The wild squirrel monkeys feed on fruit, insects, leaves and seeds.
Recommended diet for squirrel monkeys should consist of:
2-5% Insects
5-10% High Protein Treats (eggs, yoghurt, nuts, etc)
15-20% Fresh Fruit & Vegetables
75-80% Commercial New World Diet (Dry or Canned)
A varied diet is very important to avoid boredom and loss of appetite.
Fresh water every day at all times.
Give your monkeys commercial primate diet supplemented with:
sweet potato
vegetables like corn, green beans or turnip
fresh fruit like mango, apple and banana
peanuts
sunflower seeds
hard-boiled eggs
wheat bread
insects like mealworms, crickets and grasshoppers
vitamin supplements (esp Vitamin D3)
A Detailed feeding schedule:
This is a feeding example for 1 squirrel monkey.
- Fruits and vegetables should be cut into pieces appropriate for the monkey’s small hands.
- New World Monkey Chow can be soaked in Marmoset jelly or fruit juice.
- Moist foods can be sprinkled with a vitamin mineral powder such as Vionate. (approx 1/4 tsp per animal per day).
- Food should be offered at set times of the day.
Every day at A.M.
- 1 oz canned primate diet (cut in small pieces) Zupreem, Science Diet
- 4 pieces of soaked New World Monkey Biscuit (Mazuri, Spectrum, Purina, etc.)
P.M.
| Mo-We-Fr: | 1/8 apple2 slices of banana 1/2’d 2 grapes 1/2’d 1 TBS diced orange 1/2 slice sweet potato (chopped) 1 1/2 TBS lettuce mix* (Romaine, cabbage & celery) 4 primate biscuits (soaked in orange juice or Marmoset Jelly) 8 peanuts 1 TBS sunflower seeds 1″ piece of carrot – chopped 1/8 slice of whole wheat bread cubed 4 snow peas(*) Lettuce mix ingredients are placed in a chopper and mixed. Use long and thin pieces. |
| Tu-Th-Sa-Su: | 2 slices of banana 1/2’d1 TBS diced orange 4 green beans cut 1/4 hard boiled egg with shell (cut up) 1 TBS corn (thawed frozen or fresh) 5 peanuts 1 TBS sunflower seeds 1 heaping TBS avocado few sprigs of parsely 1 heaping TBS black-eyed peas (shelled) 1/2 slice turnip 1 oz canned primate diet (cut in small pieces) 4 primate biscuits (soaked in fruit juice or Marmoset Jelly) 1/4 slice whole wheat bread cubed |
Occasional treats :
- Cricket or mealworm (dusted in vionate).
- Soaked raisins, other types of fruit. Portion of treat/day should be less than 1 teaspoon in volume!