The chimps love gum! We hand out sugar-free gum that is good for their teeth (not Hubba Bubba, that was just the blog title), to the chimps as a special treat or to reinforce a positive behavior. Lately, we have been passing out gum to Cy’s group when all 9 of them shift enclosures. Sometimes, we have stragglers, like Honey B, who doesn’t always shift to where we would like her to go. Which is okay! We are flexible with the cleaning schedule. However, the days she and the rest of the group shifts on their own, we try to reinforce it by handing out gum, a treat loved by all! Some swallow the gum fairly quickly, and some keep it for over an hour, chomping away (like Lucky).
Photos of the chimps enjoying gum from the past!
Honey B:
Terry:
Cy:
Willy B:
Dora:
Missy from 2011:
Burrito from 2011:
Photos from today!
Cy in a Greenhouse:
Burrito with a giant play face with volunteer caregiver, Krissy:
Jamie’s saved book page:
jaime’s saved book page?
that question mark was supposed to be a teary eye
oh goodness aren’t you brave to give them gum! or crazy?!
Aw, Fifi and Flirt, from Gombe….:heartpulse:
I’m glad you got the OGs, giving it a pull and stretching it! Foxie does that too, IIRC.
Also glad that video started with a black screen and chomping!
Well how cool is that? I loved the goofy photos of the chimps chilling out with their gum. Good to know they only get the sugar free variety!
My heart hurt a little when I saw Jamie’s saved book page. Things that could have been.
Lucky’s gum chewing is legendary. What a special guy he is.
Love them both.
Dear Vicky,
Lucky is half-SISTERS with Honey B. and Rayne and “whole” SISTER of CY.
Has anyone ever showed them how to blow bubbles? Of course that may take a couple of sticks of gum.
Great post and photos. Rayne and Lucky! Very funny. How happy is Lucky in this video? Man, does she enjoy her gum! I was half expecting her to blow a bubble. And the looks on Rayne’s face are so funny. You must add a speech bubble over Rayne’s head that reads “Why did I swallow my gum?!”
I remember those old photos from 2011!
I also felt a little bittersweet seeing Jamie’s book page. I wish she had been able to have a family of her own, to roam the forests with her group…
Of course, Lucky is extremely cute chewing her gum. Rayne is also just such a beauty.
Jamie’s saved book page … and the story how one of the chimps (don’t remember which one) ripping out the page of a SNAKE REALLY confirms their intelligence. Truly amazing
That was Jamie, too, Elaine. Christmas 2015. Still one of my favs
The photo of Willy B made me laugh and Lucky is chewing away like a champ!!! Love her!! Too great!
Ah…Raynie had some majors food-peering going on there. I suppose that she could’ve asked her sister Lucky to share, but…well, from my own experience as a human primate, age 6, that tends not to be an option. Poor Raynie…at least she is socially consciousness enough to not stick her used-up gum underneath a table somewhere.
And what is “food-peering”, you might ask? For a demonstration, please refer to the blog post from 7.17.2019. The example provided gives further meaning to the tune: “Yes, we have no Bananas”.
Think I’ll go and do the same (chew some sugar-free gum, that is). Are there any chimps who DON’T swallow it and just cast it aside?