Cancer

Non-Human Primates

About Non-Human Primates

The similarity of the biochemical and physiological processes of monkeys and human beings makes the non-human primate an extremely valuable research animal species. The monkey's mental capacity, which goes far beyond that of all other research animals, must be a primary consideration in its care and handling.

Most of the monkeys used in research studies have been imported from their natural habitats. This practice is in the process of being discontinued. Breeding colonies are being established in more controlled environments, but the cost of producing them in quantities will be greatly increased. Monkeys are difficult to handle and can be dangerous. Special handling procedures must be employed to properly care for the monkey.

The monkey's living environment is extremely important. If it is carefully prepared, the cage will not be a restraining device to the monkey, but "home." Without the home condition, the monkey's mental and physical health will be adversely affected. Proper conditions in the cage depend upon the type of primate, although most are able to adapt to some variations, especially temperature changes, if they are gradual. If at all possible, an effort should be made to include natural sunlight in the monkey's environment.

As well as having good physical facilities, the monkeys must be managed well to ensure reliable research results. Routine care and cleanliness are essential for the monkey's welfare. The cage should be large with appropriate play objects and good feeding and watering conditions. Extra attention should be paid to cage door fasteners to prevent escapes. As an extra precaution, windows and vents in the surroundings should be screened.

Kind handling by humans can help to make the monkey's temperament more gentle and cooperative. But there is a definite danger in handling animals that are new to captivity. The instinctive response of the frightened monkey is to bite or scratch. If the monkey happens to be a carrier of monkey B-virus or some other virus, the wound can be fatal. Handlers going into gang cages should be fully covered and should wear face masks.

Because of the advanced brain capacity of primates, technicians need to attend to the monkey's responses more carefully. Monkeys are capable of anticipating a routine, of being amused, angered, or bored. Their group and individual responses should be observed to gain the most knowledge from these valuable laboratory animals.

Custom Diets

Hundreds of custom diets have been formulated for non-human primates; we can repeat or modify any existing diet or create new formulas for your specific research requirements.

A few examples of custom primate diets—

Commonly known as:	Description	Grain-Based = G or Purified = P	TestDiet^® Formula # or Product #
5038	Modified Monkey Diet	G	5038
5041	TestDiet^® Marmoset Jelly		5041
5045	Modified High Protein Monkey Diet	G	5045
5073	TestDiet^® Monkey MV (multi-vitamin) tablet	P	5073
5737-1	Modified Monkey Diet with no added NaCl (0.05% sodium)	G	5737-1
5738-9	Modified Monkey Diet with no added NaCl (0.05% sodium)	G	5738-9
5894	Purified Diet for Primates	P	5894
5LK6	LabDiet^® Callitrichid Diet	G	5LK6
5LK7	LabDiet^® Callitrichid High Fiber Diet	G	5LK7
5TNU	High Fat Primate Diet	G	5TNU
9256	TestDiet^® Papaya Tablet		9256
9257	TestDiet^® Papaya Tablet		9257
9258	TestDiet^® Monkey Mini MV Tablet		9258
9259	TestDiet^® Monkey Mini MV Tablet Plus Iron		9259
9262	TestDiet^® Papaya Tablet		9262
D40325A	High Fat purified diet.	P	Please Inquire
9267	TestDiet^® Purified Reward Tablet, Primate & Rodent, 45 mg	P	9267
9268	TestDiet^® Purified Reward Tablet, Primate & Rodent, 120 mg	P	9268
9269	TestDiet^® Purified Reward Tablet, Primate & Rodent, 190 mg	P	9269
9270	TestDiet^® Purified Reward Tablet, Primate & Rodent, 45 mg	P	9270
9271	TestDiet^® Purified Reward Tablet, Primate & Rodent, 120 mg	P	9271
9272	TestDiet^® Purified Reward Tablet, Primate & Rodent, 190 mg	P	9272
PJLI	Grain-Based diet — tablet form	G	Please Inquire
PJLP	Purified die t— tablet form	P	Please Inquire
PJSP	Purified Diet Treats — 5 gm tablet	P	Please Inquire

Care, Feeding, & Physiology

Care and Feeding
	Number of Adults	Number of Young		Cage Dimensions*
				Length	Width	Height
Breeding/Lactation	1	1		Varies according to animal size. Refer to ILAR guidelines (1985)
Growing	1
Experimental	Varies with experiment

Feeding Recommendations	Daily Feed Usage			Water Requirement		Begin Dry Food Consumption
	Adult male			2-4% of body weight Ad libitum		20-30 days
	Pregnant female			2-4% of body weight

Environmental Data	Room Temp.	Humidity	Light	Litter Material
	24 °C	45-55%	4-8 hrs/day	Shavings, or shredded beet pulp

Biological Values
Blood Chemical Composition	Water	Calcium	Sodium	Chloride	Phosphorus	Potassium
Blood Chemical Composition	-	-	157 mEq/L	110 mEq/L	-	4.7 mEq/L
Values are for plasma, except where noted	Magnesium	Cholesterol	Glucose	Serum Protein	Albumin	Globulin
Values are for plasma, except where noted	-	118 mg/100ml	148 mg/100ml (whole blood)	8.0 gm/100ml	4.4 gm/100ml	2.8 gm/100ml

Oxygen Consumption and Body Temperature	Observed Weight	Temp- erature	Oxygen Consumption	Breathing Rate	Heart Beat
Oxygen Consumption and Body Temperature	3600 gm	38.8 °C	-	40/minute	192/minute

Hematological Values	Whole Blood Volume (T-1824 dye)	Clotting Time	RBC Life Span	RBC Diameter	RBC Rate of Sedimentation
	75 ml/kg	90 sec.	100 days	7.4 microns	3-12 mm/hr
	Blood pH	RBC	Hematocrit	Platelets	Hb
	-	4.6-6.5 10⁶/mm³	42 ml/100ml	155-424 10³/mm³	12.5 gm/100ml

Total and Differential White Blood Cell Counts	Leucocytes	Neutros	Eosinos	Basos	Lymphos	Monos
Total and Differential White Blood Cell Counts	15.0 10³/mm³	6.0 10³/mm³	0.2 10³/mm³	0.02 10³/mm³	7.8 10³/mm³	0.46 10³/mm³

Life Cycle Information
	Weight Adult Male	Weight Adult Female	Weight at Birth	Breeding Age Male	Breeding Age Female	Estrus Cycle
	12 kg	10 kg	500-700 gm	6 years	5 years	28 days
	Gestation	Weaning Age	Litter Size	Rebreed After Parturition	Breeding Life Male	Breeding Life Female
	150-180 days 165 day avg.	3-6 months	1	After weaning previous offspring	12-15 years	12-15 years
	Mating Data: Pair or colony: 1 male, 10 females.

*	Refer to the "Guide for the Care and use of Laboratory Animals" - NIH Publication No. 85-23, Revised 1985.
	Prepared by the Institute of Laboratory Animal Resources, National Research Council, 2101 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20418