Year: 2012

​Raised like a child, studied as an experiment and returned to captivity when his animal instincts surfaced, Nim Chimpsky lived a life that was as exceptional as it was heart-wrenching.

​From the Oscar®-winning team behind “Man on Wire,” PROJECT NIM tells the story of the chimpanzee who was the focus of a landmark experiment to show that an ape could learn to communicate with language if raised and nurtured like a human child. Combining recent testimony from key participants with dramatic imagery and newly discovered archival film from the 1970s, the feature documentary follows Nim’s extraordinary journey through human society, chronicling his enduring impact on the people he meets.

​Winner of the World Cinema Documentary Directing Award at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival, PROJECT NIM debuts THURSDAY, DEC. 20 on HBO.

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These are snippets out of the diary of Louie, our marmoset, with the hopes that it one day saves the life of another marmoset or tamarin.

It was September 2009 and we finally went to the long awaited exotic animal auction located in Macon Missouri. 4 times a year Lollibros organizes an exotic animal auction where you can find all kinds of exotic animals for sale, including primates.

After waiting for 6 hours, we were finally able to bid on a male common marmoset monkey.  While the bidding process was a bit stressful, we eventually bought Louie below market value which was of course the reason we decided to buy at an auction instead of a breeder.  There are risks associated with buying at an exotic animal auctions but it was one I was willing to take.  On our way home Louie had a blast running around in circles exploring his new environment.

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In nature, primates spend most of their time foraging for food.  It is basically what keeps primates busy all day long.   To prevent boredom in captivity, it is recommended to provide your monkey with new toys and enrichment units every so often.   The problem with regular toys is that monkeys get very easily bored with them but a device that dispenses treats is sure to keep their attention.

A few weeks ago I read about a puzzle treat feeder and decided to create my first true enrichment unit which truly didn’t take very long to assemble but it sure is loved by our capuchin.     I would like to use this opportunity to share all details of this project with you, so you can create your own enrichment unit.

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It sure has been a hot summer this year and I for one can tell you that our airco sure didn’t get a chance to draw unemployment this season.  So, what about our primates?  Besides the fact that people cover outdoor enclosures to protect their primates from the heat, many also provide them with a small pool that helps them cool off during those hot summer days.   For those where their primates lives inside their house, it gets a little harder to provide a way to cool off.  One easy way to help your primates cool off is by using ice cube treats.

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Primate Activity Cube

While  making changes to the environment in which your primate(s) is spending most of their time at is very important to keep them intrigued, introducing new toys is just another way of preventing boredom.   Many of the items we introduce to our capuchin are sure to keep him busy for a while and allow him to really go to town.   Amongst the items we like to introduce weekly are carton boxes, magazines, or paper bags – all items that are available at no cost.

Every other week we like to buy a new item to add to the collection of primate toys.  One of his true favorites are plush animals which he really likes to carry around.   We often shop in the baby/toddler sections of the store or for a dog toy since those are typically more sturdy toys that can handle those sharp teeth.    If it is a battery operated toy, it is crucial that the battery area is secured with a screw.   It is especially important with baby toys to keep an eye on your primate since they’re really great at taking things apart.

During our last shopping trip at Target, we were once again trying to find another great enrichment toy for our monkey.     More on this with several pictures after the break!

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Chimpanzee Disney Movie

Disneynature takes moviegoers deep into the forests of Africa with “Chimpanzee,” a new True Life Adventure introducing an adorable young chimpanzee named Oscar and his entertaining approach to life in a remarkable story of family bonds and individual triumph.  Oscar’s playful curiosity and zest for discovery showcase the intelligence and ingenuity of some of the most extraordinary personalities in the animal kingdom. Working together, Oscar’s chimpanzee family – including his mom, Isha, and the group’s savvy leader, Freddy – navigates the complex territory of the forest.

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Monkey Shake Mix Ingredients

Looking to “Mix” things up in your monkey’s diet? With the weather getting better every day, the monkey shake mix submitted by Mary seems perfect to keep your monkey in great shape.   Mary shared that Brandon, her Java Macaque, loves this monkey shake mix and thrives on it!

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I was reading a story the other day related to primate enrichment at the National Zoo in South Africa.  Their goal was to create an enrichment program for their baboons in an effort to increase activity and decrease aggression within the group.  The group consisted of 1 male and 3 females.  To deal with the aggression they gave contraceptives to the females which definitely helped with the aggression but they felt they could do more to enrich the lives of these baboons.   This article will show you some very inexpensive ways to enrich the lives of primates kept in captivity.

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Primate Trapeze Swing Materials

I’m always looking for new ideas related to primate enrichment and was pretty excited when I bumped into a trapeze monkey swing that David created for Sammy, his capuchin.  All materials (including the trapeze styled pvc pipe) were purchase at home depot.  The total project cost was around $9 (cost of chain not included).  Chain itself was around $12 but since he only used about 10% of the total chain link, the actual cost of the chain for this project would be around $1-$2.   Once you have all the materials it’s a 10 minute project so let’s get started!

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IOS apps for monkeys

When Benji was only a few months old, he clearly showed some interest in my iPod Touch. I always have my iPod Touch on me, and often read my email when I’m in the monkey room with him since it is kinda sturdy. He always loves to grab this thing out of my hands and if I don’t watch out, he’ll run towards the water bowl to give it a bath. Yes it is a miracle my iPod Touch is still alive!

Just recently I decided to find out which program seems to peek his interest the most.  Anything that flashes on this device clearly seems to interest him, but there are 2 programs he actually likes to play with.

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