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[Doradan]

I just got back from work (a vet's office), and right before we closed, an old married couple came in with a rather unusual pet - A Capuchin monkey (tufted to be precise)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capuchin_monkey. The couple wanted to ask the doctor for some advice about how to treat there monkey for diabetes.

I tell you this story because, while we were waiting for the doc, the owners told me that some capuchins are trained as "helping hands", or monkeys that aid those with either physical disabilities or are in rehabilitation. This gave me an idea.

Now, what if we put capuchins in as a trainable pet that can aid bedridden dwarves? They could gather water in waterskins or food from the stockpiles so you don't have to wrap up dwarves in patient care after a nasty ambush or an accident.
Note that these monkeys are not to be confused with rhesus macaques.

[Girlinhat]

And also fetch cloth and thread for the hospital?  Nurse Monkeys?  I'd enjoy this

Of course, speaking from the raws, it would require a new type of training, something like Train Nurse that would then result in a Monkey becoming an Aide Monkey, and this would then be assigned to the chief medic(?) to assist in the hospital, or assigned to a noble to carry socks around?  Any small hauling job would have a chance of immediately being directed to the monkey.  Of course, with the [TRAINABLE_AIDE] token, you could reasonably make minotaurs into aides, and have them move stone around, and then we're getting close to slavery...

[Exlo]

Perhaps not just monkeys, but a variety of animals could be trained to help bedridden dorfs. Dogs are another animal that comes to mind. Perhaps they won't be able to assist in any type of surgery, but they could certainly carry about buckets of water and the like.

Maybe if the patient doesn't need care, certain animals may entertain them? Like television in today's hospitals, but with more monkey dancing!

[Girlinhat]

Armless dwarves trying to pick things up, comes to mind.

[Exlo]

Armless dwarves trying to pick things up, comes to mind.

As entertainment or hospital helpers?

*Do do, tch!*

[Stone Wera]

In 2005, experiments were conducted on the ability of capuchins to use money. After several months of training, the monkeys began exhibiting behaviors considered to reflect understanding of the concept of a medium of exchange that were previously believed to be restricted to humans (such as responding rationally to price shocks). They showed the same propensity to avoid perceived losses demonstrated by human subjects and investors. Most striking was one apparent case of prostitution.

They might ask for compensation in return, though. At least it gives coins an actual use other than throwing weapons.

[Girlinhat]

I like that idea, actually... Copper coins to keep monkeys happy.  They could even attempt to trade them back for food, as I think one experiment caused them to actually do.  The thought of replacing all my workers with handheld monkeys that work for 1 copper per hour and just go buy a single strawberry, makes me happy...

[IT 000]

I would like dogs for the blind, or assistants for the old dying noble. But trained monkeys screams 'Post 1400' which Toady has said is the cutoff point technology wise. Good idea though.

[sockless]

I like the idea of guide dogs, but for that we'd need more blind dwarves.

[Girlinhat]

Trained entertainment monkeys could be argued as pre-1400, but that's debatable.  I do agree that it's just a fantasy, or a result of intense modding, but not vanilla.

[kaenneth]

I am a bad person.

When thinking about helper monkeys my train of thought was "One of those would be good for that woman I saw in the news that lost both her hands and eyes... to a chimpanzee attack..."

At that point I realized my brain must have serious problems. I blame the lack of alcohol.

[Stone Wera]

"One of those would be good for that woman I saw in the news that lost both her hands and eyes... to a chimpanzee attack..."

CHIMPANZEES ARE FUCKING VICIOUS. I CANNOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH. BEWARE THE CHIMPS, THEY SEEK ONLY TO DESTROY.

[lordcooper]

I like the idea of guide dogs, but for that we'd need more blind dwarves.

I'll get to work on the blind dwarves right away

[Doradan]

"One of those would be good for that woman I saw in the news that lost both her hands and eyes... to a chimpanzee attack..."

CHIMPANZEES ARE FUCKING VICIOUS. I CANNOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH. BEWARE THE CHIMPS, THEY SEEK ONLY TO DESTROY.

Totally sigging this.

[Stone Wera]

"One of those would be good for that woman I saw in the news that lost both her hands and eyes... to a chimpanzee attack..."

CHIMPANZEES ARE FUCKING VICIOUS. I CANNOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH. BEWARE THE CHIMPS, THEY SEEK ONLY TO DESTROY.

Totally sigging this.

I believe this is the second time I've been sigged this morning.