• Any potentially breeding cotton-top tamarin female who is to be contracepted should receive the MGA implant available from Dr. Ed Plotka.

• If the female recommended for contraception is pregnant, she should be given:

NOTE:  This is not a substitute for an MGA implant, but must be given to prevent the female from becoming pregnant while nursing.   DepoProvera is only necessary for nursing females.

Once the infants are weaned (14-16 weeks), the MGA implant can then be inserted.

• Females receiving an MGA implant should be returned to their families within 24 hours.

Subordinate Female Housed with Biological Father or Male Siblings:

• Females greater than 14 months of age should receive an MGA implant for as long as they remain in the family group, provided the breeding female in the group is contracepted, or there is no breeding female present in the family group.

• In stable family groups with an adult breeding pair, daughters do not need contraception. For additional information on reproductive suppression see Chapter 3 in the Cotton-top Tamarin Husbandry Manual.

• Females greater than 14 months of age should receive an MGA implant for as long as they remain in the group. If a subordinate female does become pregnant follow the same protocol as for a breeding female.

General Notes:

• Only postpubescent females (approximately 14 months) should receive an MGA implant.

• For new pairings in which contraception is recommended, the female should be contracepted with an MGA implant prior to the introduction of the new male.

• The MGA implant should be changed once every 2 years, be sure to report to the SSP dates of new implants.

• Injections of DepoProvera (to be used with nursing females only) should last for up to 16 weeks.

• REQUESTS FOR MGA IMPLANTS:

Include species, individual identification, and body weight (implant size is based on body weight for that species), to:

Dr. E.D. Plotka

11713 West Lane

Marshfield, WI 54449

715-387-2793; fax: 715-384-9910

plotkae@worldnet.att.net