Closing Out January 2012 in a Positive Way

The last weekend of January has come to an end. I have been officially volunteering at the sanctuary now for a month, every Saturday. I wish I could be there every day.

Not only do I get interaction with animals, but I am learning so much about animals. I love tigers so much but I am amazed how much I did not know about them. And primates, don't even get me started!!! The owners of the Sanctuary are teaching me so many things. They even informed me about different ways to go about getting my licenses in wildlife rehab and sanctuary work, as did the bird center I will be volunteering at. I am so happy to be getting my education on it's way. Now all I need is a laptop and money for these classes(thankfully they don't cost too much) I can also get my license fully for MI or NC. The reason I throw in MI is because IF the Bird Center can offer me a paid position, I'd reconsider staying but that doesn't occur til Spring. ALSO the Sanctuary DOES NOT want me to leave. In a mth they say I have made a huge difference and I agree. I mostly help out with the birds and reptiles until I learn more but I have had interactions with the large cats and primates. I love just watching them walk around and moan. It is amazing to me. They also informed me because they do like me so much and don't want me to leave that they want to get a grant from the state to hire my full time w/ benefits. Now why does this have to occur? I have all these plans set to move to NC,be by my family, and get a job there. But at the same time, I love this place and I never want to pass up an opportunity. I want to stay in MI and I don't. I want to move to NC and I don't. So I still am giving myself til the end of this year, hopefully before the end, to make the decision and see what happens. I feel so comfortable at the sanctuary. We all get along great, we work as a team, have fun, etc. I feel like I have been there for years and know everyone so well. It’s really crazy how much I am in love with it.Of course all good opportunities have to come at once. Why is that?! Well, least I am getting them right?!

Well on this particular Sat it was a cold one. Sun was out but the wind was blowing like crazy. At times it was snowing and just hitting your face hardcore. The hoses were frozen so we had no water and the elevator to get all our hay and straw and the packing company was frozen. Ah shoot. So we couldn't do as much work as planned. Saturdays are the FULL clean out the cage day. So out routine is cleaning and feeding everyone. Well we did the feeding and cleaned what we could. But their is always something to do.

My girl that's in charge took my around by the tigers. You def can't pet really any of them threw the bars. Passion the leopard acts all friendly and rolls on her back like a kitten but she'll grown insanely loud at you! But you can walk in the back (where we feed threw trap doors and say hi to the tigers. they will "talk to you" But Sher-Kan is the nicest one. He comes up to the cage, purrs and puffs at you, and lets you pet him. He is amazing.

After hanging out with the tigers I took a walk around. I found that we have a goat. The news excites me insanely because I am beyond obssessed with goats. His name is Blueberry and he is a Billy goat. He is my new best friend!

                                                I also found 2 emu’s, so not a fan of these large birds!!!!!

I also got some one on time with Spike. I feel so bad for him, he lost his female mate a few months back. He is a sweet guy. He will pick at your hands and arms trying to get you clean. It is an amazing feeling to have a monkey do that to you. Their hand looks and feel like a humans.

The birds since I have been there have been getting better nutrition and assortment of foods. I noticed that day that there were4 eggs in the enclosure where there are 2 macaws! This is great news because she has not laid eggs in 15 yrs apparently and because she did, that means she won’t get eggboundor sick. I kept the eggs and froze them to blow out the yolk and make something.

And lastly on this day me and the other volunteer Kelsey saw that this pig was sick. He didn’t have a name so we named him Earl. He has been there for about a year and come to the sanctuary from an owner. He was so fat that I guess his stomach rubbed and ripped on the ground and his tusks were overgrown into his face. The sanctuary fixed him up and he lost weight. Sadly though because of that weight loss, he could have become diabetic or gotten a thyroid condition. He also had severe arthritis. We believe that day he had a seizure or stro0ke. Kelsey and I tended to him by sitting with him threw the end of it, helping him up, gave him water, and then did the only thing we could think off- because it was so cold we got a huge blanket ,put him on it and rolled him into his hut. We got lots of hay and made him a warm bedding. We sat there with him and I hand fed him potatoes and tomato's until he ate and he did. I was so happy. Later that evening after we took our break and gave him time, we checked back on him and he was pushing the hay towards us like he wanted to play. He was all burrowed in his little enclosure and looked good.

I expected to stay there usually every Saturday from 10-11am and leave by dark around 5-5:30. But that day and now others I don’t l;eave til almost 10 pm. I want to stay and check on everyone, I want to stay with my new friends, I want to stay at a place where I am happy!

All my weekend in January were good. I had  a lot of fun actives with friends and the Sanctuary work really has helped me a lot. It gives me something to look forward to during the week bed cause I am quite unhappy at my sales job. Somethings are because of the company and others are because I am just not the sales girl. I want to be hands on with my animals……..they are like children to me.

And the next day- this was the result of the weather, we actually got like 3 inches in MI in Feb. Worst winter ever by the way!