A lot of people are curious about whether or not monkeys are loyal to humans. Are they? Do they love us? How do they react and feel about us as a species?
These are all important questions that anyone who is even thinking of one day getting a pet monkey is considering, and they are very important to answer.
So, let’s start with the important question: Are Monkeys loyal to humans?
Monkeys are not loyal to humans. While monkeys can see humans as the alphas of the tribe, and can even show affection and love to their humans, monkeys can never feel loyalty to humans the way dogs can. Monkeys are smart, opportunistic animals that will show you whatever benefits them.
So, if you want to get a smart pet but you also consider loyalty as an important part of it, you really should get a dog.
But if you still want to get a pet monkey and want to know exactly what they will feel about you, keep reading.
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How do Pet Monkeys feel about humans?
Pet Monkeys can see humans raising them the same way they see the alphas of the tribe as long as the humans show dominance, but they will not love humans the way a dog or a cat will love you, nor will it see you as their parents.
Monkeys are incredibly intelligent animals, and they can tell they are different from us, so they know we are not the same. Not only that, but monkeys can tell adult humans from children, and males from females.
Your monkey will try to establish its dominance in the house. They will try to become the alpha because that is also what they would try to do in the wild. They do that instinctively, not out of spite or because of a lack of training.
It will take some training to get the monkey adapted to their role and their life in your house. This is also one of the reasons keeping a pet monkey is seen as inhumane, but you can learn whether keeping a pet monkey is cruel or not here because it’s a whole other topic completely.
Can Monkeys love humans?
Monkeys are not capable of loving humans. This is a completely different feeling from being loyal, and it’s more complicated than just saying monkeys are incapable of love because they are animals that can show love for their counterparts and mates, just not in the way we think of when we think of love.
Wild monkeys do show affection and love to other monkeys, and you can see it in the way they hold hands, cuddle, and groom each other.
Pet Monkeys can form attachments to their owners or caretakers since that is what happens with primates in the wild as well, but this attachment is not love.
They are still different from us, and they are animals that are incredibly smart but will never be able to experience the same emotions we do or feel about things in a human way.
Monkeys can sense your feelings, so if you are sad, angry, etc., they know it because their instincts tell them when something is wrong and they are always on the lookout for danger.
The relationship with a pet monkey is not one of love, it’s more complicated than that but we can’t really describe it using human words because we are talking about two different species here after all!
To learn more about what is the real attachment between humans and pet monkeys make sure to check out this guide that answers do pet monkeys love their owners in much more detail.
Are Pet Monkeys loyal to humans?
While pet monkeys can form attachments and bonds to their humans, they can never be loyal to them in the way we think of as being loyal.
When humans think of a loyal pet, we think of dogs. But dogs are a very rare exception. In fact, no other pet can be loyal to humans the way dogs can. Every breed of dog, from the more aggressive American bullies to the super friendly golden retriever can be incredibly loving and loyal to their human parents.
This is not the case with any other pet. Not cats, birds, hamsters, or anything else you can think of. And definitely not monkeys. Monkeys are probably some of the least loyal animals there are.
While cats, for example, may not be super loyal to us the way dogs can, they are not really going to challenge us for dominance in the house, but monkeys will. A monkey will become aggressive and dangerous to show dominance in the house.
Monkeys will attack you to show dominance. They will throw poop and anything else they can reach.
Do Pet Monkeys turn on their owners?
Some pet monkeys will turn on their owners, especially if they are not trained to be with humans. If the monkey is raised in captivity, it is much less likely to turn on its owner because it was always around them and knows what you are.
But a pet monkey that has been rescued from the wild may become aggressive towards its human family without proper training, care, etc., but this can happen with any animal. It’s not specific to monkeys, but it is more common in primates due to their natural instincts are stronger than other animals are.
The most important thing you need to do if you are keeping a pet monkey is making sure they are trained and ready for life among humans .
Do Monkeys hug?
Primate hugs are those quick, gentle embraces that are more about conveying affection than anything else. Monkeys do it with one another as a greeting or to comfort each other during stressful times such as when they are fighting over food or territory. It’s also common among young monkeys and their parents – especially mothers who have just given birth.
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