Why would I waste 500 pounds on smarties? Firstly, I would say this is not a ‘waste’ – half of the money would go to buy what squirrels really like and the other half of the money would go to buy something that you and your friend like to eat. The main reason for doing this is because I would like you and your friends to experience tasks that squirrels do; like this, you can get a first-hand experience to understand 1) how scientists in animal behaviour work with their animals and 2) how squirrels feel and what they see when they are playing the tasks. In these tasks, one thing that is very important is the reward – you aim to solve a problem and get what you really want. So if squirrels get their favorite treats (i.e. hazelnuts), you will also get your favorite treats (i.e. smarties or something that you really like to eat) :).
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