Welfare of primates: the need for a suitable diet

Suitable diet for primates

Food must be given in a way that suits the species and often enough to meet their needs. It must provide all the nutrients they need and be the right amount, quality and variety.

When planning the diet, you must also consider each animal’s condition, size, health, and breeding status.

When giving food and water, you must consider the primates’ natural behaviour, especially how they look for food and eat together.

Dietary record for primates

Keep a clear record of everything your primate eats. This should be part of its care plan. The record can help if your primate becomes ill, moves to a new home, or is looked after by someone else for a short time.

You should know the healthy weight range for the type of primate you keep. Weigh each primate often and write down its weight. Change its diet if its weight shows this is needed.

It is strongly recommended that you should get advice from a specialist about your primate’s diet. You should also do research into the food, nutrients and any supplements it may need.

This advice should cover both the species and each individual primate. Primates do not all need exactly the same diet. They may also react to foods in different ways.

Check how much each primate eats. Make sure it does not only choose its favourite foods, such as banana. Eating too much of some foods, and not enough of others, can make its diet unhealthy over time.

You can find more advice on keeping care plans and health plans for your primate.

• Welfare of primates: care plans and records

Dietary content for primates

Different types of primate eat different foods in the wild. For example, marmosets bite into branches to get plant gum. They also eat fruit, flowers, insects and small animals, such as spiders, lizards and snails. Macaques eat both plants and meat.

Primates are often described by the main type of food they eat, such as fruit, leaves or insects. But most primates need a mixed diet. 

A captive primate’s diet should be planned to be as close as possible to the natural diet of its species.

Fresh, natural foods for primates

A balanced diet should include fresh, natural foods. You must make sure your primate gets enough protein, vitamins and minerals. Captive primates may not get enough of some nutrients in their diet.

Common missing nutrients include vitamin D3, calcium and vitamin A. New World primates, especially marmosets and tamarins, may also lack vitamin C and vitamin D3. 

If your primate needs supplements, get them from a specialist supplier. A balanced diet will usually include complete primate pellets, fresh fruit, vegetables, insects and leafy branches. The diet should be adapted for the species you keep.

Roughage for primates

Getting enough roughage (provided by fibre-rich foods, such as leaves and pelleted food) is essential to avoid diarrhoea which can be caused by eating too much food.

Milk and other dairy products should be fed with caution, as they can cause digestive disorders such as diarrhoea and bloating.

Do not give primates sweets or other sugary foods. Limit sweet fruits. This helps reduce the risk of diabetes.

Help keep your primate’s teeth healthy by giving it leafy branches, primate pellets or other hard foods. These give the primate a chance to gnaw and chew.

Make sure any plants, seeds or fruit are safe for the primate species you keep. This includes plants that grow naturally in the enclosure and plants you add yourself.

Natural daylight for primates

All primates should have access to natural daylight. Daylight helps their bodies make vitamin D3. Primates that are active at night may not get enough sunlight. They may need vitamin D3 supplements in their diet.

Sunlight levels in Northern Ireland are lower than in many primates’ natural habitats. This means some species may not make enough vitamin D3, even if they can go outside. This is especially important for marmosets and tamarins. They can die if they do not get enough vitamin D3. 

Keepers should get advice from an experienced specialist keeper and a vet about giving vitamin D3.

Fresh, clean drinking water must be available at all times. Protect the water from dirt and from contamination by wild birds and rodents.

Primates spend a lot of time looking for food. In the wild, this can take up to 70 per cent of their day. 

Feed primates at least three times a day. This helps reduce food waste, boredom and bloating. It also helps keepers check the health and welfare of each primate and the group.

• Welfare of primates: physical health

Managing dominance hierarchies amongst primates

Primate groups often have a social order. Some animals may be more dominant than others. Dominant animals may eat too much and become overweight. Less dominant animals may not get enough food.

Keepers should watch for problems caused by this social order. Provide more than one feeding place so every primate can get food. Dominant animals may also take over the best places to sit in the sun. This can mean less dominant animals do not get enough vitamin D3 so  you may need to give vitamin D3 as part of their diet.

• Welfare of primates: normal behaviour patterns

Food preparation, storage and presentation for primates

• Keep and prepare food in clean conditions
• Protect food from damp, damage, mould, insects, birds and vermin - this applies to food in storage and food in the primate enclosure
• Keep food that can go off in a fridge
• Use food and drink containers only for food and drink
• Food and drink containers must be suitable for the primates - there should be enough containers, in the right places, so every primate inside the enclosure can reach them easily
• Clean food, water and other drink containers at least once every day
• Use self-feeders with care - you must still check how much food each primate eats
• If you use self-feeders, check them twice a day - make sure they work properly and do not contain food that is caked together or unfit to eat
• If you use water lines, check them twice a day
• Remove uneaten food at least once every day - this helps stop food going bad and helps avoid attracting vermin

More useful links

• Primates
• Search for a veterinary practice
• Pet Advertising Advisory Group