[Feeding activity, spontaneous activity and body core temperature of saddle-back tamarins (Saguinus fuscicollis)].

Abstract

Eating behaviour and spontaneous activity (videometry) as well as deep body temperature (radiotelemetry) of 3 adult Saddle Back Tamarins (Saguinus fuscicollis) were investigated (singly housed, environmental temperature 28 degrees C, relative air humidity 60%, light 6:00-18:00 h, drinking-water and pelleted colony diet ad lib.). The experimental animals (1 female, 2 males; 3-8 years old), born in captivity, showed only some slight individual differences within their inborn species pattern, with regard to the 3 measured parameters. The monkeys were, like wild-living individuals, strictly light-active. They moved in the day-time nearly uninterrupted without special rhythm and slept remarkably deep through the whole night. Food intake occurred during the whole day with varying intensity. The body temperature of the 3 monkeys showed individual daytime-means between 38.8-39.9 degrees C, whereby the temperature fluctuated dependent on their moving activity with a range of about +/- 0.5 degrees C. At night the body temperature of the animals averaged between 35.9-36.6 degrees C.