A fairly uneventful Christmas 2011 is over. I am delayed in getting this post up as the Blog was apparently down.

The day went like so:

I arrived at 5:15 AM.  Saturday, I asked Marilyn to “set me up well” for the day, and she did just that, along with the added instruction list. I did not know that Ladybelle Ferret “liked” warm water in her carnivore care food so that was particularly helpful to know.

I checked on the indoor animals and started to get everything ready for the day. It was very difficult to find the greenish rat snake in the dark –  he just looks like a branch. I didn’t find him initially, but later, once it was light, it was quite easy to notice the snake. (In the dark the snake is just another branch).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I started feeding and cleaning the Carolina Wildlife animals. Einstein’s and Galileo’s exhibit STINKS, and if they weren’t so cute while they were eating (the noises they make in particular) I quite possibly would have left. I believe I disturbed Henry’s rest, as he seemed quite agitated with me. The muskrats were easy. I actually sat in their exhibit and rearranged the sticks and spread out food all over the place. (I got some video of them eating that I’ll post a different day). 

 

 

 

 

 

I was so hot working in the building that I just had to go outside (which in turn was freezing). The heat is usually in “setback” on Christmas but our new system works great. I went outside around 6:15 with the security guard. Thank goodness Jay had his flashlight. I gave Lightning his medicine and then moved on to the lemurs to check on them. I set up the ring tailed lemurs with breakfast,  locked all the red ruffed lemurs in their holding stalls, and returned to the building around 6:50.

 

 

 

 

 

All of the lights were now kicking on inside so I checked on the animals I hadn’t seen yet (that’s when I got the above photo of the greenish rat snake). The little garter snake and exhibit box turtle were looking right at me:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our faithful volunteers – Karyn and Donald – had graciously and thankfully offered to help. Karyn arrived around 7:00 and started to care for the Education Animals and Donald came in at 8:00 and moved to the Farmyard.

 

After moving through items inside, we stopped in the Farmyard to check on Donald and take care of some things there. Miss Piggy decided to show me her disgusting nose. (Yes that is poop. This time of year, pumpkin-eating-time, pumpkins seem to taste good any way, and in any form,  you can get them).  Lightning decided not to be a complete jerk for hoof picking (as he was yesterday).

 

In Explore the Wild, we finished cleaning and feeding the lemurs, checked and fed the wolves, and the same for the bears. Yona was sleeping on the side of the cliff and wouldn’t come down. Surprisingly, Virginia did come down to eat with Gus and Mimi.

 

 

We worked our way back to the building to finish up the morning, which ended around 11:45. I was back for an hour at the end of the day to check on and feed the animals with my assistant (she’s much older now, but I love that picture of her with long curly hair). Although tiring, it was an easy day with wonderful weather, no broken dishes, and good help. Karyn even brought me a present!