The Reality of Home Life
They’re adorable in diapers, they cling to you, they cuddle, and for a moment it feels like you’re raising a little human. But that phase is short. Very short. Before you know it, that sweet baby starts getting braver, faster, and into every cabinet, drawer, vent, shelf, or anything else they can climb or yank open. What looks like “cute curiosity” at first quickly turns into a home you can’t keep up with.
Instincts Take Over
As months go by, their strength ramps up, and you start to realize you’re living with a wild animal not a baby. Spider monkeys are built to climb, swing, and test boundaries, and in a house that means nothing is off limits. No matter how much you love them, you cannot “train out” their instincts.
Hormones Kick In
Then the real shift comes when the hormones begin to develop. Here you meet the attitude and the dominance. Biting becomes a real risk. Their canines and jaw strength develop, and one bite can send someone to the hospital. They may lash out without warning, not because they’re “mean,” but because they’re wired for survival, territory, and hierarchy. By the time they’re a few years old, you’re dealing with a powerful animal with the strength and speed of an adult human and zero understanding of your rules, your schedule, or your safety.
Admitting Defeat
For many people, the breaking point isn’t lack of love it’s realizing their home, their family, and the monkey are all at risk.
This isn’t said to shame anyone, it’s said because so many people don’t hear it until it’s too late. Spider monkeys aren’t built for living rooms and kitchens. They’re built for the treetops.
"When we began our journey as a monkey mom, we might not have known the sad role we played in their life. However, to those few 1% of moms that are able to stick it through with our babies, truly doing it ethically, I want to say thank you. Your quiet love, strength, and devotion make you a hero that these monkeys needed after being displaced."
- Swing Free Alliance Founder