Chimpanzee

Like humans

Chimpanzees are remarkably similar to human beings. Although they’re considered as an endangered species, you can still legally own one in the USA. Chimps originate from West and Central Africa. If you want to own one you are looking at up to $60,000 just to buy one! Chimps ain’t cheap.

You need to consider many factors when thinking about owning a chimpanzee. Chimps are extremely intelligent, highly territorial, and like some human beings, they will strike on a whim. Weight wise, Chimps can grow to be 100 pounds or more and they can live for up to 60 years.

The average upper-body strength of a chimp is five times the same strength in a human being! Some would consider owning a chimpanzee as a “status symbol”.  If you have the money, be sure that you are aware of what it takes to own one of these beautiful creatures.

When they grow up

Chimpanzees and baby monkeys are so cute, so you might think that raising one would be like raising a little child. Chimpanzees in their infancy, are affectionate, require love and attention and delight in interacting with humans. But they grow up fast, physically and intellectually.

So this makes it very challenging to keep their minds stimulated and content in human environments. By five years old, they have more strength than most adult humans! They can become quite destructive and grow to resent discipline. And yes, they do bite! Warning: Chimpanzee owners have been known to lose their fingers and suffer from severe facial damage.

Bitten by reality

Many chimpanzee owners won’t often travel as it’s hard to find suitable carers for their pets. In addition, they are likely to rebel if their owner comes in late from work or has an irregular schedule. Space is a huge obstacle to chimp ownership. The average home isn’t big enough to keep them actively happy.

It’s impossible to train a chimp to behave exactly like a human.

Aggression

Chimpanzees naturally show signs of aggressive behavior. In the wild, it’s not uncommon for them to bite each other. Owners have been known to delay that day where they inevitably have to give up their chimp, by pulling out their teeth, placing shock collars on them, and some have been known to go as far as removing their chimp’s thumbs in a mistaken notion that it will make climbing the drapes impossible.

Giving them up

Sadly, a day will come even despite all of your best efforts, that the chimp must leave! Owners sometimes feel betrayed by their animals, after raising them for so long and dedicating their love and care to them. Unfortunately, chimps can’t be just sent back to Africa.

Most of the zoos won’t accept ex-pet chimps as human-reared chimps won’t know how to fit into established chimpanzee groups. So tragically, a lot of pet chimpanzees do end up being used for research in medical labs. Are you sure you want a pet chimpanzee?