Pygmy marmosets are the world's smallest primates, requiring specialized zoo care that accommodates their small size, specialized gum-feeding ecology, and cooperative breeding biology.
Pygmy marmoset welfare requires exhibit management at a scale appropriate for these tiny animals — features that provide complexity for larger primates may be navigationally irrelevant or dangerous for a 100g primate. Temperature management is critical — their small size means they lose body heat rapidly and require consistently warm microenvironments. Dietary provision must include gum and sap sources allowing their specialized feeding behavior — gouging and licking gum from bark. Family group housing reflecting their cooperative breeding system allows natural infant care and social behavior. The illegal exotic pet trade creates welfare emergencies for confiscated individuals who often arrive malnourished and poorly socialized — rehabilitation and appropriate housing are needed.