 Uriel and Emer at work. |  Ten hours of togetherness. |  The new digs. |
I decided Chiquito's cage needed a meeting room where Lolita, or a newcomer, could spend a few hours or even a few days. A minimal "barrier" where both parties could be within sight, sound, smell and even reach of each other...in a bite-free zone.
The construction logistics were challenging. Uriel and Emer had already worked 55 hour weeks at their regular jobs when they showed up at 7:00 AM on Sunday to start a project that had to be finished by sundown...or not until the following Sunday. Paul, subsequently known as St. Paul, entertained Chiquito for ten straight hours with just a brief lunch break. And I obsessed and compulsed (it's a new verb and I take full credit) about where to put the door, whether it should open in or out, etc.
Long story short, the cage was constructed and painted by 5:00 PM. The door opens out. Chiquito had a blissful day hanging out with "dad" at the river; in the upper lot; and finally, on the front patio. And although he was a bit squeaky for a day or two about having things rearranged, he now actually has more surface area. (A dog trainer once told me never to build a square cage...that an animal will sit in the middle of a square, but will exercise in a rectangle. Chiquito now has several rectangular areas within a large square, as well as the flat top of the new interior cage to climb on.)
And last but not least, appreciation to the following donors for the money to build the monkey meeting room! Allan Miller (Hollywood, USA); Scott Oliver, founder of welovecostarica.com (San Jose, CR); Axel and Francina via welovecostaria.com (Vancouver, Canada); and James Peacock via welovecostarica.com (San Jose, CR).
The construction logistics were challenging. Uriel and Emer had already worked 55 hour weeks at their regular jobs when they showed up at 7:00 AM on Sunday to start a project that had to be finished by sundown...or not until the following Sunday. Paul, subsequently known as St. Paul, entertained Chiquito for ten straight hours with just a brief lunch break. And I obsessed and compulsed (it's a new verb and I take full credit) about where to put the door, whether it should open in or out, etc.
Long story short, the cage was constructed and painted by 5:00 PM. The door opens out. Chiquito had a blissful day hanging out with "dad" at the river; in the upper lot; and finally, on the front patio. And although he was a bit squeaky for a day or two about having things rearranged, he now actually has more surface area. (A dog trainer once told me never to build a square cage...that an animal will sit in the middle of a square, but will exercise in a rectangle. Chiquito now has several rectangular areas within a large square, as well as the flat top of the new interior cage to climb on.)
And last but not least, appreciation to the following donors for the money to build the monkey meeting room! Allan Miller (Hollywood, USA); Scott Oliver, founder of welovecostarica.com (San Jose, CR); Axel and Francina via welovecostaria.com (Vancouver, Canada); and James Peacock via welovecostarica.com (San Jose, CR).
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