10 Compelling Reasons to Avoid a Pet Monkey are as follows:
1. Legal Complexities:
It is critical to comprehend the complex legal requirements regarding exotic animal ownership before considering keeping a pet monkey. Primate pet ownership is sometimes either completely prohibited or necessitates the purchase of expensive licences. The JRC supports a worldwide ban on the possession of monkeys as a pet.
2. Safety Concerns:
Moreover, because of their unpredictable behaviour and propensity for violence, monkeys can offer serious safety issues. They are not appropriate family pets because of their strength and agility, which can result in catastrophic injury.
3. Training Challenges:
It is quite difficult to train a pet monkey, and it takes persistence and skill. It takes a lot of time and effort to build a close relationship with them and teach them acceptable behaviours because of their intellect and complicated behaviours. For the connection to be fruitful and healthy, one has to have a thorough understanding of primate behaviour.
4. Incompatibility with Household:
Monkeys are wild creatures with distinct requirements and behaviours that might not fit well with a regular home environment. They may feel stressed and anxious because of how different the residential setting might be from their native habitat. Unmet social and physical needs in monkeys can lead to behavioural problems including aggressiveness, sadness, or self-destructive inclinations. Both the monkey and its human carers may live unhappily and unhealthily as a result of this lack of adaptability.
5. High Maintenance and Specialized Care:
Monkeys are quite demanding in terms of care and attention. They have particular food and environmental requirements, which can be difficult and expensive to satisfy. For their wellbeing, appropriate shelter, enrichment, and mental stimulation are crucial. Additionally, because they can live for several decades, monkeys require a lifetime commitment. For people with hectic schedules or limited means, getting a pet monkey may not be worth the financial, emotional, or time commitment.
6. Long Lifespan:
A lifetime commitment from owners is necessary due to the lengthy lifespans of many monkey species, which can reach 40 years or more in some cases.
7. Zoonotic Diseases:
Close contact with monkeys can expose people to zoonotic diseases, and these are diseases that can be passed from animals to people. Some illnesses, like the herpes B virus, can be extremely harmful and even fatal.
8. Health Risks:
The risk persists despite stringent safeguards, particularly when residing in close proximity to a primate. To protect both human and animal health, it is essential to take into account any potential health hazards.
9. Ethical Concerns:
The ethical implications of keeping a pet monkey for conservation and welfare of animals are complex. Primates, such as monkeys, are highly cognitive beings with sophisticated social requirements. They may experience stress, behavioural problems, and a terriblequality of life if they are kept in captivity.
10. Conservation Impact:
Additionally, the desire for pet monkeys may help fuel the illicit wildlife trade, which may lead to species extinctions and population decreases in the wild. When deciding whether to welcome a monkey into your house, it is important to take into account the welfare of the animals and their effect on conservation.
Before Making a Decision:
There are many obligations and obstacles associated with keeping a pet monkey. Given the ten convincing arguments presented above, it is essential to spend the necessary time learning all there is to know about the ramifications of having a companion primate. Before making such a promise, give it some thought because it raises ethical questions in addition to financial and legal ones. Instead, investigate different methods to value and help these amazing animals in a way that supports both their welfare and conservation efforts. Making informed choices guarantees the wellness of both the potential pet and the larger group of animals.
FAQs
They're potentially dangerous - while they might look cute, they can become aggressive when they mature and have been known to bite and attack their owners. Not suitable house pets - primates need space, companions and mental stimulation - not what you find in someone's living room.
Why shouldn't you have a pet monkey? ›
They're potentially dangerous - while they might look cute, they can become aggressive when they mature and have been known to bite and attack their owners. Not suitable house pets - primates need space, companions and mental stimulation - not what you find in someone's living room.
Is it morally wrong to have a pet monkey? ›
Ethics. Capuchin monkeys are often surrendered as pets because they have needs most humans don't have the skills or time to fill, making it more than likely that owning one is—in most instances—unethical.
What are the pros and cons of a monkey? ›
They are incredibly social animals, intelligent, and able to learn tasks and tricks quickly. Those are the pros. There can be a rather sizable expense with owning a monkey. You will need to create a secure enclosure and have the proper permits.
What are the cons of owning a finger monkey? ›
One of the biggest issues with monkeys as pets is that they need social enrichment unless the human owner can be with their pet at least 90% of the time, and this is highly unlikely to be feasible for most. All monkeys should probably be housed with at least one other monkey of their own species.
Why shouldn't you smile at a monkey? ›
For many, many species, the showing of teeth generally means quite the opposite: fear, alarm, even a belligerent threat. In fact, of all the known primates – that's well over 200 species – we humans are not in a majority in this smiling thing.
What not to do to a monkey? ›
To a monkey, showing your teeth is a sign of aggression and threat. Similarly, don't yell at a monkey or otherwise tease / heckle it. Take care with your body language and don't make sudden movements – any perception of aggression or threat will increase the chance of a monkey attack.
Is it cruel to have a monkey helper? ›
MacKinnon acknowledges that the monkeys' opposable thumbs and clever brains make them tempting candidates as service animals, but concludes that ethically, we would be better off sticking with the use of domesticated animals like dogs for helpers.
Can monkeys bond with humans? ›
Upon first impression, the exchange appears similar to rough housing among human children. Local news outlets have been describing the interactions as a remarkable "friendship" between human and monkeys. It's not the first time accounts have surfaced about people who share strong bonds with our wild cousins.
Do monkeys feel regret? ›
Monkeys to feel regret and learn from their mistakes just like humans, according to a new study.
Capuchin monkeys are one of the more common primates in the pet trade. The black-capped, or tufted, capuchin appears to be the most common species kept.
Can a monkey be potty trained? ›
No. Most monkeys cannot be effectively toilet trained. Sometimes, younger monkeys can be partially potty trained, but they lose that ability as they mature. In addition, as they're attempting to potty train, they tend to throw their poop and play with their pee.
Why do baby monkeys jerk? ›
Young macaques use “gecker” calls (best described as “ik ik ik” screams with a body jerk) when in distress to attract their mothers' attention.
What happens to pet monkeys when they get older? ›
When pet monkeys reach maturity, they can become difficult to handle and may even injure their owners. Many end up being rehomed to sanctuaries, or may even be released into the wild where their chance of survival is very low.
What are the cons of owning a capuchin monkey? ›
Aggressive behavior in capuchins occurs fairly often, even in older monkeys who had never displayed such tendencies. The American Veterinary Medical Association warns that monkeys are natural hosts of herpes B, which can cause fatal encephalomyelitis in people.
Do monkeys get jealous? ›
Male titi monkeys have also been known to physically hold their partner back from interacting with another male. While female titi monkeys exhibit jealous behaviors much like their male counterparts, they do so in a less intense manner, making male titi monkeys ideal for the study, Bales said.
Can a monkey harm you? ›
Risks from monkey bites include serious wound infections, herpes B virus, and rabies. If a person is bitten or scratched by a monkey, the wound should be thoroughly cleaned with soap and water.
Is it safe to live with a monkey? ›
No matter how much they look like people, monkeys are wild animals and because of this, as they get older, their behavior is unpredictable and dangerous for human owners, who often resort to caging them, chaining them or removing their teeth.
Is it bad to have a chimp as a pet? ›
For this reason, people buy them from breeders to keep as “pets.” But chimpanzees quickly grow up, and by the age of five they are stronger than most adult humans. They become destructive and dangerous, and can no longer live in a human household.
