Monkey's as pets?

[samy23]

Would you ever consider owning a monkey as a pet? One that was bred in captivity and possibly hand reared, obviously I don't mean one taken from the wild.

I've never thought about it before, but I guess people do own them? I think I've seen capuchin's as pets on tv before, but there's probably other small types of monkeys some people have as pets. What are your thoughts on owning one? Firstly it seems dangerous to me, being a wild animal it could turn on it's owner, and aren't monkey's known for being vicious if/when they do get aggressive?

ETA -it just made me think when I saw a sign up somewhere selling them.

[North_Of_60]

I would never own one. For the same reason I would probably never own any other kind of exotic pet (unless I really, really, really put some research into finding ethically raised/rescued animals). They're not domesticated pets, like cats or dogs. They are wild. The vast majority of domesticated pets have come to depend on humans for survival, wild animals do not. I have a hard time, ethically, bringing a creature into my home for my sole entertainment when it would be happier and healthier its natural environment.

The exception to this is when I win the lottery and can turn my property into a safe haven for abandoned and abused animals. I would absolutely put the time and resources into creating habitats for animals that were wrongfully procured and then dumped. But the monkey would be living outside in a simulated environment. Not in my living room. But right now, in my house? Where it would have to likely live in a small cage for the majority of its life? Or be tied to a leash so it doesn't hurt someone? Nope. Not in a million years.

I also don't think they're safe. My former boss (who had the space and resources to take in abandoned exotics) rescued a Japanese Macaque and it attacked me once through the bars on its habitat and it ripped the sleeve off my sheepskin lined jean jacket (a THICK jacket). It scared the bajesus out of me. I always wonder would have happened if I didn't have that jacket on. It would have seriously injured me. It takes special experience and knowledge to care for these kinds of animals, and I don't think the average person with the money to buy an animal possesses those skills. There's a reason zoology degrees require years of training.

[AllyRae]

Nope. Monkeys were not bred to be domesticated. They are wild animals and can still act on their wild animal instincts.

That, and it just seems weird--there aren't a lot of monkeys as pets which means that they might possibly be taken from the wild, away from their animals, and used for breeding purposes. I don't even buy dogs from breeders--I certainly wouldn't buy a monkey. We only adopt rescue pets, and I don't think there are any monkey rescues around. :

ETA: And I don't even like my toddler climbing up on high furniture. I surely don't have enough things for monkeys, who love to hang and swing, to be able to live in a happy manner. They need trees, they need their families, they need their tropical habitat. Suburbian Ohio isn't that.

[waterproofmascara]

Never ever ever. Someone surrendered one to our vet when I was a young child (35 years ago or so), and that thing bit chunks the size of quarters out of people on a regular basis. And he had been hand raised with a very loving family that moved away. (probably to get way from the monkey.)

[SW1975]

Ideally, who wouldn't want a little furry human running around! Makes chores soo much easier. In reality though, no. For the same reasons mentioned by you lovely ladies.

[buckeye_bebe]

No thank you. Even as a service animal, I wouldn't want one. I can think of ways it could enhance or enrich my life as a service animal. However, the danger it poses if it flies off the handle is not worth it. I remember a story about a young sorority girl who had her face ripped off by one a long time ago. I think she was participating in a rescue as a volunteer at the time.

[lookatreestar]

no way.

[samy23]

I had a quick look on youtube and was surprised to find so many videos people had posted of their pet capuchin monkeys!

Some had leashes on and even diapers and clothes! They actually look quite big to be keeping when they are a wild animal.

They seemed playful and attached to their owners though. Im not sure of their living conditions, the ones I saw were of them actually running about in the yard on a leash or in the house freely....surprisingly not swinging off the lights etc lol. But I guess they must have some type of enclosure/large cage to sleep in at night or stay in if their owners go out.

I also saw these tiny monkeys, pygmy marmosets/finger moneys? or something like that. It's quite interesting to see. Like "aww!" but also "huh??" at the same time yk?

[just_lily]

There was a lady on Oprah recently who had her face ripped off by a pet chimp. Her whole face, eyes included. I know you aren't talking about chimps, but still... no way.

And any animal that likes to throw their own feces is immediately ruled out as a pet.

[Oubliette8]

I would never own a monkey, and think it should be illegal, along with things like lions and tigers, alligators etc.

Monkeys are often cute and well behaved as infants, but when they grow up, they can be VERY hard to handle. I would guess most of the monkeys you saw on youtube are not sexually mature. They live a very long time (20 years or more) and are extremely social creatures who need a LOT of stimulation. They can also become aggressive and severely injure folks. In addition, they are a vector for zoonotic diseases. Many monkeys are turned over to rescue, destroyed, or relegated to life in a small cage when they become too old to handle. Its incredibly sad. And yes, there are dedicated monkey sanctuarys and they are overflowing with abandoned pets, which says something, since there are not that many pet monkeys out there to begin with. Its also extremely common practice to remove a monkey's teeth so they are less dangerous when they do bite. I think its incredibly cruel.

[Sol_y_Paz]

No I would not.

[North_Of_60]

Originally Posted by just_lily

And any animal that likes to throw their own feces is immediately ruled out as a pet.

I can't help but be reminded of the fact that my sister's claim to fame (at least in infancy ) was when she, uh, "painted" with her diaper. I don't know if this is a good rule to live by. Humans have their moments too. LOL

[MrsMike]

Bad, bad idea. They are wild animals. They are AMAZING animals and we should certainly admire and work towards conserving them. They are not meant to be pets. They can be very dangerous, even the little guys. As a PP mentioned, they are a vector for a whole host of diseases - scary ones. It's nothing like picking up fleas or even worms from your dog.

At my old practice, we would receive blood and feces for testing from both laboratory monkeys and pet monkeys. In order to do testing on their blood and feces, we would have to shut down a portion of the laboratory, cover every service, gown up, wear booties, hair caps, masks and gloves. After testing, we would have to super disinfect every single thing within the area. I've never had to go to such extreme measures (no where near those measures) with any other group of animals.

[heartmama]

Monkeys are wild. Unless I was specially trained and equipped to handle rescues I would not take on the commitment of a pet monkey.