Editing Pygmy marmoset (section)

== As pets ==
Known in the pet trade as finger monkeys, their value is associated with their being the smallest primate in the world.<ref name=cost>{{cite web|last1=Douglas|first1=Long|title=How Much Does a Finger Monkey Cost?|url=http://fingermonkey.us/how-much-does-a-finger-monkey-cost/|website=FingerMonkey.us|access-date=24 March 2018}}{{deadlink|date=April 2025}}</ref> Listed as [[Vulnerable species|Vulnerable]] to extinction, they are rare to find in the market for purchase. Prices range from $1,000 to $4,000.<ref name=cost/> Generally, a pygmy marmoset's lifespan is 15 to 20 years; they are known to have a shorter life in the wild mainly because they fall out of trees.<ref name="loyfly">{{cite web|last1=Kulwant|first1=Singh|title=Finger Monkey: Information, Fact and Cost of keeping|url=http://loyfly.com/finger-monkey-information-fact-and-cost-of-keeping/|website=loyfly|access-date=24 March 2018}}</ref>

Another expense for these creatures as pets is the necessary essentials to maintain them. Creating an environment similar to where they are from is important.<ref name=Garrod>{{cite web|last1=Ben|first1=Garrod|title=No more monkey business: why primates should never be pets|url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/feb/28/why-primates-should-never-be-pets|work=[[The Guardian]]|date=28 February 2016|access-date=25 March 2018}}</ref> For food, these creatures as pets are often fed fruits, insects, and smaller lizards.<ref name=aspets>{{cite web|last1=National Primate Research Center|title=Primates as Pets|url=http://pin.primate.wisc.edu/aboutp/pets/|website=Primate Info Net|publisher=University of Wisconsin|access-date=25 March 2018}}</ref> As pets, a baby pygmy marmoset needs to be fed every two hours for at least two weeks.<ref name=cost/> Understanding their natural diet is also important because it helps maintain their good health from the necessary protein, calcium, and other nutrients they need to survive.

In the United States, each state has different regulations regarding ownership of [[pet monkey]]s.<ref name=cost/> Another factor that needs to be considered is that a regular veterinarian might not be able to help provide medical evaluations or care; one would need to seek out a veterinarian with a primate specialization.<ref name="loyfly"/> In South America, either importing or exporting these creatures is illegal. Understanding the laws within those countries is important when considering owning or taking care of a pygmy marmoset. Many people do not agree that pygmy marmosets should be pets.<ref name=Garrod/> The argument is usually that they have a longer lifespan when they are in good care from a human.<ref name=aspets/> However, the UK RSPCA says they should "not be considered as pets in the accepted sense of the word. They are wild, undomesticated animals that cannot be house trained or fully tamed".<ref>{{Cite web|title=Primates kept as pets {{!}} rspca.org.uk|url=https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/other/primates|access-date=2020-07-28|publisher=RSPCA}}</ref>