Pygmy marmoset - the smallest primate

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:41

Pygmy marmosets, like the pygmy mouse lemur, are the smallest representatives of the primate order. Adult individuals are no more than thirty centimeters in length. They live in the jungles of South America. And unlike many endangered species, the pygmy marmoset is doing well on planet Earth so far.

Appearance

Due to the mane on its head, the pygmy marmoset is sometimes called the lion marmoset. The color of the coat is varied. From white and light golden to dark brown with black markings. The wool is soft and long. Feathers on paws. Ears are large and round. Blue eyes. The tail is striped. There are blond tufts of hair on the forehead and on the ears.

Dwarf marmoset. Habits and Habits

These monkeys live in medium-sized groups. Their behavior is similar to that of many species of forest monkeys. There are usually two leaders in the herd: one of them is male and the other is female. In groups, all individuals are usually related to each other. After reaching puberty, little monkeys are expelled from the herd and create a new one. It's fun to watch parentingyoung. Not only the mother takes care of newborns, but also the father. Moreover, the latter takes care of them so much that he gives them to the female only for feeding. At first, the cubs are carried on the back, after three weeks they are taught to walk. Moreover, kids who persist can be forced. After six months, the breastfeeding period ends, and the monkey begins to eat the food that adults consume. At nine months, the pygmy marmoset is ready to breed. These animals live for about ten years in captivity, in nature a little less. The sense of danger often causes the monkey to take defensive postures. The leader begins to shake his mane, bristles, arches his body, raises his tail and bulges his eyes. Sometimes such demonstrations take place with the aim of controlling the group in order to assert their power, and not at all because of the presence of a real danger. But these are only demonstration performances - in fact, these monkeys are practically harmless and very shy. When they hear loud noises, they squeal with anxiety. If nothing bothers them, they just chirp softly.

Dwarf marmoset. Maintenance at home

There are many who want to keep this unpretentious and funny animal at home. The owner of the monkey will face several problems that are easy to solve. Firstly, animals are very fond of leaving marks with the help of urine and secretions of the gonads. Because of this feature, their cells tend to quickly become dirty and acquire a specific smell. Labels play an informational role. If the cageclean regularly, the effect of pollution can be minimized. The second thing this monkey needs besides cleanliness is the ability to climb trees or at home on ropes and snags that should be installed in the cage. The curiosity and slyness of these small animals requires attention from the owner, because they may attempt to escape. The cage must be spacious. These are, in brief, all the conditions that must be observed if a dwarf marmoset lives in your home. Photos of these little monkeys are often found in popular science magazines. Animals feed on frogs, small insects and rodents, fruits, berries. They breed well in captivity.