Day 47.
Today was pretty relaxing. We didn't have a lot of chores to do and also had some help. :) It was just Valerie & I, as usual on Thursdays. We stopped at Lions first- they were all sleepyheads this morning! Keeno was looking at us, but laying down still with droopy eyes, Natasha is always still laying down and yawning, and Sarabi (surprisingly) was still laying down and even laid her head down! She's usually a chipper morning Lion! huh! Tau was actually already up and alert.
We started by letting Keeno onto the sundeck (which leads to the yards), but had to wait for Benji to provide the new medication for Natasha's sore throat (other than that, she is perfectly healthy!). We waited a little bit, going to look at the Lions more and giving Keeno some boxes with perfume on them to keep him occupied. He LOVED that and rolled around on one of them. :)
It was taking so long to wait on the medicine, we decided to go let the Brown Bears out. They were also sleepyheads this morning! This is normal for Oso, but everyone else was still curled up too- even the girls! Oso & Victor were snuggled, Mak was curled up in another room, and the girls were each in their own room (with access to each other) with their legs up against the walls. :) Valerie took time to train the girls with berries- I distracted whoever wasn't being trained. They did pretty well, but kept trying to get at the berries that I was using to distract the other Bear! Before we finished, I heard this really huge fart from Claire... then another one from one of the boys! Valerie left to go operate the tunnel guillotines, and I was to release each Bear group. While I was up there another Bear farted! Not sure what gave them such gas, but it was pretty funny! If only we'd had a "Breakfast with the Bears" and some guests had been there for THAT experience! hehe. As I was opening the boys' door, they were still laying down and I saw someone's feet sticking out like a seal. They went out pretty quickly once the door was opened though. :)
We started by letting Keeno onto the sundeck (which leads to the yards), but had to wait for Benji to provide the new medication for Natasha's sore throat (other than that, she is perfectly healthy!). We waited a little bit, going to look at the Lions more and giving Keeno some boxes with perfume on them to keep him occupied. He LOVED that and rolled around on one of them. :)
It was taking so long to wait on the medicine, we decided to go let the Brown Bears out. They were also sleepyheads this morning! This is normal for Oso, but everyone else was still curled up too- even the girls! Oso & Victor were snuggled, Mak was curled up in another room, and the girls were each in their own room (with access to each other) with their legs up against the walls. :) Valerie took time to train the girls with berries- I distracted whoever wasn't being trained. They did pretty well, but kept trying to get at the berries that I was using to distract the other Bear! Before we finished, I heard this really huge fart from Claire... then another one from one of the boys! Valerie left to go operate the tunnel guillotines, and I was to release each Bear group. While I was up there another Bear farted! Not sure what gave them such gas, but it was pretty funny! If only we'd had a "Breakfast with the Bears" and some guests had been there for THAT experience! hehe. As I was opening the boys' door, they were still laying down and I saw someone's feet sticking out like a seal. They went out pretty quickly once the door was opened though. :)
After the Bears were out we headed straight over to get Natasha's medicine that Benji had ready, then to Lion hut to give them to her. It took a while to coax her to please eat the meat chunk with the medicine in it! She finally did after about 15 minutes. She wasn't very hungry (we left a hunk of meat in her room earlier that she didn't touch), but she was excited to go outside after being cooped up. She just laid under her shade structure all day, probably enjoying the breeze and sunshine. Valerie & I cleaned the Lion hut together, and she pointed out a few things that I'd been taught incorrectly to do! eek! My first assumption WAS to clean the walls, and I had been told not to, but we ARE supposed to spray down the walls since the Lions pee on them and birds poop on the ledges. I always thought it was gross to leave the walls alone since the boys mark them.
While driving to the vet clinic, I noticed the White Fallow Deer and the Sika Deer were all laying in one big white and brown group. It looked pretty cool. :) At the vet clinic, we updated Benji on how Natasha was doing and how she took her medicine. He was happy with our news.
We had a Big Bear encounter to do, and Valerie let me do all the talking and training. :) All three boys came over to do it this time! yay! After, we took the people back to the entrance of the park, I was sent to do midday enrichment for all of the Bears by myself. I love when I get to go off alone, and that they trust I will do everything correctly. I wanted to give the Bears fruitsicles, but there weren't any.. boohoo. We did have some new beef jerky though, so I thought they might enjoy that. I stopped at the Black Bears first and threw a bunch of jerky and cashews out to them. They all seemed to like it a lot! Next was Brown Bears. A bunch of cars were in the drive-thru loop and watched me get out and toss tons of jerky out to the Bears. Mak was in front of me so I tossed a long jerky stick right in front of him. Then Victor came over to see what it was and started sniffing for bits in the grass. I threw him a long piece too. Oso was on the other side of the yard and came RUNNING over to see what the snack was! They all loved it! I crossed the road to stand in front of the girls' yard and spread a bunch out in the area they were in. They loved it too! :) They were also dripping wet from just getting out of the pond. Cuties.
On my way to take my lunch I spotted a Guanaco with a baby!!! SO CUTE!!
At lunch I joined Bethany (ungulate intern) & Anthony (ungulate keeper- also took my fam to go meet Hidare). I mostly listened to them talk about their day to each other. Then Benji (vet) & Claire (vet intern) sat with us too and we all talked a lot. Everyone always comments on my healthy meals too. :) It was a nice lunch.
At lunch I joined Bethany (ungulate intern) & Anthony (ungulate keeper- also took my fam to go meet Hidare). I mostly listened to them talk about their day to each other. Then Benji (vet) & Claire (vet intern) sat with us too and we all talked a lot. Everyone always comments on my healthy meals too. :) It was a nice lunch.
Next, Valerie & I headed to QB to prepare all of the Bear dinners. I actually did them myself while Valerie was trying to feed the barn cats, BW & BK. BK is still very scared, but she ended up coming fairly close. I loaded up all the dinner buckets and we went to Black Bears. We locked Donna, Takoda, & Chochmo out of one of their yards so I could walk in it and throw around all their food. That was fun. :) I took the apples and just flung them in all directions. heh. Also put like 20 of them in the pool for them to bob for. In the hut there is a little tub that we fill with water. It's empty now since so much water comes out when they sit in it, but they still wanted to sit in it! Donna looked like she was trying to tell us to fill it, putting a leg in and shaking the tub around. Once we gave them access to their food, Takoda grabbed his meat and went to eat it while sitting in the tub. haha! After that we went to set up the Brown Bear food in their hut. We poured it in boxes for them to tear up. We also gave them the hay that Natasha had used to lay on the other night. I took the empty buckets to the car and there were some wild turkey's RIGHT THERE! They all ran when I got close though.
Now with all those empty buckets I had to go do the dishes. pooey. I also prepared the Lion dinners. I was going to meet Valerie for a Lion 101 encounter, but the guests canceled because it was so hot! I turned off the water which was filling a pool at Black Bears, then went to the office. As I drove to the office, I enjoyed the view of the Zebras, Guanaco & baby, and the Camels laying in the shade. :) Valerie & I sat and just relaxed in the office for a bit. Thanks for the extra time, guests!
We also took time to drive out to the Lion drive-thru loop and check on Natasha. She was still laying under the shade looking around. Keeno was across the yard under a tree. Tau & Sarabi were active- Tau tried chasing our truck as we approached. :) Sarabi sat near the fence looking at us. Then as we drove away Tau chased us again- limited by his fence.
We also took time to drive out to the Lion drive-thru loop and check on Natasha. She was still laying under the shade looking around. Keeno was across the yard under a tree. Tau & Sarabi were active- Tau tried chasing our truck as we approached. :) Sarabi sat near the fence looking at us. Then as we drove away Tau chased us again- limited by his fence.
It was time to put the Lions up in their hut. Natasha took a LOOOONG time. Keeno was calling her too- sounded like a hoarse throated whine. :) Once Natasha was finally up on the sundeck, she came over to me for some love and I happily obliged by talking to her sweetly . All the Lions started roaring then and I noticed the building was vibrating! ha!
Valerie & I fed them and secured everything, then headed over to let the Brown Bears in. I operated the tunnel guillotines and they all went into their huts quickly, like good Bears! We followed the last cars and closed all the gates, then met with the Cheetah keeper. I had to stay at the Cheetah Lodge to watch the last cars drive through, while Valerie helped put the Tigers into their hut. I had to walk down to the office from there, once the last car had driven through. Then it was time to go meet the Lawrence's at a "Senior Potluck" they'd invited me too!
I arrived late since it started at 6, but I didn't get off until 6:45. There was still food though. :) Ron & Kathy were actually about to leave, but then stayed to make sure I got food and watched me eat while they talked to me. hehe. I was only there for half an hour while other people were cleaning and closing the place up. The seniors don't stay long for evening events! Kathy made sure I had enough to eat and also take home with me. There were some little apples, Alex sized, that she gave me to take. We hugged goodbye and I went back to my house to eat and rest. :)
Bye for now...
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