The pygmy marmoset is one of the smallest of all living primates, with adults measuring sometimes as little as 5 inches with an 7 inch tail (longer than the body!). When babies are first born, they are so tiny that keepers may need a magnifying glass to examine them closely!

Facts About Pygmys
Pymgys are monagamous, and when the female gives birth, it is most often to twins. Males help females give birth, and may then help clean the babies. They also help out by watching the youngsters!

In the wild, pygmys eat primarily tree gum, and their teeth are even adapted for just such a purpose: they have long incisors and smaller canine teeth so that they may more easily bite holes in trees and get at the gum or sap. Here at the Zoo, we feed them a specially prepared marmoset diet, along with mealworms, crickets, and fruit. They also get the tree gum they need, and the keepers will place it inside holes in the branches in their exhibit.