What does a wealthy dad like Chris Brown give his spoiled daughter Royalty Brown, who already has everything? He gave the 3-year-old a pet monkey!
But are pet monkeys safe for small children? Experienced monkey caretakers say it depends on who the child is.
For example, Michael Jackson, who claimed to be a child who never grew up, owned a pet chimpanzee named Bubbles. For years Bubbles lived a life of luxury with an endless supply of bananas at Michael’s Encino, California estate.
Then came the day when Bubbles bit Michael, and Michael shipped him off to an ape sanctuary.
The following is a list of reasons why you should not give your child a pet monkey.
Problems with Pet Monkeys
1. They need constant attention
A pet monkey cannot do without your attention when life gets busy or circumstances change. They do not grow up and mature like human children do. They are, in essence, permanent toddlers.
2. Monkeys Are Expensive
Monkeys are expensive to house (you need a secure enclosure, proper permits and sometimes additional insurance on your homeowner’s policy) and feed and some require specialized diets that can be time-consuming to prepare. A significant time commitment is also needed just for routine care and cleaning up after a pet monkey.
3. Monkeys Are Jealous of New People
Monkeys may not take well to new people in your life (including spouses and children) and make it hard to get away for vacations. Finding a new home for a pet monkey is extremely difficult to do and psychologically and emotionally hard on the monkey which has bonded to its first owner.
4. When Monkeys Are Bad, They Are Very, Very Bad
a monkey needs a large amount of social interaction and attention. A pet monkey deprived of your time and attention will only develop severe behavior problems such as screaming and biting but will also develop psychological issues that can be difficult if not impossible to remedy.
5. Monkeys May Be Illegal
Primates including monkeys may be illegal to keep as pets where you live. If a monkey is legal to own where you live, permits may be required. Sometimes permit holders are subject to home inspections to ensure proper facilities and care are being provided. Homeowner policies may require additional liability coverage or cancel your policy altogether if they find out you have a monkey, but not having insurance puts you at risk if your monkey bites someone.
