The Lovable HUEY
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Huey was born in 1988 at the Coulston Foundation; his records state that he was a healthy, normal baby. But when Save the Chimps took over in 2002, Huey looked like an old chimp—slow-moving, gray-haired, and depressed. We were shocked to learn that he was just a teenager.
After changes to his social group, as well as better food and enrichment, Huey started to perk up, but physically, something wasn’t right. STC veterinarian Jocelyn Bezner observed that Huey exhibited scoliosis (curvature of the spine) and a severe tilting of his pelvis. He moved slowly and appeared stiff and uncomfortable, for which he was prescribed medications and nutritional supplements.
This treatment helped Huey, as did his move to Florida where the ability to freely roam in the warm sunshine agreed with him. His caregivers felt that he moved well, and had actually gotten younger over the years!
But given that Huey’s scoliosis was still apparent, Dr. Bezner recently invited Vero Beach chiropractor, Dr. Harrison Todd, to examine Huey. First he observed Huey’s movements while awake; then Huey was anesthetized for a physical, and Dr. Todd made adjustments to his back and neck.
Huey’s caregivers were asked to watch his movements over the next several days to see if they noticed any improvement. Since Huey’s caregivers felt that he was moving well prior to the adjustment, they were somewhat skeptical that any changes would be noticeable.
Much to their surprise, Huey exhibited increased energy, ease of movement, and playfulness the very next day! Dr. Todd has offered to help with any of the chimps we feel could benefit from his expertise.
Thank you, Dr. Todd, for your compassion and generosity!
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| Huey | |
• Birthdate: I was born June 2, 1988 at the Coulston Foundation to my mom Wanda and my dad Alvin. I’m not sure what happened to them.
• Before Save the Chimps rescued me I was…depressed. I was living with some other chimps who picked on me.
• Today I am much happier living on a beautiful island in Florida with some chimps who are nice to me!
• Favorite food: PB&J washed down with some Sunny D
• Favorite activity: Playing chase with Rebel
• Best friend: I’m a bit of a loner, but Reba seems rather fond of me.
• Five words that describe my personality: Reserved, friendly, gentle, patient, diplomatic
• Motto: “The meek shall inherit the earth.”
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Did you know…
Wild chimpanzees use at least 66 distinct gestures to communicate with each other, according to scientists.
Click here to read more.