Weight: 4 to 15 pounds depending on the sex and species
Head & Body: 19 to 20"
Tail: 12 to 22 inches
Lifespan: 35 to 45 years
Color varies greatly between the different species and the females tend to be smaller in size than the males. There are four species of capuchins:
WHITE-FACED (white-throated, black & white) - Body, hands
and feet are black with a cap of black hair on the head. Their face is
white to pink in coloration with white hair trimming the face and
running down into the chest and upper arms.
CINNAMON (white-fronted) - About the same size and facial
coloration of the white-faced, but the hair around the face is a sandy
color. The skin color of the hands and feet is a dark reddish color and
the body hair ranges from a true cinnamon to a brown. Most have
reddish hair on their forearms.
WEDGE-CAPPED (weeper) - Plain, olive colored coat with the hair
around the face and chest being close to the color of the rest of the
body. There is a band of color that runs from the cap down the
forehead to the nose, creating the "wedge." The skin of the face is light
colored, but the nose and upper lip is dark gray.
BLACK-CAPPED (tufted, brown) - Have a dark face, with almost
black hands and feet. Brown is the general body color, with a lighter
rust color around the face and down into the chest and upper arms.
The hair on the head can form tufts that resemble "horns" or upright
hairs joining in the middle of the head forming a "hood." They are the
largest of the capuchins.
They give birth once every 2 years after a gestation period of about 160 days. Twins have been reported, but are uncommon. Infant spend the first three months of their lives hanging on to their mother's backs, moving around to the mother's breast to nurse. By three months of age, the baby will start to show a great interest in its surroundings and will reach out to grasp objects and start to sample solid foods. By six months of age, they are pretty self-sufficient, but they still need their mother for security and supplemental milk. They are usually weaned from their mother by nine months to a year of age. Complete sexual maturity is reached at 4 to 5 years of age in females and males, but physical maturity is not reached until 6 or 7 years of age in a male.
Capuchins are very social animals and live in colonies or troops. They spend their days foraging for food, playing, and grooming each other. They are very protective of their young and if any youngster emits an alarm call, an adult will immediately rush to its aid. All groups are usually led by a dominant male but females will usually mate with any male in the group. The larger the group size the better equipped to look out for predators, such as eagles and hawks.
Capuchins are very active and need a large cage and, if at all possible, both indoors and out. Foraging is an important activity and seeds or a foraging mix should be tossed in some straw or shavings to provide them with a calming and necessary activity. You can activate their cage space by providing swings, simulated vines, perches, walkways, and other natural materials. A child's wading pool can provide hours of activity in hot weather and it should be cleaned out daily.
As with all monkeys, capuchins need a varied and healthy diet. A breakdown of their diet structure is: 70% commercial monkey biscuit, 20% fresh fruit and vegetables, 5% foraging foods (seeds, nuts, grains), and 5% high protein treats (insects, eggs, etc.).
The resource for this document is THE PRIMATE CARE HANDBOOK and can be ordered from the publisher, the Simian Society of America.
Back to the Main Species Specific Page
