Chapped Lips: Chimps Get Them Too!
By Violet Bishop
Just like humans, chimpanzees can develop chapped lips! Samira came to Project Chimps in 2016, and she brought with her chronic dry skin. The caregivers at Project Chimps used medications to soothe her dry skin. However, they wanted to provide Samira with the least invasive form of treatment.
Over time, the caregivers added vitamin supplements, and her skin looked beautiful! The colors on her face were vibrant, and her hair was moisturized. But her lips continued to be dry and cracked. Caregiver Alyssa tried many different methods to help, but Samira is a diva! She has very particular tastes. It took a lot of trial and error to find the method she preferred. Samira’s caregivers needed to find a solution. So, everyone got to work!
Trial and Error
The first method Alyssa tried to relieve Samira’s chapped lips was human Chapstick. But Samira wasn’t a fan. Because her lips were uncomfortable, she didn’t want something touching her lips, especially not something she wasn’t putting on herself.
The next thing Alyssa tried was a form of moisturizer that Samira could apply herself. She played around with the idea of freezing aloe vera. Samira could hold the frozen aloe and use it by herself. Being the diva she is, Samira wasn’t crazy about the aloe. The ideal solution was some kind of edible Chapstick. Something Samira could apply herself AND enjoy in the process!
The Solution for Chapped Lips
The idea came to Alyssa from a couple of different people. First, her husband, who works in maintenance at the sanctuary, gave her the idea to use beeswax. As a hobby, Alyssa crafts wooden spoons. To seal them, she uses a homemade wood butter made of coconut oil and beeswax. Both are commonly found in lip balm. While talking with Kate, the behavior coordinator at the sanctuary, they came up with the idea to put scatter items in the edible lip balm. Scatter items, in this case, are little pieces of fruit or nuts. They are anything that provides enrichment and entertainment for Samira while moisturizing her lips at the same time.
The first time Alyssa made an edible lip balm, she used beeswax, coconut oil, honey, chopped-up walnuts, cashews, and raisins. She brought the beeswax, oil, and honey to a simmer on the stove and poured it into an ice cube mold. After the mixture was in the mold, Alyssa added various scatter items. She popped the mold in the fridge to cool and voila! Homemade edible chimpanzee lip balm.
Creativity, Texture, and Sharing
Once Alyssa figured out the best way to help soothe Samira’s chapped lips, the little diva changed her mind. Samira is very texture oriented. If Alyssa gave her a lip balm with the same scatter items as the day before, she wouldn’t take it! Eventually, they learned that Samira needed a variety of textures and foods in her lip balm. Creating new lip balm recipes was a creative outlet both for the caregivers and for Samira herself! Alyssa was able to make unique combinations with endless kinds of nuts, beans, and fruits. And Samira always had something to keep her entertained!
It’s not just Samira who goes nuts for her homemade moisture cubes. Other females in Samira’s group also love them! They watch and wait to see if she will share her delicious treats with them. It’s easy to tell when they have scored because their lips will be shiny and moisturized.
Now Samira gets a healthy snack throughout her day, and her lips are never dry.
You can help Samira and the other chimps keep their lips moisturized with a gift from our wishlist!
