A Day in the Life of a Zookeeper

A Day in the Life of a Zookeeper
Ever wonder what its like to share your world with a bunch of crazy critters? Tune in to find out!

Sunday, May 11, 2014

A Day in the Life of a Traveling Zookeeper - Day 5 - Home Again

So - here we are - back from the wilds of the city.  So happy to be home!!!  We have picked up the pooch and the zoo has been reunited.

When we returned we were greeted by all the kitties and Violet and Clooney.  Shortly thereafter - Theo.  I couldn't find Finn and Madison ANYWHERE.  I was looking and calling and couldn't find them and then I heard scratching.  Yep - the little weasels had climbed over a baby gate, wedged themselves in between the gate and the door, flattened themselves out and wriggled under the door to one of the upstairs rooms.  What rotten little children.  Because of  the baby gate they could not get out.  I think Maddie was in there for anywhere up to 36 hours - that was last time I had seen her on the cameras.  Finn - anywhere up to 18 hours or so.

Here is the lucky thing... I had never cleaned out Nigel's cage - I just haven't had the heart or the time or the energy to get to it.  I did notice that Theo had been playing in the cage a couple of weeks ago and thought to myself that I should change the water in there in case he drank it.  So I cleaned out the water dish and filled it up and put it back in the cage.  It just so happens that the room they were stuck in was the same room with a full dish of ferret food which was what Nigel ate and a full water dish.  Thank goodness.

So - here are my lessons learned.... make sure that every critter is seen on camera or seen by the pet sitter EVERY day.  If we are going to close the doors - ensure that a food and water station is set up in each room so that if they get in there somehow and can't get out they have food and water.  My preferred plan is to purchase additional cameras so that I can let them be free upstairs and can have a view into each room.

Both Finn and Maddie seem just fine - they have bright pink gums and they do not seem dehydrated when you pinch the skin to scruff them.  They are running around happy to be freed from their prison.   I am happy to find them both okay and oh so happy to be home with them...

No comments: