Pet Monkeys
Animal Conservationists Agree - Monkeys Should Not be Pets
Who wouldn’t find a baby monkey adorable? Take a look at Bailey above - Wow! What a face! With their expressive eyes, tiny hands, and playful antics, monkeys can seem like the perfect exotic companion. Social media videos often make them look like miniature people dressed in cute outfits, snuggling with their owners or playing around the house.
But behind those adorable moments is a much different reality. Monkeys are wild animals with complex needs, and keeping one as a pet can cause serious harm to the animal, your home, and even the environment. Here’s why these fascinating creatures belong in the wild, not in our living rooms.
Monkeys Need More Than Love and Attention
One of the biggest misconceptions about monkeys is that loving them is enough to keep them happy. Unfortunately, it isn’t that simple.
Monkeys are highly intelligent, active animals that need extensive space to climb, jump, explore, forage, and exercise. A cage or spare bedroom simply cannot provide the environment they need. Even a large backyard enclosure may fall short without specialized structures, enrichment, and carefully managed living conditions.
Monkeys are also incredibly social. In the wild, they form close relationships with members of their own species, learning important behaviors through years of interaction. A human cannot replace a monkey’s natural family and social group.
As Dr. Jane Goodall, the renowned primatologist and conservationist, explained: “Chimpanzees (and other wild animals) should never be kept as pets or for entertainment.” [1] Although Goodall was discussing chimpanzees and other wild animals, the same fundamental concern applies to monkeys: they have needs that ordinary pet ownership cannot adequately meet.
The Care Is Expensive, Demanding, and Never-Ending
Monkeys require specialized diets, appropriate lighting and environmental conditions, enrichment activities, and veterinary care from professionals experienced with primates. Their needs vary by species, and finding qualified veterinary care can be difficult and expensive.
Some monkeys can live for 20 years or longer, meaning an owner could be responsible for decades of demanding care. And unlike domesticated pets, monkeys do not become predictable, easygoing companions simply because they were raised by humans. As they mature, they may become territorial, aggressive, or difficult to handle.
Yes, They Can Throw Poop!
Let’s talk about the part that might not show up in those cute online videos: the mess!
Monkeys are not house-trained like dogs or cats. Depending on the species and individual, they may throw feces, urinate to mark their territory, chew furniture, tear up belongings, climb curtains, and scatter food everywhere.
Imagine coming home to damaged furniture, dirty walls, and waste on your floors. Cleaning is not just unpleasant; it also requires careful hygiene. Even a devoted owner may find that keeping a home clean and safe becomes an exhausting daily challenge.
The problem isn’t that monkeys are bad animals. These behaviors are natural for them. The problem is expecting a wild animal to behave like a domesticated pet.
The Emotional Harm to the Monkey
Perhaps the saddest part of the exotic pet trade is what happens to the animals themselves.
Baby monkeys may be separated from their mothers far too early so they can be sold. They can miss out on the nurturing, protection, and social learning essential to their development. Confined environments and isolation can lead to chronic stress, abnormal behaviors, and even self-injury.
Many owners eventually discover that they cannot meet their monkey’s needs. Finding a suitable new home is extremely difficult, and some animals spend the rest of their lives in inadequate conditions and most can never be released into the wild.
Population and Ecosystems
The demand for pet monkeys can also threaten wild populations. Animals may be captured from their natural habitats, disrupting family groups and contributing to wildlife trafficking. Even captive-bred animals can sustain demand for primates as fashionable possessions.
Monkeys also play important roles in their ecosystems. Depending on the species, they disperse seeds, influence plant growth, and contribute to the balance of their habitats. Removing animals from wild populations can disrupt these relationships.
And if an unwanted pet escapes or is released, it may spread disease, compete with native wildlife, or establish an invasive population in suitable conditions.
As Dr. Sharon Redrobe states, "Theyre wild animals and, in that respect, no different fro, tigers. You wouldn't keep a tiger at home, so don't keep a monkey." [2]
Love Monkeys Enough to Leave Them Wild
Monkeys deserve our admiration, but admiration doesn’t require ownership. We can appreciate them by supporting reputable sanctuaries, protecting natural habitats, and refusing to buy wild animals as pets.
If you want to see and learn about monkeys. their wonderful personalities, their interactions with others in their species, their habits, and their journeys - visit and support Animal Tracks. It is a sanctuary for rescued animals - many of whom were surrendered by their owners when their care became too challenging; some are retired film and TV actors; and others Fish and Wildlife Confiscations. Each has a story to tell, and a journey that lead them to Animal Tracks.
The kindest thing we can do for monkeys is let them live as monkeys—with their own families, their natural behaviors, and the freedom to thrive in the ecosystems where they belong.
Works Cited:
1. Goodall, Jane. “A Future of Hope: How Chimp Crazy Can Inspire Action for Primate Welfare.” Jane Goodall Institute, 19 Aug. 2024. Read article.
Dr. Sharon Redrobe. The Guardian. February 28, 2026.
World Wildlife Fund. “Why Primates Do Not Make Good Pets.” World Wildlife Fund. Read article.
Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. “Keeping Primates as Pets.” RSPCA. Read article.
