Happy Birthday, March celebrating friends! Why are we wishing you Happy March Birthdays when it’s technically still February? Because tomorrow, March 1st, is Willy B‘s 33rd birthday! Well, I should now say it’s been Willy B’s celebrated birthday because as Diana recently shared on the blog, we’ve since learned that his actual birthday is November 30th! So of course we decided to celebrate both in a kind of Hobbit-style this year, with first birthday and second birthday. π
We hope this inspires all you March revelers to not only start the day in celebration the very second your eyes open tomorrow, but to celebrate your own special day at least twice this month. Willy B would want you to.
We love this guy so much and are so proud of how courageous he’s been this year navigating so many exciting, and understandably sometimes scary, changes.
And our next celebration will be Cy‘s 33rd birthday on March 12th! If you haven’t yet had a chance, you can purchase one of our new limited edition Cy’s Bookclub t-shirts and/or tote bags. Today is the last day to order these through presale if you want to have them in time for his birthday! And if you’re looking for other ways to help celebrate Cy, we also have a few items on our Amazon Wishlist we’d be so grateful to have for his party (we hope to set up his own library)!
We are so thankful for Cy. His commanding and calm presence have been a real gift to us all as his group of now nine continues to navigate their blending. We couldn’t be prouder of each one of them for the courage and growth they continue to show as they build and renew friendships, experience so many new things, and work out issues, like any chimpanzee family, sometimes with ease, and sometimes far from it.
Just about the time everyone is rested up from Cy’s party, we will be on to the next for St. Patrick’s Day on March 17th. And I think it’s safe to say we will all be celebrating the official arrival of spring here in the northern hemisphere on March 20th. Even if it’s still snowing, we will know it’s really spring and that counts for something.
The staff team was busy today with an onsite CPR and First Aid training provided by our wonderful local Kittitas County Fire Protection District 6. Perhaps Cy would have been interested in our training materials. (Though, as Diana noted, it’s Jamie who would have most likely been fascinated by all the resuscitating and bandaging going on). π
Well, rest up, friends! Partying starts at sun-up! πΒ Be sure to join us on the blog tomorrow for Willy B’s bash! And please know that every step of courage, joy and celebration these amazing 16 chimpanzees get to experience would not be possible without the incredible support you all show in so many ways. We are so grateful to you all for being here with us!
Before you end this last day of February while I drift off into a pasta-induced coma (hot tip: don’t eat a big bowl of pasta while you’re trying to work), please enjoy these beautiful bonus photos that Chad graciously said I could use:
Rayne:
Terry:
Gordo and Terry grooming in the greenhouse:
Half-sisters, Rayne and Honey B enjoying lunch together:
Yay for a month of parties!
what a workload….!!!
BUT A TON OF FUN……………………:heart_eyes:
Does Willy B still steal food or has he settled down to his own meals now? I love to think that whichever way it goes he still gets his precious apple treat.
Carol,
Well, be it hierarchical, opportunistic or just plain ill-mannered, it will always be part of life in chimp society that one might have their food claimed by another. That said, we continue to utilize PRT (Positive Reinforcement Training) as needed and often station Willy B at meals (to a place of his choosing) and while he’s not above occasionally taking food from the girls, overall, he often demonstrates much more ease at mealtimes. He no longer gets his specific apple because his PRT needs have advanced differently, but all five males receive extra servings of one item with each meal to support their current unique dietary needs. I.e., they’re big dudes (or in Burrito’s case, burn endless calories). π Thanks for asking about Willy B, Carol!
MORE to remember! Katelyn, whose job is it to plan out which food the guys will get extra of, and how much? In Neggie’s case, are her calories a bit lower?
Linda, good questions. I’m sure I’m going to leave something out here, or more likely give way more information than you want. We frequently discuss their diets. π The short answer is we all prep meals, so whomever of us happens to be preparing a meal will check in with the lead for the day to see if they have plans, and generally speaking, we just choose from what produce options are available in the fridge (which is typically a lot as we fortunately receive twice weekly deliveries). Basic guidelines are breakfast: a smoothie (with protein powder), two servings of produce, and primate chow; Lunch and dinner: 3 servings of produce plus chow which is swapped for nightbags at dinner (because we counted the calories in that chow). The extra serving for the guys is again, really up to whomever is prepping. So for example, if we are serving apples, sweet potatoes and leeks, the guys would receive double portions of ONE of those items. Maybe everyone is getting four pieces of sweet potato and we’ll give the guys eight pieces. We balance fruits and vegetables, while leaning more heavily to the latter to avoid too much sugar. The guys also get three bags of primate chow as opposed to everyone else getting two.
And correct, anyone whose weight we are monitoring for loss receives smaller portions – maybe three pieces of each item rather than four, for example, as well as smaller bags of chow. To add to all of this, we use an online animal care record keeping database where we document daily what the chimpanzees were served at each meal and if anyone declined or received extra of any items offered which helps provide us with a long-term record of any patterns. And of course, we come to all of these perhaps seemingly innocuous decisions through a much wider system of consistent observation, discussion, review and documentation. π
Thanks for the detailed answer! I had picked up on the fruit/veggie balance, but was wondering how you got the extra portions. Do you have to put the extra chow for Buerito and Foxie into two bags instead of three? So The Boss doesn’t get mad? (I feel like she can count).
Oh yes, she *can* count, as do they all. If we’ve inadvertently “shorted” someone on any of their servings they will let us know. Jamie loves chow, but it isn’t typically a super high value item for her (like say, pears or mini-peppers) so she usually tolerates their extra bags. Sometimes if someone has a feeling that Jamie won’t allow them their servings and they have the opportunity to do so, they will often give a look like, “I’m going to leave, but meet me over in this other area, please, *wink, wink*). Now that’s just my general experience, I think we all have different experiences sometimes.
Your answer is hilarious! I’m so glad you speak their unapoken language!
And to be clear, there’s no fooling Jamie, or any of the chimpanzees, and nor would we want to. It’s really more about following their lead as they navigate through their own business. Their language as you said, for sure. π
Oh, how wonderful it would be to have a Cy Library!
It sure is busy your way with cpr & first aid training with the staff. No doubt the chimps will be agog with all this activity. Happy March birthdays to everyone and today 1st March is St David’s day the patron saint of Wales (my birth country) so if there are any Welsh people your way, they will be celebrating in style.
Best wishes
Susan
Hip hip hooray, Willy Bβs first celebration begins tomorrow. Please be sure to tell my brave Pal that Iβll be thinking of him. Hope he gets all the cabbage he can eat!
March is going to be a festive month! Hereβs to celebrating the moments that matter most.
Oh, I forgot to ask about Jamie, Kittitas County Fire Departments finest honorary Fire Fighter! How excited did she get checking out the boots on your fire fighter visitors?!
Kathleen, Oh yes, she was enamored as usual. I believe she still as her own honorary pair gifted to her along with her certificate. But of course, I think it’s always extra exciting to see them with the whole ensemble, in action, so to speak. π