How to Care for Chimpanzees
Chimpanzees may seem like a prized exotic pet. They are extraordinarily intelligent and affectionate.
However, as they grow, this intelligence can lead to boredom and destructive behavior.
Housing the Chimpanzee
Chimpanzees require a durable enclosure to keep them contained. A room or a large outdoor space containing ropes, branches, swings, balls and other play items is suitable.
Additionally, make sure to protect glass windows with bars to prevent a strong chimp from shattering them. Placing a lock on the door to the enclosure will also protect both your chimp and your neighbors.
Food and Water
These type of monkeys are omnivores, which means they eat both plants and animals. Fruit, leaves, insects, eggs, tree bark, nuts and occasionally even small animals are all part of a wild Chimpanzee’s diet.
In captivity, your chimp’s primary food source needs to be formulated and nutritionally complete “monkey chow”. Your pet needs to eat about 4% of its body weight in food daily. Therefore, if your chimp weighs 100 pounds, it needs to eat about 4 pounds of food a day. However, this amount can be adjusted to maintain an ideal body weight.
Training Chimpanzees
In the past, chimps were trained as service animals to help their owners do everyday tasks such as cook food, open doors, pick up items and dial 911. Some Chimpanzee owners even trained them to dress themselves, watch television and play with children toys.
Also, you can toilet train your Chimpanzee. However, many owners still keep them in diapers. Surprisingly, you can also teach your chimp how to eat with a fork and knife, pick up toys and perform feats similar to those of a young kid as well.
Veterinary Care for Chimpanzees at Pets
Regular veterinary visits are necessary for overall health of your Chimpanzee. Heart disease, dental disease and diabetes are all common illnesses that pet Chimpanzees are prone to. Make sure to closely monitor your primate for the aforementioned diseases, particularly if you feed it a diet of human food.
All Pets Veterinary Medical provides veterinary care for primates in Bryan/College Station, TX. Contact us to discuss vaccination requirements for your exotics pet.
These are just the basics on how to care for Chimpanzees as pets. All Pets provides monkey veterinary care services in Bryan/College Station, TX. Contact us with the link below for more information!
