cheryl battson's blog

In Ancient Times

2011-01-11T10:37:00.000-08:00

Every once in a while I can't sleep, one early, early morning I was up surfing channels. I came upon a show about the history of torture. It was a history of human atrocities and couldn't stop watching. I have to say we humans can be really awful. One part of the program was about the Romans, gladiators, the Colosseum ...wow that was crazy. The thing that caught my interest was about wild animals the rulers added to the brutality of these games as they call it. What hit me was, they had a plan that the wild animals would fight, kill and eat the gladiators or prisoners. Turns out WRONG! You see the animals get it, they had reverence for nature for our home earth. All the creatures in nature have jobs to do and eating roman prisoners was not on their to do list! Now don't get me wrong I'm sure they got a few, but thank goodness that creepy stuff doesn't happen anymore. Humans could learn from the wild animals, take only what you need, leave only footprints and respect all the other beast that share this earth. I think that would be easier than math fractions, don't you?

BECAUSE IT IS NOT RIGHT

2010-12-02T07:15:00.000-08:00

I don't care if you are an avid hunter, I don't care if you believe deer meat is so tasty (Like boot leather), I don't care if you want your infant to bag a deer, I DON'T CARE. Don't tell me hunting is a right, don't tell me it pays for whatever, I don't care. I do care when in the name of hunting animals are fenced, tortured and killed all in the name of so called dog training. What difference then in pit bulls fighting - what difference Cock Roosters fighting ? What animal is worthy to protect, only ones used for illegal betting but, hunting is not the same in Indiana. The Department of Natural Resources voted to allow dogs to mutilate coyotes in fenced pens, hunting huh? What honor is that? I saw the video, I read about DNR passing the act, I have been so angry, do disgusted. I look out at the coyote Buddy that is one of our teachers, one of our beast friends, it makes me ill to think someone would torture him so dogs can hunt them. In Indiana you need a permit to have coyotes, will these so called training facilities need a permit and where will the victim coyotes come from? I don't know-it is not right! For me sometimes I wonder if any animal stands a chance, are we so selfish we cannot find a way to live with nature. I don't care I will spend all the time I can around nature and the animals because for me and the Animal Guy, our beast friends need all the help we can give.

RIGHT PJ

2010-06-23T06:20:00.000-07:00

When you have a tough decision to make you need the right people to help you out, goes for everything, I think. That very thing came up in my life not long ago. My only intention in this dilemma was to conduct myself the way that is most respectful. Probably happens all the time, but, I felt I needed to get a second opinion, one that knows me, and likes me anyway, that I trusted, to help me, and for me it was my 4th grade BFF PJ, I made that call. She listened and I made my case and after all my "what do you think?" all she had to tell me was "You'll do the right thing", and we said goodbye. At that moment I was kinda like..what, that is not I want you to tell me, what do I do! Anyway, the right thing is what I hoped I did. It wasn't till about 4 or 5 weeks later I was mowing the grass and it hit me, man, that was probably the nicest thing someone has told me in a long time, that the me she knows will do the right thing, when it comes to the tuff stuff in life. YOU ROCK PJ!

Funny

2010-06-23T06:05:00.000-07:00

Sometimes things happen, happen so you get to realize who you are. Bad, good, sad, funny anything can help. One thing this year, well, a lot of things but there's one I really thought... funny. Before a school convo last year in the restroom I was placed in a awkward life scene: me in a stall fastening my belt: herd of gals, 8th, 9th grade chatting about the convo, "It's the Animal Guy - yeah that lady thinks she is funny". HEY I AM FUNNY!!! All I could think of was I needed to come out and she was going to have to look me in the eye- if our places were reversed and I had said that , oh man, serious bummer, what would the others in the herd think? I felt for the young gal, I just tried to smile a kind of smile, went to washing my hands. The stunned silent herd froze like the old lioness had slipped into the gazelles, they scattered, muttering something about " can she hold the snake?"...now she was funny.

Fishing With Abe Lincoln

2010-06-23T04:49:00.000-07:00

The US Fish and Wildlife Service has very special people that care so much about nature, they just want as many kids of all ages to enjoy the outside, the natural world. That leads Larry to pack some of our wild animal teachers and head the animal truck to Washington DC to help teach inner city kids about our wild animal friends plus they get to fish in the pond next to the World War II memorial in the nation's capital. Fishing and seeing Larry and the reptiles like our gila monster, alligator snapping turtle and more and of course Itty Bitty the python likes to tag along. This year the US Fish and Wildlife Service purchased 300 copies of our new book "Baxter's Alphabet Swamp", I have to say we are honored that "Baxter's Alphabet Swamp" made it to Capital Hill! Since I stay home and care for the rest of the beast friends that means I get a present...and Larry is headin east again soon so more loot for Cher!!!

Cool Creek - Great Park

2010-06-23T04:33:00.000-07:00

For the animal guys, that's me too, summer takes us instead of school cause well, they are closed; anyway we usually start at the Cool Creek Nature Center in Carmel, Indiana. It is a fun night, great campfire, songs and the animal show next to the creek and after the program the yummy part..marshmallows, roasted. Wild animals outside always a good time!!!

Scary Dog Dreams

2010-04-16T19:55:00.000-07:00

One night about a week ago I heard the dogs, Tim and Enos plus the wolves Chloe and Blake barking and carrying on. So I went to the front door looking out to see what was going on and there was Chloe the wolf looking back thru the front door window, kinda asking "What's Up". At that moment I was reminded of the scariest dream that I had when I was a kid, it was so scary. I had it more than once too and it still creeps me out now! The dream was always slow motion, waking up to my Mom and Dad's front door to look out the window, as I get closer to the door I could see something outside. I got closer to press my face to the window and as I did a dog-wolf thing was looking back at me, it was so scary it walked on it's hind legs like a person,it looked in at me and licked the window, turned and walked out of my parent's yard on it's hind legs and down the street. To this day, I cannot stand those awful velvet paintings of dogs playing cards, you know the ones....creepy! I am not sure why that dream is so scary, because I look out now and the dog faces I see are friends, very special friends! I wonder if the scary dreams are not so scary, maybe that scary dog or what I thought was a dog was just a glimmer of what challenges may come in life. What we might think is so scary is really not so bad after all. But I still cannot stand those creepy paintings.

Three Wishes

2010-02-28T06:21:00.000-08:00

When I visit your schools, I really love to read and check out the student's work the teachers display. Larry the animal guy thinks that all your stuff would make a great book, so creative! One class wrote about three wishes they would want, most wanted money, games and stuff and one gal said "Dr. Suess books", a girl after my own heart. That got me thinking, Larry and I would really like to show you just how amazing wild animals are, but if I had three wishes, well I would ask for more wishes! Then first I would like to show you things I know like how cool it is to watch Elizabeth the baboon use her index finger and thumb and how she hugs so tight and you feel her hands and feet grab hold of you, its something, or maybe wish you could hear the sound the bobcat makes when he is in his happy mood or even the scary one he makes when he is not happy.Or one more wish that you could see in the summer the tiger's fur looks like velvet, so smooth that the black stripes look like the ridges in corduroy. That's three or more but one wish thats more important to me would be that all the animals will always have a wild home a perfect place, a wish we can make happen together.

Teacher's Pet...NOT!!!!

2010-02-08T09:08:00.000-08:00

School and I were never a great fit. I wasn't a bad student and I got good grades but, I was very, social, let's say. On our report cards there was a place for the teachers to make a statement or suggestion I am not sure what you call it. I still remember my first grade teacher wrote "Cheryl has a lot of friends and she likes to talk to them". Another comment that year "talks to much!", those "digs" or statements stuck with me. I don't think that she liked me and I am positive I did not like her. What lesson did she teach? Anyway, the thing is now I go to school to help Larry and his job is to talk mine is to handle our animal teachers and not talk. How about that? It is true! Students will ask why I don"t talk and our joke is that if I did talk the convocation would be two hours long! So I guess that is funny, cause my first grade teacher was wrong, I know when to talk and when to listen and learn.

Friends as Family

2010-01-25T11:27:00.000-08:00

I think, maybe, some of the most special friends in our lives we meet in school, the ones that really know ya. They kinda become family too. I hope that you know what I mean, cause you have friends like that! Sometimes those friends can help you see your family in a different way. My mom was a pretty tough mom, she expected us to do our best, do the right thing, her way, no excuses. She was right and boy do I miss that gal. One of my old friend/family friends came for a visit and we were talking about family moms - dads and he said " He liked my mom, because every time he would see her that the look in her eyes always made him feel good about himself". He said, "She just made him feel better", and that blew me away, I had no idea . See only someone that is family can see family. In this life, I could only wish to make someone feel like that. She always welcomed friends as family, maybe we should try it!

Bear Necessaties

2010-01-10T14:45:00.000-08:00

When Larry does his radio show It is kind of my place to take up the slack and do the daily chores which are usually shared tasks. Sound fun?, it is most of the time except in winter - the watering chore! Now you have to remember I am all of 4' 11" and a 5 gallon bucket is almost half my height and each animal can drink at least a couple of gallons at a time - specially Buck and Faith the bears. And when they want water they will let you know - the metal water tank becomes their own bell so to speak. They clang it around to remind us to get to work and yesterday the tank ended on its side. Now I have to say when I am alone I don't enter the bear house, you kind of want somebody around for backup. They are big black bears and I am still the mama but why push it. We respect each other...lets say that! So I am using my handy broken rake handle to maneuver the tank next to the door and get it upright, all the while I am asking help from Buck or Faith. About the time we got the tank up Larry shows up and finishes the task..and we all laughed..great timing. This morning Larry came in and said "You should see what your bears have done", I'm like "what?". Around here you never know what might happen but look what the bears did (see picture)..they were ready for their drink!

Special Christmas Tradition

2010-01-05T09:22:00.000-08:00

Did you have a great holiday, make it through OK? Did you love all your presents? The critters around here enjoy the holiday special treats. And for Lizzy the baby baboon and Gus the bobcat it was their first! Liz was fun to watch with wrapping paper and of course she loved the packages just as much as the toys! Sound familiar? They think holidays are great! One of my favorite gifts this year is the orchid blooming and even after all the bumps this year it did not disappoint. Blooms are still popping out and two or three more to come. That orchid ends the year blooming and on into the new year, too cool! I hope that your special presents are like mine still blooming and still making you smile.

Tough Lil Orchid

2009-12-05T21:18:00.000-08:00

I have an orchid that I bought to give away as a present ...that was 4 or 5 years ago and I acquired a few more now. I know nothing of orchids, or what they need to grow, put it in a south window, water and every year around Christmas this one always blooms white. This year with Gus the bobcat the orchid has taken some bumps, knocked over at least three times, and Blake the wolf, not to be outdone totally creamed it, took replanting, bent and broken leaves, looked grim.I did not think it would bloom this year but tonight I noticed a green bump of a bud getting ready to welcome Christmas time. It is orchid lesson 101- bloom even if you take some bumps and replanting! Those blooms are worth waiting for.

On Any Given Day

2009-12-03T07:30:00.000-08:00

On any given day it's hard to say who is gonna give us a call and well, lets just say, we have 20 alligators. I don't like to answer the phone: I cut hair for 20 years, the phone rang all the time, and in all those years of phone calls I never did get a call saying, "This is Randy W I am now able to meet all of your rat needs!" We have rat needs! huh! See what I am saying? So, on Monday when we got a message from the Speedway Police Department about a abandoned boa constrictor, not really a strange call par for our course. Larry returned the call and found the snake had been left in a apartment. He gets a box and we head to Speedway, Indiana about an hour away. We both laughed because the apartments were the same ones that Larry lived in way, way back when I said the apartments were broken in for snake habitat, cause if Larry lived there well , you can probably imagine anyway. Long story short we were to late , the snake was dead because he had been left with no heat for a month. The owner had left a mess, Larry said the apartment was destroyed. We were both bummed another animal treated badly by humans. In hard times the animal always suffers. Larry said that the snake had good body weight but a month without heat in Indiana, no way! The apartment people had no idea that it had died because no one wanted to touch it, poor snake, even dead people are afraid. Rescuing animals really isn't what our job is but both of us hate to see animals suffer cause of humans, it makes me wonder how can you just leave something you took care of to die? Kinda sad huh? Two hour drive for nothing, guess we helped the apartment people though, plus we had a good lunch at Union Jacks...our old stomping grounds.

Feeling Better

2009-11-23T13:37:00.000-08:00

Traveling going into different schools, well you can figure we'll catch the colds that are going around, and we did. Me - stomach, Larry the chest - nose - throat, most of the time we will man up and go, but with no voice power, that changes the deal. So we had to reschedule a day of programs and happily we rescheduled to the next week. As the boys and girls went into the gym for the show and we were bringing in boxes a young man asked "how I was feeling?'. As I looked up to reply I met the face of a beautiful young man that I could tell knew what it is to not feel very well, and not just a dumb old cold either, he knew about feeling bad , but he asked about me - man I have to say that set me back. How cool, how unselfish, how lucky I am, to be able to show our animals to such great kids! You guys rock.

Knee Socks

2009-11-23T13:21:00.000-08:00

I met PJ in 4th grade, back when girls had to wear dresses to school and knee socks were the choice. I could never keep mine to my knees, they always slouched or fell down to my ankles but PJ's were always perfect always to her knee and even folded over perfect. I was quite impressed by that besides that she was a sweetie, shy, quiet and my best friend. BFF I guess nowadays, and wer'e still friends to this day, that is a life blessing. Helping her move a few boxes into her new home a few weeks back was kinda a old friend reunion, PJ's sister, her boyfriend (we've been friends since our teenage years) and a friend from grade school helping in the move. It was the kinda day you just couldn't help but smile seeing old friends you haven't seen in a while. PJ's new home felt like old home.

"Painting in Circles"

2009-11-06T18:32:00.000-08:00

One of my closest friends has an annual "Boo-Fest", I love Halloween costumes ,candy, scary stuff and candy...........People dressed up is fun and I like fun. I like to paint too and last year for the "boo-fest" we were painting their place and readying for the party and in the middle of our preparation their Aunt Jean passed, out of nowhere, on a colt's game weekend. To say the least the fest was shelved, hard to have fun, real fun but we still needed to do it. When someone leaves your life it is like a hole in your life, your gut, your head, but you need to pony up- do the right stuff and the circle goes on of what was a year later and we were painting again preparing for the fest and believing in fun and candy-bittersweet but believing. This year the "Boo Fest" was fun there were cool costumes, kids, games a table full of candy! That circle can help to fill holes of sadness with new moments, fun moments, a little candy and I love a good tootsie roll. Happy Trick or Treat!!

Destination Conservation (continued)

2009-10-30T20:09:00.000-07:00

(continued)where was I, oh.......Well the show began and for some strange reason, no not strange, maybe they feel, they know it but even the setup did not faze any of the animals. Gus, no fuss was just that beautiful, no fuss, Mr. Gus, I could not have been more proud and amazed, the animals always rise to the occasion. One gentleman in the audience took some awesome pictures of the show. His website is www.delmarvaphotos.com/nctc Check em out, he is a rockstar with a camera, I think that it was the 4th show, see if you can see how proud I am of my kids, oh and Larry too. Even when we came back to schools, Gus outshined himself again, a difficult in and out , people that did not watch our program were in the hallway and they were noisy an disrespectful of their wild animal guests. Gus he only ripped a few holes in me and the shirt that I was wearing. But he is a champ!!! He came in two more times and the hallways had no people in them. Sometimes it is frustrating when people dont get how amazing the animals are to trust us enoughn to go into a strange place, makes me realize the people in the hallway needed the lessons the animals teach most of all.The kids underswtand- lets say they get us!!! Lets start to nuture nature.

Destination Conservation

2009-10-29T19:02:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend of October 16-18, the animal guy and his two favorite gals traveled to West Virgina...oh and I went too! Of course his two favorite gals are the two Elizabeths in his life- his mom and baby Liz the baboon. Mom Battson traveled with us for the second year, now. Mom Battson is far to smart to ride in the animal van so she and her traveling partner her cairn terrier Brightey ride comfortably in her car. For the past twelve years Larry has performed for the Open House at the National Conservation Training Center. We feel very privlidged to load ourselves and our wild animal friends and entertain and educate for the day. We have met very special people there, people that dedicate their lives to protecting our natural world - our kind of people- lets just say they get us, Im proud to call them friends. Larry's mom loves the facility too she wiuld hang out longer if she could. I think that it is the beautiful campusand we get the royal treatment. This year it rainedon the way and all day Saturday and that is the first time the weather was not so good, so some of the festivities were brought inside. That is ok it was still a cool and educational day. Nature people dont mind a little rain, that's nature. We did four programs and that made the day fly right by...great people... great day!!! www.delmarvphotos.com/nctc The start of the day I was kind of worried, I know the entrance to the stage is up a flight of stairs and busses with people turn in front of the stairs. Ive done it before but this year our 5 month old Bobcat Gus does not like busses or cars and I was hoping that he would not freak out ....I mean if he didnt like the first show, oh man, how will I make him do it three more times. I was kind of freakin..he wasnt ...just me. Well the show began and for some strange reason , no not strange- maybe the feel of it and Gus was fine....(to be continued....

Covered Bridges

2009-10-21T19:11:00.000-07:00

Out where we live there are two ways to know that it is fall, 1# The covered bridge festival , of course centered around Indiana's best covered bridges, miles and miles of fun food and shopping. All kinds of shopping, new stuff, old stuff, homemade stuff, great stuff and did I mention food? Around the block...country block, is one of the covered bridges and on the roads to the bridges there are signs with a picture of the bridges. One time my mom was coming out to visit she noticed the signs and she didnt realize what the picture was, and she asked me when she arrived "What are those signs for garages?" She could be pretty funny,I told her and we went to check out the neighborhood bridge, fun day!!!Oh yes the #2 way at our neck of the woods is moving the big gators inside, including 7 foot Baxter , he is a big dude now. The reason we have so many gators is when people get them as pets and they become tired or afraid of 'em , they will toss them in a lake or a pond around Indiana, a death sentence for their so-called pets. The animal guy knows it is not the gators fault so we take them in and care for them. That means a building, heated, water the stuff they need. That is what we do and the gators pay us back by being valuable teachers, first lesson: WILD ANIMALS DO NOT MAKE GOOD PETS!!!!! Only thing left is to persuade them to go inside...that my friends is a seperate blog altogether....stay tuned

Back to School

2009-09-30T19:13:00.000-07:00

For us, the first day of school isn't about new backpacks, cool new clothes or shoes, folders, pencils, well, ya know. Our first day of school is about, what wild animal teachers will travel with us? What will they need? And how will they travel, will they like to go to school? How will they want us to make it fun for them? Our first day back was fun, seeing old buddies and new ones too! One of the things that I am responsible to do is bring the animals into and out of the school and keep the animals happy and comfortable. Liz (our baby baboon) and I were coming into Aboite Elementary our first day and there were some ladies in the hallway. Liz seemed ok about it, they all thought that she was cute, she is and she knows it. One of the ladies asked "Do you train them?" I guess she meant the animals or Liz or I dont know, all I could say is that they train us, and they do. Larry the animal guy has done this job 30 years and he is a crazy guy. Me I have only helped him for 13 years, this year will be 14 and I am a rookie compared to him. When I started helping Larry our wild animal teachers were seasoned pros..Chuck our 4 year old mountain lion, Leon the amazing 6 year old "tame" badger and of course Dolly the hamydras baboon, and she was an adult. She had already met Oprah and Matt Lauer. Now remember I was a barber and to become a barber you attend college-classes, tests, instruction and hands on training. The only training I received was the first day-first school was the Animal Guy says "When I finish talking about the lizards tail, you come out and grab that badger, he will hiss and growl at you but just grab him anyway". And out of the truck Larry went and there I sat , not a clue! So I turn around to these amazing teaching pros and ask, "OK guys show me what to do" and they did. I have been receiving lessons from them every day and I am still learning. So wish me well I have two new animal teachers this year. The first animal teachers that I worked with have passed now but I will always be grateful for the training that I received from them, without it I would still have no clue or maybe the human animals that I met at the barber shop helped to get me used to the real wild ones.....animals that is.

"Loyalty"

2009-09-22T21:19:00.000-07:00

More than a few times the animal guy and I have people say "I want to do what you do". We smile and encourage their love for the animals and nature, but usually they have just watched our program. Now we get the opposite too "No way I would do what you do- have you ever gotten hurt? That we hear a lot more if it is the rattlesnake program they have just breathlessly enjoyed! Our job our career is not just the shows, we dedicate our lives to these animals. Do you enjoy vacations, shopping sprees, fancy clothes...forget about it! On Saturday Larry had a Bigfoot program in Martinsville, Indiana and after our evening chores of feeding, washing baby bottles and baby bedding, cleaning cages finally about 8:30 - 9:00 PM it's finally our turn to eat and end our Saturday. Lar had stepped out to get Bailey our african serval cat and bring her inside for her dinner. The a cry of a freaked dog came from the front - it is Chloe our wolf and she had gotten her head stuck in the front gate. She is freaking so out I go without a thought but to help her.It was impossible the gate was so tight I couldn't get the lock out and the more I tried the more she seemed to freak out! I'm trying to free her when I feel Blake the male wolf fill his mouth with my bum. I realize that Blake is attacking me.Next flash he is on my shoulder, arm and all. I in surprise yell to Larry , who cannot come thru the back fence fast enough"Blake is attacking me and I cannot help Chloe!". I turn tail and run to the house- about that time the animal guy was in the fence and the wolf and he had their discussion man to man or wolf to wolf man, not what was planned on a Saturday nite or any nite! My rear hurt my arm was bleeding and I was glad that I had baggy pants on.By the way Chloe got her head out and ran right into the house and under our bed. She wanted no part of the animal guy's discipline. He had gotten grazed in the face and he was not a happy camper, do you still want to do what we do? Things happen around wild animals so if it is not to bad we have learned how to doctor bites and scratches but when I took my shirt off and some of me came off onto the sink I thought "That this is goin to leave a mark", and my bum hurt too!!Blood on the back, shoulder and bum...two bites. Blake thought I was why Chloe was crying, she was freaking and I am there and fierce loyalty to his wolf friend made him take me off of her, once I let go or was away from her he did not try to strike again. Kinda like , hey get away from her and to bite is the way he knew to get that done. How loyal the wolf is and I have to respect him for that. That is a powerful lesson to me. Some people would say "Get rid of him!'' "Put him to sleep!" "Kill him!", he put you in the hospital, "he has gotta go!" That is not our way, he was being a wolf, and that is loyal. So 8 stitches, 3 inside and 5 outside, canine holes in my rear and some good pressure bruises on both bites and boy does it hurt, not the stitches but the bruised and bitten rear end....ouchie-ouchie. The nurses and doc at the Putnum County emergency room were great. They knew the animal guy and one of the nurses had seen him when she was in grade school (man he is old....just kiddin'). Several nurses came in to check out the wolf bite, I guess they do not see that every day. By the way the tetanus shot hurt too so both arms are sore from needle shots, stitches, bruises and wolf bites , glamorous job huh? So you still want to do what we do?.........

WONDERLAB September 5th, 2009

2009-09-11T20:38:00.001-07:00

Wonderlab Science Museum in Bloomington, Indiana was a real cool place to do our show. They called it "Leapin Lemurs" a live primate presentation and of course Betty our ringtail lemur was with us and as a special treat Elizabeth the baboon, as we find now stole the show and the hearts of all the folks and kids that attended that day. I believe she enjoys being a science teacher!!!! Between the program the Animal Guy and I looked around and it was very educational. We saw a caterpillar becoming a cocoon and the cocoon then re-emerging to become a amazing Monarch Butterfly. I have never seen the stages of metamorphosis in progress and it was very cool. It is fun to learn new things or see new things and the Bloomington Wonderlab is just that kind of learning place.

"I Like Growing Stuff"

2009-08-30T17:52:00.000-07:00

My grandparents lived in the foothills of North Carolina. Grandpa always planted a vegetable garden. Food always tasted better at their house, fresh good stuff, homegrown.When my Grandma passed away Grandpa came to Indianapolis to live with my mom and dad. Since Larry and me have lots of room to grow a garden, I tried my hand at it, or should I say...thumb? Ya know "green thumb". I was proud to take fresh veggies to Grandpa, checking out the green peppers I grew he said "I like growing stuff". You know I realized then - I do too! So this year, with a new baby baboon to feed, I planted some stuff she loves, peas - green beans - cantaloupe - although the bunnies ate the bush beans, we still had plenty of pole beans. Today me and Liz our baby baboon picked some of the last beans of the season, she loves beans right out of the garden - fresh and tasty - yum! Grandpa has passed away and I always feel kind of sad at the end of the garden season. But I am always amazed at the abundance nature gives for just a bit of effort, great fresh veggies...."I like growing stuff".

Gus the Bobcat

2009-08-27T07:16:00.000-07:00

Mr. Gus the baby bobcat has finally started eating meat! May not seem odd that a wild cat is eating meat but Gus hasn't taken to it very easily. He is a very good baby, I call him, "Gus no fuss" cause he is a good guy except for the meat part.I tried it all- he would spit it out and drink all the milk around the meat. I worried a lot,I always question myself with a new baby animal. Being a parent is not an easy job. And being parents of the wild nature babies is a blessing and a special challenge. Then they teach me what they need and what I am supposed to do. Gee, when we tell you the animals we have our teachers, we know because they teach us too!

OLD FRIENDS / NEW FRIENDS

2009-07-21T07:17:00.000-07:00

Larry the animal guy and our website dude, Jessee keep telling me to do my blog so here goes; First I would like to thank everyone for the sympathy cards. Your cards made me realize how much Dolly our baboon taught all of us espescially me. I will miss her. There is a saying"Make new friends but keep the old, one is silver and the other gold. Now we have two new silver friends, you probably know that Elizabeth, the olive baboon now 6 months old has come to live with us and we can't wait till you guys get to meet her she's to cool. The other silver friend is our beautiful bobcat baby Gussington. Mr. Gus came to us at 2 weeks old. Both babies are keeping the animal guys very busy this summer- we love it! Cher