Today, the rats get a Brazil nut.

Cricket the explorer finds it first

Cricket is intrigued, and gives it a good gnaw, but the hard, thick shell defeats him.

He wanders away and joins his brother Snip by the cage.

Snip discovers the nut next. He grabs it!

He makes off with his prize behind the cage.

In a safe place between cage and wall, he gnaws on the Brazil nut.

Cricket discovers him there a few moments later.

Snip abandons the nasty hard nut. He leaves it to his gullible brother Cricket.

Cricket tries a few more gnaws, then gives up.

I help them out with a cast iron skillet. Crack!

The Brazil nut now has a tantalizing little crack.

Cricket is fascinated now. He sniffs at the crack and gnaws on the nut, trying to get in.

Snip finds him at it.

But Cricket has no intention of sharing and carries the nut away.

Snip steals it anyway.

Snip runs away with it.

Snip manages to pull off a piece of shell. He's in! He discovers the meat inside the nut. What a bonanza!

Cricket has been trying to get back in the cage. But he hears Snip gnawing on the nut and climbs down to investigate.

Snip vanishes behind the cage with the nut.

In peace and quiet, he digs out the meat.

He's had enough. He wanders off.

Cricket discovers a piece of shell and gives it a nibble.

He ambles behind the cage and finds the open nut.

He takes a few bites, then troops off to explore.

The open nut.

I put Cricket and Snip back in their cage and give Widget a chance. He finds the bits of shell and tastes them.

He rounds the cage corner and finds the nut! He grabs it and runs across the room with his treasure.

But he gets distracted. Snip is his mortal enemy. He climbs onto the ledge and taunts Snip through the bars. Teasing Snip is more fun than gnawing a nut! Snip squeaks back at him.

I return Widget to his cage and give him the nut.

He takes it happily and stashes it in his nestbox for later.