# Signs and signals of marmoset mating/courtship



## mat_worrell (Sep 20, 2009)

Hi there everyone

I know I have asked this before but recently, within the last week or so I have noticed my female marmoset, fizz, getting a little more boisterous around my male, EB, and then turn her back to him and almost pacing up and down infront of him with her tail half cocked and rear end in the air. 

Im quite confident this is not an aggressive behaviour as they get on like a house on fire and have done since the first 10 mins they met. So this leads me to think it is a mating signal. My only doubt is that she is hand reared and would not have seen any of this behaviour so is it instinctive or am I reading this all wrong? 

She is now 12 months old so it is possible she is coming into or has come into breadin age ....... Please let me know what you think as I would love to hear your thoughts and theories. 

Mat.


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## mmcdermid (Feb 26, 2009)

Im unsure mate, when my pair bred, i didnt notice any differences in behaviour or witness any mating. Just noticed the female getting rather large lol


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## mmcdermid (Feb 26, 2009)

what does she weigh?


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## PETERAROBERTSON (Jul 2, 2008)

mat_worrell said:


> Hi there everyone
> 
> I know I have asked this before but recently, within the last week or so I have noticed my female marmoset, fizz, getting a little more boisterous around my male, EB, and then turn her back to him and almost pacing up and down infront of him with her tail half cocked and rear end in the air.
> 
> ...


One of our females does the same thing.
She only does it when we are there.
If watched on cctv she doesnt do it.
Ive always thought it was a claiming thing.
As in telling us that hes hers and leave alone.
With regard to mating thing when they reach maturity and decide to breed.
They just do it and he will pester her alot.
She will either be willing or will tell him off.
(just the same as us)
Weve witnessed it alot again on cctv and it mostly happens on the wire..
The males tend to do this as well but its definately them telling you to get away.
Show there rear end and display the genitals.
Not all females do it...


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## mat_worrell (Sep 20, 2009)

Yeah I've noticed it when when I'm around, I'm just hoping she hasn't 'bonded with me too much' and she is warning EB of because she is claiming me. 

Will keep an eye on it. 

Thanks Peter.


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## Zoo-Man (Apr 12, 2008)

I have never really noticed much in the way of courtship behaviour with my marmosets, though I have caught them mating once! They were doing it in the open on a large branch.

Tia, my female, will often leap up to the highest branch at times, puffing her hair up, turning her back to me & raising her tail to expose her anus/genitals. Darwin, the male, will usually follow her lead.


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