Zoo database

Golden-bellied capuchin

Sapajus xanthosternos

Natural diet Golden-bellied capuchin

Golden-bellied capuchin are naturally seen in eastern Brazil. They are omnivorous but their diet largely consists out of fruits, leaves, seeds and nuts. What makes them omnivorous is that they also consume insects, small vertebrates and even some crabs and oysters if available.

Fruits
Fruits
Grain / seeds
Grain / seeds
Insects
Insects
Leaves
Leaves

Feeding advice Golden-bellied capuchin

Feed quantity per day

20-25%

Sample percentage calculation

If an animal weighs 3 kg and eats 25% of its body weight, it will get
 
3 x 0,25 = 0,75 kg feed in total per day

Feed composition

10% Insects and other invertebrates
10% Concentrates
20% Leafy greens and cabbages
45% Other vegetables
10% Browse
5% Other

Proportions (fresh product)

0,1 x 0,75 kg = 75 g insects and other invertebrates
0,1 x 0,75 kg = 75 g concentrates
0,2 x 0,75 kg = 150 g leafy greens and cabbages
0,45 x 0,75 kg = 338 g other vegetables
0,1 x 0,75 kg = 75 g browse
0,05 x 0,75 kg = 38 g other

Diet Suggestions

Recommended

Variety of vegetables
Variety of leafy and green vegetables
Variety of browse (willow, aspen, birch, rowan)
Live insects

Not recommended

Fruits

Common diseases

An unbalanced diet may result in one of these more commonly occurring diseases/conditions:

  • Periodontal disease
  • Reproductive failure
  • Cardiovascular disease
  • Diabetes mellitus
  • Gastrointestinal problems

Additional advice

  • Divide the “Feed quantity per day” over at least three feeding moments per day.
  • Although present in their natural diet, feeding fruits might lead to abnormal fermentation in the hindgut because of high sugar levels in cultivated fruits compared to wild fruits (read more about nutritional values of (wild) fruits and vegetables).
  • Supplement the diet with sufficient vitamin D and folic acid. When feeding appropriate concentrates, this is not necessary.
  • Supplement a diverse selection of vegetables (read more about differences between vegetables).
  • Provide less palatable food in the morning, when hunger is greatest.
  • Feeding in bowls is not recommended.
  • Stimulate foraging behaviour by hiding, stacking or hanging the feed. Examples can be feeding puzzles, tubes, hanging boxes and/ or scatter feeding (read more about feed enrichment and foraging behaviour).
Golden-bellied capuchin | Kiezebrink