The golden lion tamarin is a tiny, bright orange monkey from Brazil's Atlantic Forest. It's a Deluxe Edition animal and has a real conservation success story: the wild population fell to fewer than 200 animals and has since recovered to several thousand, thanks largely to zoo breeding and reintroduction.
Space
For a pair:
- 70 m² of floor
- 20 m² of climbing space
- 4 m² of shelter
The family grows quickly, so leave room to expand.
Indoors with a roof
Tamarins are great in an indoor South America house. Even though they're not birds, you can use the habitat roofing tool for them. It builds a roof between the barriers with hidden support posts. Wire netting at zero slope works well.
Climbing
This is the main thing. Tamarins need climbable habitat items:
- Swings
- Modular climbing platforms, for example on a pegboard wall
- Platforms and swing sets
Scenery isn't climbable, even if it looks like it should be. Only habitat items tagged as climbable count.
Plants and decoration
- Banana palms, monstera and ivy clusters
- Recolourable fallen leaves on the floor
- Plant panels on the walls
- Pebbles
Breeding
- Tamarins breed in autumn and winter.
- The family group grows around the parents. Babies ride on the adults' backs, which is lovely to watch.
- Males bring gifts of fruit to females.
Tankmates
Tamarins have a neutral relationship with toco toucans, so the two can share a house. A South America house with toucans and tamarins, plus a couple of frog exhibits, is a great small build.
Doors
Give the house a staff door and an animal door. Small animals like tamarins can fit through window-sized openings if the hitbox is small enough, so check your gaps.
Tips
- Tamarins aren't available in the Standard Edition. If you don't see them, that's why.
- Add a Halloween pumpkin enrichment for fun in autumn.