Recently, more and more interest from animal lovers has attracted representatives of the wild. Earlier, acquaintance with them was limited to going to the zoo and watching everyone’s favorite program “In the world of animals”. Now the fashion for keeping an unusual animal as a pet is slowly and surely reaching us. Fans of exoticism, but at the same time lovers of their own safety, can turn their attention to the amazing representatives of the chain-tailed monkey family. A closer acquaintance with these wonderful animals will help to weigh the pros and cons and make a reasonable decision.
Meet Capuchin
The family of these monkeys got their name in vain. Their tail is equal to the length of the whole body, it is very flexible and mobile and allows you to cling to tree branches. They have a characteristic appearance: large dark eyes that are set close. and a long tail.
The most recognizable species of such primates is the capuchin monkey. These monkeys are very small in size - their growth reaches 50-60 centimeters, and their weight is not more than 5 kilograms. The Capuchins were named just because the color of their wool resembles the clothes of the monks from the Order of the Capuchins.
Capuchins are one of the smartest monkeys. They always easily succumbed to training and made contact with a person. Another nickname of the Capuchins "organ grinder" says that in ancient times, wandering artists used the cute appearance and funny habits of the chain-tailed primates in their performances.
Saimiri - view features
In addition to capuchin, another very popular representative of this family is the common squirrel monkey or saimeri. This species of chain-tailed primate belongs to the most intelligent monkeys. And the proof of this is not only their behavior and habits, but also the completely physiological “braininess”. The fact is that if a person’s brain was the same size in relation to the body as Saimiri, then it would weigh about 4 kg!
These monkeys have an outward resemblance to capuchins: they are also pretty, with big smart eyes, graceful and with a long tail. But there are a number of differences, the main of which is size: the chain-tailed monkey Saymiri is very small, not more than one kilogram.
Where and how do monkeys live?
These primates need a tenacious tail to move quickly through the trees and be able to avoid danger in time. And this is due to their natural habitat. You can meet such animals in the natural environment in the dense forests of Central and South America. Guiana is considered their place of origin, where monkeys were originally found only along river banks.
The genus of American chain-tailed apes prefers to gather in numerous flocks, which number 100 individuals and more. Sometimes they replace dense woody forests for living in shrubs, mainly near rivers or other bodies of water.
These monkeys are very smart, and therefore very shy: dangers await small animals everywhere. This is reflected in their usual way of life. The monkeys do all their business during the day, not a minute without being left without movement. But with the onset of darkness, the Capuchin monkey and Saymiri climb to the tops of the highest trees and palm trees. There they spend the night until morning, fearing to move.
Similar tastes to humans: prehensile tail nutrition
The diet of these small monkeys is dominated by plant products. Due to the “woody" lifestyle, the main food for them is fruit.
Also a nutritious delicacy in the natural environment for them are insects: crickets, grasshoppers, various beetles. An alternative to this type of product at home is meat or fish products, which the tenacious tail monkey will gladly eat.
If you want to give pleasure to this cute animal and pamper it with delicious food, you should know that monkeys of this species are prone to diabetes. Therefore, foods with a high sugar content are contraindicated.
Is it a complex character?
Keeping the house as a pet of a little monkey is not without reason gaining popularity. In addition to exoticism, this animal is able to bring a lot of positive emotions to its owner.
Representatives of the chain-tailed family, such as capuchin or saimiri (squirrel monkey), are distinguished by a friendly and good-natured character. Their cute appearance and spontaneity resemble a small child. These monkeys, as well as small children, very quickly pass from sadness to joy and vice versa. Moreover, all emotions are reflected on their faces: in moments of sadness or fright, tears come out in the eyes, and joy is manifested by a violent scream and gestures.
Do not forget about the trait inherent in all monkeys of this species - excessive timidity. If the animal lives in insufficiently comfortable conditions and is often frightened, constant stress will lead to poor health and even death of the pet.
