Pygmy marmosets are the world's smallest primates and have highly specific social and dietary needs in zoological settings, requiring family group housing and a diet that includes live insects and tree gum.
Pygmy marmosets are socially and cognitively complex animals that fare poorly in inadequate zoo housing. Solitary housing causes chronic stress evidenced by elevated cortisol and stereotypic behaviour. Their dietary needs — including tree gum exudate and live insects — require active provision that many facilities find logistically challenging. Their extreme small size makes them vulnerable to temperature fluctuations and their welfare in cool climates requires heated indoor spaces. Despite their diminutive size, their needs are as complex as larger primates. High-welfare facilities treat them as what they are — intelligent social animals requiring family-group housing, complex vertical environments, and species-appropriate diets.