Marmosets/Tamarins/Owl Monkeys & Squirrels

Lustrous hair enhances the beauty and value of your monkeys but when they start losing hair and it is not treated correctly in time it can end up in a disaster.

Some time ago I noticed hair loss in my Goeldies and immediately started looking for the possible reasons. They lost hair on their tails but also patches on their bodies. To recognize abnormal hair loss you must know what the normal hair distribution for you monkey should be.

There are three different types of hair growth to recognize in your monkey:

Juvenile patterns
Adult patterns

Seasonal molt.

1. Juvenile Patterns

The newborn has vellus hairs which is quickly replaced by juvenile hairs.
Young Callithrix jacchus lack the specialized ear tufts of the adults. The first tufts which appear in the third month are replaced in the half-grown animal by more specialized tufts which gradually assume the shape and color characteristic of adults.
In contradiction to the above the hairy ears of Callithrix argentata become naked with adulthood.
Different forms of pelage change occur from birth till adulthood depending on species.

2. Adult Patterns

All external surfaces except palms, soles lips, eye lids (except edges) , borders of nostrils, nipples, anus and phallus are more or less beset with hair. The fur is moderately dense and sometimes a fine under fur is present. Cover hairs, which form the bulk of the pelage, average between 2-3cm long.
Facial hair types include fine short hairs roughly equivalent to human vellus hairs. Vellus hairs dominate in bare-faced Tamarins. Patterned depilation among Callitrichids appear in the bare-faced Tamarin.
Patterned hypertrychism among Callitrichids is expressed in the forms of mane, crest, mantle, lateral fringe, moustache and aurial, sircumaural or caudal tufts.
Patterned depilation is the dominant evolutionary trend among Callitrichids and among primates in general. It is active in at least one field even while hypertruchism may be active in another. Within any one genus, the more advanced the species, the thinner the coat and the larger the bare areas. The most primitive Callitrichid- the Pygmy- is least denuded.

3. Seasonal molt

Seasonal pelage change in Callitrichids was studied only in Saguinis oedipus (Cotton Tops).
Hair growth is most active during rainy periods or seasons and mostly, if not entirely, suppressed during extended dry periods or seasons.

Alopecia

Reasons for alopecia

Reason	Solution
Hyper grooming and self-mutilation due to boredom- too small cage, not enough environmental enrichment.	Add environmental enriching ideas to reduce boredom. Change frequently. Enlarge the cage where possible.
Stress- dogs nearby, two males/females clashing.	Take away stress factors where possible or at least reduce it to the minimum. Remove adult offspring in time.
Allergies- disinfectant, washing powder (bedding), pollen.	Anti-allergic medicines. Remove irritants one by one to see which one causes the problem.
Parasites- ectoparasites like ringworm, bacteria, fungi.	Skin scrapings by vet.
Heating devices- sleeping too near heating lamps or directly against the heating pads.	Put heating devices out of reach- like on top where they cannot sit on it.
Vitamin deficiency- B, C, D, Biotin.	Blood tests- or just better your diet anyway!
Protein deficiency- Marmosets need 25% and Tamarins 30% protein in their diet.	This is very important for other aspects of their health is also affected.
Alopecia on tails- coarse surfaces. (Squirrel monkeys sitting on too narrow edges) Note- Squirrels are not Callithrichids.	Spacious cages and enough room for your monkeys to exercise cannot be overstressed.
Dry conditions- lose hair due to dermatitis.	Misting of cages comes in handy.
Hormonal changes.	Blood tests at your vet.
Maldigestion, malabsorption syndromes of pancreatic origin: - Protein-calorie malnutrition - Anti-oxidant deficiencies- Vitamin E, Selenium, Zinc. -Trichospirura leptostoma associated with chronic pancreatitis - Any disease causing major pancreatic damage
Lack of sunlight, vitamin D3 deficiency	Where I live (South Africa) this is rarely a problem but in most countries where primates are primarily caged indoors , this can be a major cause of the problem.
Old age- alopecia may be normal in old age.	They will all reach the age where they will need that little extra care and attention, just like you hopefully will.

Pay close attention to all the above possible reasons for alopecia and you will have not only well fed and healthy monkeys, but monkeys with pelage to brag about.