Critter Keeper Day at the Zoo

Second installment of Critter Keeper today. First stop was the White Nosed Coati. Apparently, Coati's take another Coati's scent and put it on their tail to "make friends". So, each child had a different perfume sample from the dollar store (I am told) and placed some of it on a brown paper bag. They were allowed to go in the Coati's habitat, "hide" the perfumed bags, then let the Coati back in to find the bags. He (Jake the Coati) found all the bags and rubbed the scent on his tail!! Here they are in the Coati's habitat hiding the brown paper bags.

The highlight of the class was the Pronghorn Sheep. First the Critter Keepers did pooper- scooper duty for the Pronghorns, then.. they put food/treats in big spool like plastic containers. The spools were stacked up, and the pronghorns knocked them over to get the food inside. "Behavioral enhancement":)

This pronghorn was politely waiting for Jasmine to get out of the way so she could knock over the spools and get her treats! Next stop was Nacho the bobcat. Apparently, Nacho had just had her "well-bobcat exam" several days ago:)), and was still a bit traumatized from it. She would not come out to get dead mice and chicks placed around her habitat:) The kids were then more interested in the dead chicks and mice:))) asking tons of questions. Where do you get the chicks and rats? Do you have to kill them yourself? Are they frozen? Why do you have to cut their legs off? Reply: "They come from a "company" who delivers them frozen, then we cut the legs and beaks off so the bobcat doesn't choke on them"??? Huh- I didn't want to say anything, but I really don't think a bobcat will choke on a chicken foot or beak!! Then,..they all got a tour of the animal hospital at the zoo, and I was not allowed to go:( Totally bummed about that! I didn't know that every exhibit has a little hidden exam room in the back to do basic exams on that particular bird/reptile/mammal, etc. Then there is a separate hospital that I didn't even know about where they perform surgeries, etc. which is the one that the kids were allowed to "tour". Jasmine said that there is a 4 yr old tiger in the hospital right now because he is "sick", as well as a "hurt" lemur and parrot who live there. Fun time!

Goofed around afterwards,- climbing into the treehouse, milking a Shamrock cow.