Picked up a baby Marmoset monkey.

[ChrisNCT]

We picked up our first Marmoset monkey boy. We are thinking of naming him Gizmo. He's 6 weeks old.

Absolutely one of the most adorable pets we have ever owned. Hopefully with our daily interaction, he'll stay somewhat tame as can be with us. They are ALLOT of work. We have wanted one for what could be at least 20 years. He's loving berries, nuts, seeds, bananas, greens and other fruits.

 

[Leila]

Omg, that is the cutest baby!!! Did ya get him from the exotic pet expo in Nashville?

 

[GingerC]

I must say, I'm not really fond of primates (and that includes my siblings), but congratulations! I'm sure you can provide an excellent home for him.

(anyone else get triggered by "they'd be happier in the wild"??)

 

[ChrisNCT]

Omg, that is the cutest baby!!! Did ya get him from the exotic pet expo in Nashville?

Yep, we did. I got a Pied Ball Python female too!

 

[Leila]

Yep, we did. I got a Pied Ball Python female too!

What?!? No way!!!! Post a pic of the python pleeeease!

Did they have a decent selection of tarantulas at that expo, and did you get any?

I so wish I could have gone!!

 

[Andee]

The only thing I'd be worried about is how young he is? But idk, I live in CA so I have never even researched the cooler exotics (like sugar gliders etc) because I can't have them. Though I know I would likely start a rescue for them if I could. Honestly so many of the exotic mammals don't get what they need. I am so glad you guys are doing it right ^^

 

[ChrisNCT]

What?!? No way!!!! Post a pic of the python pleeeease!

Did they have a decent selection of tarantulas at that expo, and did you get any?

I so wish I could have gone!!

They had King Baboon's, Costa Rican Zebras, Vietnam Tiger Tarantula's, Goliath Birdeater's, Desert Hairy Scorpions, Flat Rock Scorpions, Striped Scorpions, Asian Forest Scorpions.

Here's my female Pied.

 

[TartKart]

Wow now that is a beautiful snake....congrats sir

 

[Andrea82]

He looks cute, but isn't the monkey a little young to be without his mother? What's the background story?

 

[ChrisNCT]

He is 6 weeks going on 7. We have him on bottle of low iron formula 3x a day. He is also eating solids such as granola, oats, veggies, some fruits, nuts and cheerios.

He's doing well.

 

[Ratmosphere]

That's so rad!

 

[boina]

Sorry, but this constitutes animal abuse. Marmosets are highly social animals. At this age the baby would be in constant contact with his mother and never alone at all. later it would be in constant contact with members of it's family group. Even if you manage to raise the baby it will invariably have serious behavioral, social, and psychological problems - you cannot prevent that. Adult marmosets nearly always become aggressive for lack of social contacts. They then vegetate in inappropriate cages until they die an early death, because you can't handle them at all.

Therefore, raising of exotic mammals outside a zoo is forbidden by law in most European countries - it's a felony in Germany and you'd go to jail for it or pay a fine in the region of 25,000 to 50,000 Euros - and I totally support that law. Fines and law time are even higher in Switzerland.

This is not cute but horrible. It absolutely sickens me.

P.S.: I'm a biologist with a degree in animal behaviour.

See here: http://www.marmosetcare.com/care-in-captivity/private-ownership.html
and here: http://myexoticworld.com/pygmy-marmoset-as-pet/

EVERYONE, even groups supporting the keeping of marmosets as pets, state that hand rearing a baby marmoset should NOT be done. A marmoset baby should always be reared in a GROUP by it's MOTHER.

 

[Andrea82]

According to this article, it is inappropriate to raise them yourselves to try and tame them. They also require others of their species. http://www.marmosetcare.com/care-in-captivity/private-ownership.html
They need constant activity, stimulation and play to keep from getting bored. And boredom equates stress equates illness for these sensitive primates.

I don't mean to rain on your parade, but it is not advised to keep them indoors, they have specific care requirements. And six weeks is too young to be taken away from his mother.

 

[Andrea82]

Sorry, but this constitutes animal abuse. Marmosets are highly social animals. At this age the baby would be in constant contact with his mother and never alone at all. later it would be in constant contact with members of it's family group. Even if you manage to raise the baby it will invariably have serious behavioral, social, and psychological problems - you cannot prevent that. Adult marmosets nearly always become aggressive for lack of social contacts. They then vegetate in inappropriate cages until they die an early death, because you can't handle them at all.

Therefore, raising of exotic mammals outside a zoo is forbidden by law in most European countries - it's a felony in Germany and you'd go to jail for it or pay a fine in the region of 25,000 to 50,000 Euros - and I totally support that law. Fines and law time are even higher in Switzerland.

This is not cute but horrible. It absolutely sickens me.

P.S.: I'm a biologist with a degree in animal behaviour.

See here: http://www.marmosetcare.com/care-in-captivity/private-ownership.html

Typing in synchrony we even linked the same page

 

[Tleilaxu]

Sorry, but this constitutes animal abuse. Marmosets are highly social animals. At this age the baby would be in constant contact with his mother and never alone at all. later it would be in constant contact with members of it's family group. Even if you manage to raise the baby it will invariably have serious behavioral, social, and psychological problems - you cannot prevent that. Adult marmosets nearly always become aggressive for lack of social contacts. They then vegetate in inappropriate cages until they die an early death, because you can't handle them at all.

Therefore, raising of exotic mammals outside a zoo is forbidden by law in most European countries - it's a felony in Germany and you'd go to jail for it or pay a fine in the region of 25,000 to 50,000 Euros - and I totally support that law. Fines and law time are even higher in Switzerland.

This is not cute but horrible. It absolutely sickens me.

P.S.: I'm a biologist with a degree in animal behaviour.

See here: http://www.marmosetcare.com/care-in-captivity/private-ownership.html
and here: http://myexoticworld.com/pygmy-marmoset-as-pet/

EVERYONE, even groups supporting the keeping of marmosets as pets, state that hand rearing a baby marmoset should NOT be done. A marmoset baby should always be reared in a GROUP by it's MOTHER.

Proof of your degree please, too many keyboard warriors use that argument, "I have a degree in such and such a field..."

That said I don't agree with keeping monkeys as pets, but I'm willing to give the OP the benefit of the doubt, he maybe one of the few people who can do things right.

I certainly hate the attitude of "you can't have this it's abuse or cruel", if some one is dedicated and willing to do what's right for the animals they should be allowed to have it, after all I know people who think keeping reptiles, birds, fish and tarantulas and other pets is "abuse" despite evidence to the contrary. I also get sick of that "They belong in or would be happier in the wild argument" Very few animals legitimately apply to said argument.

And if your going to bring up chances of failure or behavior issues, look at all the dogs and cats in shelters, supposedly the "easiest" mammals to care for.

 

[boina]

I certainly hate the attitude of "you can't have this it's abuse or cruel", if some one is dedicated and willing to do what's right for the animals they should be allowed to have it,

Thats exactly what I was questioning: The OP is NOT dedicated to do what's right for the animal. How about you address the lack of social contact and the very well proven problems occurring due to hand rearing? (Just Google, the pages are plenty)

I also get sick of that "They belong in or would be happier in the wild argument"

I said the baby belongs in a marmoset group, not in the wild. Your argument against that?

look at all the dogs and cats in shelters

Right. Because some people can't even provide for cats and dogs they should rather have marmosets. Or is your argument: If some animals get neclected and treated the wrong way I shouldn't be upset if other animals get treated badly either? Either way it's absurd.

Proof of your degree please, too many keyboard warriors use that argument,

No, I won't because I'm not giving you my real name. But you are absolutely right, I shouldn't have used that as an argument.

So, how about we talk about the real issues with the OPs hand rearing of a single marmoset baby instead of ideological stuff?

 

[Najakeeper]

This is a difficult one.

People have a soft spot for monkeys I guess because we are closely related and people can empathize. I would never get one myself as I lack the space and time required for their care.

That being said;

-Dogs are highly social animals and they suffer everywhere around the globe.
-African Grey Parrots are very smart animals (I am sure they will score higher than some primates) and they require tons of attention yet they are left alone in cages and pluck themselves to the skin all around the world including Switzerland and Germany with the required permits.
-Giant pythons roam the jungles in huge areas yet they are kept in 8ft cages in most countries with not a lot of people caring.

The list can be extended further of course. I think the broader discussion here should be around keeping animals as pets in general, even the domesticated animals. Criticizing the OP here without concrete proof showing that they do not allocate the time and the effort required does not solve the broader problem. They may be dedicated enough to form their own Marmoset group or they may leave the poor thing in a cage until it suffers an early death...

I wish them all the luck.

 

[Mila]

There's literally no reason to ever keep a marmoset on its own. It's so incredibly cruel. They're social creatures that require constant social interaction with their own species. You can't trick them into thinking it's one of you so it'll be happy. They need big groups of other marmosets. I hope you surrender the marmoset before it becomes too violent for you to have anywhere but a cage and dies a slow horrible death.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

Ah ah ah, welcome to the U.S, a land blessed by God where, in Connecticut, for instance (according to what I've heard here) there's problem for keep a normal and 'harmless' Theraphosidae, but was completely fine to keep a chimpanzee like Travis, until a cop needed a SPAS-12 or something for stop him, one day.

Just a couple of states South, you can buy monkeys without particularly ethic/moral or other annoying issues... just the cash for: fantastic!

My conclusion is that, probably, in Connecticut there's hot sexy Ladies that jumps for free in your bed when you return home, disillusioned, from work, otherwise I see no appeal for living in such state.

On the other hand, Eternal Glory to mighty Tennessee, land of great whiskey, music, Butch Coolidge, monkeys to buy

 

[Mila]

Unless you have a massive (both ground and canopy) enclosure that's a few acres + a massive group + a specialist vet + money for food (these things eat a lot) + constant puzzles, toys, games you're doing nothing but torturing this animal. Judging by the tiny parrot cage + lack of another marmoset the only thing you're achieving is torturing them.


Oh. I also hope you enjoy your severely deformed marmoset.