Baby monkey found alone in parrot cage in Essex
The marmoset was rescued by the RSPCA and now has an adoptive family
Last updated 2nd Aug 2021
A young monkey, who was found alone in a parrot cage in a house in Essex, has been rescued by the RSPCA.
The infant marmoset was found living in "terrible" conditions in a private home in Grays, according to the charity.
He was discovered when a housing officer visited the premises in June and reported his concerns to the RSPCA.
RSPCA Inspector Jack Taylor said:
"I was shocked by the conditions this poor boy was living in.
"Named TikTok, he was living a miserable life, left all alone in a parrot cage with none of his essential needs being met.
"Primates are intelligent, sentient and highly social animals with complex needs that simply cannot be met in a domestic environment.
"TikTok had no companionship, no space to carry out natural behaviour and no enrichment.
"He was never going to thrive in these shocking conditions.
"What’s even worse, he was just an infant - only a few months old.
"Little TikTok should still have been getting full time care and nursing from his mother, but instead, he had been prematurely taken away from his parents.
"He needed rescuing urgently and luckily, after obtaining an agreement for him to be signed over into our care, we were able to find him a forever home at Monkey World.
"Monkey World Director, Dr Alison Cronin, drove up the same day to bring the youngster back to the centre to meet his new family.
"We would like to thank this wonderful rescue centre for providing him with a safe and appropriate home for life where all his needs can be met."
On the same day he arrived at Monkey World, TikTok was introduced to an adult pair of marmosets, Clydie and Ronnie.
Monkey World staff reported the baby marmoset cried out to adult female Clydie and jumped onto her back.
Clydie instantly adopted him as her own, carrying, grooming, and protecting little TikTok.
The baby is now being doted on by both adoptive parents, which the RSPCA said shows the innate need for parental care of his own kind.
RSPCA Inspector Jack added:
"Tiktok's case perfectly highlights why primates should not be available to the public and why they do not belong in people's homes.
"This youngster has been wrenched away from his family to be sold as a novelty pet to someone who doesn't know, and who hasn't got a hope of being able to give him what he needs.
"It's a situation that just shouldn't happen.
"Just like humans, primates can become depressed without adequate stimulation.
"They need a spacious and enriched environment that challenges their intelligent brains and allows for them to behave like primates should.
"But, sadly, Inspectors like me are still seeing shocking situations where monkeys are cooped up in bird cages, fed fast food, sugary drinks or even Class A drugs, deprived of companions of their own kind, living in dirt and squalor and suffering from disease."
The RSPCA is "delighted" that the government is taking action on the trading and keeping of primates in England with the introduction of the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill.
But, the animal charity does not believe the proposed law goes far enough.
The RSPCA is strongly urging the government to reconsider their proposals, as it has said a ban on the keeping and trade of pet primates is "the only answer".