Chimp Chew Toys

By Jalil Gossby

When it comes to choosing the toys we give to the chimpanzees, durability is a huge factor. Chimpanzees love to throw, pull, and yes, sometimes even chew on their toys! Chimpanzees have a bite force of around 1300 PSI, or pounds per square inch, which just so happens to be about six times stronger than that of us humans! This can spell bad news for any toy that isn’t built to last. At the sanctuary, caregivers are very careful to only give the chimps toys that we think will hold up. Softer toys like stuffed animals are sometimes given but aren’t expected to last longer than a day or so with the chimpanzees. Typically, hard rubber toys made for large dogs are the way to go when looking for chimp chew toys. Some chimps at the sanctuary go absolutely crazy for these kinds of toys, including Marlon.

Meet the Ever-Friendly Marlon!

Marlon is a 23-year-old male here at the sanctuary. He arrived at Project Chimps on November 30th, 2016.

Marlon had a lot of exposure to humans in his upbringing, so we try to keep interaction with humans limited to prioritize his interactions with his groupmates. Luckily, he has made great strides when it comes to interacting with other chimps. Marlon can often be found playing with Haylee and Precious, two females in his group. Lately Marlon has been spending more time with Quintin, a lower ranking male in his group. When not playing with other chimps, Marlon can always be seen with one of his favorite chimp chew toys.

Fun in Bloom?

When it comes to playtime, Marlon chooses his Ucho brand rose chew toy. The toy is constructed of a durable TPE rubber material, making it able to withstand the bites of most large dogs as well as the 1300 PSI bite force of a playful chimp. One key feature of toys made with TPE construction is their non-toxicity, which makes them extremely safe to be chimp chew toys!

“Marlon seems to really enjoy the texture of the toy,” Says caregiver Kalli Kohnen, “He likes gnawing on the stem because it has a lot of bumps and ridges. The size of the toy also allows him to carry it in his mouth while keeping his hands free.” Many chimps at the sanctuary enjoy smaller toys for this very reason. Chimpanzees are very tactile creatures, using their hands to interact with their environment. “Every chimpanzee that I’ve worked with in the past really enjoys portable toys,” says Kalli, “Smaller toys are much easier for chimps to fidget with on the go!”

If you’d like to donate to help the many chimps at the sanctuary find their own ways to play, we invite you to visit our Amazon Wish List. Or visit the Ways to Give page on the Project Chimps website.