I received a question about the differences of feeding the cats and now realize I am not specific enough...lol
To start off we do food prep in the morning:
There are 4 large tubs to distinguish the 4 parts of the sanctuary: Small Cat Track, Wildcat Pines, Cougar Cove and Roar Ridge.
We usually have 4 40lb blocks of food ranging from chicken (thigh and leg) to beef to beef heart. Sometimes we have turkey hearts, rats, rabbits, or whole chickens.
Then we cut up the pieces to distribute them into the buckets based on a feeding chart. On the chart it tells how many pieces a cat gets. Some cats get boneless which can then be beef or the boneless chicken piece that we cut from the bone. 2 boneless pieces are equal to the chicken thigh and leg. The basic serving size to make 1 piece is a thigh and leg piece. So we cut the beef and beefheart into the equivalent chicken piece. Some cats have a smaller diet and those usually get a thigh which we cut the leg from the thigh at the cartilage.
About 20 of the cats get meds with their food so some of the food is put into separate bowls with their names on them and the medicine is inserted between the chicken skin and the meat. Then each bowl is put into the corresponding bucket for the certain area that the cat lives in. On Tuesday and Friday the cats have a 1/2 diet day where cougars, tigers, lions, leopards, and jaguars only get 1/2 the normal amount for the day. Then the pans and counters are cleaned before pulling out more blocks of food for the next day.
Feeding:
Before feeding we have to put the dominant cats in lockouts, which extend off of the enclosure and are closed by guillotine doors. For servals we always have to bring "treats" such as small pieces of chicken or beef with us to even get the servals to go into the lockouts. Then once all the enclosures have the dominant cats out we come around with the food bucket and feed the cats inside the enclosure first before feeding the ones in lockouts. We use tongs to grab the pieces from the bucket and put the food close to the ground to make the cats put their feet down before putting the food into the feeding hole.
After going around to all the enclosures for the small cat track (there are 7) then we come back around to let the cats out of the lockouts as long as everyone is finished eating. We try to keep the time in the lockouts to a minimum. Then once the cats have left we close the guillotine doors until the next feeding.
The feeding for wildcat pines is pretty much the same with the exception of using treats to put the cats into the lockouts. One of the bobcats requires food to go into the lockout and must be done first, but the others usually go in without any problems. We also check the water for all the enclosures while feeding because they are outside and not self refilling like the servals have. There are some cats who we have to remember that dont like certain foods which is usually beef. One cougar only eats chicken and any cat smaller than a cougar can not get turkey hearts because they will choke on them.
I havent learned cougar cove or roar ridge feeding yet, but I assume it is similar just with a lot more meat.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Monday, June 27, 2011
1 month in
I am officially done with 1 month of my internship. Its been a lot of hard work and lots of learning to use power tools and lawn equipment. I feel like a man with all the hard labor I am doing. Cutting and hauling logs, moving boulders, digging holes, fixing fences, mowing, cutting limbs, weedeating, control burning and lots of other things.
My hands remind me of a 65 year old man who has worked every day of his life. I have dirt stuck in the cracks of my skin and my hands are so rough it scratches me.
All in all its a hard internship, but I love getting to see the cats all the time and learning to feed and clean the wild cats.
I have learned to feed and clean the servals and now am going to start learning about the bobcats and lynx.
2 months to go and lots to learn!
My hands remind me of a 65 year old man who has worked every day of his life. I have dirt stuck in the cracks of my skin and my hands are so rough it scratches me.
All in all its a hard internship, but I love getting to see the cats all the time and learning to feed and clean the wild cats.
I have learned to feed and clean the servals and now am going to start learning about the bobcats and lynx.
2 months to go and lots to learn!
Vet day
Yesterday we had a vet day with Aslan the male lion, Zeus a male tiger, and Mia a female cougar.
I first went and bought food for lunch for the vet staff before they showed up and then came back and met all the vet staff.
While Aslan was being sedated by the keepers everyone stayed in the office just in case. Once they had successfully injected him the vet staff went to start the exam. When the staff felt comfortable the interns were called down and allowed to watch the exam. We were called in one by one and picked up aslan's paw and shown his claws then allowed to hold his mane. While he was sedated they also made paw prints and nose prints in paint and construction paper.
While Zeus was being sedated by the keepers the interns stayed in the office and the vet staff stayed in the prep room. The vet staff went to examine Zeus and when they felt comfortable the interns were called in again to observe. One by one we were allowed to feel his fur and look at his teeth. We also felt the papillae on the tiger's tongue to compare it to a housecat. I also looked at the vomeronasal organ on the roof of the mouth. They also made paw and nose prints for zeus too.
While Mia was being sedated by the keepers the interns stayed in the office again and when she was down completely the vet staff went to examine her. They had forgotten the vaccinations and called me to bring them down so I went into the hospital and grabbed them and ran down to the enclosure and gave them the vaccinations. I was then allowed to feel the largeness of the tail for a jumping cat.
It was a really exciting day and we have another vet day tomorrow for smaller cats.
I first went and bought food for lunch for the vet staff before they showed up and then came back and met all the vet staff.
While Aslan was being sedated by the keepers everyone stayed in the office just in case. Once they had successfully injected him the vet staff went to start the exam. When the staff felt comfortable the interns were called down and allowed to watch the exam. We were called in one by one and picked up aslan's paw and shown his claws then allowed to hold his mane. While he was sedated they also made paw prints and nose prints in paint and construction paper.
While Zeus was being sedated by the keepers the interns stayed in the office and the vet staff stayed in the prep room. The vet staff went to examine Zeus and when they felt comfortable the interns were called in again to observe. One by one we were allowed to feel his fur and look at his teeth. We also felt the papillae on the tiger's tongue to compare it to a housecat. I also looked at the vomeronasal organ on the roof of the mouth. They also made paw and nose prints for zeus too.
While Mia was being sedated by the keepers the interns stayed in the office again and when she was down completely the vet staff went to examine her. They had forgotten the vaccinations and called me to bring them down so I went into the hospital and grabbed them and ran down to the enclosure and gave them the vaccinations. I was then allowed to feel the largeness of the tail for a jumping cat.
It was a really exciting day and we have another vet day tomorrow for smaller cats.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Intern Project
My intern project is to do new biographies for the bengal hybrids for the sanctuary website. I will be writing about the reasons they are at the sanctuary and about their personalities. I will also talk about the special needs they require and how they fit in at the sanctuary
I have 41 bios to do including some domestics like the 2 cats in the office and the huskies
I will let everyone know when I finish my project and when it will be published on the website!
Thanks for everyone being patient with my posting....rural Minnesota equals odd wireless
Therefore thank you free wifi at McDonalds for saving me from insanity!
I have 41 bios to do including some domestics like the 2 cats in the office and the huskies
I will let everyone know when I finish my project and when it will be published on the website!
Thanks for everyone being patient with my posting....rural Minnesota equals odd wireless
Therefore thank you free wifi at McDonalds for saving me from insanity!
Lumberjack
Past few days we have been cutting and hauling logs to put into enclosures for the cats....i feel like a bruised lumberjack
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| day 1 of bruise |
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| after a couple of days |
Thursday, June 16, 2011
pictures from my time in Minn so far
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| dirty shirt....its dirtier than appears |
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| cuts from the first couple of days |
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| bruise from using bolt cutters and having to use my leg to cut cattle paneling with |
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| peeling from sunburn |
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| Cooper (left) and Benny (right) the 2 bengals in the trailer |
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| evil Homer he constantly glares at me because he isnt my favorite |
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| Remoh super fluffy domestic |
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| 3 out of 4 cats on one of the beds |
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| cuts from falling on boulders trying to dig a hole for an in-ground cat pool |
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
beef pickup....in Wisconsin?????
Today was the beef pickup day so me and another intern started driving at 8am to go to a town in Wisconsin 4 hours away to get beef and beefhearts. I drove a 15 passenger van with a tiger on the side in rain...fun times. Around lunch time we stopped at a mcdonalds and ate...and realized we are completely out of touch with the world...apparently there is a volcano erupting in south america and causing a large ash cloud over most of south america and some of australia.....cnn is very informative. Then we continued on the trip and made it into Amish country...and saw 3 horse and buggies :) After finally making it down this long road we came to the dirt road and followed it to the meat place...then came backing the van into a loading dock...mind you this is the 1st time for driving the van....lets just say i eventually got it in.
After getting the meat we decided to help keep it cold by turning down the ac all the way and on high....it was already 55 degrees outside so by the end of 4 hours it was cold enough I could see my breath in the car. We also saw an alligator turtle on the dirt road and I was wearing 2 coats with hoods to stay warm. Then in Minneapolis the sun came out and I put on sunglasses so the other intern told me I looked like a unibomber...I am pretty sure I looked crazy. Outside of Minneapolis we had a guy drive by me to pass me going at least 85 and flipped me off while yelling at me that I cant drive....I am so sorry I was going 5 miles over the speedlimit in the fast lane....not all of us can be crazy northern men drivers....anyways when we finally got to the dirt road to the sanctuary it was mud because of constant rain all day.....needless to say I slid all over that road in a 15 passenger van with frozen meat in the back. BUT I MADE IT!!!!!!!!! I think I deserve a medal for it.
Then we had to unpack the van and the meat does not come in boxes just blocks of frozen bloody meat...we cut holes in trash bags and wore them to be able to stay less bloody...
Meat pickup......success
YAY FOR DAY OFF TOMORROW! who knows if I can actually leave though....darn dirt road
After getting the meat we decided to help keep it cold by turning down the ac all the way and on high....it was already 55 degrees outside so by the end of 4 hours it was cold enough I could see my breath in the car. We also saw an alligator turtle on the dirt road and I was wearing 2 coats with hoods to stay warm. Then in Minneapolis the sun came out and I put on sunglasses so the other intern told me I looked like a unibomber...I am pretty sure I looked crazy. Outside of Minneapolis we had a guy drive by me to pass me going at least 85 and flipped me off while yelling at me that I cant drive....I am so sorry I was going 5 miles over the speedlimit in the fast lane....not all of us can be crazy northern men drivers....anyways when we finally got to the dirt road to the sanctuary it was mud because of constant rain all day.....needless to say I slid all over that road in a 15 passenger van with frozen meat in the back. BUT I MADE IT!!!!!!!!! I think I deserve a medal for it.
Then we had to unpack the van and the meat does not come in boxes just blocks of frozen bloody meat...we cut holes in trash bags and wore them to be able to stay less bloody...
Meat pickup......success
YAY FOR DAY OFF TOMORROW! who knows if I can actually leave though....darn dirt road
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
bloody hearts and digging holes
Yesterday was the first day of food preparation for me and another intern. We learned the art of cutting a chicken leg off of the thigh and cutting the beef into the correct size for feeding. We also started learning the medicine dosage procedures for the cats with health issues. We then found out the internet couldnt be used for the day because someone had downloaded something and screwed up the wireless so i am writing yesterday's blog today. After we finished preparing 4 large buckets of chicken, beef, and hearts we went to help a keeper move logs (full trees) next to enclosures before the other 2 interns got the rest of the day off. After lunch we cleaned 2 small in-ground "pools" for 2 of the bungalows. Then we dug holes for the pools and put them in the ground....digging is difficult....I stood on the shovel and jumped up and down. We got 1 pool in and filled in the holes around the sides and made a slight incline up to the edge of the pool for the cats. While putting the pool in the cats were very interested and some even sat inside the pool while we added dirt. Then we filled the pool up and the cats became less interested except for one of my favorites hilo the savannah...he is a cross between a serval and a domestic. We put some toys in the pool and he was trying to get them out. Then we were called to the back of the facility with our hoses to help fill up a tigers pool. While we were down there we moved the "logs" inside the enclosures...which is much harder with only 3 people and trying to get them between the double doors which are not in front of each other. One tree we had to get in one door and stand it all the way up to be able to shimmy it over to the right to the next door....it ended up landing on my shoulder...and now my bone hurts. After getting trees into the enclosures we went back up and dug the 2nd pool hole and put the pool in. Later in the afternoon we got to go with a keeper and watch her feed the servals/siberian lynx.
Today 2 of the interns were off so we did food prep and one of the keepers cleaned the bungalows for us. After food prep we went with the keeper and helped feed the servals/siberian lynx and then once everyone had eaten we cleaned the outside enclosures and gave out enrichment (paper bags with spices). I have to learn 16 serval names and be able to tell them apart by next friday and also the lynx in the group. After that we got rid of a dirt pile from digging the hole for the pool and then took litter boxes out of the bungalows because they are trying to get the hybrid cats to go outside to go to the bathroom. Then after lunch we were supposed to dig a larger hole for a pool in the serval enclosure but the keeper tried and said the ground was too hard so we mowed the outside area of the compound for the bobcat areas. I then spread tick remover and had to wear a mask because it happens to be carcinogenic. I then went to go help dig another hole for a pool, but the keeper called us in to tell us we were going to pick up the meat tomorrow in Wisconsin....so there and back is an 8 hour drive...in a 15 passenger van with a tiger on the side. We did evening rounds and finished digging the hole for the pool and filled dirt in the holes and around the sides....i also jumped on the shovel and then fell onto boulders and scraped my arm. We cleaned the prep room and took out the trash. Then we went to the store as a group and got subway...yum
On to the next day...and Wisconsin
Today 2 of the interns were off so we did food prep and one of the keepers cleaned the bungalows for us. After food prep we went with the keeper and helped feed the servals/siberian lynx and then once everyone had eaten we cleaned the outside enclosures and gave out enrichment (paper bags with spices). I have to learn 16 serval names and be able to tell them apart by next friday and also the lynx in the group. After that we got rid of a dirt pile from digging the hole for the pool and then took litter boxes out of the bungalows because they are trying to get the hybrid cats to go outside to go to the bathroom. Then after lunch we were supposed to dig a larger hole for a pool in the serval enclosure but the keeper tried and said the ground was too hard so we mowed the outside area of the compound for the bobcat areas. I then spread tick remover and had to wear a mask because it happens to be carcinogenic. I then went to go help dig another hole for a pool, but the keeper called us in to tell us we were going to pick up the meat tomorrow in Wisconsin....so there and back is an 8 hour drive...in a 15 passenger van with a tiger on the side. We did evening rounds and finished digging the hole for the pool and filled dirt in the holes and around the sides....i also jumped on the shovel and then fell onto boulders and scraped my arm. We cleaned the prep room and took out the trash. Then we went to the store as a group and got subway...yum
On to the next day...and Wisconsin
Sunday, June 12, 2011
deerflies and ticks
Are literally going to be the death of me....i spray myself with off deep woods at least twice a day and still i found a tick at my hairline on the back of my neck and the deerflies keep biting me and leave little red dots, which then itch later. Living basically in the woods is giving me a lot of red itchy bumps...
Also pine tree needles hurt.
Well thats all for the day....ice cream party and easy A!!!!!!!
Also pine tree needles hurt.
Well thats all for the day....ice cream party and easy A!!!!!!!
Saturday, June 11, 2011
maintenance
Yesterday we cleaned the bungalows after rounds and had our first animal identification test. It was also 44 degrees that morning and wet....needless to say I had several layers on. It went pretty well, but I forgot some of the medical issues that some of the cats have. Then we began to work on the incline on the back compound fence with the 2 other interns. We finally have a system down of how to put up the incline with 4 ladders and sometimes us going between ladders or standing on the fence hanging off of it. We came in for lunch and then after lunch we worked on a cardboard sign to put in one of the cougar enclosures that thanked a foundation for everything they did because the next day they were coming to the facility. After completing our amazing sign that stood on its own we did night rounds and then did enrichment for some of the cats in bungalow 7. After getting off work I started laundry and then we watched oceans 12.
Today was an especially tiring day of yardwork / maintenance. We had a volunteer come in and clean the bungalows today so all we did was feed them. Then we started working on extending the fence to the ground around the compound and when the other 2 girls were ready we worked on putting an incline at the top of the compound fence. Finally we were called in for lunch around 1pm and then after lunch went into enclosures when the cats were safely put up and cut pine trees away from the top of the metal wire roof. The trees grow super fast for the past year. We didnt even get through all the trees in 1 enclosure, but stopped around 4 to clean up. We then did dishes and rounds and then went back to work on the compound fence bottom. We ended work around 630-645.
At 8 pm the keeper wants us to go and watch/ work on burning the tree limbs from today. We may also have an ice cream party.......
Today was an especially tiring day of yardwork / maintenance. We had a volunteer come in and clean the bungalows today so all we did was feed them. Then we started working on extending the fence to the ground around the compound and when the other 2 girls were ready we worked on putting an incline at the top of the compound fence. Finally we were called in for lunch around 1pm and then after lunch went into enclosures when the cats were safely put up and cut pine trees away from the top of the metal wire roof. The trees grow super fast for the past year. We didnt even get through all the trees in 1 enclosure, but stopped around 4 to clean up. We then did dishes and rounds and then went back to work on the compound fence bottom. We ended work around 630-645.
At 8 pm the keeper wants us to go and watch/ work on burning the tree limbs from today. We may also have an ice cream party.......
Thursday, June 9, 2011
beautiful wonderful day off!
Today I had my first day off.....it was very calming. Yesterday I only had to work a half day and ended up watching Dear John, A Knight's Tale, and 10 Things I Hate About You. I had never seen Dear John...well because it's based on a guy in the army and a girl waiting for him to come back....so my life......and then she finds someone else and dumps said army guy in a dear john letter.....NOT OK! So half the movie I was like this is my life and then the other half I was thinking what an awful person that girl is and I hope karma comes back to bite her....harsh I know but true.
Today I woke up at 930! Thats sleeping in nowadays.....I normally wake up at 645. It was 53 outside so I wore a long sleeve shirt....IN JUNE!!!!!! Crazy stuff. Then me and another intern went to the post office to mail things and then to Taco Bell in another town before going to see X-Men at the movie theater. I loved the movie!!! Especially seeing the cameo by Hugh Jackman...lol. After the movie we were about to leave the parking lot when we noticed that some person had backed their truck into a stop sign and parked there and left the truck....in the middle of the street entrance....weird northern drivers. Then having to drive to another town to go to the Walmart and pick up some essentials including a new pair of old shoes because my nikes that were 10 years old finally lost a sole.....after gorilla gluing it back on and realizing that it wouldnt work I decided to just buy new ones.
Apparently the average age of the people at that walmart that buy shoes is about 65 and above because they only had half an aisle for tennis shoes and half of that were typical "grandma" shoes with 2 velcro tabs and no laces....so I finally found some tennis shoes with laces in my size....why do they insist on making white tennis shoes...why not brown? They are about to be used to work outside so why white?
Anyways good off day and tomorrow is a high of 54 degrees....wheres my coat? and raining....wheres my rain coat, pants, and boots?
Today I woke up at 930! Thats sleeping in nowadays.....I normally wake up at 645. It was 53 outside so I wore a long sleeve shirt....IN JUNE!!!!!! Crazy stuff. Then me and another intern went to the post office to mail things and then to Taco Bell in another town before going to see X-Men at the movie theater. I loved the movie!!! Especially seeing the cameo by Hugh Jackman...lol. After the movie we were about to leave the parking lot when we noticed that some person had backed their truck into a stop sign and parked there and left the truck....in the middle of the street entrance....weird northern drivers. Then having to drive to another town to go to the Walmart and pick up some essentials including a new pair of old shoes because my nikes that were 10 years old finally lost a sole.....after gorilla gluing it back on and realizing that it wouldnt work I decided to just buy new ones.
Apparently the average age of the people at that walmart that buy shoes is about 65 and above because they only had half an aisle for tennis shoes and half of that were typical "grandma" shoes with 2 velcro tabs and no laces....so I finally found some tennis shoes with laces in my size....why do they insist on making white tennis shoes...why not brown? They are about to be used to work outside so why white?
Anyways good off day and tomorrow is a high of 54 degrees....wheres my coat? and raining....wheres my rain coat, pants, and boots?
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Wishing I had a pool to jump in
Working out in summer heat should be illegal....for health reasons.
Today in Minnesota it got up to 99 degrees...I was outside working all day. Starting at 8am we did rounds around the facility to look for anything out of place then we cleaned and fed the hybrid cats and huskies. We also gave out enrichment for all the hybrids, which ended up being a tub of water. It seems like every animal here has a pool to go into besides the humans...and sometimes the pool in the empty enclosure looks enticing to swim in...especially on a day like today.
After enrichment we washed dishes, cleaned the prep room and got recycling together. I was asked to walk the compound fence on the outside of the cages because the large cats are enclosed in their cage then another fence called the compound fence and finally the facility perimeter fence. I was to walk the outside of the compound fence and began to go around until I realized I was going to go through dense vegetation up to my hip....i felt really uncomfortable going alone to do this because in my mind a snake WILL bite me and I WILL die alone....so they let me make scentcicles.
I poured water into different containers and then chose different spices to sprinkle the water with. I also have 2 larger buckets that I am making different scent layers with so I will continue making them tomorrow.
I also washed hammocks made out of firehoses weaved together and then weed-eated for 40 minutes until I noticed my rash had become bright red and super pronounced on my arms...so I decided it was best to stop.
Tomorrow is a half day for me!!!!! and a high of 72 is predicted...lets hope this is true because if I wanted heat I would have stayed in Texas
Today in Minnesota it got up to 99 degrees...I was outside working all day. Starting at 8am we did rounds around the facility to look for anything out of place then we cleaned and fed the hybrid cats and huskies. We also gave out enrichment for all the hybrids, which ended up being a tub of water. It seems like every animal here has a pool to go into besides the humans...and sometimes the pool in the empty enclosure looks enticing to swim in...especially on a day like today.
After enrichment we washed dishes, cleaned the prep room and got recycling together. I was asked to walk the compound fence on the outside of the cages because the large cats are enclosed in their cage then another fence called the compound fence and finally the facility perimeter fence. I was to walk the outside of the compound fence and began to go around until I realized I was going to go through dense vegetation up to my hip....i felt really uncomfortable going alone to do this because in my mind a snake WILL bite me and I WILL die alone....so they let me make scentcicles.
I poured water into different containers and then chose different spices to sprinkle the water with. I also have 2 larger buckets that I am making different scent layers with so I will continue making them tomorrow.
I also washed hammocks made out of firehoses weaved together and then weed-eated for 40 minutes until I noticed my rash had become bright red and super pronounced on my arms...so I decided it was best to stop.
Tomorrow is a half day for me!!!!! and a high of 72 is predicted...lets hope this is true because if I wanted heat I would have stayed in Texas
Monday, June 6, 2011
92 in Minnesota? I came up here to avoid the heat....
Today started off at a decent 65 degrees with high humidity just to turn into a high in the 90s.....I thought Minnesota was supposed to have fair summers.....like 75 at the most....wunderground lies.
Anyways...I never knew I could have so many scratches, bruises, mosquito bites, sunburns, and rashes on my body within a week. It is quite ridiculous everytime I turn around I am like is this scratch new? I dont remember getting scratched....
Yesterday the interns all made a pepsi bottle out of a hard plastic culvert, cardboard, construction paper and spray paint. The bottle was given to 5 cougars to tear up while we videoed the interaction and took pictures. The Sanctuary is in a contest for $25,000 in the Pepsi Challenge to help build a new intern house. Currently all 4 of us live in 1 room in 2 bunk beds with 4 very active cats. The rest of the building is an office for the sanctuary. They really need the money to be able to update the living conditions and possibly have room for more interns.
Today we also moved Zeus a male tiger out of the quarantine area and down to a larger enclosure next to fellow tigers, but he immediately fought across the fence with the other tigers and so we moved him back to his original enclosure where he went into his tiny pool as soon as he got in the cage. It looked like he was in a bathtub soaking because he fit perfectly in it. He also began chuffing at us to show his happiness at being back in that enclosure.
We also got a chicken delivery today, but the truck couldnt get down the road to us so I had to drive the sanctuaries car up to the truck and had 2 trips of a suv full of frozen chicken. Unloading all the chicken was definitely tough especially when it is melting all over my clothes....so today i look like a mess.
I have blood, chicken juice, mud, dirt, cat hair...and im pretty sure tiger urine on me....my shirt looks like a collage of stains
Anyways...I never knew I could have so many scratches, bruises, mosquito bites, sunburns, and rashes on my body within a week. It is quite ridiculous everytime I turn around I am like is this scratch new? I dont remember getting scratched....
Yesterday the interns all made a pepsi bottle out of a hard plastic culvert, cardboard, construction paper and spray paint. The bottle was given to 5 cougars to tear up while we videoed the interaction and took pictures. The Sanctuary is in a contest for $25,000 in the Pepsi Challenge to help build a new intern house. Currently all 4 of us live in 1 room in 2 bunk beds with 4 very active cats. The rest of the building is an office for the sanctuary. They really need the money to be able to update the living conditions and possibly have room for more interns.
Today we also moved Zeus a male tiger out of the quarantine area and down to a larger enclosure next to fellow tigers, but he immediately fought across the fence with the other tigers and so we moved him back to his original enclosure where he went into his tiny pool as soon as he got in the cage. It looked like he was in a bathtub soaking because he fit perfectly in it. He also began chuffing at us to show his happiness at being back in that enclosure.
We also got a chicken delivery today, but the truck couldnt get down the road to us so I had to drive the sanctuaries car up to the truck and had 2 trips of a suv full of frozen chicken. Unloading all the chicken was definitely tough especially when it is melting all over my clothes....so today i look like a mess.
I have blood, chicken juice, mud, dirt, cat hair...and im pretty sure tiger urine on me....my shirt looks like a collage of stains
Friday, June 3, 2011
getting a full size above ground pool over a 20 ft fence.....
Today was a really busy day. It was raining this morning for rounds and still during the hybrid cleaning time. I am starting to get all the hybrid cats names down...which is quite difficult because there are like 40 of them and I also have to remember the food needs for each of them.
After finishing cleaning and feeding I had to get a shade cloth from the tool barn and zip ties. 3 of us went down to one of the enclosures and put the cloth on the top while i stood on a 16 foot ladder/climbed sideways across the fence....i got my first cut of the day while doing this because the top of the fencing is steel that has been cut...very pokey...very sharp. Then we went to put new name tags on the inside buildings indicating how many cats are in a large enclosure and how many inside rooms they get per enclosure.
We went back to the prep building only to find out that we had a test over stuff we learned wednesday.....it was a surprise to me...i did ok so all is well.
Lunch happened....it was good
All 4 interns and the 2 keepers then decided we were going to attempt the impossible....getting these giant hard plastic pools over a 16 ft fence with another 4 feet of inclined fence....we rolled the pool up to a golf cart and atv and pushed the pool on top. Then standing on the 10x10 cage for entering the enclosure we pushed the pool up onto the top of the cage. With all of us on top of the cage we lifted the pool up to the inclined part and inched our way over the incline until it finally fell over the fence!
We had 2 more pools to do so we went to the other cages which had no entering cage attached to them so we had to improvise with 3 ladders ranging from 8 ft to 16 ft. then by butting the golf cart and atv up to the ladders we inched the pools up the carts and on top of them. With 3 of us on the ladders we flipped the pool up against the fence and inched it up slowly until they finally fell over....lets just say mission completed.
Then we cleaned up the construction area around one of the cages and i received the 2nd cut of the day....it bled for a while....after getting things cleaned up we went to the cougar area and cleaned the inside area intensely and moved some construction equipment to the new tiger area. We also cleaned the large cat area inside.
I then went and finished up dirty linens laundry and washed all the food bowls/buckets for the day then helped clean the prep room.
It was a long day to say the least....and it got hot here today....85 degrees! I know it sounds silly but with rain this morning and high humidity all day it really gets to you when you are constantly outside working hard.
After finishing cleaning and feeding I had to get a shade cloth from the tool barn and zip ties. 3 of us went down to one of the enclosures and put the cloth on the top while i stood on a 16 foot ladder/climbed sideways across the fence....i got my first cut of the day while doing this because the top of the fencing is steel that has been cut...very pokey...very sharp. Then we went to put new name tags on the inside buildings indicating how many cats are in a large enclosure and how many inside rooms they get per enclosure.
We went back to the prep building only to find out that we had a test over stuff we learned wednesday.....it was a surprise to me...i did ok so all is well.
Lunch happened....it was good
All 4 interns and the 2 keepers then decided we were going to attempt the impossible....getting these giant hard plastic pools over a 16 ft fence with another 4 feet of inclined fence....we rolled the pool up to a golf cart and atv and pushed the pool on top. Then standing on the 10x10 cage for entering the enclosure we pushed the pool up onto the top of the cage. With all of us on top of the cage we lifted the pool up to the inclined part and inched our way over the incline until it finally fell over the fence!
We had 2 more pools to do so we went to the other cages which had no entering cage attached to them so we had to improvise with 3 ladders ranging from 8 ft to 16 ft. then by butting the golf cart and atv up to the ladders we inched the pools up the carts and on top of them. With 3 of us on the ladders we flipped the pool up against the fence and inched it up slowly until they finally fell over....lets just say mission completed.
Then we cleaned up the construction area around one of the cages and i received the 2nd cut of the day....it bled for a while....after getting things cleaned up we went to the cougar area and cleaned the inside area intensely and moved some construction equipment to the new tiger area. We also cleaned the large cat area inside.
I then went and finished up dirty linens laundry and washed all the food bowls/buckets for the day then helped clean the prep room.
It was a long day to say the least....and it got hot here today....85 degrees! I know it sounds silly but with rain this morning and high humidity all day it really gets to you when you are constantly outside working hard.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Day 1....learn to mow
Day 1 of my internship included having 4 cats keep me up most of the night before by either....jumping on my bed, having cat fights, or playing with the blinds.....thank you kitties......................
After getting ready work started at 8am. Sweeping of work areas was done and organized things before my class "animal keeper" arrived to teach us. Class over basic things was done and then learning by doing began. Another intern and I went with the keeper and began to clean the hybrid bungalos. The cats that are hybrids are cross breeds between domestic cats and bengal, savannah, or chaussie cats. They range from being very nice and want to be petted to being completely wild and we cannot go in the cage with the animal. These animals had been previously owned by people and had to be given up due to behavior problems.....I can see that by watching the completely wild cat.
Then we took a moving cage down to a tigers' cage to move her to another larger cage. It took a lot of coaxing to get her in the cage including a stuffed seal, cologne, and a live dog on the outside of the cage. After she got in the cage she was pushed across the "roads" on site and then up a hill of mud. We finally got the cage rolled over to the new site and when she got into the new area she walked around and rubbed on the trees to put her scent on them. She also went to meet the tiger on the other side of the fence...which did not go over well. The other tiger roared at her and tried to bite her through the fence.....we will see what happens over the next few days.
After lunch I learned to mow......yes learned...mowing is hard work especially when the grass is wet and tall. The mower died several times, but I feel accomplished.
I then handed out enrichment to the hybrids, which happened to be bloodsicles....yes popsicles of blood. Most people would think its disgusting....but honestly i think its funny.
Now at the end of the day I am tired and sunburned....and I smell like grass.
Time for a shower and then sleep
After getting ready work started at 8am. Sweeping of work areas was done and organized things before my class "animal keeper" arrived to teach us. Class over basic things was done and then learning by doing began. Another intern and I went with the keeper and began to clean the hybrid bungalos. The cats that are hybrids are cross breeds between domestic cats and bengal, savannah, or chaussie cats. They range from being very nice and want to be petted to being completely wild and we cannot go in the cage with the animal. These animals had been previously owned by people and had to be given up due to behavior problems.....I can see that by watching the completely wild cat.
Then we took a moving cage down to a tigers' cage to move her to another larger cage. It took a lot of coaxing to get her in the cage including a stuffed seal, cologne, and a live dog on the outside of the cage. After she got in the cage she was pushed across the "roads" on site and then up a hill of mud. We finally got the cage rolled over to the new site and when she got into the new area she walked around and rubbed on the trees to put her scent on them. She also went to meet the tiger on the other side of the fence...which did not go over well. The other tiger roared at her and tried to bite her through the fence.....we will see what happens over the next few days.
After lunch I learned to mow......yes learned...mowing is hard work especially when the grass is wet and tall. The mower died several times, but I feel accomplished.
I then handed out enrichment to the hybrids, which happened to be bloodsicles....yes popsicles of blood. Most people would think its disgusting....but honestly i think its funny.
Now at the end of the day I am tired and sunburned....and I smell like grass.
Time for a shower and then sleep
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