Description
Scientific name: Saimiri sciureus
Life span: Up to 25 years in captivity
The American squirrel monkey is a type of new world monkey. They are small, slender, and active species. Squirrel monkey has 16 inches long prehensile tails and a body length of about 12 inches. They have short legs that have grayish coats with bright yellow color. The prehensile tail folds over its shoulder when they sleep. Squirrel monkeys have 36 teeth in which males have larger upper canines as compared to females. Their head has a crown that is grayish or olive in color. Squirrel monkeys mostly eat fruit and small insects, however, they sometimes occasionally eat seeds and leaves. They spent their mornings looking for and gathering fruit. To find food, a group disperses across the forest at all canopy levels.
Native Region/Habitat
American squirrel monkey is native to South America and southeast Brazil. They inhabit gallery forests, higher canopies, secondary forests, and forest edges. They are mostly found on trees and their branches.
As Pet
Behavior/Temperament
American squirrel monkey is a very intelligent and active species of new world monkey. They are arboreal in nature and spend most of their time on tree branches. They can not be ideal pets because they need large spaces and food for their survival. Squirrel monkeys become aggressive to people near them. They are not very social with human beings. They do not like to spend time in a cage. In captivity, to keep their minds engaged and maintain a regular activity schedule, they need to have their toys replaced on a regular basis. Squirrel monkeys can be kept in groups or pairs. Animals born into a social group should remain in the group for as long as it is practical to sustain social groupings. In general, it is advised that social groups kept in captivity only contain 1-2 adult males per group since fighting occurs if more than two males are confined together.
Care/Grooming
American squirrel monkeys take a lot of time to care for. They must not be left alone. Animals like monkeys need regular care and attention for their entire lifespan. Squirrel monkey group enclosures may be created both indoors and outdoors. In order to lower stress and improve the health of their colony members, it is crucial for the animals to be physically comfortable. Within the living space, a variety of perches should be placed for jumping and climbing. You may build these perches out of wood and PVC pipe. For grooming purposes, squirrel monkeys urinate on their palms. This will help them in marking territory and maintenance of body temperature.
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