“Vervetka is like a child, only hairy and with a ponytail”

 Peach is a green pygmy monkey, or vervet. He is 7 months old and I bought him when he was 2 months old. Usually monkeys are weaned from their mother at the age of 7 – 8 months, but I fed him myself, and now I am his mother. When Peach grows up, his height will be about 60 cm. Now we are raising him as a future artist. In the photo: green pygmy monkey

What is the nature of the green pygmy monkey?

Everyone is individual! In the wild, they live in packs, so there must be one leader. Until the age of 3, they compete with each other, so I have to show all the time that I am in charge. He must follow my commands. If he disobeys, he should be punished. Not physically, but, for example, to deprive him of sweetness or limit his freedom by placing him in a cage. Peach is very sociable, he loves to communicate. He’s also playful.From experience: If I’m not around, other people can communicate with him. He will allow himself to be stroked, takes a treat. But as soon as I appear on the horizon, and he obviously begins to perceive others as a threat and may show aggression: scratching like a cat. He does not use his teeth. However, when teeth were cut, he gnawed everything that was possible. But in general Peach is very friendly. I have many other animals: a cat, 4 hedgehogs and squirrels (regular red and Degu). Rodents are not interesting to Peach, but the cat is of great interest. But I have a cat with a character, she does not like to communicate. But in the circus we have a dog with which he willingly plays. Peach responds well to children. We teach him to be calm about noise and stroking strangers.From experience: Monkeys themselves are not noisy. Although Peach was noisy as a child. His cry is like a child’s cry. Monkeys can squeak, chirp, or make something like a purr if they want to calm someone down.  In the photo: vervetka

Do vervets have sexual aggression? Are you planning to castrate him?

Why castrate him? In monkeys, females are more aggressive than males, especially during the hunting season. Males are not prone to aggression.

How can green pygmy monkeys be trained?

Wonderful! But, of course, training a monkey requires some effort from a person, nothing will work out just like that. We try to make our commands clear to Peach. The first thing we taught him was “No” and “Come to me”, that is, commands that are important for everyday life. And then circus numbers are already being studied. We need regular classes – several hours a day.From experience: We are engaged mainly in the morning and in the evening. For example, Peach wakes up, he is hungry, and we take him to classes, give commands, for the execution of which the monkey receives treats. Naturally, then breakfast is given.  The main thing is to avoid physical punishment.In the photo: vervetka

What to feed a vervet?

Vervets can be given any fruit (except citrus). The main thing is not to overfeed. Food is given in portions in the morning and evening.  From experience: The monkey does not know the measure, eats as much as they will give, and it is dangerous to overfeed them – there may be health problems.  Sometimes you can give meat. I give mashed chicken. You can also treat the monkey with an egg. Any vegetables are given. Peach loves onions – in winter it is useful to give it as a preventive measure. Peach also eats baby porridge, nuts, seeds. , it is better to treat the monkey with fruit. Also, you can not give citrus fruits, fried, fatty, salty, spicy.In the photo: vervetka

What are the diseases of green pygmy monkeys?

Most often, these monkeys suffer from bronchitis. Moreover, sometimes they get sick due to the fact that the owner pays little attention to them, for example, he leaves somewhere, and as soon as the owner appears, the disease goes away by itself. Strong fear and stress can also lead to illness.From experience: It is necessary to monitor from childhood that the monkey walks correctly, because they have rickets. We gave Peach a massage like a child. They treat green pygmy monkeys like children – with children’s doses of human drugs, including anthelmintics. You can take them to a pediatrician, unless, of course, the doctor agrees, and there are few such doctors. Medicines that are given to dogs and cats should absolutely not be given to a monkey! And vaccines for dogs are also not suitable, so finding a vaccine is extremely difficult.In the photo: vervetka

Are monkeys hard to care for?

The monkey must have its own place. Peach has sticks, ropes, feeders and a sleeping place in the cage. The minimum cage area is 1,5×2 meters, and the height is about 2 meters (and if possible, even higher). But these are the minimum dimensions, the larger the cage, the better. I had a cage made to order.From experience: Food should not be left all over the cage. Peaches has his own bowl. There must be clean water at all times. Some monkeys are trained to drink from a mug, but this requires a few training sessions. There should be a sleeping place – for example, you can buy a cat house with a soft bottom or lay a pillow or blanket. It is impossible for the vervet to sleep on iron bars. There must be toys: not only soft, but also for chewing, etc. Diapers are put on Peach only “on the way out”. He does not have a specific place for a toilet, but the cage must have a double bottom so that waste products fall through the slatted bottom of the cage. However, the distance between the double bottom should be such that the monkey could not reach the excrement with his hands. Or if food falls in there, the vervet will try to get it, and this is undesirable. Peach does not go to the toilet in the house or near the feeder. The bottom tray is made of plastic. The cage must be placed on the sunny side. The monkey needs heat and ultraviolet rays. There should be no drafts. When the room is ventilated, it is better to remove the monkey to another room.In the photo: vervetkaI try to clean the cage every 2 days. But the smell in the house is still there. Although the Peach itself practically does not smell.From experience: The temperature in the room should be at least +25 degrees. After all, monkeys live in an environment where even at night it is +35 … +40 degrees, and even 25 degrees of heat is cold for them. Therefore, even at home, Peach sometimes walks in clothes. The slightest hypothermia – and the monkey starts bronchitis, and it is very difficult to find a veterinarian who can prescribe competent treatment.  Peach goes to bed at 22:00 – 22:30 and wakes up at about 9 am. It is customary to bathe the monkeys in the morning and evening using baby shampoo. Monkeys are very clean creatures. Of course, a monkey cannot sit in a cage all day, she needs the opportunity to move freely. It is better if it is a whole day, and the cage is only for the night. The very minimum of free movement is 2 hours a day, but it is difficult for a monkey to endure such conditions. Peach encroaches on wallpaper and baseboards. If the wallpaper is somewhere a little behind, he will quietly pick it off, and then grab it with his mouth, tear it off with his teeth and try to eat it.In the photo: green pygmy monkey

Are monkeys bred at home?

It’s hard, but I think it’s doable. But I didn’t think about it. After all, I took Peach for training, and if I put a female with him, he will not work.  

What kind of owner does a vervet need?

Vervetka can be the first pet. But a person, before acquiring a monkey, must necessarily communicate with monkeys – not at the zoo, but at home. Because this is a big responsibility, and people sometimes take such animals without thinking about what conditions they need. You need to understand who you are taking. A monkey is like a child, and it requires the same amount of attention. The cat stays at home and will sleep. If a monkey sits alone at home all day, it will get sick or become embittered. Moreover, they get used to a certain person, and “coming nannies” or even other household members cannot always even feed the vervet. That is, only a person who freely disposes of his time can start it. The owner of the monkey must be calm, patient, to a certain extent strict and necessarily responsible. A vervet is a baby, only hairy and with a tail. In captivity, monkeys live up to 40 years, and all this time you will have to adjust your life to the needs of your pet. That is a decision for life.

In the photo: vervetka