By: Fallon Mullen, Animal Care Manager

At Primates Inc. we usually share the sweet pictures and moments, but there is a LOT more that goes into caring for our monkey residents behind the scenes!

Owning a pet monkey is never a good idea because:

• They are wild animals.
• They are cute when they are babies but become aggressive as they age.
• They live up to the hype of being mischievous so it would be like having a toddler in your life for 20+ years.
• They require expensive, intensive care in order to live as closely to their wild counterparts as possible.
• They require necessary regular healthcare similar to a cat or dog, but it is more challenging finding a veterinarian willing/able to help.
• They require healthy, naturalistic diets.

If pet monkeys achieve sanctuary from a surrender:

• For former pets who have never seen another monkey, it takes them longer to adjust to other monkeys’ behaviors, sounds, and cues. Maddie was fortunate enough to arrive already co-housed with another monkey.
• Pet monkey surrenders fill up sanctuary space from the 110,000+ monkeys in biomedical research who also deserve sanctuary whenever possible.
• It may take a while for the monkeys’ health to improve since they will now have access to the veterinary care they so desperately need.
• Lastly, the transition to a naturalistic diet is typically a challenge. This was especially true for Maddie.

Here is Maddie’s story:

Maddie is a 12-year-old rhesus macaque female who arrived with rhesus macaque male Noah already paired. They are still co-housed to this day. Maddie and Noah are former pets surrendered by their owners in December 2020.

When the pair arrived, it was clear Maddie did not have the healthy diet she should have before achieving sanctuary. She had a difficult time adjusting to a healthier, species-typical diet, was underweight, unkempt, and had ongoing tummy issues. This is common for former pets transitioning to sanctuary diets as we have heard stories about pet monkeys being fed table scraps, candy, etc. That, in conjunction with limited veterinary assistance for exotic pets, can be a recipe for disaster. Primates Inc. staff worked with several veterinarians for a year and a half altering Maddie’s diet and medications, but her stomach issues continued despite all efforts. Even though Maddie’s tummy was not happy, she certainly was! You could tell she loved sanctuary life and enjoyed sunbathing, cuddling her stuffed (stuffless for her these days) animals, the outdoors, and co-grooming with Noah.

In 2022, we met with a Veterinary Dietary Specialist to discuss Maddie’s case. The specialist also confirmed that this is unfortunately all too common for former pet monkeys. We were very close to what Maddie needed healthwise and only needed to make a few adjustments like limiting what fruit she could be offered, adding fiber to her medicine regimen, and removing starchy vegetables from her diet.

Now Maddie can sunbathe without a stomach ache! Ever since her diet change, Maddie has gained weight, is no longer unkempt, and has a beautiful healthy coat. Although it is a true stereotype that monkeys like bananas, Maddie is just fine without. She goes ‘bananas’ for carrots, kohlrabi, mini peppers, onions, and avocados. Don’t worry, Maddie will be sure to let us know if she is not happy with what she is being offered. Staff and volunteers refer to Maddie as “Mighty Maddie” or “small but mighty.” She is known for making herself appear larger and louder in a display by throwing toys. Maddie has thrown the same toy 7 times in a row once when she was really unhappy, haha!

Now that Maddie has achieved sanctuary, she can choose to participate in her own healthcare! Staff works with the monkey residents on positive reinforcement training (PRT) where they can station for injections and other less invasive medical needs. We are so happy that Maddie and Noah achieved sanctuary and are thankful to care for them.

Wild animals are often taken from their mothers in the wild, the exotic pet trade is a problem globally, and many wild animals are mass produced for human benefit. Should we be discouraged? No! The HBO docu-series Chimp Crazy shed some light on the large issue. The Captive Primate Safety Act has also been reintroduced to Congress. This critical legislation is aimed at protecting primates and ending the primate pet trade in the United States.

What can you do?

• Help support this legislation
• Rather than purchasing a pet monkey, symbolically sponsor a sanctuary animal or volunteer at a local accredited facility instead
• Spread the word