OVERVIEW

A monkey can be a challenging but rewarding pet. You have to do a lot of research before fully deciding on getting one as a pet. A monkey is not for everyone or every living situation. Do consider what you have planned in the future and how your monkey will fit in it for some species of monkeys can live up to 40 years. Make sure to check you local and state laws to see if there are any restrictions on having a monkey and if any permits are required for you to obtain one. Call the local vet offices to locate one that will see your monkey for his yearly check-ups and if he is sick.

Most monkey species are active mostly during the day. The owl monkeys are active at night. They are also called night monkeys.

Monkeys are intelligent animals that are good at solving problems. Almost all types live together in groups. A monkey group commonly includes several related females, their young, and one or more males.

Monkeys use facial expressions, body movements, and various noises to communicate with each other. For example, squirrel monkeys have more than 25 different calls. These calls can sound like barks, purrs, screams, peeps, and squawks. 

Most monkeys eat mainly plants. Different types eat fruits, flowers, seeds, shoots, roots, and leaves. Some types of monkey also eat birds’ eggs, insects, and other small animals

Many types of monkey are endangered, or at risk of dying out completely. People have cut down the trees in large parts of the rainforests where monkeys live. People also hunt monkeys for their meat and fur. In addition, some monkeys are captured and sold as pets.

The period of pregnancy in monkeys ranges from about five months to more than seven months. In most species the female usually has one baby at a time. The babies are born helpless. Monkeys depend heavily on their parents for care during their early life. In most types the young monkeys become adults at about 3 to 4 years of age.