In captivity, squirrel monkeys can live up to 20 years. In wild average life span of squirrel monkeys is not so long(10-12 years). Squirrel monkey adapts well to the conditions of detention in the cage, and in the aviary can delight you with a baby. These monkeys in scientific laboratories are used to study behavior, as well as studying oncological, nervous and other diseases. They are very sensitive to vitamin D deficiency, so they need to be given a vitamin D diet strictly.
Squirrel monkey is widely used in communicating a rich set of sound signals. Depending on the situation, these monkeys can scream, squeak, trash and even cackle.
These monkeys reproduce in a certain season, which, depending on the habitat and the terrain, may shift: in Suriname, for example, the squirrel monkeys bring offspring in late July – early October, in Louisiana – most often in June-September, in Texas – from February to September , with a maximum of births in May-August. Males are prone to obesity during puberty, when the weight of it is noticeably increased and changes are noted in the hairline. Females become sexually mature at the age of about three years.
The gestation period is 152-182 days. In the litter one cub, very rarely two. The female wears a calf on her stomach, and at the age of three weeks it already attracts attention of other members of the herd who are anxious to take care of it: for the baby, the females that do not have their young are actively cared for by adult males. At the age of five to six weeks, the baby gradually acquires relative independence, and at 8-10 weeks already participates in group games. Full independence from the female mother comes after a few years. During puberty, the attitude toward the monkey from the members of the herd changes dramatically, becoming more aggressive.
