There is a dominant male in the group, but that does not mean that he has fathered any of the infants in the group. During the breeding season, solitary males or males from other groups will infiltrate the group and mate with the females. Gestation is 140 to 165 days and first births have been known to happen as early as the third year and as late as the seventh year. They have babies every one to three years and infants nurse for approximately six months, but may begin eating solids at two months of age. They live in small troops of 10 to 40 individuals dominated by a single male.
Females are more territorial than males and they are the only permanent members of the group.
They are not as social as some of the other primates and any grooming or socializing is usually seen between a mother and her infant. Males and females rarely interact unless it is breeding season. All guenons need a spacious enclosure with lots of floor space for the savanna monkeys, but climbing, hiding, and play structures are also highly important. Privacy is also very important to these monkeys, because it is their natural tendency to hide when frightened. Large pipes, sleeping boxes, and cinder blocks are just a few examples of what may be used.