Advice needed for buying a marmoset (monkey) Hard to care for? Better alone or in pairs?

Question

I have the $, work day shift, plenty of room etc.....

Answer 1

First of all, they are diurnal, so night shift would be better. Second, check out your state's regulations. They are illegal in most states without a permit.
IF legal, I would suggest a pair, but make sure they are both very young or have grown up together. The dominant one would literally beat the crap out of a subordinate if they haven't grown up together. I would also suggest either 2 females, or a male and female of different species.
As for caring for them: know that the dominant one will most likely spread her scent by urinating and rubbing her genitalia on every upraised surface. It does get very smelly and is very hard to clean up.Plus, once you clean, she will do it again to reestablish her territories.
As for diet: they need a special marmoset diet (Mazuri makes one) of hard biscuits that need to be supplemented with fruit, veggies, and worms. Every morning we give roughly a cup of fruit, veggies, waxworms, mealworms, random insects, etc. They also get roughly 1/4-1/2 cup (for a pair) of canned marmoset diet (it is in an orange can, I can't think of the brand) We leave the biscuits out at all times. With this diet, a cup of biscuits lasts about a week or more, and the veggies and canned diet is gone in a couple hours.
Some favorite foods of ours: meal worms, applesauce, grasshoppers, grapes, cheerios (on a string- absolute favorite!)
Cage specs: you want a pretty big cage area- they are pretty active. I would suggest a set up about 2-3 feet off the ground, at least 4-5 feet tall and 4-5 feet wide. They are rarely on the ground. You need several sized branches and platforms. Ours love a little ferret/bird hide-a-way cloth bed thing (no clue on the name) that they sleep in every night.

Answer 2

Trust me not worth the effort.Its a wild animal they have natural
instinct that is unpredictable.