# Marmoset large outdoor extension



## jonnybrfc (May 10, 2010)

Hi guys been a long time since I posted on this, moved house and have a bigger back garden that gets more sunlight, so I thought I would extend my outdoor section of my marmosets enclosure. The enclosure is now 16ft long X 12ft wide X 7ft tall. Heres some pictures hope you like, let me know what you think.

































































































































Its hard to try and catch the boys staying still for long enough, I have took a couple of videos just have to figure out how to try and get them posted. Well let me know what you think, enjoy. Jonny.


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## andy140365 (Jul 26, 2010)

looks excellent job well done:2thumb:,im hoping to get something like this done for this time next year ,how many do you have in there?
You could try uploading your video to you tube then post a link on here just have to copy and paste it waiting for the video now with baited breath


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## jonnybrfc (May 10, 2010)

I have just the two males in there, to be honest I would love to have more, maybe some day when I get more funds lol yes I will try post a couple of videos of them! Do you currently have any? It's weird I just love sitting outside in their enclosure now, and watch them run, jump and forage about for hours lol


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## aliburke (Jun 20, 2011)

As I told you before when you sent me pics, great job!! Looks even better now with the greenery and loadsa branches. What is the green stuff, pine?? I've been trying to find another fir/Xmas tree for my outdoor (should be ready this week!), I have one for indoor and they love it, it's the only type of tee with horizontal branches that I seem to be able to find.... I have been out round the lough shore and countryside armed with a saw with no luck!


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## animalsbeebee (May 19, 2008)

Excellent,all private keepers should keep marmies like this.


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## andy140365 (Jul 26, 2010)

jonnybrfc said:


> I have just the two males in there, to be honest I would love to have more, maybe some day when I get more funds lol yes I will try post a couple of videos of them! Do you currently have any? It's weird I just love sitting outside in their enclosure now, and watch them run, jump and forage about for hours lol


no non yet but when i do it will be like yours :no1:


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## Zoo-Man (Apr 12, 2008)

Wow mate, thats fantastic! They will be so happy in there. :2thumb:


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## jonnybrfc (May 10, 2010)

Ali, thank you, yes it's pine branches, I've used them for a while now and they seem to like them quite a bit, espically the acorns lol yes was out the day with a saw, didnt need it though, all the branches that I brought home were already broken off, as for the others most of them where the same and a couple of the bigger ones the family where cutting down in the garden and where going to bin. I'm sure u can't wait to get yours finished!

Animalsbeebee and andy thank you for your kind comments, it took a while for me to gain better knowledge, but from this forum with people like Peter and Colin I soon got a better grasp, but we all start are learning somewhere.

Colin long time no speak hope you are keeping well and the meerkats keeping you busy :lol2:

Will try and get some videos up soon.:2thumb:


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## em_40 (Sep 29, 2010)

Nice, so lovely to see decent enclosures.

Love the bird feeder/ fruit idea.


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## 5plusmany (Sep 29, 2011)

Looks fab well done! Just curious, if you have put branches in (rather than planted trees/shrubs) won't they die off fairly soon then need replacing..?


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## Smigsy (Jul 30, 2009)

Rubbish, and I'm definatley not jealous. :whistling2:


Ok it's awesome, must be nice to have something of that quality to admire after your efforts. :notworthy:


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## jonnybrfc (May 10, 2010)

Smigsy said:


> Rubbish, and I'm definatley not jealous. :whistling2:
> 
> 
> Ok it's awesome, must be nice to have something of that quality to admire after your efforts. :notworthy:


Thank you smigsy, yes I love sitting in the garden now it makes it more enjoyable when you can watch them, just need to make sure and get some nice weather now :lol2: that was my first DIY project, never built anything before


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## jonnybrfc (May 10, 2010)

5plusmany said:


> Looks fab well done! Just curious, if you have put branches in (rather than planted trees/shrubs) won't they die off fairly soon then need replacing..?



No some of the branches I have had for a couple of years and they are still fine, as for the pine needle branches for decor, I just replace them regularly, I don't mind though


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## jonnybrfc (May 10, 2010)

em_40 said:


> Nice, so lovely to see decent enclosures.
> 
> Love the bird feeder/ fruit idea.



Thank you, yes anything to keep their minds stimulated, I normally throw meal worms over the floor and they spend their time looking for them in the bark and soil, really keeps them busy:lol2:


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## aliburke (Jun 20, 2011)

em_40 said:


> Nice, so lovely to see decent enclosures.
> 
> Love the bird feeder/ fruit idea.


Here here!! Question on bird feeder, or rather, what to put into it.... Do your marmies eat from big chunks of fruit? Mine won't touch anything unless I chop it up to like rice size!! Even grapes, I have to skin them first then cut them up tiny! Takes me forever to do morning feeds, I end up going to works looking like I was dragged through a wind bush cause I've no time for myself making me look like this ........ :crazy:


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## jonnybrfc (May 10, 2010)

aliburke said:


> Here here!! Question on bird feeder, or rather, what to put into it.... Do your marmies eat from big chunks of fruit? Mine won't touch anything unless I chop it up to like rice size!! Even grapes, I have to skin them first then cut them up tiny! Takes me forever to do morning feeds, I end up going to works looking like I was dragged through a wind bush cause I've no time for myself making me look like this ........ :crazy:



Yes I put them in big chunks inside it, I put the grapes in whole in a way that when they put their hands inside the bird feeder they have to work in order to wriggle the grapes out, as for the other pieces of fruit, apple banana and mango they just chew away at it through the holes. In the clear plastic bird feeder is where I put their meal worms etc and I also stick pieces of partially whole fruit onto the branches for them to chew on. How's your outdoor setup coming along? By the way there is times where I'm feeding them early in the morning that I have to use a light to find my way through the enclosure cause it's soo dark.


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## GECKO MICK (Jun 6, 2012)

Amazing enclosure looks great.Theyll be 2 very happy boys :2thumb:


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## bothrops (Jan 7, 2007)

aliburke said:


> Here here!! Question on bird feeder, or rather, what to put into it.... Do your marmies eat from big chunks of fruit? Mine won't touch anything unless I chop it up to like rice size!! Even grapes, I have to skin them first then cut them up tiny! Takes me forever to do morning feeds, I end up going to works looking like I was dragged through a wind bush cause I've no time for myself making me look like this ........ :crazy:



I bet they would touch them if you gave them bigger chunks.

The trick would be not crumbling too easily when the stand off occurs. They may not eat so much for a couple of days, but they'll soon learn that they'll have to start chewing if they want to eat!


One of my students did their honours project on optimal food sizes for callitrichids last year. Admittedly it was only done on two troops (our cotton tops and Geoffroys) so it was a low sample size, but of all the sizes tried (from whole fruit, through half, quarter, eighths, and finely chopped) the size that they ate the most of (and had the least food associated aggression behaviour) was the quartered food.

Both troops had previously had all their food chopped up small. Other benefits of larger food pieces are that they don't dessicate so quickly and so remain palatable for longer.


I don't know your animals, or your situation, but I thought I'd share.

Just for 'support' if you do plan to try to wean them off rice sized food to give you a break in the mornings, this story might also help!

I had a good friend who started working in a popular UK zoo and when she arrived the lemurs were all scouring badly overnight. She instantly spotted that they had a very fruit heavy evening meal. She was told categorically by the keeper that had looked after them for years that they 'simply won't eat veg or browse, so we just have to manage'.

After just three weeks, all the lemur were happily eating a veg heavy evening meal, had regular browse and their overnight toileting was much firmer!


It might take a bit of perseverance, but you should be able to wean them off the rice sized food. (bigger pieces would also be better for their dental health, would provide behavioural enrichment, extend foraging time and just generally be better!) - All that AND you would have more time in the morning!

Good luck.

Cheers

Andy


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## PETERAROBERTSON (Jul 2, 2008)

When you say quartered Andy do you mean like an apple cut into four.
I never do bite size pieces.

A bit smaller for the pygmys but for he marms and tams i like to give chunks
that they can lift.

This is always best for weaning babies as when the adults go to there eating place the babys can climb on and steel from them.
How they learn aint it.

Plus if its a mouth full it would start trouble over food.
But if they are able to do what hey do naturally and take and go its better.

The only fruit that we leave hole is grapes.
But halved for the pygmys.

Good point about vegatables.
I dont think root veg is fed enough.
Most just fill with fruit and then the supliments and dried food.

Ive always found that on a veg and protien day the marms and tams devour it.

But can take more time with fruit and usually with a fair bit waste.

Plus the main factor is they dont work as much.
Eat and get fat.
Which isnt good for anybody.
(im on a diet by the way lol)


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## aliburke (Jun 20, 2011)

Anytime I try and give them something bigger they drop it on the floor, would they eventually pick it up? 

Peter, what protein foods do you give? Chicken?


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## PETERAROBERTSON (Jul 2, 2008)

aliburke said:


> Anytime I try and give them something bigger they drop it on the floor, would they eventually pick it up?
> 
> Peter, what protein foods do you give? Chicken?


Chicken,ham,prawns,mince..
insects,,gut loaded..
And good root vegies.
They do drop on floor sometimes.
But will forage later for it.
But spot cleaning is needed so it doesnt stay there bad.


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## aliburke (Jun 20, 2011)

PETERAROBERTSON said:


> Chicken,ham,prawns,mince..
> insects,,gut loaded..
> And good root vegies.
> They do drop on floor sometimes.
> ...


'gut loaded'..... What's that?

They haven't gone on the floor since I put chopped straw down, well they will kind of hang from something and put a hand or foot down to pick up a treat if they drop but they seem scared of it, they used to run round the floor before..... Hard to please :roll2::roll:


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## bothrops (Jan 7, 2007)

PETERAROBERTSON said:


> When you say quartered Andy do you mean like an apple cut into four.
> I never do bite size pieces.



Yeah, rather than cut fruit to the same sized pieces, the fruit was cut into halves, quarters etc. 

The only thing to be aware of was that the troops used happened to be troops of 4 and 5 and so the reduction of food based aggression could be due to 'having a piece each' rather than the fact that it was actually cut into quarters. This could then have had knock on effects regarding actual consumption, as they don't have to fight each other for certain types. Further work is definitely needed in this area with larger sample sizes and different sized troops. Even with these caveats, the evidence was strong that small pieces were generally less popular in all cases.





aliburke said:


> 'gut loaded'..... What's that?
> 
> They haven't gone on the floor since I put chopped straw down, well they will kind of hang from something and put a hand or foot down to pick up a treat if they drop but they seem scared of it, they used to run round the floor before..... Hard to please :roll2::roll:


Gut loaded insects are insects that have been well feed on veg/fruit/supplements and sometimes even fishfood/commercial cricket grub. This means that the insects themselves have a much greater nutritional value for the primates than 'empty' ones.


It might be the noise that the straw makes when they move through it that freaks them out?

We use a soil, compost, bark mix for substrate for all our primates (except the red ruffed lemur as they are in a grass based outdoor enclosure and their shed just has shavings (and the ring tails will be joining them shortly in an similar, adjacent enclosure).

All the callitrichids (and the black lemur) have the soil/bark mix which is spot cleaned, but also turned over and forked regularly to provide a bioactive substrate. This substrate is great as it is very natural for the animals and they all enjoy foraging in it for dropped food and particularly insect life.


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## PETERAROBERTSON (Jul 2, 2008)

Andys answered ali...lol

We use substrate same as you andy...outside
Inside...shavings..

They wont like the feel of straw.
They should go to ground ali.

But not usually when people are about unless stedied.

Find shavings good.
And cost effective..
Not sawdust as that can go in eyes....

Understand about fruit now andy..
Similiar as ourselves....
And when its 12 dishes twice a day..
Chop it throw it in and let them be monkeys.....


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## aliburke (Jun 20, 2011)

Thanks guys, one can never learn enough about the proper keeping of these wee skitters! 

Sand I guess would be a bad idea for indoor then as it'll probably get into eyes too? Shavings it is


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## aliburke (Jun 20, 2011)

jonnybrfc said:


> Yes I put them in big chunks inside it, I put the grapes in whole in a way that when they put their hands inside the bird feeder they have to work in order to wriggle the grapes out, as for the other pieces of fruit, apple banana and mango they just chew away at it through the holes. In the clear plastic bird feeder is where I put their meal worms etc and I also stick pieces of partially whole fruit onto the branches for them to chew on. How's your outdoor setup coming along? By the way there is times where I'm feeding them early in the morning that I have to use a light to find my way through the enclosure cause it's soo dark.


Not amused :bash: after being let down by my ex's dad after waiting near 6wks to do outdoor, I went to the guy who built the indoor, it was supposed to be done at start of week and he phones to say he's down two staff so :censor: knows when it's gonna get done, the summer will be over, mind you, think it already is! :gasp:


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## PETERAROBERTSON (Jul 2, 2008)

aliburke said:


> Not amused :bash: after being let down by my ex's dad after waiting near 6wks to do outdoor, I went to the guy who built the indoor, it was supposed to be done at start of week and he phones to say he's down two staff so :censor: knows when it's gonna get done, the summer will be over, mind you, think it already is! :gasp:


Dont know if makes any difference Ali.
All my monkeys have outdoor access 365 days of the year.
Rain,Hail or shine.
I let them choose.

Like i said before have video of marmies catching snow.
But folk laughed as i think they thought i was kidding.

Although i have half our outside roofed.
For shelter and also for shade in summer.

But each to there own.
But id hate to be couped indoors for weeks at a time...


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## aliburke (Jun 20, 2011)

PETERAROBERTSON said:


> Dont know if makes any difference Ali.
> All my monkeys have outdoor access 365 days of the year.
> Rain,Hail or shine.
> I let them choose.
> ...


They will have the choice all year round but I really didn't think they would go out if it were cold, that's good. If you get a chance to put the snow vid up I would love to see it!

I'm getting the entire roof done but in clear plastic so the light a sun will come through, just need to figure out what ro use for a bit of shelter from sun (for the rare occasion we in northern ireland see it!)


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## PETERAROBERTSON (Jul 2, 2008)

aliburke said:


> They will have the choice all year round but I really didn't think they would go out if it were cold, that's good. If you get a chance to put the snow vid up I would love to see it!
> 
> I'm getting the entire roof done but in clear plastic so the light a sun will come through, just need to figure out what ro use for a bit of shelter from sun (for the rare occasion we in northern ireland see it!)


Thats how i tried my first ever enclodure.
When it rained they were a bit shxxing themselves with the noise.

I changed to ply and no probs...
But i leave a section open so they can bask...

If i ever grt a chance ill try and find video...
Getting times the issue though.
Photos may be easier...


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## PETERAROBERTSON (Jul 2, 2008)

Ali
It doesnt need sun for uv
Daylight gives off uv as well.

They still benifit from daylight and fresh air..
Try a shot of uv reader and youd be surprised..

I change my internal uv lights each winter then its strong and they can bask if they like.
Then its ok but bit weaker in summer..

They are on for 12hrs winter and 10 in summer..


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## Jafna (Jun 7, 2012)

Absolutely lovely... After seeing the poor little things in brid cages at my local pet shop this makes me happy :2thumb:


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## Ink (Jun 9, 2012)

Thats a proper enclosure! they'll love it in there :2thumb:


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## ForeverHams (Sep 9, 2008)

Enclosure looks fantastic! zoo worthy in fact! :no1:

Only thing i did notice was the top of the enclosure looks like the mesh is held together with a series of "cut off" cable ties. its hard to tell if they're metal or plastic (so apologies if they are metal ) but a friend of mine did a similar thing all be it with Tamarins and they chewed through a few cable ties and managed to squeeze out, took a lot of encouragement and 3 days to get them back in!


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