That's pretty much how I feel about this Monday with the chimps.
here's a visual, for reference.
As we know, I am in Phase 2 of Level 3 training, this is called the "assisting" stage. Essentially I am a puppet and only do what the caregiver with me says I am allowed to do. I don't do anything unless the caregiver instructs me. This is exciting because I get to start interacting with the chimps face to face. *poops pants*
We start during lunch (I had to finish my last 30 minutes in the observation stage at breakfast, and breakfast is a very high arousal situation. Everyone hasn't eaten since dinner and they are pretty amped up. lots of banging and vocalizations. Not ideal for the chimps or a new caregiver to start the assisting stage with breakfast.) The chimps had corn on the cob, carrots and bananas. All long foods, usually what a trainee starts with so you aren't as close to the caging and you can practice the way you need to hold foods.
Lets keep in mind here, that I am a new caregiver. I'm inserting myself into the hierarchy, whether the chimps like it or not, and have never served the chimps before. I've been briefed by the staff:
* Jamie probably won't take food from you. You're new, and she won't want food you've touched. Don't take it personally.
*If she takes food, she will probably get upset when you serve anyone else. Since you've never served before, Jamie might think you won't come back around to her with the rest of her servings. And she will let you know.
*The chimps might not be happy to take food from you. Watch for pokes.
*Always always offer Jamie food first. She's the alpha and you are new. Its like getting on your boss' good side on the first day.
*Don't let it scare you when Burrito bangs on the caging at you. He's just really excited to eat. If he rips things from your hand, its usually not aggressive. Just excited.
*Its a good idea when you are starting out to check in with Jamie when serving if she doesn't want something right away. Let her know you are going to serve someone else and you will be back with more for her.
*Take your time and practice how to hold your fingers. They will yell at you for being slow, so just tell them what's going on.
*Keep in mind how close your body is to the caging. We don't want anyone reaching out and pinning you to the cage.
YOU try keeping that in your head while 7 chimps are all waiting for their food. (that's not even the whole list.)
Elizabeth served the corn first, to take some anxiety and excitement down with the chimps so they had some food to munch while I *slowly* served some bananas. So there I was, a bowl full of bananas and 7 chimps ready to test me.
there I am.
As instructed, I offered my boss Jamie a banana first. Simultaneously the correct and scariest hurdle. Jamie, as I've said before, is the most intelligent chimp at CSNW and loves to give new caregivers trouble. She wants to make sure we know she's in charge and we run things by her before doing them. I was ready for a number of things to happen:
a) she wouldn't take the food or even acknowledge me. (very common with new caregivers)
b) she would find some poop for me to eat.
c) she would display and vocalize once I offered the banana.
d) she would simply walk away.
Offering food to a chimp goes like this: I show Jamie what I have, say "James, do you want a banana?" she nods (or walks away) and I place the banana in the caging and once she has it I let go (or try my luck with another chimp.) Jamie could also choose to not take the banana, and let me offer it to another chimp before becoming loud and aggressive as if to say "I DID NOT SAY YOU COULD OFFER ANYONE ELSE."
To my utter shock and disbelief, Jamie did exactly what I least expected. She gently took the banana from me. No poking, no threat barks and no poop. I wanted to scream and cry with joy. Jamie was okay with me serving to her. The only parallel I can draw to the human world is getting a promotion. Jamie said I could stay. I quietly said "thanks, James" gave a submissive head nod an said "I'm going to serve Foxie now James, okay?" and moved down to Fox who had her lips through the caging and was blowing raspberries as loud as she could, as if to say "Hello! I'm starving down here!"
The rest of lunch went shockingly well. Missy, who takes a little longer to warm up to humans got a little upset with me because I was taking a little too long, which was expected. Offering Jamie a chow bag I got a little poke, also expected, spit from Fox and a threat bark from Negra because I'm new and Neggie barks at everyone.
Neggie's spirit human would have to be Miranda Priestly from Devil Wears Prada. She's terrifying, but she is one of the strongest women you know.
I could even believe I had served my first meal. I felt like I just got off a roller coaster. Like I was just in a room with 7 individuals I respect more than anyone and all I wanted to do was impress everyone and make sure they were all happy. SO. MANY. EMOTIONS.
After lunch, Lisa radioed me to come to the greenhouse. Jamie was letting Lisa groom her, and we were going to see if Jamie would let me step in and do some grooming. *poops pants x2*
Grooming is big in chimp culture. I would equate it to getting your hair done in a small shop in a small town. (insert Steel Magnolia reference here) Its a time to wind down, hear all the gossip with your friends. Chimps are in low arousal, relaxed and trusting of whoever is doing the grooming.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBf9YjuPSo0
I watched Lisa groom Jamie with a stick for a few minutes (video link above) Lisa gave me the tool and got up so we could trade places. The second she stood up, Jamie spun around and grabbed her own tool and looked at me like "Oh no no, I will be doing the grooming around here." Jamie inspected my boot with her stick. Sincerely another big moment of the day, although it might not sound as glamorous as it actually was. Jamie being interested enough to groom me means a lot. I took off my boot, showed her the inside; my socks; and let her groom me until she noticed Ellie (the elk) outside and had to go show her who was boss.
I served dinner with Katelyn, and this time the chimps had onions, sweet potatoes, peppers and apricots. Katelyn served the apricots first, to release some tension once again and get the most prized item out. I thought I got lucky with lunch with everyone being so nice and easy going for my first meal. Like in the movies when they be-friend the nerd to get what they want. "oh I'll be nice, because you have the food I want. But next time, look out for poop. it's coming." Now I was serving smaller foods and was once again ready for the chimp revolt with a new server. And again to my shock, the chimps handled me serving dinner (slowly, again because of the onions who decided to be slippery bastards.) and all went well! Jamie had a look on her face, I'm not even kidding, that seemed to say "oh hunny. you are so young and inexperienced with serving it's almost laughable. One day you'll learn how to go faster." The pity in her eyes was unmistakable. It may have taken a little longer, but it was a success. Caregiver Katelyn said the chimps seemed very comfortable and relaxed with me, which rarely happens on a trainees first time serving food.
Longest blog post ever? Oh trust, it will only get worse after more interactions with the chimps. Not sorry.
here is Burrito (closest to us) and Jody. I love the way Jody relaxes, all sprawled out on one side. Burrito sat down, looked at Jody and took the similar position. Jody knows how to get comfortable, for real.
My way of decorating the green house after cleaning. Soon the chimps will say "oh great Becca's here. She likes to tie all the blankets on shit."
In other unrelated news, LFJ and I are writing and illustrating a book on the differences between primates. You know, so maybe I'll stop yelling at small children at the zoo for calling an orangutan a monkey. (Probably not though, I love yelling.)
That is all I have for this week! Stay tuned for what happens next on "Becky becomes a caregiver." (I would watch that TV show.)
lurb lurb
b
A lovely reader asked
"Why do you say "served" instead of "fed" when talking about the chimps?"
"Why do you say "served" instead of "fed" when talking about the chimps?"
We say we are "Serving" the chimps because we are there for them. We don't "feed" them like you feed pets, we are feeding them as individuals we work for. Feeding implies that it happens on our schedule, when in reality it's their time and when they want it. (obviously not whenever or else the chimps would over eat and be unhealthy) We ask Jamie if we can serve breakfast, what foods we can serve first and if it's okay to serve an individual. This is their home and we are just living in it. It keeps all our egos small and reminds us why we are here.
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