"I would
like to take a minute of your time to tell you the
importance of this web site and the training that
Lisa offers, if you are going to buy a monkey or as
I did bought one and then was left all on my own to
figure out how to raise her correctly be advised
there is no books out there to tell you how to raise
a capuchin, I have searched and search. the lady who
sold her to me will not return phone calls or
e-mails. so I looked and looked for help, finding
this web site was a God send! Lisa charges $2,500.00
for a year of phone training which breaks down to
$52.00 a week (SO SO VERY CHEAP FOR THE KNOWLEDGE
THAT YOU RECEIVE) I signed up 2 weeks ago and have
learned so very much about my baby and how and what
to fed her and when, also the trick to no more
cutting diapers :) after Lisa tips and proper
nutrition my baby has become so much more active and
has stopped biting and even loves her baths. the
best thing you can ever do for yourself and your
baby or even a grown monkey is hook up with Lisa,
you will not only find a wealth of knowledge but
even better a good friend." ~Christy
About Lisa Whiteaker, trainer Lisa
Whiteaker is a Certified Trainer, of
Monkeyzone.com
Taming & Training One on One
I offer Intensive Counseling on our taming and
training techniques through my programs,
Infant, Juvenile and adult, which
includes leash and collar training, behavior
modification, diaper training, physiological
well-being and many more techniques. Many primate
owners let their monkeys roam freely in their house
without their primate being tamed and trained first.
Many issues arise later on as the monkey gets older.
This is not the only issues that arise, biting,
uncontrollable behavior is just a few.
Service fee is listed above for you to pick the
program that best suits you and your monkeys needs.
Note: I have become very busy flying from home to
home in changing lives. Make sure you contact
me to see if I am available. Coming directly
to you and changing everything is worth being with
your primate for the next 40 years. Instead of
going through a year of back and forth sessions, you
do have the opportunity for me to come directly to
you and fix everything all at once. When I
Leave you have a different monkey, a good, behaved
monkey, most of all you know what to do at all
times.
by Lisa Whitaker, President & Founder of MonkeyZone
Monkeys are a one-person pet and will not be too
responsive to strangers or other family members of your
home. If they are not bothered or teased by a stranger,
chances are they will not bite. They are clannish and
suspicious of anything new or strange; so when friends drop
in to see your new pet, advise them to go slowly (do not
just extend your hand), keep at a distance and do not try to
make a quick friendship with your monkey. If you buy your
monkey from a pet shop, chances are it will already be
wearing a collar or harness. Even so, you should inspect the
collar or harness to be certain that it is the right size
and kind. I have found a small dog or cat collar or harness
to be the most satisfactory from the standpoint of safety
and comfort, they are a soft nylon. They do not wear the
hair off the waist of your primate. They are much cleaner
and last longer than a leather collar or harness. Until your
monkey becomes collar or harness wise, it will twist and
turn, trying to escape.
Let your monkey get use to it, by letting your monkey drag
the leash behind them when they are out of the cage. I
always leave my monkeys restraint on while they are out of
the cage at all times so I can have control at any time.
Until your monkey becomes accustomed to you and its new
home, it will be best to leave the collar or harness on all
the time when they are out of the cage. Never leave a
collar/harness and leash attached to them while they are in
the cage. Your monkey could get tangled up and not to
mention seriously hurt. By learning how to restrain your
monkey from inside the cage while you are attaching the
collar or harness and leash, you can prevent them from
darting out of the cage. By restraining your monkey when you
open the door also helps to break them of the habit of
darting out and trying to escape. They soon realize that
they have to wear a collar or harness with a leash attached
before they can come out. If you have adopted a juvenile or
adult monkey, for the first few days or even weeks it is
best to leave it in the cage to get use to its new
environment. Getting a collar on it might be difficult in
the beginning, you need to build trust and respect from your
monkey. Place the cage where the monkey can be with you
while you are watching TV. or at work. Monkeys do not like
to be alone, so keep the TV on for company.
Every time you go near the cage, stop and speak to your
monkey, call it by name, and offer food or a treat. If your
monkey grabs for food, try not to jerk your hand away; the
sudden movement not only startles the monkey, but also gives
it the idea that you are frightened, it will try to bluff
you whenever possible. In a few days or weeks, you will find
that your monkey isn't as frightened when you approach the
cage. Now is the time to try and open the door a little and
have direct contact. Have treats, food available while
having contact, be careful not to tease or intimidate your
monkey. You may get bitten, but don't jerk away, take it
very slow. There are monkeys that will attack right away and
others that really want your direct contact and attention.
All monkeys are different in personalities, but if you feel
your monkey wants to come out of the cage, be certain that
when you open the door you have a firm grip on your monkey,
whether it be a arm, tail, scruff of the neck, ect.. Open
the cage door slowly, your monkey may either do one of two
things, make a wild dash in hopes of escaping, or it will
cower in the back of the cage and refuse to come out. If the
first occurs, you will be glad you had a firm grip on it.
Should your monkey become timid and afraid to come out,
don't be impatient! Sit down and talk to it while reaching
your hand towards it. Offer a piece of its favorite food.
Try to coax it out, but never grab your monkey and pull it
out. If you still haven't succeeded in getting it to come
out after trying for ten or fifteen minutes, don't get
excited. Close the door of the cage and walk away and try
later. After you have succeeded and have attached the collar
or harness and leash, then you should take your monkey out
several times a day for social enrichment and exercise and
also a get acquainted period.
Lead your monkey around so it will become accustomed to the
collar or harness and leash. If your monkey fights against
being led at first, sit down and talk to your monkey in a
calm, caring voice until it overcomes its excitement and
fright. When adopting a juvenile or adult you shouldn't put
your hands on a new monkey--to pet or play with it--for
several days or even weeks. I offer the newcomer something
special, such as a few raisins, some nuts, fruit, vegetables
or a mealworm. I hold the treat until the monkey comes to
take it from me. In this way, it learns to trust the hand
and knows that I am not going to grab it or hurt it in any
way. When using food to get acquainted with your new monkey,
be careful to avoid teasing it, even if unintentionally.
Never offer a tidbit and then jerk it away. This will
accomplish just the opposite of what you are trying to do.
If you are trying to get the monkey to come to you, hold the
food far enough away so that it must move to you and let it
have the treat when it reaches you. When it is time to put a
new monkey back in it's cage, you may have to use a little
persuasion, especially the first time or two. You can guide
the monkey in the cage first and unfasten the collar or
harness and leash and shut the door. Usually if you give the
monkey a piece of it's favorite fruit or a treat and let it
see you put it in the cage, it will go in after it.
After a few times, it will realize that the cage is it's
home where it is fed and protected, and should it get out,
it will return to the cage instead of running away. To help
imbed this idea, always give your monkey it's first real
meal in the cage. By watching to see what your monkey
selects first when you feed it, you will soon learn which is
it's favorite food. Then use this particular thing to the
best advantage by letting it help you tame your monkey. Most
monkeys prefer grapes, so I use them as a special reward. I
repeat, never offer a monkey anything and then hold it so
that it can't get to it. This creates resentment, not trust.
Try not to let the monkey bite you. Even a trial nip by your
monkey requires an immediate reprimand! Grab your monkey by
the scruff or it's neck and unleash the monkey and place it
in the cage and shut the door. Walk away, do not look at it
or talk with it for at leash fifteen minutes. By giving a
Time-Out, it will teach your monkey that you won't tolerate
such behavior, be firm in letting it know you will not stand
for such actions. A monkey can inflict a painful pinch, not
to mention a serious bite!
Lisa
Whiteaker is a Certified Trainer, of