MINDYS MEMORY
PRIMATE SANCTUARY
Dedicated to rescuing abused and abandoned primates.]
NEWS LETTER:
Psychological wellbeing.
What is psychological wellbeing?
It is the difference between a monkey that is well adjusted, living a normal life, breeding and raising its own and
- a monkey that is displaying any kind of abnormality- which comes in many shapes and forms.
Monkeys develop problems for the following reasons:
- handrearing babies in isolotion from other monkeys create most problems
- also when monkeys are taken away from their parents when they are too young
- when they are kept in cages too small
- when they have an unstimulating environment which does not allow them to carry out natural activities
which are born into them
- any monkey is a wild animal, they are driven by instincts
- they are not little people and have no desire to become the little human beings that we want them to
be
- they have a need to forage for food, a need for a mate and a need to live in trees and carry out their natural activities
- they also have a need to be taught by other monkeys how to act and react in certain situations and how to socialise with other monkeys
- no human can teach them these skills and abnormalities can develop in them as an expression of frustration and insecurity
-if a baby hand-reared Marmoset is jumping around and playing it seems happy- but somewhere down the line it becomes confused
- some abnormalities develop in very young monkeys and some only come out later
- we can not ask them if they are happy or fulfilled, or what they need- the only way of telling is in their behaviour patterns
- we as owners have the responsibility to learn what is negative, abnormal behaviour, how to treat it and how to prevent it from happening again.
Some of the most common disorders found in monkeys that are removed from their parents and raised in isolation from other monkeys are:
1) Thumb-sucking, tail-sucking or self-orality:
A baby that has constant access to mother's nipple is provided with food and security. They often lack this consistancy- unable to progress past this oral stage in their lives. If this continue into adulthood it can be difficult to treat. It becomes more pronounced in times of stress and insecurity.
2) Rocking:
Very similar to autistic behaviour in humans often combined with self-clasping. It is a result of infants deprived of movement and common in very insecure monkeys.
3) Self-clinging/ self-clasping:
The monkey will embrace itself using a hand or foot to hold onto another part of the body.
4) Masturbation:
The monkey sometimes sucks it's penis as a replacment for mother's nipple. It later becomes a form of self stimulation and increases in times of stress and excitement.
5) Hyper-aggressivity:
This is the most common disorder. Completely unprovoked attacks on humans or animals. It is seen in monkeys socially isolated and deprived of learning proper channels for aggression. It can also stem from frustration or a lack of control in an environment that is unstimulating.
6) Eating disorders:
Appears in many shapes and forms:
1) Coprophagia: stool eating or smearing
2) Hyperphagia: uncontrolable eating
3) Hypophagia: finicky eating or insufficient eating
4) Polydipsia: Frequent drinking
7) Self-mutilation:
The monkey will bite itself, slap or hit itself. This condition is very difficult to treat.
8) Floating limb:
You will often notice that his one limb is slowly moving upwards- this will startle him and he will attack his own arm or leg.
9) Saluting or eyepoking:
Normally always done on the same side
.
10) Head tossing or weaving:
The head will weave from side to side, most often seen just after a pace.
11) Bouncing in one place:
Usually monkeys that badly need exercise. Very common in monkeys with an unstimulating environment. Another variation is summersaulting.
12) Excessive grooming of self or one another:
This can be extremely difficult to treat and is the product of unstimulating environment.
There are many variations to the above disorders:
-Prevention is better than cure
-any person hand-rearing has the responsibility of allowing the baby to learn correct socialising skills from other monkeys, to get enough movement as an infant, see that he is placed in an environment that is stimulating and the environment must allow it the oppertunity to carry out natural behaviour patterns.
-research has shown that punishing such (disorder) behaviour makes the condition worse- and that it should be treated with utmost understanding.
If you have a problem monkey:
-find out as much as possible about his history and draw up a profile.
In some cases all he needs is:
-a mate, a larger cage or lots of interesting things to do.
Some cases are more difficult to treat and some monkeys do not respond and can not be rehabilitated.
Certain needs to ensure a well adjusted monkey:
DOES YOUR MONKEY HAVE:
1) Security
The monkey needs to feel save and secure, free from danger. His home should let him feel comfortable.
2) Stability
They should get fed the same time each day- this even helps insecure monkeys.Their lights should go on on the same time. Monkeys with a strict routine know what to expect.
3) sense of control
Captive primates need to have choices.
They also need an inside and outside area with a door for them to climb through.
4) Oppertunity for normal behaviour
They need to express themselves, to forage for food and climb on branches and scentmark.
5) Encouragement
Maintain a positive relationship with your monkeys. It is very frustrating for them if they hate you. Talk to them, spend time with them- THEY FLOURISH ON LOVE!
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