![]() ![]() A large cage featuring trees, vines, water, and swings allows them to jump, climb and play as they would in the wild. Replicating their natural habitat in captivity is essential. Good and bad habits developed during this time will stay with them for life, so you must devote considerable time to training when they are young. These are intelligent animals and their first couple years of life leave a major imprint. As with other monkeys, they're known to throw their feces when they get angry. ![]() Finger monkeys are known to be aggressive, particularly males as they reach maturity. This makes their bite painful, although not generally dangerous, especially to children and other pets. As mentioned above, they use their long teeth to bore into tree bark for food. These tiny marmosets gained popularity as pets in the United States due to their diminutive size and cute faces. More than half of all states and the District of Columbia outright prohibit the private ownership of monkeys or allow it only with a specific license, permit or exemption issued by the government of the state, county, or municipality. Now that you have some background on finger monkeys, what should you consider when deciding whether to get one as a pet? The first thing you should check is if it's legal to have primates, and specifically monkeys, as pets in your state. The roost is normally a bundle of vines but sometimes is made up of tree holes. After their second feeding time, the group moves back to their sleeping area, or roost. They spend their time feeding, foraging, grooming, and playing. They use their leaping ability along with vocalizations, group attacks and even freezing in place to fend off intruders.įinger monkeys are active during the day, rising just after dawn unless the day is cloudy or rainy. Their natural predators include snakes, cats, and raptors. They can rotate their heads up to 180 degrees to scan for danger and leap up to 16 feet to escape it. Small insects, butterflies, spiders, and fruit round out their diet. Finger monkeys also consume the resin, gum, and vines of trees. These allow them to support themselves vertically on trees while using their long, narrow teeth to feed on sap. These tiny creatures have long, sharp nails that resemble claws more than the flat nails of other primates. Research suggests as few as one-fourth of all babies born in the wild make it to maturity, with most succumbing to falls from trees or from the group member carrying them. In captivity, that range spikes to 15-22 years. In nature, finger monkeys average a 12-16-year lifespan. Juvenile finger monkeys also contribute to the care of babies. While the species tends to be monogamous, groups may feature an additional male for assistance in newborn care. The males carry and care for the newborns for the first two weeks of life. Females can give birth twice a year and normally produce twins each time, although single or triple births do occur. The groups range from as few as two to as many as nine or ten individuals. The Life of a Finger Monkeyįinger monkeys are social creatures that, in the wild, live in small groups generally made up of an adult male, adult female, and their offspring. Their adaptability to new environments may keep them off the endangered list. Although not considered an endangered species, finger monkeys do face habitat destruction. They are also sometimes referred to as thumb monkeys, pocket monkeys and little lions, the latter due to the fur that surrounds their heads like a mane. Baby pygmy marmosets are tiny enough to cling to your finger, much like other monkeys cling to tree branches hence the nickname. ![]() Females tend to be slightly larger than males, weighing just over 4 ounces on average. All marmosets are relatively small, but the pygmy grows no longer than 4.6 to 6.2 inches, not including its tail, which can measure between 6.9 and 9 inches. Like other marmosets, they live high in the treetops of South American rainforests. Their official name is the pygmy marmoset. They’re the smallest species of monkey and one of the smallest primates in the world. What is a "Finger Monkey"?Īs the name implies, these adorable animals are true monkeys. A recent trend with exotic pet owners is the finger monkey, native to countries including Colombia, Brazil, Ecuador, and Peru. Experts warn against keeping any type of wild animal as a pet, but with no federal restrictions, many states allow it. Exotic pets are popular and controversial. ![]()
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