Candy came to the Center for Great Apes along with her older friend Tammy and her younger brother Connor in July 2021 from a breeder in Missouri after the facility closed. Candy’s daughter, Crystal (originally named Chloe) along with Mikayla and Kerry also moved to the Center at the same time.
Candy was born at the Missouri facility and already had other relatives here at our Florida sanctuary who were also born in Missouri but who had arrived here years earlier including her sisters Chloe (originally named Crystal) and Natsu.
She loves all types of food, especially greens, and loves to forage for them. In fact, she will eat all her greens and veggies before she eats her fruit (which is the opposite of most of our great ape residents). Her favorite enrichment is a rubber Kong toy filled with oatmeal, and she likes any kind of drink.
Candy is the shyest and most reserved of the group but very close to Tammy and her brother Connor. She likes to watch Tammy and Connor play games of chase outside, but she would rather sit and rest… or groom someone.
Candy is one who does not like to be closed inside the nighthouse… so they all get the option of staying inside or sleeping outside and night. However, in very cold weather, all the apes are shut in for the night. Recently, with the weather 30 – 40 degrees each night, the group was closed their heated nighthouse for a couple of days. When they were let outside again, Candy was so excited that she ran and emphatically hugged Connor basically tackling him to the ground! Connor took it all in stride.
