets then why in **** did you marry a primate keeper that had alot of monkeys????? He/she sounded like a breeder to me. There is also another person I found on here that has a Cotton top Tamrin as a pet. Are u going to start stuff with her too. And she also lives in Florida. Not to be mean or anything but I just Hate when people judge you and dont even know who u r. Plus if you dont live in the US you have no clue what rules we have for owning Exotic animals as pets.
 
#21 ·
Well, Mygala, I was reading some of posts you wrote to other people in the past and it seems to me that you are against people that have Exotic animals as pets. I have nothing agianst you for that what so ever But some people do believe in having some Exotic animals as pets. My breeder I got my marmoset from is a Good Breeder and guy. His Daughter in-law is a Vet that cares for primates and other exotic animals plus dogs,cats. And the vet even breeds Lemus,marmosets,sqirrel onkeys and so on. And that is the vet i use for my marmoset monkey. also Tarzan is not an outside pet. He is inside the house where he can interact with everyone. And he isout of his cage more then I ever sleep in a week. Like I said did read up on these guys for yrs. and yes i do have my ClassIII permit to have him. I spend more money on Tarzan then I do on myself. I am the type of person that if I have say $300 to go spend on myself Guess What I spend it on my kids and Pets. I dont even go on vacation because I know I have my pets that need to be cared for and I dont want to leave them somewhere PlusI dont trust anyone coming in my house to care for them. I thought all this over before I got any of my pets. Like I said I dont Hate you or nothing i am not like that just upset that you Dont know me at all and people think they can judge people because of things they type.
 
#22 ·
I dont think Mygala was judging you... He just wanted to make you you know what you got into when you got Tarzan. No need to be defensive :)
Personally, Im not really sure about how I feel on keeping keeping primates as pets either. Your marmoset is adorable, but I know that primates wouldnt be a good pet for me!
Id be interested to know more about his behavior as he matures too. Do you get them nuetered?
 
#23 ·
You are right, I don't know you. And since you've jumped in to primate ownership, I really hope you are successful.

However, over the years I've known many people who've had primates as pets. Everyone had the best intentions, everyone had done their research, everyone put the animal first, and everyone failed in the long run, ...unless you count the folks who resorted to things like removing the canines and claws, or locking the animal in (alone) ...or worse yet, physical abuse. I don't really call those cases a success. When the animal has to suffer so that the mindless owner can show off their pet to their mindless friends.

Again, I hope you are different, but I'm going with the odds. Even if you are successful, you've put money into a business that causes pain and suffering to more animals than we can count. Your success only means a good home for your animal. It also means that you've put money in a trade that deals, overwhelmingly, with animal suffering for human amusement. If you did your research, you know that 90 times out of a 100 it doesn't work out.

I'm not against exotic ownership, ...I'm against bad exotic ownership. Most people can't take care of dogs and cats, let alone an iguana, 18ft python, large cockatoo, ...or a primate. People need to know their limitations. In the right situation, an exotic can flourish. Not to keep bringing Jess into it, but she's a young person who lives at home with her parents and did a bang up job with a physically challenged Bearded Dragon. She is a great owner, but doesn't get in over her head with an animal she won't be able to take care of in the long (or short) term. I've seen other less responsible teenagers get things like Burmese pythons and Sulcata tortoises that ended up homeless (or worse) when the the kids went off to college.

In my old job at that zoo, I saw horrific things people did after they got in over their head with an animal they couldn't take care of. In very rare instances they ended up being accessed into the zoo's collection, occasionally they found a good home, more often than not, the animal died or was put down... but almost every time the animal suffered in some way. That's what makes me angry.

Personally, I have a soft spot for tamarins. Particularly Cotton tops and Golden Lions. I've seen a couple of animals permanently deformed because they bit their previous owners, so the owner tried to have the the canines pulled. The jaw broke and never healed properly. Whose fault is that? The animal? ...or the selfish owner who thought a tamarin would make a cute pet?

"Research" can only carry you so far. You can read all you want, but when you have the animal in your hands, it's completely different. They will always do something no covered in the book. I'm glad you did your due diligence, but five months hardly makes you qualified to recommend this as a pet to other folks. This isn't a game, google a search for primate rescue facilities. You'll find far more animals in those facilities than there are in the hands of breeders. Because, that's were most of them end up.

There is a reason most states don't allow people to keep them as pets. They don't make good pets and few people are prepared for the rigors of primate ownership, ..whether they did their research first or not.

I think you exaggerate a bit when you talk about how "common" marmosets are. There are probably more pet primates in Florida than any other state, but but that is because of a combination of climate and lax state laws regarding exotic ownership. Common? Hardly. Maybe in the few people you know. Do you know even know 50 people that own them? There are only 31 USDA licensed Class A breeders of ANY kind in the state of Florida and only a small portion of those are primate breeders.

...and you misread my post, I've never owned a primate, nor has my wife. She was a keeper at the zoo we both worked at, and when a female monkey died in childbirth, we ended up with the baby while she was being cared for around the clock. She was cute, cuddly and I loved her. There were others, for various reasons, and in fact one still comes to greet me when I walk by his exhibit. But I would never consider him a pet.

And I do wish you the best in your endeavor. However, I want to make sure other folks know that despite your experiences so far, this has yet to come to a happy ending. And I want folks to know that there are experienced, opposing view points on primate ownership.


Bob
 
#24 ·
Thanks for the compliments Bob :) I couldnt imagine getting a Burm or a Sulcata... I do love my beardies though!
 
#25 ·
I would also add to the excellent post that Myaga made that becasue "a lot" of people have something doesn't make it a good idea, or even legal. I've transported three pet caimans this year from an area they're illegal. People buy them at the herp show for $50. They'll easily take off a hand from you, but they're cute when they're little.
 
#26 ·
Bob is one of the most experienced and knowledgeable people I've come across in the various exotic communities I am part of. He's not attacking or judging, he's just trying to be honest, there is no need to feel defensive. Everyone wishes you and Tarzan the best. You should know that 5 months is just the start of a long adventure yet to come. :)
 
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