Pygmy Marmoset Facts

Kids are generally fond of pets and keeping a monkey as a pet might not sound very familiar. It's because they are extremely notorious and keeping them is a daunting task. But a pygmy marmoset is a completely different species. It's one of the cutest breed of monkeys and their tiny size makes them so loved by kids. However, taking legal permission to keep them as pets is required and you simply cannot buy them from any pet stores. Knowing the facts about the pygmy marmoset will help you to understand their characteristics, behavior and their general attributes. Moreover, kids are assigned with the homework of finding out details about the uncommon animals dwelling on Earth and a pygmy marmoset is one amongst those. So, the points mentioned below will also help them to know more about this wonderful creature.

Pygmy Marmoset Facts for Kids

You will be amazed to find these creatures owing to their appearance and size. Petting them is not at all a big deal if you know their nature and the conditions required for rearing them up. The facts about pygmy marmoset are explained under the following points.

General Info
The scientific name of the pygmy marmoset is Callithrix pygmaea and it belongs to the genus Cebuella. They are the smallest monkey species or rather the smallest of all primates. These creatures are found mainly in South Africa but they are also distributed in Peru, Ecuador and Brazilian rainforests. Other regions inhabited by these species are Southeastern Columbia, Upper Amazon Basin and Northern Bolivia. It's commonly known as Dwarf Monkey.

Body Statistics
This tiny creature grows to a maximum length of 11-15 cm, weighing nearly 129-190 grams. Animals that are kept in zoos might live longer than those in the wild. Their average life span is 10-12 years while those living in zoos can live for 20 years. They prefer dwelling on river basins located close to forests, cultivated lands, stream sides, bamboo thickets and flooded regions. They also live in the tropical rain forests and underneath trees.

Body Features
Pygmy marmoset can climb trees with their claws and they also have a prehensile tail having a size of 15-22 cm. The pattern of their tail is quite different from other marmoset species. Dark ring like features are present all over their tail. They have a fury body and the fur is a typical agouti fur having base color of gray and buff. The fur has stripes of green and yellow in them. Their tail appears banded while their head is more or less grizzled. They are also known as leoncito (the lion) owing to the presence of a mane on the head and chest.

Adaptation
Their body coloration and structure is an adaptation by which they keep themselves away from predators. These arboreal creatures are highly active although they are rarely found on high trees or bushes. They have distinct claws that provide defense for them. They display prowess and strength only on sensing danger by arching their backs, raising ears, clenching teeth and exposing their genitals towards their enemies. Otherwise they are quite timid and gentle.

Reproduction
The female reproduce twins or triplex. The babies love to live along with their parents and their family usually consists of six members. While keeping a baby pygmy marmoset, you will find it suffering from depression of being taken away from its family. The babies express their sadness on being confined alone inside a cage. They have the ability to emit ultrasonic sounds on sensing danger. They are also capable of making high pitch alarming sounds that can be a squeak, an open mouthed or a closed mouthed thrill. Pygmy marmosets also make different kinds of physical gestures for communication.

Check out more information about its habitat and characteristics from an animal enthusiast before bringing it home as a pet.