Keeping a Monkey: Fun as Fiction, Difficult as Pets

By Leslie Brown

Monkeys are cute and funny, but they require a lot of care and attention. While they are popular in fiction, they aren’t so easy to keep as pets.

The decision to have a pet monkey is not one to take lightly. Monkeys aren't good substitutes for children, even though they are intelligent and have cute fingers and toes. Among the various types of monkeys, Capuchin monkeys have the best temperament and make the best pet.

It is better to buy and raise a monkey as a baby. Unlike dogs and cats, monkeys cannot be trained very easily. Monkeys are so intelligent that they will purposefully act in ways to get you upset just for their own amusement. Also, some pet monkeys can suddenly become sexually attracted to humans, which can cause some embarrassment.

Even the smallest of pet monkeys, like Capuchins or Spider monkeys, are extremely strong for their size. When monkeys play or throw tantrums, they don't know their own strength and can be very destructive. Although beating each other up is normal in monkey society to establish a pecking order, it's not so welcome in a human household. They can indeed wreak havoc in a house.

On the other hand, some organizations train the Capuchin monkey as a “monkey helper” to assist quadriplegics and other people with severe spinal cord injuries or mobility impairments. After being socialized in a human home as infants, these monkeys undergo extensive training before being placed with a quadriplegic. Monkeys help out around the house by performing tasks including microwaving food, washing the quadriplegic's face, and opening bottles.

Popular literature has many actual and fictionalized accounts of people keeping monkeys as pets. The pet monkeys are used in a number of books, television, and movies. For example, “Curious George,” is the mischievous monkey that has become one of the most recognizable and beloved children’s book characters. The series of books feature a curious pet monkey named George that is brought from his home in Africa to live in the big city.

In fact, when the British first began to explore Africa, young monkeys were often captured and taken back on board the ship to entertain sailors. Later, some were kept in zoos.

Other famous fictional monkeys are Tarzan's Cheeta, the first famous pet monkey. (Actually, Cheeta is a chimpanzee, and chimps are apes, not monkeys. Monkeys and apes are primates, but they are not the same as each other.) Tarzan and Cheeta have been featured in books, films, television, games, and comics.

A white-headed Capuchin monkey played Marcel in the popular series “Friends”; In the movie “Monkey Trouble,” Harvey Keitel's pet thief was the monkey Dodger; Bubbles was a companion to Michael Jackson; Chee-Chee is the pet companion of Doctor Dolittle; Beppo is Superman's pet monkey; and Spike is Ace Ventura's monkey companion.

In many areas of the world, owning a monkey is illegal. Monkeys are considered wild animals, and are highly regulated in most states and counties. You must have a license for monkeys if you live in the U.S. and other countries. The license can cost more than a thousand dollars. If you have a pet monkey and it is discovered that you do, and you do not have a license, you could face fines and the monkey could be taken from you. Contact your local Wildlife and Fisheries department to get a list of rules and restrictions on monkey ownership.

We want to hear from you! If you have any comments to share, please add them here.