Lying on the floor wrapped in his blanket.
Yesterday afternoon I noticed foul diarrhea in the cage Chiquito was in. I immediately brought Lolita inside, and Paul washed out the cage. Chiquito ate a banana-and-a-half before dark, and I thought all would be well.
This morning Chiquito wouldn't eat. Even worse, he wrapped himself in his blanket and laid on the floor.
I worry about the monkeys getting sick - especially contacting human respiratory diseases. (Explorers from Europe unintentionally wiped out populations of indigenous people on two continents.) So when a photographer who had driven for several hours to photograph the monkeys arrived with a head cold, she didn't make it past the front door. And even though education is a huge component of what we're doing, children under the age of ten aren't allowed to visit...they're just too virulent when they get sick. But with all of the bananas (which are binding) the monkeys eat, I've never worried about diarrhea.
This morning Chiquito wouldn't eat. Even worse, he wrapped himself in his blanket and laid on the floor.
I worry about the monkeys getting sick - especially contacting human respiratory diseases. (Explorers from Europe unintentionally wiped out populations of indigenous people on two continents.) So when a photographer who had driven for several hours to photograph the monkeys arrived with a head cold, she didn't make it past the front door. And even though education is a huge component of what we're doing, children under the age of ten aren't allowed to visit...they're just too virulent when they get sick. But with all of the bananas (which are binding) the monkeys eat, I've never worried about diarrhea.
 I offer Chiquito "Pepto Bismol in a blanket" (or bread pocket). I continue to operate under the illusion that I can outsmart a monkey. So I got a piece of ryebread crust (bread is a favorite treat), made a slit, and hid a Pepto Bismol tablet. |  Chiquito extracts the Pepto tablet from the bread. Chiquito accepted my offering, removed the Pepto Bismol tablet...and discarded the bread! He proceeded to nibble and then eat the tablet, and a second one as well. |
The main ingredient in Pepto Bismol is bismuth subsalicylate. Nobody knows exactly why it works for stomach upsets, but it does. I even had a vet recommend it for puppies with diarrhea, and used it succesfully on multiple litters. (Pepto Bismol is NOT safe for cats, since salicylate is aspirin, which is toxic to cats.) And theoretically, the monkeys should be able to take anything that's safe for humans. Chiquito also willingly licked Bene-Bac Plus, a probiotic, from my finger. And Nutri-Stat, a high quality food supplement with omega fatty acids.
I'm going on the presumption that Chiquito ate something he shouldn't have on yesterday's outing, since he got sick within an hour of returning. Paul retraced their steps today and brought home both things he saw Chiquito eat. One is Guyaba and is fine. The other - small yellow "berries" that Paul thought were immature Nance (a fruit that is not currently in season that I buy for the monkeys at the farmer's market ) - may not be. And if Chiquito gets worse, or isn't himself in the morning, we'll head to a vet in San Jose who is a primate specialist...with the yellow berries.
In the meantime, Lolita seems empathetic and concerned. I don't know if she really gave Chiquito a kiss, was trying to taste the Pepto Bismol, or smelled something else unusual on his breath. But it makes for sweet photos.
I'm going on the presumption that Chiquito ate something he shouldn't have on yesterday's outing, since he got sick within an hour of returning. Paul retraced their steps today and brought home both things he saw Chiquito eat. One is Guyaba and is fine. The other - small yellow "berries" that Paul thought were immature Nance (a fruit that is not currently in season that I buy for the monkeys at the farmer's market ) - may not be. And if Chiquito gets worse, or isn't himself in the morning, we'll head to a vet in San Jose who is a primate specialist...with the yellow berries.
In the meantime, Lolita seems empathetic and concerned. I don't know if she really gave Chiquito a kiss, was trying to taste the Pepto Bismol, or smelled something else unusual on his breath. But it makes for sweet photos.
 Lolita gets close to Chiquito, who is huddled under his blanket... |  and gives him what appears to be a kiss on the lips. |
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