Day 46.
Today we did a "knock-down" with Natasha to check that she's healthy. She's been throwing up, diarrhea, skipping some meals. So we started the day by letting the other lions out into the yards. Keeno went alone into his usual pen, and Tau & Sarabi went into one of the small upper pens. That gave them a change and also ensured that we wouldn't have to make Natasha move from her room to get them out. We spread some vinegar and soy sauce around for enrichment, and I put a barrel in the tree too. I never saw them get it down and actually forgot to look later. :)
We had to take care of all the Bears first too. We went to QB to pick up 6 frozen melons and take those to the Black Bears. Ricky & Little Boy were too sleepy to walk to the thrown melons yet. I did see them eating later. :) For Donna, Takoda, & Chochmo, we thought it'd be fun for them to bob in the pool for the melons. They did go over and try to grab them out, but failed and tired of trying. So we locked them out of the yard for a minute while we went in to remove the melons from the pool for them. haha. They still just sniffed each one, scratched a couple times and then left the melons sitting there. Oh well! Maybe they went back to them later when they thawed a bit. Next was time to let the Brown Bears out into their yards. I went into the hut while Sarah & Angela threw out the breakfast enrichments. I operated the doors to release the girls, let them cross the tunnel to the inner yard, then I released the boys too. Outside my window, Victor stood on his back legs and looked up at me- so cute!
After that we quickly drove to the Lion hut to get everything ready for the knock-down. Tau & Sarabi were in a pen right next to the driveway area, and came over to check out what we were doing, pulling our truck up right next to the hut! Valerie & J had been cleaning the other rooms, while Natasha was still laying in hers. She seemed curious as to what they were doing. When the cleaning was finished, we all went outside to meet up with the vet staff- two of whom were students volunteering to help today. Benji, the vet, went in with Sarah (main Carnivore/Cheetah lady) to dart Natasha. We heard her roar, and about 15 minutes later they confirmed that she was out. We all went in to watch the catheter be put in and help get her onto a stretcher, then lift her onto the truck bed. I was holding a vet-pole wrapped around her back feet. We rode in the back with her and I pet her a few times. We arrived at the vet clinic and unloaded her together onto a rolling bed, then wheeled her into the main room. Benji set up the breathing apparatus and ran a few tests while the rest of us really just helped with little things- Rayna cleaned Natasha's ears, Angela checked her paws for foxtail stickers. At one point I bent down to hug her (she was cleaner and softer than Keeno!) and Benji saw me and smiled. He knows we love our Natasha. A little later I saw Valerie bend down to hug her too. :)
She was wheeled over to the x-ray machine and we had to push her onto it. She's a chunky girl and it was a little difficult, but I think I helped a lot with my amazing strength! I helped push her shoulders while the others worked elsewhere to get her onto the table. We waited a while for them to get a few good x-rays, then Angela & I were sent to prepare her room for her to recover in. I wished I could have helped load her back on the truck and ride with her, but that was okay. I did enjoy getting to set up the room all nice for her- we took out her bed and placed down a bunch of hay. Angela sent me to the service gate to open it for the truck when they pulled up. I walked down the road and waited, crouched, in the shade of a short tree. Several guests drove by as they entered the drive-thru area which is right next to the service road that leads to the Lion hut. I think I waited a good 10 or 15 minutes and finally I saw them! I quickly went to the gate to open it so they wouldn't even have to slow down. Sarah thanked me as she drove by. :)
The little train was coming- it's tracks cross over the Lion service road- and it had to stop and wait for us! haha! I was walking behind the trucks though, so I ran a little to get out of the train's way. :) Everyone else unloaded Natasha and carried her into her room. I went in to watch them flip her onto her hay bed, then we all went into the hall while Benji injected the waking up drugs. We locked her door and all stood in the hallway waiting to see her wake up. It took about 10 minutes and she slowly blinked her eyes and tried to swallow (hard after having a tube down your throat!). The director of the park came by to check on her too! :)
She was wheeled over to the x-ray machine and we had to push her onto it. She's a chunky girl and it was a little difficult, but I think I helped a lot with my amazing strength! I helped push her shoulders while the others worked elsewhere to get her onto the table. We waited a while for them to get a few good x-rays, then Angela & I were sent to prepare her room for her to recover in. I wished I could have helped load her back on the truck and ride with her, but that was okay. I did enjoy getting to set up the room all nice for her- we took out her bed and placed down a bunch of hay. Angela sent me to the service gate to open it for the truck when they pulled up. I walked down the road and waited, crouched, in the shade of a short tree. Several guests drove by as they entered the drive-thru area which is right next to the service road that leads to the Lion hut. I think I waited a good 10 or 15 minutes and finally I saw them! I quickly went to the gate to open it so they wouldn't even have to slow down. Sarah thanked me as she drove by. :)
The little train was coming- it's tracks cross over the Lion service road- and it had to stop and wait for us! haha! I was walking behind the trucks though, so I ran a little to get out of the train's way. :) Everyone else unloaded Natasha and carried her into her room. I went in to watch them flip her onto her hay bed, then we all went into the hall while Benji injected the waking up drugs. We locked her door and all stood in the hallway waiting to see her wake up. It took about 10 minutes and she slowly blinked her eyes and tried to swallow (hard after having a tube down your throat!). The director of the park came by to check on her too! :)
We left Rayna to watch Natasha while everyone else went to eat lunch. Angela & I sat together and relaxed- it would have been a good time to go home and take a nap! After lunch I was to go to Bear Tower to give the volunteer a lunch break! I got there and took off my boots, letting my toes feel the cool fan breeze, ate a snack, read a little.. then Valerie showed up to clean the Bear hut with me! Dang! Not even a whole 30 minutes in the tower- poo! The Bears were all sleeping anyway, but it's a nice place to just sit and relax. The hut didn't take us too long to clean.
Afterwards we met up with Sarah & Angela at QB to prepare all of the Bear dinners. The Grizzly boys were getting their food in cardboard boxes (enrichment), and so I put some apples in one, but when I got it to the truck it popped open! ugh! Sarah laughed at me and I got it secured. Angela & I had to stay and wash some dishes, then headed to the Lion hut to check on Natasha again. She'd thrown up bile a few times and was breathing a little fast and shallow, but seemed okay. We went to fill in the daily log in the office, relax a bit, then went back to the Lion hut once Sarah & Valerie had arrived there too. The Lions were fed and brought into their rooms, and we checked Natasha again. She was breathing deeper and more normal now and seemed okay. She got a speck of water and we left her food in the fridge to try and give her at breakfast. Everyone looked okay, so Valerie and I started our closing procedures- let the Brown Bears into their hut (I operated the tunnel guillotines), drive through the park to make sure no guests were left, and close the gates! A day not filled with tons of small jobs like usual, but still exhausting anyway!
Afterwards we met up with Sarah & Angela at QB to prepare all of the Bear dinners. The Grizzly boys were getting their food in cardboard boxes (enrichment), and so I put some apples in one, but when I got it to the truck it popped open! ugh! Sarah laughed at me and I got it secured. Angela & I had to stay and wash some dishes, then headed to the Lion hut to check on Natasha again. She'd thrown up bile a few times and was breathing a little fast and shallow, but seemed okay. We went to fill in the daily log in the office, relax a bit, then went back to the Lion hut once Sarah & Valerie had arrived there too. The Lions were fed and brought into their rooms, and we checked Natasha again. She was breathing deeper and more normal now and seemed okay. She got a speck of water and we left her food in the fridge to try and give her at breakfast. Everyone looked okay, so Valerie and I started our closing procedures- let the Brown Bears into their hut (I operated the tunnel guillotines), drive through the park to make sure no guests were left, and close the gates! A day not filled with tons of small jobs like usual, but still exhausting anyway!
Bye for now...
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