AmbergrisCaye.com Home
[Linked Image]
Is this real????!! The monkey almost looked like one of those illusion pictures made out of the pup's fur! Cool~
Just prodding you for a credit there Marty. I took the picture and yes it is real. The monkey and the dog had an incredible bond. She is not really that much of a baby monkey. She was about three years old and came into heat just after we left.
Poor dog ... looks like he/she is "silently tolerating"
It's real, we were in Ek Tun in March and had a great time and saw Monkey riding "Killer" like a jockey.
i read collyk's travelblog & really enjoyed all the photos and text~~~eeew, except for the creepy monkey parts!

monkeys are just fine, spotted from a distance in their own habitat and happy to stay there.

pet monkeys just come to no good. everyone who has ever met a monkey has a horrid story to tell, in my experience. monkeys have a bad attitude toward humans, and probably for good reason. i just don't want to be around when they exact their revenge.

i would rate a monkey scampering and climbing on me, nippin, poopin & havin his butt and/or tail anywhere near my face, neck or shoulders as the number one encounter with nature that gives me gagging heaves of revulsion to contemplate.

after that, number two in the top three creepy phobias was also mentioned by colly: the dreaded botfly ::shudder::

why do people want to have a monkey for a pet, anyway? i kind of wanted to check out ek tun sometime, but honestly, i wouldn't stay any place where there is a captive monkey. yuk.

what words did collyk use to get the critter to back off, i am curious to know.

do tell, colly!

cheers
~~~gogo


.
I DONT GET IT, IT LOOKS ATTATCHED TO THE DOG
gogo, you should try having monkey genitalia in your face as the monkey tries to hang on to your head. What words did I use - well I work in animal behaviour so I did what I normally do with animals I want/need some respect from. Assessed my risk: ie. is it safe to attempt to asert myself with the animal, once that is established then I use strong direct eye contact puntuated with sharp vocal sounds as a consequence to any inappropriate approach. Then I do not touch, talk to or look at the animal until it begins to offer appeasing gestures. I would not recommend trying this unless you know what you are doing as any body language that indicates that you might not be 100% confidence will be seen as a crack in your armour and you could make the problem worse. So the best thing to do with animals you feel uncomfortable around is to not touch them, talk to them or look at them.
good gawd colly, i hadn't even considered the monkeybawls! how disgusting! i would absolutely take your advice about not trying to discipline a monkey. dogs i understand and can handle but the techniques don't necessarily crossover.

i would take your advice not to touch, look at, or talk to monkeys so seriously that i'd cross the street to avoid walking past one sitting by a shop door. (i did this in orange walk...ick.) monkeys are just too fast and too mean. i'd freak out so badly if one climbed me, i'm sure a fight would ensue, with monkey as victor, after clawing and biting my face to bits. i know, i see it all too clearly!

thanks for the info
~~~gogo
I hate to gross you out but when I spoke of genitalia, it wasn't balls I was talking about! I must say that your phobia is somewhat extreme. Monkeys are not mean. Meaness is a human trait. Monkeys are wild animals and they just do what wild animals do. Actually techniques for giving alpha status works on any social species!
hey colly---
whoops i missed it was a girl monkey. private monkey parts near my face is never a part of my vacation plans. my squeamishness knows no bounds! blech!

as i said, i like wild monkeys just fine when they're over there----> where wild monkeys live. leave em in the jungle, i say. it's captive monkeys i am leery of and again, i think they are fully entitled to all their nimble, unexpected viciousness; i'd be pissed off too, if i was a pet monkey.

i just saw a picture of two monkeys next to a picture of the olsen twins in an US magazine and the resemblance was creepily amazing. i had to turn the page quickly. can't stand those frida kahlo paintings with the monkey on her shoulder, either.

toodles
~~~gogo
I get your drift and agree. I don't personally advocate keeping wild animals as pets. I do love Frida's work. Your neurosis about monkeys is deeply amusing though. My neurosis would lean more towars the olsen twins.
~~~gogo,

Thank goodness you didn't come to Ek Tun while the monkey was in residence...it would have been a nightmare for all of us! I must say that 97% of the guests who stayed here while the monkey was here were delighted by her, and looked upon it as a highlight of their trip... the other 3%.... well, it still makes a great story!

The monkey was never a "pet" or "captive" and was only confined occasionally when it was for her own good.... She was a "member of the family" for a little over 2 years, and almost always had free run of the place. Most of the time she was on my lap, shoulder, or snuggled up with Killer or the male cat, Bogie. Until she reached puberty and developed a sense of self-protection and aggression, she could not have survived in the wild. The people who brought her to me could no longer take care of her, and her other options didn't seem so great... that's why she was here on a temporary basis. Now that she's out in the real world on her own, Killer is desolate and misses his little buddy.... He used to help her howl at the monkeys across the river to protect her territory, but she has migrated to that side to join one of the troops. Now sometimes he comes to me and whines when he hears the monkeys howling.

I actually can relax a bit now, and am easing back into gardening.... You can't have a monkey and a garden at the same time! I suppose all's well that ends well.... But you won't have to worry about that particular creepy stuff if you come here.... I have better creepy stuff in store for you!

phyl
Phyllis,

Gotta love ya for that! I would like to follow Phyllis's sentiments with the fact that Ek Tun is a beautiful little gem of a place and for those who want a real jungle experience, some yummy food and the opportunity to observe wildlife - it is perfect. Not to mention that Phyllis is great company herself.
Phyliss, glad to hear you have time to garden and hope all is well. Hope Monkey is doing ok in wild. We did have a good time at Ek Tun and when we return we will miss taking hikes without Monkey.
© Ambergris Caye Belize Message Board