Skeeter the heart-stealer

By Libby Smidl

This month marks two years since Skeeter, a 15-year-old pigtail macaque, arrived at Primarily Primates and stole our hearts.

He’s come such a long way. Skeeter spends his days soaking up the sunshine on his porch swing—yes, he has a porch swing built by caregiver Jay. When he isn’t sunbathing, he rests inside his A-frame structure that resembles a cottage-style home. 

Skeeter loves splashing in swimming pools and fishing out food treats. Meal time is still his favorite part of the day, and his favorite foods are avocados, bananas, grapes and cooked sweet potatoes.

Skeeter was purchased as a pet from a monkey breeder in New Orleans right after Hurricane Katrina and lived in small town in North Carolina until his owners could no longer care for him. Prior to coming to Primarily Primates, Skeeter spent most of his time eating fast food and watching television.

His biggest challenge was to lose the pounds he put on while with the monkey breeder. PPI care staff had to slowly transition Skeeter to a healthy meal plan that included fruits and vegetables, which boosted his metabolism, giving him more energy to move around and shed his excess weight. The staff also immediately began modifying a large, spacious enclosure to make platforms and walkways more accessible to Skeeter’s size, which encouraged him to exercise more.

Skeeter has even taken up painting and it’s become one of his favorite enrichment activities. In fact, he is one of the sanctuary’s best artists.

We think his transformation is a masterpiece. Learn more and see how you can sponsor Skeeter here.