Day 4: Moving Right Along

Because some of my lemurs needed to be indoors around 10 AM today, I was able to worked with 3 groups. Generally, when I am done with 2 groups, it is almost noon and that's when I have to end my research. Today however, I worked with individuals that had progressed the furthest in that 3 groups. I was able to run testing sessions with 4 individuals today and trained 2 to target. The other 3 individuals were omitted from my study today because their progress is the slowest. Admittedly, most of these individuals that are on the testing session have not learned to target the red stimulus for a food reward. Instead, they have only learned that they need to touch the screen (or any square) for a food reward. This is the phase when the lemurs will eventually have an AHA! moment and realized that they will only get a food reward for touching the red stimulus. This study is progressing in a good pace. I expect most, if not all of my lemurs will be moving on testing phase by the end of this month and I should wrap up my data collection either mid or end of September.

Also, have I mentioned it's HOT HOT HOT!!!

Black church ladies be like ...

Day 3: On Wednesdays We Wear Pink

The lemurs are definitely progressing with the training sessions but now the difference is how advanced they are (when are they ready to do testing) as opposed to whether they are engaging SMARTA. Almost all individuals are engaging SMARTA in various degrees. There are, however, some individuals that want absolutely nothing to do with SMARTA. I might have to take them out from the study.

Also, some of these lemurs are craftier than others; some individuals have figured out to just leave one hand on the target during the whole duration of the training session while having the other hand on the chute eagerly awaiting the dispensing sweet morsel. Ha!

Day 2: Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot!

Yes, I know I'm not supposed to hold my camera like this but that's the best I can do to show you everything. Don't judge.

It is extremely hot and humid right now in North Carolina, I mean like ... REALLY hot and humid today. I'm not sure if I am having hot flashes (I don't think I have those) but I was sweating profusely and before it was 10 AM, I was already soaking wet. Ugh. And to think that I was wearing short shorts and loose fitting shirt to stop myself from sweating so much. By the end of the day, I was completely soaked in sweat and I looked like I feel into a lake.

Obligatory sweaty selfie.

After my research session today, I went to Southern Season to replenish my food rewards for the lemurs. Right now, I have moved from using dried cranberries into raisins because the store kept not stocking them. Or if they do, in small containers instead of the large ones that I need (I usually buy 3 large containers that would last me about a month).  

Monkey enjoying an American mini scone.

Duke Lemur Center: Day 1 (This Feels Like Déjà vu)

Monkey enjoyed himself at Duke Lemur Center today and is glad he can be my research assistant for awhile.

Started my first day at the Duke Lemur Center early but halfway through my sessions I got a very nasty headache (I think it's a migraine) so had to leave early. Got to work with only 3 lemurs but excited to noticed that one of the female, Kizzy, is now targeting the red stimulus. I think she is ready for testing sessions.

Got news that two of the lemurs that I briefly worked with are being transferred to another facility but there will be new individuals coming to DLC in place of them. I guess it's good that I didn't spend weeks training them only to have them go away.

Hopefully tomorrow is a bit more productive and I hope to start running testing sessions by the end of the week with the two females!

Raymond's Back, Alright!

I flew back to Durham yesterday and spent the weekend orientating myself and getting ready to go back to Duke Lemur Center on Monday. My research assistant, Stephanie, finished her term with me last week. I will be working alone once again, but I hope to find another research assistant soon.

My trip back to NYC was fun and I needed some time to spend with my husband and cats. During my stay in NYC, I also went to London with my friends and had a wonderful time.

More to write about when I go back to Duke Lemur Center but in the meantime, say hi to my new friend, Monkey.

I JUST WANT TO FLY BACK TO DURHAM!

I went home to NYC over the weekend to spend time with my husband and my cats. I was supposed to fly back to Durham, NC on Sunday evening but due to severe thunderstorms, my flight was delayed for a few hours and then eventually canceled. I had to rebook my flight out of NYC on Monday morning from JFK. Due to on going construction, JFK only has one active runway so I spent quite some time on the tarmac waiting to fly out.

Dat line to fly out of JFK doe ...

Due to the delays, I missed my day at Duke Lemur Center today. No training. No data collection. I wanted to go to Duke Lemur Center directly from RDU but I got there around 11 AM and I would be at Duke Lemur Center after noon. Besides, I didn't get a good night sleep so I've decided to just head back to the hotel. I don't want to work with animals when I am tired. You always have to be on your toes and give it your 100% when dealing with animals, not only for your own sake but also for the animals. I don't want to forsake my safety as well as the safety of the animals I work with just because I don't want to miss a day. Learning to let go is a virtue. o[ʘ‿ʘ]o

Whole craisins from Southern Season.

So far, I was only able to find "whole craisins" at Southern Season. So, I went there again today to restock on craisins. What? You mean you don't give your subjects gourmet craisins? I've talked about why I needed this specific type as food reward in my previous post.

Week 2: Lemur Training

My lemurs are learning. Some of them are learning fast and some of them are barely getting a hang of it. I have already started testing phase with two lemurs because they have learned to use the apparatus. Any progress is good progress, I guess.

I understand that not all lemurs will have the same performance rate and I accept the fact that some may never learn. My biggest fear is that I will have a small sample size and that all of them are dichromats.

I flew back to NYC for the weekend to see my husband and cats. I have missed them very much. I am grateful that I am about an hour away by plane and I can fly back to see them whenever I want.

Looking forward to work with new individuals next week. It's always interesting to see how they explore a novel object (my apparatus) and how they respond to it.

Weekend Distraction: Luna

I adopted a Chihuahua x Pomeranian (Pomchi) puppy over the weekend. I am so used to being surrounded by animals (mostly cats) that being in a foreign place and cooped up in the hotel room was starting to take a toll on me.

Meet Luna Vagell, my emotional support animal. She is a ball of energy (when she's awake, after she had finished her meal)!

Journey to the South

Photo from DeviantArt

"Nothing in this world is difficult, but thinking makes it seem so. Where there is true will, there is always a way". - Cheng'en Wu, Journey to the West.

My arduous journey begins today as I head south to Durham, North Carolina to begin my research with the ruffed lemurs. Much like how the Monkey King had to abandon all of his monkey to learn more about the world,  I had to abandon my Monkey (and Serra, and Cloudy) to learn more about the ruffed lemurs. My parents and hubby sent me off at the airport. I was sad having to leave, but I'll be back in NYC in 2 weeks for the weekend so that softens the blow a little bit. I will miss my cats a lot in the mean time.

One of the most stressful thing for me (yet) was to pack my apparatus and hoping it will make it to Durham in one piece. I had to disassemble my apparatus and pack it in two parts: the shell and the mechanical parts inside. I packed my shell inside a large artist tote, wrapped with bubble wrap and hard cardboard. For the mechanical parts, I packed them inside a cardboard box and put it inside a luggage that's padded with clothes.

I'm happy to say that all my luggage made it to Durham, yes all 5 of them. I had checked 3 of my luggage and TIL that checked bag fee increases exponentially. I ended up paying $210 to check 3 of my bags. Oh well. Lesson learned.

I am most ecstatic when I got to my hotel room and opened up my luggage. Everything is in one piece! My acrylic pieces were not shattered! My mechanical parts are all intact! I did not lose anything. Woohoo!

Unboxing my acrylic pieces. Thank Darwin all the pieces are intact and not shattered.

I am settled comfortably in into my hotel room now. It's almost midnight [it already is after midnight]. The room is pretty comfortable but I hope I don't go stir crazy in here. Went to Walmart to get some groceries (grapes for the lemurs!) as well as some necessities.

Tomorrow is Sunday. Not sure what I am going to do. Probably take in what Durham has to offer. See you then!