# Can Chimpanzees snap their fingers?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-chimpanzees-snap-their-fingers/653153
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [March 17, 2013, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-chimpanzees-snap-their-fingers/653153 "2013-03-17T05:22:09Z")
**Posts on this page:** 18
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Recusant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Recusant)
#### Post date: [March 17, 2013, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-chimpanzees-snap-their-fingers/653153/1 "2013-03-17T05:22:09Z")
Pretty much what the title asks. The question popped into my head the other day and I can’t seem to find any answers. Anybody know?
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### Author:  [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)
#### Post date: [March 17, 2013, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-chimpanzees-snap-their-fingers/653153/2 "2013-03-17T05:27:20Z")
The hip ones can.
WAG: Since they have opposable thumbs, perhaps they can be trained to.
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### Author:  [@wedgehed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wedgehed)
#### Post date: [March 17, 2013, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-chimpanzees-snap-their-fingers/653153/3 "2013-03-17T05:29:14Z")
They can snap your fingers, does that count?
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### Author:  [@Max\_the\_Immortal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_the_Immortal)
#### Post date: [March 17, 2013, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-chimpanzees-snap-their-fingers/653153/4 "2013-03-17T05:43:26Z")
I don’t know, but they can’t walk on tightropes.
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### Author:  [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)
#### Post date: [March 17, 2013, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-chimpanzees-snap-their-fingers/653153/5 "2013-03-17T05:57:05Z")
> [@Max\_the\_Immortal](#):
>
> I don’t know, but they can’t walk on tightropes.
Huh? (Unless I’m missing a joke here…)
ETA: It’s about time GQ had a question like this. It was getting too stuffy recently.
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### Author:  [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)
#### Post date: [March 17, 2013, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-chimpanzees-snap-their-fingers/653153/6 "2013-03-17T06:04:08Z")
As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly.
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### Author:  [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)
#### Post date: [March 17, 2013, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-chimpanzees-snap-their-fingers/653153/7 "2013-03-17T06:17:37Z")
Yes.
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### Author:  [@Recusant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Recusant)
#### Post date: [March 17, 2013, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-chimpanzees-snap-their-fingers/653153/8 "2013-03-17T07:37:18Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#):
>
> ETA: It’s about time GQ had a question like this. It was getting too stuffy recently.
Glad I could help.
I think the only problem might be digital dexterity; I’m sure they have the strength and I think their finger shape is similar enough.
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### Author:  [@Frumpy\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frumpy_Jones)
#### Post date: [March 17, 2013, 8:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-chimpanzees-snap-their-fingers/653153/9 "2013-03-17T08:54:36Z")
> [@The\_Second\_Stone](#):
>
> As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly.
[hijack]
Ah… Arthur Carlson… You shall not be soon forgotten as long as I’m alive. [Click here](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gj_quZru76A)
And if you’re still unaware as to what he’s talking about… [Click here](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PeCGURWzjwE&feature=player_detailpage#t=358s) for the news report from Les Nessman.
“The Turkeys are hitting the ground like sacks of wet cement!”
[/hijack]
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### Author:  [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)
#### Post date: [March 17, 2013, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-chimpanzees-snap-their-fingers/653153/10 "2013-03-17T11:39:25Z")
[aside]
**Frumpy** , you’ve made only 171 posts in 13 years, and for _this_ thread you decided to add one more? And as a hijack? You speak rarely but soothfully.
[/aside]
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### Author:  [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)
#### Post date: [March 17, 2013, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-chimpanzees-snap-their-fingers/653153/11 "2013-03-17T13:56:18Z")
[Orangutans can.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dGZq7KsHG0)
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### Author:  [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)
#### Post date: [March 17, 2013, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-chimpanzees-snap-their-fingers/653153/12 "2013-03-17T16:30:55Z")
> [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](#):
>
> [Orangutans can.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dGZq7KsHG0)
Well, I’ll be a monkey’s uncle. I would have thought “no”, since the thumbs of the other great apes are shorter than ours, but if orangs can do it, I’d have to think that chimps can, too.
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### Author:  [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)
#### Post date: [March 17, 2013, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-chimpanzees-snap-their-fingers/653153/13 "2013-03-17T17:51:50Z")
> [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](#):
>
> [Orangutans can.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dGZq7KsHG0)
They are the Kings of the swingers.
The jungle VIPs
They’ve reached the top
They’ve had to stop
And that’s what’s bothering me…
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### Author:  [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)
#### Post date: [March 18, 2013, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-chimpanzees-snap-their-fingers/653153/14 "2013-03-18T16:39:42Z")
> [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](#):
>
> [Orangutans can.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dGZq7KsHG0)
Tell them that it’s considered very impolite to get the waiters’ attention by snapping your fingers.
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### Author:  [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)
#### Post date: [March 18, 2013, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-chimpanzees-snap-their-fingers/653153/15 "2013-03-18T18:35:51Z")
> [@Floater](#):
>
> Tell them that it’s considered very impolite to get the waiters’ attention by snapping your fingers.
Well it’s not like he can yell “Garcon!” in a properly condescending voice.
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### Author:  [@peedin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peedin)
#### Post date: [March 18, 2013, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-chimpanzees-snap-their-fingers/653153/16 "2013-03-18T18:37:53Z")
Heck, I can’t snap my fingers. Why would a chimp be able to do something I can’t?
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### Author:  [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)
#### Post date: [March 18, 2013, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-chimpanzees-snap-their-fingers/653153/17 "2013-03-18T18:51:19Z")
The real question is can they snap their thumbs on their feet!
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### Author:  [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)
#### Post date: [March 18, 2013, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-chimpanzees-snap-their-fingers/653153/18 "2013-03-18T18:53:58Z")
> [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](#):
>
> [Orangutans can.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dGZq7KsHG0)
That Orangutan seems to give absolutely no fucks at all. 🆒 “Give me food!”, “No?” “Ah, whatever”.