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If you want to buy a capuchin monkey and keep it as a pet, this is possible, but not a good idea. There are numerous requirements for keeping these animals.
Buying capuchin monkeys – the requirements
Under certain conditions, the law allows you to keep a monkey as a pet. This also applies to the small capuchin monkey.
- The Federal Species Protection Ordinance and the Federal Nature Conservation Act set out numerous regulations that must be complied with when keeping monkeys.
- Capuchin monkeys are occasionally offered for sale on the internet. However, you should definitely refrain from purchasing them from these mostly dubious offers. In most cases, these are wild-caught animals.
- The law requires that you purchase the monkey from a breeder. The breeder must provide you with written confirmation that the monkey was either legally imported into the EU or was born in the EU.
- The Washington Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) also regulates international trade in endangered animals. Endangered monkey species may only be purchased from captive breeding programs, which means that proof of the animal’s origin is mandatory.
- This requirement applies nationwide. However, the individual regulations for keeping capuchin monkeys may vary from state to state.
- Since you have to register the capuchin monkey with the higher nature conservation authority anyway, you can also find out in detail about the requirements of the respective state there.
- What you must prove in any case is that you have a sufficiently large outdoor enclosure, for which you in turn need a permit.
- Last but not least, you must also present a so-called certificate of competence.
Why it’s not a good idea to buy a capuchin monkey
Even though it is generally permitted to buy a capuchin monkey and keep it as a pet under certain conditions, you should reconsider your plans.
- Section 7 of the Federal Species Protection Ordinance stipulates that as the owner of a wild animal, you must have sufficient knowledge about keeping and caring for it. Comprehensive knowledge is required here,
- You cannot keep a capuchin monkey in your home. You need a sufficiently large enclosure where the animal can climb, play, and jump. Despite opportunities for activity, monkeys can become destructive when they are bored.
The exact regulations can be found in the “Report on minimum requirements for the keeping of mammals” from the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture.
- Monkeys are also very social animals. A monkey should never be kept alone, but at least in pairs, ideally with one female and one male animal.
- Since the cost per capuchin monkey ranges between €3,000 and €7,000, the total cost can quickly add up if you want to purchase several monkeys and provide them with species-appropriate living conditions.
- As cute as a young capuchin monkey may seem, this can change quickly. When monkeys reach sexual maturity, they are definitely no longer cuddly toys. They can also become aggressive and bite. Bites pose a risk of infection.
- This behavior stems from their natural way of life, which always involves fighting for survival, marking territory, and defending food sources.
- You will therefore never be able to tame capuchin monkeys to the extent that they are suitable as pets like dogs or cats. Monkeys can also hardly be kept in a species-appropriate manner by private individuals, so the animals suffer when they are abused as pets.
