Pet Monkey

The monkey that you see on my shoulder belonged to a guy who worked in artillery on Firebase Buttons.  He was able to keep a pet because he worked on a firebase full-time.  I was always on the move so I couldn't have a pet even if I wanted one.  I took these snapshots because it was rare to see a pet over there.

  What is it about human beings that drives at least some of us to want a pet?  With dogs, I can understand.  They consistently give back much more love and friendliness than they receive.  Cats are different.  As kittens, you can have fun with them by dangling a a piece of yarn in front of their nose .  Once older however, they just do their own thing.  I don't understand the attraction in owning a cat.


At the time, I thought it might be cool to own a pet monkey.  This one was young so it felt like I was holding a baby in a way.  It didn't mind at all being held.  It was playful.  I've read since that when monkey's are young, they are at their best from a human point-of-view.

The trouble starts when they are older.  Monkeys do not mature like human children do but remain permanent toddlers.  If unhappy, they can be very difficult to deal with.  And making them happy is not easy.  Monkeys need a lot of room to roam.  Allowing a monkey to roam your house however may not work because it will be into everything.  They need social interaction with other monkeys so one may not be enough.  They are not as clean as you might expect.  Monkeys cannot be toilet trained.  Worse, they have been known to pick up and toss their shit around and paint with their urine.  Monkeys have there own specialized diseases that can be passed on to humans.  Finally, you must keep in mind that monkeys cannot be domesticated.  They will grow up into a wild animal that can be very aggressive and bite.

Sounds pleasant.  I hope the owner didn't try to take the monkey home with him.