Marmoset as a Pet

The marmoset is steadily increasing in popularity as a pet. They are small South American monkeys and are actually considered an endangered species. Marmosets actually come in a variety of sizes from small to mouse-sized. Baby marmosets are especially cute and remind me of Gizmo from Gremlins.
Marmosets are not an easy pet to care for. Bottle-fed babies can become quite loveable but once they hit sexual maturity they become aggressive and unpredictable. Some can even be dangerous to humans including their owners.

Breeders will usually hand-raise marmosets to produce better, more domesticated pets. However these animals cannot be considered domesticated, they are still wild animals. Hand-raising a marmoset is not an easy task because it requires a great deal of care and patience.

Marmosets are prone to stress and can easily die from too much stress. Be sure to never grab a marmoset or chase it. The same goes for other pets and children. A marmoset should be handled with great care, they are social and giving them lots of attention will make them loving animals.

The marmoset is not a particularly messy monkey. The odor of their urine is not very strong but they tend to urinate frequently in many different locations. This is how a marmoset will scent their area, they will often rub their perineum over everything. With enough training, a marmoset can be somewhat trained to defecate in a specified area. Marmosets also urinate and defecate on their paws, this gives them better grip when climbing.

The marmoset is an active breed. It needs a large enough cage to play in, preferably with an abundance of toys, tunnels and hammocks. They like to sleep where they feel secure. The cage will need to be cleaned regularly. It is important to provide a heating source either by infrared lamp or a heating pad. Plants and fruit trees can also be placed inside the marmoset cage.

Marmosets have a wide range of vocalizations including high pitched screams. They remain highly vocal when kept in captivity.

A typical diet for a marmoset is usually a rotating diet that is high in vitamin C and D3. Canned marmoset diet can be provided or a diet that consists of fresh fruit, fresh vegetables and whole grains like pasta and baby cereal. Marmosets really like sweets. Typical treats include fruit loops, jelly, marshmallows, licorice, cake, pudding, and melted ice cream.

If you are considering owning a marmoset be sure you will legally be allowed to keep one. Owning any species of monkey varies by jurisdiction, as with many exotic pets. Also, not all veterinarians will treat them because they are considered an exotic pet. Marmosets can catch childhood diseases such as measles and chicken pox and will likely be fatal. Cold sores and HIV is another fatal disease for these cute monkeys.