Do squirrel monkeys make good pets?
Squirrel monkeys are not suitable for keeping as pets. This is because:
- wild squirrel monkeys spend their lives in trees, in dense tropical rainforests. It's impossible to recreate an environment close to what they need, if kept as a pet
- they need a lot of intellectual stimulation to prevent distress caused by boredom
- in the wild they live in 'troops' of up to 300, but usually more like 50
- they spread urine on their hands and feet. This may help to communicate their breeding status or give them better grip. Whatever the reason, it makes for a stinky home!
they live for up to 20 years – a long-term commitment!
Are squirrel monkeys legal to buy in the UK?
Unfortunately, it's technically legal to own a squirrel monkey in the UK, although regulations introduced in 2024 will require owners in England to have a licence in future.
Taken from the wild to be kept as a pet: Charlie's story
Charlie was a squirrel monkey who was three years old when we found him. He was confined to a birdcage in a cold, dark office on an industrial estate in West London.
His entire cage was filthy – covered in dried faeces and urine. It measured just 121cm high by 85cm wide and 54cm deep, with no outside enclosure nor access to natural sunlight.
There was a broken heat lamp on the top of the cage that Charlie could reach – but it had clearly stopped working some time ago.
Being on an industrial estate, there was constant background noise. Monkeys have very delicate hearing, so this constant noise caused Charlie great distress.
The owner admitted to taking Charlie for walks in London's Hyde Park using a harness and extendable lead. For a primate who naturally lives high in the trees, this would have been incredibly stressful for him.
Charlie suffered terribly due to inadequate care and an inappropriate environment
Charlie's tail was bent at the end, and he had balding spots. He was scratching and rubbing the end of his tail a lot, showing that he was suffering from urine burns on the skin of his tail.
Although underweight and starved of company when he was removed, Charlie put on weight and in time was introduced to other squirrel monkeys at Monkey World, where he moved into a large enclosure with two female squirrel monkeys for company.
Charlie was one of the lucky ones. Sadly, there are many more primates who aren't so lucky.
