TSKA Guide to Purchasing Primates

TSKA do promote private primate keeping and despite what may be perceived by these guidelines we heartily support all exotic animal keepers.

Basics

1] We do advertise primates for private exotic keepers’ client based in United Kingdom.

2] TSKA act as advertisers for our client base, and as such if we say no to a sale it is usually as a direct result of the initial vetting not being suitable.

3] We do not sell to anyone less than 18 years of age. This is a strict TSKA policy and is not open to question.

4] We do not view primates as pets

5] We do ask a series of questions regarding your experience, knowledge, understanding and research or studies with primates.

6] Our vetting format is designed under the guidance of our client base, and cover general behaviour, enclosures, diet, health and legalities.

7] If the buyer/seller does not wish to complete the experience form for a non-suitable reason the sale will be terminated.

8] No client's details will be released until the applicant has completed the form and answered other questions relating to the primates by our clients.

9] We do not sell ‘surrogate children’ which is what sadly some people look upon primates as.

10] We do not sell primates so that they can be harness trained or ‘dressed up like babies’.

11] Our clients have the last say on a potential keeper applicant – if they say no, We say no.

12] We do offer advice and help to keepers whom genuinely do wish to know about primates and their husbandry.

13] TSKA screening form has been designed by primate keepers.

14] We do not sell any primates under the age of 9 months unless; it is specifically placed by a client whom is looking for an experienced keeper [primate] to continue the hand rearing process.

15] We do not support the keeping of single primates, so please do not ask us to sell you a single. Although we may advertise singles, this is not the same thing.

16] The only time we do sell singles is if they are to be placed alongside the same species as a companion or a potential mate, or if they are to be used as an alternative companion for an existing primate.

NB: There are extreme cases where we are asked by our client base to place single primates into new homes. The species affected by this are usually large primate species, whom may have imprinting issues and as such do not recognise other primates as companions, but only humans. These cases are rare, and are by no means species to be kept by amateur or novice keepers.

17] We do not approve the use of oversized parrot cages for primate enclosures. And will not pass an applicant with these arrangements.

18] We do recommend minimum sized enclosures for primates in measurement, and do have sized grids for primates and their keeping. When we do suggest enclosure sizes, we will stipulate the 'minimum' sized habitat for the species you are referring to. If your enclosure is smaller we will recommend that you either enlarge or look to build a new one.

When we talk of enclosures for primates we talk of a two-sectioned enclosure comprising an internal 'sleeping' are and also an external enclosure.

We do not talk of one enclosure in the house and another enclosure external to the house, we talk of one suitably sized enclosure. Please note that minimum means just that, it is the starting block of sizes, not the end of.

19] We do ask for either blue print to enclosure layouts or photos verifying enclosures. And when we ask we genuinely do wish to see them, as indeed do our clients. If no enclosure photographs are included within the application or a guideline as to when the enclosure will be completed or for that matter started, then we will terminate the application.

20] We do prefer for all novice keepers to be able to show to us and our clients that they have bothered to undertake serious research into the ownership of primates. If we feel that the potential keeper has undertaken inadequate research, we will reject the sale. If however the applicant is in need of advice we will offer this.

21] We do have available care guides, photos and research links for novice and experienced primate keepers alike.

22] We will offer all the help we can to those whom are looking to have enclosures built, or are looking for enclosures to either purchase or have them custom built. Some of our Forum Consultants [John Bent & David Randall] have vast experience in the field of enclosures and enrichment.

23] We do constantly refer back to our client base for advice on difficult questions regarding primates, husbandry and upkeep.

24] We do ask very specific questions regarding primate licensing where it is essential in so far as DWAL and PL coverage. And we do request copies of this licensing to be presented to our clients or ourselves. We do offer advice on how to secure the right licensing and public liability coverage for keepers looking into securing primates still under licence.

25] We do place the emphasis on the following:

Animals rights

Keepers Rights

Responsible Ownership

Knowledge, Understanding & Research

Excellent Husbandry

26] We do turn down more applications for primate purchases than most people might think. We do not just sell for the sake of selling. We receive 30 applications per month on primates:

40% Capuchins

30% Squirrel Monkeys

10% Large Primates

5% Lemur Species

15% Marmosets & Tamarins

We do have1 out of 20-success ratio of primate applications and sales of.

27] We do still vet potential keepers, after recently lifted DWAL species [October 1st 2007] like they are still licensed. We do not support the recent DWAL primate removals. Indeed we would have preferred for all primates to be placed upon the licence.

28] But if the applicant does show the right knowledge, experience, research and understanding of the species, we usually do pass them and their details along to our clients.

29] We are openly slated and in a hostile fashion at times for our guidelines and strict vetting protocol, but as said we work on behalf of the primates rights first and on the rights and concerns of our client base.

30] TSKA Exotics are not responsible for the advertised prices of the primates we display for sale, we do ask our clients to be realistic in their assessment of the prices of their primates, but primate keepers are emotionally attached to their primates and as such this is sometimes reflected in their prices.

31] All successful applicants can view the primates and the clients but only once certain protocol has been achieved.

We sadly now must treat all new applicants as possible anti-group applications as we are often under direct contact from those trying to oppose our vetting protocol.

32] We are fully aware of those whom oppose the keeping of primates by private exotic keepers, as well as we are aware of their methods of false advertising primates, in order to lure the unwary to their emails.

33] We are used to eliminate the time wasters that present themselves to the selling market, and secure the genuine keepers of exotics that have the right attitude and responsibility required to maintain primates in the stable and secure environment they as a species are deserving.

34] We are the first lines of the potential sale, if the applicant is successful our clients will have very specific questions for the potential buyer for their primates, so the vetting continues.

35] We are considered hard and strict in the vetting procedure, but we do so in the confidence that our clients wish us to be.

36] We do advertise more primates than we sell and since the vetting protocol was installed two years ago we do now sell less primates than other advertisers may.

37] We are not scammers, we are recognised advertising consultants working on behalf on a UK based client base.

38] We do not have to provide reasons why an application has been rejected. In many cases we do:

Reasons for rejection:

Insufficient research has been undertaken by the applicant

Refusal to complete the experience form and lack of genuine reason for doing so

Supplying false information

Client Refusal

Inadequate enclosure and refusal to enlarge or amend

Silly notions:

Harnessing, dressing up etc

39] TSKA Consultancy are based in the United Kingdom, Lincolnshire.

NB: We do not hold the species for sale here, but advertise for our client base.

40] Unless specifically advertised as such, all our primates for sale are above 9 months of age.

We do not sell below this age.

41] If an applicant receives a rejection then this means that for this application the decision is final.

42] If a client rejects an applicant then the clients decision is final.

43] We do not support the use of 'ultra violet lights' for primates.

44] We will be supporting the primate codes of practice when they are released and will be working strictly to those codes in the future of all primate sales. We have produced a working guide for primate keepers to refer to.  

45] We would ask all applicants to fill out the experience questionnaire as best as they can.

46] We do not sell UK BIAZA livestock, and we have no direct contact with the British zoo System for surplus's. We do on occasion have livestock lists from Family parks and Game parks. Also we occasionally offer surplus lists from European Zoos and Game Parks.

47] We do try and sell our clients' surpluses but we do not guarantee sales. Sales are market pending and price reflective.

48] TSKA are a service provider

a] We do screen prospective primate keepers/buyers

b] We do wish to see client enclosures

c] We are hard on prospective primate keepers/buyers

d] We do care about the animal’s rights and the keeper’s rights

e] We do go the distance in making sure that your animals and you receive the same service

f] We do want to hear from those who have researched their chosen species

g] We do provide an exclusive one on one service

h] We do care about the current primate legislation that affects all primate keepers

i] We will be heavily promoting the Primate Code of Practice and supporting it

Finally, our clients have the last say on a potential keeper applicant

If they say no, we say no.