Suitable environment for primates
Primates should have both indoor and outdoor secured spaces to live in. These areas must be big enough and high enough so the primates can move around easily and have the opportunity to socialise.
Space for primates to live
Primates need the right kind of environment to live in so they can move around, play, and spend time with other primates.
Their living area must be secure and should be kept clean and safe to stop germs spreading between animals and between animals and people.
If they do not have the right environment, they are likely to get sick, feel unhappy, behave oddly, or not grow properly.
Suitable environments
Keepers need to provide primates with a suitable environment that includes:
- a suitable location
- the right amount of space
- an enclosure that is big enough and has things like climbing frames, so primates can behave as they would in nature
- a comfortable area, with the right temperature, good air flow, not too noisy, and have proper lighting
- areas for the animal to eat and sleep
- a means to view the animal to check their welfare
- a means to safely catch, look after and keep the animal separated
- making sure animals cannot get out and people who shouldn’t have access are kept out
The way an enclosure is made and the materials used should make it possible to:
- keep the enclosure clean to stop diseases spreading
- make sure the animals are safe
- give the animals things to do and explore
- let the animals act normally, including spending time with each other
If the enclosure is not good enough, the animals might feel unhappy, stressed, behave oddly, or not grow properly.
What a good environment should do for primates
A good environment and good care should help with these things:
- making sure the living space is safe, comfortable, and interesting for each animal and the whole group
- stopping any animal in the group from being bullied by others and making sure no single animal takes over things like heat, food, or space
- stopping arguments in the group from becoming serious or lasting too long
- making sure a primate can protect itself and has enough space to run away if scared
Think about what each animal needs, depending on their age and health. For example, animals that are sick, pregnant, or very young need extra care.
Pregnant animals and animals with babies should have their own safe space so they don't get stressed.
Animals that might get too stressed around each other should not be kept together.
Where animals live and their space
Animals should have places to live both inside and outside. These places must be big enough and high enough for the animals, and should match how they would normally live, whether alone or with others.
If there may be baby animals in the future, the space should be able to fit more animals. Don’t let the space get too crowded.
The places where the animals live should meet their changing needs as they grow up. Enclosures should be away from noisy, busy places to help keep the animals from getting stressed and not be bothered by passers-by.
All animals should have access to warm places to sit, preferably in the sunshine. Natural light is very important for animals that are awake during the day, like some monkeys.
Three-dimensional design and climbing structures
Most primates kept by private owners live in trees. Their enclosures should have climbing structures for them to use. If the climbing structure is more interesting and complicated, it is better for the animals.
Climbing structures must be strong so the animals cannot break them or get hurt. You can use real branches or build structures out of wood. For indoor cages, the materials should be easy to clean to help prevent disease.
Living plants can be used for smaller animals, especially outdoors, but they must not be poisonous. The design of the climbing area should change sometimes to give the animals new things to do.
The size and distance between climbing parts should match the type of animal. For example, how thick the branches are and how far apart they are. Cage furniture must let the animals use as much of the space as possible.
Ground cover is important for animals that look for food on the ground. Live plants also help bring natural food like insects into the enclosure. Ground cover gives the animals places to hide, shelter, and things to play with.
Stopping boredom
Give animals things like beams, ropes, branches, stumps, toys, puzzle feeders, or different activities. These help animals be curious, solve problems, and do things like search for food, climb, and chase.
The goal is to make sure animals get what they need, keep their minds busy, and stop them getting bored.
Enrichment is a very important part of looking after primates, not just something extra. The things you give them should be swapped and changed, so the animals don’t get bored with them.
Make big changes gradually so the animals do not become worried and to make sure the changes work well. Familiar favourite items should be kept. Always consider the animals’ health and safety when giving them things to do.
Suitable places for feeding and sleeping
Feeding areas should suit the species and meet each animal’s needs, especially how they look for food.
In most cases, food should be spread out to encourage natural foraging. There should be more than one feeding area to reduce aggression and help stop weaker animals being left out.
Place feeding areas, bowls and water where they are easy to reach and less likely to be soiled by faeces or urine. Bowls and containers should be easy to clean.
Provide sleeping areas that suit the species. Some species need a nest box and nesting material, while others need a shelf where they can sleep together.
Some species need several sleeping areas so the group can separate at night.
There should be enough sleeping places for all animals. They should be high in the enclosure, above the keeper’s eye level, as most primates do not sleep on the ground.
Temperature, light, humidity and ventilation
Indoor enclosures must have the right temperature, humidity, ventilation and lighting for the species at all times. Cold, draughts and damp must be avoided.
You should also consider conditions in both indoor and outdoor areas, including overnight.
Indoor enclosures must be kept at a temperature that suits the species. Different species may need different temperatures.
Care must be taken to provide suitable heat across the enclosure and to prevent areas that are too cold. Heaters must be guarded to prevent burns.
Warm basking areas should be provided.
Lighting must provide a suitable day length. Many primates need UV light for healthy bone growth. Direct sunlight in an outdoor enclosure will meet the UV needs of most primates. Glass blocks UV light.
Heating often lowers the humidity in the enclosure. Most primates come from humid forest environments, so low humidity may cause health problems.
Indoor ventilation should be provided, but draughts must be avoided. Animals that can go outside must have enough shelter for their comfort and well-being.
Several shelter areas should be provided, such as shelter from strong sunlight, wind and rain. This helps make sure that dominant animals cannot stop other animals from using shelter.
Checking the welfare of primates
The enclosure should be designed so the animals can be checked easily every day. This helps staff identify welfare problems or behaviour issues, such as aggression in a group, as soon as possible.
Safe handling and catching of animals
Animals may need to be caught at times, for example for veterinary care or to manage their social group.
Handling can be stressful for animals, especially primates that are not handled often. Only people with suitable experience should handle primates.
A regular, long-term relationship with keepers can help reduce stress at these times.
Keepers should have the knowledge, training and skills to handle primates safely and with care. Enclosures should include suitable capture areas. For example, this could be a trap in a run, a nest box that can be closed and used as a refuge, or a small area where an animal can be caught easily with a net.
Health, hygiene and safety
Enclosures should be built to reduce the risk of escape. Unauthorised people should not be able to enter.
All enclosures should have secure double doors to help prevent escape. Locks should be designed and maintained so animals cannot open them.
Windows must also be secure. It is dangerous to enter an enclosure with most primates, so enclosures should be divided into separate areas for safe cleaning.
The design and construction of the enclosure should also help reduce the risk of disease. However, large areas of hard flooring should be avoided.
Primates need a complex environment so they can forage and show other natural behaviours. Because of this, cleaning to prevent parasites and other disease-causing germs may need to vary depending on how the animals are managed. For example, cleaning should balance the need for hygiene with the animals’ need to mark their territory.
Cleaning primates' enclosures
Cleaning may affect scent-marking behaviour in a species; therefore, different parts of the enclosure should be cleaned at different times.
Indoor enclosure surfaces should be cleaned and replaced at suitable times. Outdoor enclosures may have a natural soil surface, but this may need to be replaced from time to time to prevent or control a build-up of germs that cause disease.
Hard materials should be made so they can be cleaned and disinfected or removed and replaced if needed. Only cleaning products that are safe for animal enclosures should be used.
Keepers should follow the safe instructions for using these products. Any open drains should be outside the enclosure.
Daily care routines should include steps to reduce the risk of disease passing from people to primates.