When George first arrived at CSNW he seemed very hesitant to interact with any of the enrichment items we provided him. He’s come a long way from those early days and has shown interest in certain clothing items (like socks and headbands), paper towels, books/magazines, boxes with food in them, paper and crayons, etc. One thing that we finally got to see him do after about a month of living here was start to build nests!
Here are just a few of his nests:
A rare George in nest sighting:
Diana was recently able to capture this photo of George sleeping under a plaid blanket:
Bonus: George on the Bray today!
How long do the chimps (or you) leave the nests in place?
They usually make them at night, and we pick them up in the morning during cleaning. We will sometimes leave the clean and dry ones for more than one day and they often reorganize or steal blankets from already built nests.
im so happy for George. i think he is relizing he is home and can finally relax and get the sleep, exercise, and rhe best meals from the best cook of CSNW! thank you so much everyone! :flag_um:?:smiley:
I would think he must realize that he is finally home if he’s building nests for himself. That is so awesome!
How fortunate to have the expertise and patience of the staff at CSNW and CWU to plan and monitor the transition and integration into a living chimp group. In the future, there will be great joy seeing him bond and form relationships with the other chimps and staff. He’s already entertaining (at least to me) seeing him use the blue sweatband in different ways. It must have amazing elastic to allow him to wear it as a belt. What a hoot. Thank you all!
Their waists are tiny, though
How heartwarming to see George relaxed and cwtched up in his nests. You have all worked wonders with him and it shows. Considering George’s traumatic past experiences he is now safe and he knows it. Good on you and good on George! xx
So happy Little George feels at Home.
Hope, Love, Home…..:revolving_hearts:
Home, sweet home, George. There is nothing like a good night’s sleep in a nest you made yourself, topped with a cozy blanket. Sweet dreams.
Oh George! Love your nests! So creative. I just can’t even convey how happy and excited I am for George.
Seeing the photos of the different nests George has built for himself brought a smile to my face. None more so than the image of him nesting under a blanket! George has proven himself to be a quick study. Can’t wait until the time comes when he becomes part of a group. Think of all the techniques he’ll learn from some of the experienced nesters. For now, it appears George is gaining in confidence and comfort.
It warms my heart so much to see George nesting and just getting to be a chimp! How long has it been (if ever) since he’s been able to build his own nest and relax in it? It breaks my heart to think of him in that barren cage. He’s finally at home.
What an amazing transformation! Every day brings more happiness in all the new experiences and it’s so heartwarming to witness his bravery and courage in trying so many new things. I don’t suppose he ever had the opportunity to nest before so this seems like the ultimate realization that he’s home and safe. Is this all instinct or has he seen the others nesting?
What is it about CSNW that makes it so “unique”? so smile worthy? so trustworthy? so comforting and so reassuring to Blog readers and to all those who care about CSNW residents? One frame in particular in Anna’s blog made me smile and kind of “says it all”:
“Diana was recently able to capture this photo of George sleeping under a plaid blanket.”….
CSNW is the kind of place where no one seeing this report doubts that George is indeed under that blanket!….It’s about the place, its standards, its commitment, its values and the kind of people it attracts as staff, volunteers and supporters in its local community…..It reminded me of a similar “vibe” given off by a local animal hospital here with whom I had not dealt before, when I brought in an injured stray cat that I trapped during a blizzard. As a vet tech went over the estimate of the cost of the medical care to be provided, I asked him if they required a deposit….He looked at me quizzically and said “No”…and still puzzled by my question he added…”after all, we have the cat!” ….. I knew I was in the right place. :blush:
We unfortunately saw George in his last home and it was quite upsetting..To watch him grasp this new and wonderful place to live makes my heart happy! Thank you so much for everything you do!