Two Ways to Play
April 16, 2023 by J.B. -
Missy and Burrito love to play at the top of the hill. For some reason, the Seven do most of their playing indoors. In fact, they are at their most playful in the tiny little front rooms, especially when they are waiting for us to finish cleaning their playroom. Not that it matters where they play, but it’s nice for us to watch them chase each other around beneath the trees like this.
Honey B has been pretty social lately. This morning she played with Rayne and Dora until they couldn’t play any more. Not to worry, Honey B can entertain herself. She is Missy’s daughter, after all.
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JB, you must have been happy to see him playing with Missy, instead of trying to psych you out with his Uno Reverse!
I had that exact same thought watching this. So many people say that chimps should not be in sanctuaries because it’s just a bigger form of jail than a zoo. But I honestly couldn’t imagine anything happier than Burrito on that hill today, and he climbed Carlene’s Tower in nothing flat! Obviously, we’d much rather see them in the wild, but if this seems to be the next best thing. Very close to heaven.
Watching Honey B and her aerial antics, I had a question that I’ve had before, watching Li’l Dora and her sock spinning….do you guys ever get flutters when you see Foxie do her hang on a window sill 6 feet off the ground? Or even higher, as in the new wing? do you trust the chimps will know when they are getting too old to swing around like that?
Sometimes, yes, but only at the thought of the object they are hanging on breaking. We try to ensure that there are multiple levels of ropes, beams, branches, etc. so they could catch themselves on something below if they ever jumped or fell. As for their abilities declining as they age, I generally trust them to judge what they are capable of.
Thanks, JB, I wondered if it was just me. I had the same question when you showed video of the fight where they all “balled up”. It seemed in that video as though they all balled up in the air between the first and second floors!
I just assumed that rollicking play occurred out on the hill all the time. Now that you mention it, you do share mostly foraging, patrolling, and climbing, and mixed in between are the quiet meditative moments. Thanks for capturing this fun chase between Burrito and Missy. Burrito zigging and zagging all over cracked me up! And I love the massive log/roots for climbing. Great addition!!
My brother and i used to play “follow the leader” just like Burrito and Missy. It brought back memories. really enjoyed the vid.
Burrito is always, a joy to watch with his, signature, wooden block in his mouth. So playful, cute, and full of personality!