Primates/Monkeys, maintenance question

[Jaggid Edje]

I haven't added any of the primates, apes, monkeys, etc. to any of my franchise zoos except for one of my zoos which has Macaques but I'm thinking of starting a new zoo where that's all I have in it, all of the different apes, monkeys, primates, whatever.

My newest thing has been starting zoos with just a theme of (mostly) specific animal types. For the ones that are expensive to feed, I have started the zoo with other, cheaper animals first until it gets good profits rolling...but I honestly have no clue how expensive, or not, the various monkeys and apes even are due to lack of any experience with them outside of the career scenarios.

Can anyone please advise, are some of them expensive to keep fed or would it be safe (i.e still make profit) to roll out the zoo with just habitats for that type of animal? And if yes to the latter, any recommendations of which ones to put in first from a cost standpoint?

Specifically the animals the zoo would feature would be:

• Bonobo
• Western Chimpanzee
• Western Lowlands Gorilla
• Japanese Macaqe
• Both Lemurs
• Bornean Orangutang
• Mandrill
• Red Panda (just cause it at least fits the climbing theme....and I like them. I fit them into my "Bear Necessities" bear-themed zoo too)

 

[Monsarona]

I made an ape sanctuary Zoo during the gorilla challenge. I will say that I have not paid a lot of attention to feeding costs as this has never been a particular issue for me. But I will say that the apes pose an interesting challenge in that, especially the larger apes, they get bored of their enrichment really fast. You gotta be real strategic about which ones to place and make sure not to place too many so you can rotate them effectively. I really wish we had more enrichment items.

Lemurs were the easiest to handle cause you can put both types in one habitat. I never had bonobos cause I could never find any on the market. And I never got around to getting an Orangutang.

Also, is a Red Panda considered an ape/monkey??

 

[Jaggid Edje]

I made an ape sanctuary Zoo during the gorilla challenge. I will say that I have not paid a lot of attention to feeding costs as this has never been a particular issue for me. But I will say that the apes pose an interesting challenge in that, especially the larger apes, is they get bored of their enrichment really fast. You gotta be real strategic about which ones to place and make sure not to place too many so you can rotate them effectively. I really with we had more enrichment items.

Lemurs were the easiest to handle cause you can put both types in one habitat. I never had bonobos cause I could never find any on the market. And I never got around to getting an Orangutang.

Thanks for the quick answer! I was going to roll in the lemurs first anyway because I already have those available in my other zoo to import and I know they aren't expensive. Your advice is appreciated.

Also, is a Red Panda considered an ape/monkey??

Nope, they absolutely are not. They also aren't considered bears and I fit them into my zoo that was all about bears. All of my themed zoos have at least a few other animals outside of the theme. I really love Red Pandas. (I also put them in my Cat zoo.....so...yah....but that one has a lot of non-cat animals, because the tigers and lions are freaking expensive to maintain so many other animals were needed to keep funds rolling in).

 

[Monsarona]

I think red pandas are closer to raccoons than anything. But I have no real data to back that statement up. But I feel like I read somewhere that even giant pandas aren't really much like bears either.

 

[Dr4gon]

What my experience is with the top three is that Bonobos and chimps are good starting animals. Once these two are good running and researched, the gorrillas are not so hard. Many enrichments work on all three of these. The orangutans are hard. But once you have the habitat in order, it went from red to green and to red again with them for me, they are not hard. They all 4 will breed once you have the enrichment needs in the green.
Don't do them in full glass enclosures though. I heard the monkeys are masters of illusion and walk through glass as if it isn't there.

 

[azmundai]

macaque arent expensive to feed in my experience, but they need constant cleaning so train up a keeper quick and put a keeper hut/break room relatively close by. i mean if you manage their population, i guess this will be less of an issue. I let them breed as fast as they can, but with only 1 male, and it can get out of control with the pooping ...

 

[Jaggid Edje]

You guys are awesome. Okay, so It looks like price won't be a problem, but keeping them happy at first until things are researched will be.

I'm not going to start this zoo until the next patch where we can slow down time but I'll start market watching for at least Bonobos, seeing as @Monsarona indicated they are hard to source (looking right now and no females available that aren't old...so seems still true.)

I'll also roll in the species slowly, so I get at least a few levels researched for one before adding the next. I assume a lot of the toy enrichment will be shared across species based on what you guys have said...and logic, so this should work.

And thank you @azmundai regarding the cleaning tips. It's always good advice for any habitat that is going to have more than just a couple animals.

 

[azmundai]

yea in all fairness I tend to have a ton of them

 

[Firestar97]

Bornean Orangutans where my second first Animals after the Beta. It is possible to keep them without paying to much Money. But I don't know if the other Primates are maybe too expensive for the Start because I've got them way later

 

[Arletario]

Just for comparison

• 5 Bonobos - 3 adults / 4 juveniles = $ 2.600
• 10 Chimpanzees - 6 A / 4 J = $ 11.000
• 7 Gorillas - 4 A / 3 J = $ 40.000
• 5 Macaqes - 4 A / 1 J = $ 5.000
• Both Lemurs - no data right now
• 5 Orangutans - 3 A / 2 J = $ 17.000
• 6 Mandrills - 4 A / 2 J = $ 2.000
• 3 Red Pandas - 2 A / 1 J = $ 400

all Grade 1 food
Edit: actual costs on the habitat window

 

[Dr4gon]

My Bonobo + Chimp zoo made an easy 56K a year. Monkeys are big business.
I had only these two habitats in the zoo. It was a great moment to test my boat ride. Pity it didn't work. The gates didn't open to let guests in the boat.

 

[Jaggid Edje]

Just wanted to thank everyone one more time for their info in this thread. I finished getting a habitat for each of the primates/apes that I indicated into the zoo and am maintaining a profit even though my visitor limit is set rather low (2500). Food costs fluctuate alot so some years are leaner than others, but the zoo remains afloat.
Super convenient that Macaques were this week's challenge because that allowed me to keep working on this zoo even for the challenge.

Anywho, just wanted to thank y'all. I wouldn't have done it without you! Now that all the habitats are in it is time to go around and decorate and add more scenery.