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by , Director
I've been at the Museum sooooo long - longer than many of our interns have been alive. I do a little bit of everything as part of my job: care for the animals, work with the keepers and other staff, spend time with guests. Lucky me!
I spend a lot of time behind-the-scenes, or here after hours, but if you really want to see me, you'll have to sign-up for a behind-the-scenes program.
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Too busy to write

September 16th, 2012

It’s been a crazy and busy week- too much going on to even sit and think. We’ve been paying extra attention to our newest members.  Last week about this time I was out at Our Ancestral Farm with Dr. Cannedy doing a herd check on the alpacas.

Hembras (females) waiting for their hands on check at Our Ancestral Farm

 

 

My head is still spinning from the week, but I’ll share (what I can remember) from the week:

  • Meetings, some multiple times, with 7 different contractors: 1) the fence company putting up new fencing in the Farmyard, 2) the handyman repairing barns, 3) the painters- the whole farmyard is being repainted, 4) the plumbers working on the sump pump down at bears 5) the tree service cutting down some dead trees around grounds, 6) electricians running the lines for the generator for our support hall, 7) our bear pool pump fabricators (we thought we had an issue/leak with the bear pool)
  • Extra scheduled and impromptu projects:  1) bear yard mowing, 2) wolf pool draining and dealing with faulty valve, 3)12 folks from Biogen Idec pruning and cleaning in the bear yard Friday morning, 4) Farmyard grading to prevent trip hazards from all the rain.
  • Dr. Vanderford has been around. We had lemur physicals (I am sure Kimberly will write about that when she has time) and Einstein opossum seems to have had a fall- he hurt his leg and broke some teeth.  He was off-site getting radiographs earlier and we were relieved that he did not break any bones, however, we think he hurt and even broke some teeth. We’re in process of scheduling him for follow up now.

    Dr. Vanderford waits for Einstein to be asleep before she checks on his teeth.

 

 

 

 

 

The most unexpected highlight of my week was coming home one night and finding 40 pounds of sweet potatoes on my doorstep. My neighbor is so kind! I mentioned the bears eat a lot of sweet potatoes this time of year, and two days later this box was waiting for me.  She’s always dropping off items: 3 watermelons were on my doorstep last week, 1 bag of canned pumpkin showed up a few months ago (for Chummix Goat medicine) as did watermelons all summer long.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This week isn’t looking much calmer than last. Please think happy, good weather, good health thoughts our way!

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  1. So cute!

    And thank you for the “goodbye sheep” post…we hadn’t realized that the sheep were leaving, and we were able to come say goodbye before they went!

    Posted by Libby
    2:51 pm on September 17, 2012

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by , Director
I've been at the Museum sooooo long - longer than many of our interns have been alive. I do a little bit of everything as part of my job: care for the animals, work with the keepers and other staff, spend time with guests. Lucky me!
I spend a lot of time behind-the-scenes, or here after hours, but if you really want to see me, you'll have to sign-up for a behind-the-scenes program.
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What a day!

August 31st, 2011

The day is done- it’s midnight, or a few minutes after, so the day is finally over and it’s Wednesday! The short story is there is too much going on!  We learned late Monday that construction on our walk-in freezer would start Tuesday morning. The Keepers quickly emptied out the room and stored all the freezers on the hall to start the day. Then we got a couple truckloads of Farmyard bedding. Tuesday was also Vet. Rounds, so Dr. Vanderford was here. Kristen stopped by with Libby to say hi too!

Dr. Vanderford holds Mason, while Annie holds Libby

Ladybelle, one of our ferrets, was vomiting the end of last week and radiographs showed a mass in her abdomen. Dr. Erik Clary, a board certified surgeon, came by in the afternoon for surgery. We’re so thankful to Dr. Clary for donating his time for Ladybelle’s surgery! We’re hoping the biopsy and other tests come back with good news.

The end of ferret surgery.

Also, our alligators are heading back to South Carolina to be swapped out for smaller ones. I picked them up about two years ago. It’s time to head back to Alligator Adventure, return the alligators to them and have them loan us four more. We packed them up so I wouldn’t have to do it at 4 AM.

under-the-bed storage containers work great for transporting alligators!

Ladybelle needs to be checked on so Katy came back at 10 PM to help with treatments.

Ladybelle in her warm box to sleep in

 

 

Katy’s PJ bottoms! (very cute)

 

I’ll be back in 5 hours to pick up the alligators and take off for SC.  (Karyn is coming to keep me company and she’ll probably tweet about our travels).

Join the conversation:

  1. Big Thanks to Dr Clary!!!

    Posted by kimberly
    6:46 am on August 31, 2011

  2. Never a dull moment in the Animal department!

    Posted by leslie
    8:44 am on August 31, 2011

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by , Director
I've been at the Museum sooooo long - longer than many of our interns have been alive. I do a little bit of everything as part of my job: care for the animals, work with the keepers and other staff, spend time with guests. Lucky me!
I spend a lot of time behind-the-scenes, or here after hours, but if you really want to see me, you'll have to sign-up for a behind-the-scenes program.
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QuikPost: X-rays

January 23rd, 2011

Recently, some of our animals went to the vet for radiographs, or x-rays.  Godzilla, our Bearded Dragon, has been having issues with his back legs, and one of our corn snakes is have some fusing issues of her spine. I’ve attached links at the end to previous posts where you can see x-rays of other animals.

Godzilla

corn snake

Do you remember x-rays or scans we’ve shared of other animals?

Yona’s rads.

Yona’s CT scan.

Cassandra’s x-rays.

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by , Director
I've been at the Museum sooooo long - longer than many of our interns have been alive. I do a little bit of everything as part of my job: care for the animals, work with the keepers and other staff, spend time with guests. Lucky me!
I spend a lot of time behind-the-scenes, or here after hours, but if you really want to see me, you'll have to sign-up for a behind-the-scenes program.
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Cassandra update

August 20th, 2010

It’s about a month since I told you about Cassandra’s brush with death.  She continues to surprise us and is doing really well. Her illness and issues are a mystery. Even after repeated testing I fear we may never know what the initial problem was. I guess this is a good problem to have: that she appears to be fine now.

We took her in last week to for repeat ultrasound and radiographs (x-rays). Everything looked good. Below are some photos of her x-ray photos.

These film are pretty normal looking. We were thrilled that there was no build up of fluid in her chest over the past month. The cool thing to me (seeing as I am not a veterinarian and cannot speak to the detail of the image) is the collar. Our lemurs wear a tracking collar so if they were to ever get out of the exhibit we could track them and find them and get them back.

We continue to pay extra close attention to her. Please keep the positive vibes coming!

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  1. Director Comment :

    Can you see her microchip?
    There’ a view of it in both x-rays.

    Posted by Sherry Samuels
    9:06 am on August 23, 2010

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by , Director
I've been at the Museum sooooo long - longer than many of our interns have been alive. I do a little bit of everything as part of my job: care for the animals, work with the keepers and other staff, spend time with guests. Lucky me!
I spend a lot of time behind-the-scenes, or here after hours, but if you really want to see me, you'll have to sign-up for a behind-the-scenes program.
Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

Yona’s visit to the Vet School

June 8th, 2010

What a long day.  In February I wrote about Yona’s first radiographs. Today, Tuesday, was the next step.

Many of you know that Yona went to North Carolina State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine’s Teaching Hospital today. Today was the day to do whatever tests were needed to figure out what was going on with her leg. Whatever is going on is not stopping her from doing anything she would normally do, but we know something is just not right with her right leg. 

There have been so many emails and phone calls I don’t even know where to start, so I will start with today. We loaded Yona up early. We borrowed a crate worthy of a bear from the NC Zoo. (Thanks NCZ!) Dr. Vanderford and I arrived at the Vet School around 8:30. So many great veterinarians and staff helped care for Yona, too many (maybe about 20-30 people) to name, but here’s a few. Dr. Kristen Messenger did anesthesia on Yona, Dr. Denis Marcellin-Little made sure that he had the radiographs and CT scans he needed to appropriately diagnose Yona’s condition, Dr. Michael Stoskopf oversaw the whole day, and Shane Christian coordinated everything ahead of time and during the day.

The Drs. need to wait for some of the tests to be complete, review all the information that was gathered, and coordinate the findings so we can figure out what the next steps should be for Yona.

Below are a few photos from my day.

Enjoy!

Getting ready for the CT Scan

 

CT Scan for Yona

 

The tubes in Yona’s mouth help keep her sleeping throughout the process.

 

how cool is this- a CT Scan of Yona's head and front legs. Can you see the difference between the left and right elbows?

(Leave a comment if you can see any difference between Yona’s limbs in the Scan).

Yona getting Radiographs (x-rays)

Lots of different radiographs were taken of Yona’s front legs to make sure that the Drs. had the information needed.

Assessing Yona's range of motion

Dr. Marcellin-Little manipulated Yona’s front limbs and took lots of different measurements. He’ll use this assessment, along with the CT Scans and the radiographs to make a recommendation of next steps for Yona.

Join the conversation:

  1. I can totally see ther difference between the elbows. The right elbow (the one without the syringe in the picture) is way worse off. Hope they are able to diagnose and treat her!

    Posted by Katie
    9:17 pm on June 17, 2010

  2. Speedy recovery from you recent surgery Yona!

    Posted by Asa
    6:58 am on September 22, 2010

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by , Director
I've been at the Museum sooooo long - longer than many of our interns have been alive. I do a little bit of everything as part of my job: care for the animals, work with the keepers and other staff, spend time with guests. Lucky me!
I spend a lot of time behind-the-scenes, or here after hours, but if you really want to see me, you'll have to sign-up for a behind-the-scenes program.
Tags: , , , , , , ,

Don’t put a camera in your back pocket when trying to sedate a bear

February 23rd, 2010

I told you we took Yona to the vet for radiographs, and I also told you I didn’t have any photos ’cause I busted the camera. I am still waiting on some of the photos that others took, but I can show you the broken camera. It still works, the old-fashioned way, by looking through the view finder and then waiting to look at the photo you snapped later.

We’re likely going to replace the camera (any suggestions as to what we should get, after all, you are most of the folks who look at what we take)?

In the meantime, Larry took photos of Yona’s radiographs – can you notice the difference between the L and R shots?


We’re soliciting feedback from zoo veterinarians and orthopedic surgeons and are still in the gathering information phase. An orthopedic surgeon came to look at Yona yesterday (-when we introduced her to the other bears). Pay close attention for upcoming posts about Yona’s time with the big-bears (as well as the next steps with her leg).

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  1. Fascinating radiographs!!

    Posted by Wendy A
    8:35 am on February 23, 2010

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by , Director
I've been at the Museum sooooo long - longer than many of our interns have been alive. I do a little bit of everything as part of my job: care for the animals, work with the keepers and other staff, spend time with guests. Lucky me!
I spend a lot of time behind-the-scenes, or here after hours, but if you really want to see me, you'll have to sign-up for a behind-the-scenes program.
Tags: , , , , , ,

QuikPost: Yona’s visit to the vet.

February 12th, 2010

We took Yona in for radiographs (x-rays) on February 9. (We mentioned that after she had a visit from the vets we might take her in if her limp did not improve). Dr. Carter is going to send me some photos of the visit- I busted the camera during the event so it’s going to take me a little longer to get you some photos of Yona lying on a stretcher or an x-ray table.

X-rays and blood were taken. To be brief, the radiographs showed that one of the bones in Yona’s front limb, the radius, was growing more bent then it should be. We’re in the process of sharing the radiographs with appropriate people (I.e. zoo veterinarians, orthopedists) to come up with the best plan of action.

She may require surgery- we’ll keep you posted.

In the meantime, we hope this won’t delay her introduction to meet the rest of the bears. Remember, introduction won’t be lovey-dovey, there will be difficulties.

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by , Director
I've been at the Museum sooooo long - longer than many of our interns have been alive. I do a little bit of everything as part of my job: care for the animals, work with the keepers and other staff, spend time with guests. Lucky me!
I spend a lot of time behind-the-scenes, or here after hours, but if you really want to see me, you'll have to sign-up for a behind-the-scenes program.
Tags: , , ,

Difficult Decision: Red Wolf #1389

February 22nd, 2008

I last wrote about Red Wolf #1389 a few days before Christmas, exactly two months ago. He had torn ligaments in a leg, and had some other issues pop up, but he seemed to be hanging in there. (To read the complete post, click here).

A lot has happened since then. He tore ligaments in another leg, and additional radiographs (x-rays) showed not only the tears, but also extensive arthritis. The last two months have been spent watching him, medicating him, taking him in for radiographs, talking about his situation to numerous veterinarians, consulting with Red Wolf Species Survival Plan personnel, many conversations with the Keepers, and lots of long nights processing all of the information to come up with the best plan of what to do.

It’s with a heavy heart that I report that the decision has been made to euthanize him. I’ve worked in the animal department at the Museum for over 15 years, and I’d have to say this has been one of the most difficult decisions I’ve had to make, if not the most difficult one. With all that has been learned, I feel it is the right decision, which I guess makes it a little easier, but I am not really sure.

I included the photo of the three brothers in the pool because I love this photo: It was the first time I saw them running around and splashing, and it is also a reminder that it will never happen again.

Join the conversation:

  1. How sad for all of you.

    Posted by katchee
    10:55 am on February 26, 2008

  2. I know what you mean about the picture, Sherry. As I was closing Explore the Wild last night, all three of them started howling. It is a truly special thing to hear and watch wolves howl, and it was a tear-jerker for me to know that I was the sole witness to the last time they would all be heard together. It’s still difficult for me to think about as I type this comment, as he was euthanized today. He will be missed by all of us.

    Posted by Marilyn
    7:20 pm on February 26, 2008

  3. I’m so sorry to hear about the wolf. We visited the museum this week and saw the remaining two brothers sleeping in the sun and I thought of the missing wolf.It might be nice to set up a drop box somewhere in the museum where regular visitors can write down a note about their visits to see the wolves (or fond memories of other animals who have passed away like Mr. Mooster) and also make a small donation to support the animal department in memory of Wolf #1389 or Mr. Moo. The written memories might mean a lot to the caretakers who have looked after these animals for their time at the Museum and I’m sure a lot of people would want to make some sort of contribution to show that they care.

    Posted by unc929498
    6:27 pm on February 29, 2008

  4. Thanks for your thoughts and ideas UNC929498.I’ll pass on your suggestions, but in the meantime comments on the Blog are always nice, you can leave any note (or donation) at the Admissions desk, on the “tell the president” cards, or on the website.

    Posted by Sherry
    7:47 am on March 2, 2008

  5. We were there on 2/16 in the afternoon and it appeared one of the wolves was pacing nervously and bleeding on the neck. Was that Red Wolf #1389? We were concerned, as were the keepers observing him from above on the backside of the wolf area.Living in the neighborhood, we will miss the wolf (as we miss Mr. Moo). Our condolences. Good ideas, UNC929498, although folks could, I suppose, buy a brick and have it engraved with a memory to RW #1389 and Mr. Moo.

    Posted by Miss Ann Thrope
    1:42 pm on March 4, 2008

  6. Great idea RR! Would it be possible for the museum to set up a fund to buy bricks in their memories? A lot of people don’t necessarily have the money to make a sufficient donation buy a brick right now, but they might certainly donate $5 or $10 or even $50 or $100 toward the cost of a brick which, combined with the donations of other museum patrons, could add a nice permanent memorial to Mr. Moo and Red Wolf #1389 while supporting all of the great work at the museum. I know a lot of kids would probably like to donate from their piggy banks, too.

    Posted by unc929498
    2:41 pm on March 4, 2008

  7. rr and unc929498:To answer your questions:on February 16th, it was actually #1390 who was bleeding. He was noticed on the 13th to have a swollen cheek. We believed he might have had an allergic reaction to a bite, or a possible tooth abscess. We put him on medicine (benedryl, pain meds, and antibiotics). His abscess burst on the 16th, which is the blood that you saw. While not very attractive, it was a good thing and drained well. It turns out that when our vet checked him out the following week, it was mostly healed and nothing to do with his teeth which is good: it was likely a copperhead bite that did this to him.Regarding brick purchasing, I believe that bricks may be purchased currently for our dinosaur trail and that all the $ need not be paid at once.If you are really interested, go to the Museum’s website, and ask the question. I’ll also check with the appropriate staff and get back to you…look for a future post.Thank you both for your interest and dialogue!

    Posted by Sherry
    5:38 pm on March 4, 2008

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by , Director
I've been at the Museum sooooo long - longer than many of our interns have been alive. I do a little bit of everything as part of my job: care for the animals, work with the keepers and other staff, spend time with guests. Lucky me!
I spend a lot of time behind-the-scenes, or here after hours, but if you really want to see me, you'll have to sign-up for a behind-the-scenes program.
Tags: , , , ,

Red Wolf #1389 update

December 21st, 2007

It’s been quite a few weeks for #1389 and the Keepers who care for him. You can read about him and see a photo of our veterinarian “working on his leg” in an earlier post.

After his physical in November, this wolf stopped putting weight on his back right leg. Radiographs (x-rays) were taken. Surgeons at the NCSU Vet School reviewed the information and determined that this wolf has a torn ligament, some other damage, and arthritis to boot.

We separated him from his brothers to give him rest and medicine. His knee improved so much, that we put him back in the exhibit to see how he would do. He and alpha wolf, #1390, had a fairly intense scuffle: not a surprise that some re-establishment of pecking order would occur, but it was still a scary sight to watch. For two days, we had two limping wolves and great distance between them. By Sunday, we were basically back to “normal”: the alpha wolf, one sometimes limping wolf, and their blind brother.

The story does not end here however: yesterday, Keeper Marilyn noticed that this wolf’s face looked different and his eyes looked squinty. Dr. Staab-Carter was here and believed the wolf was having an allergic reaction to a bite. All the Keepers grabbed their gear and went to catch the wolf. He received shots of adrenaline and Benedryl. It appears as if the wolf was bitten on top of his head by some sort of insect, spider, or possibly even a snake.

As of this morning, the swelling was down. He does have a bump on his head, likely where he was bitten. I’m not sure what else can happen to this guy? He’s certainly had more than his fair share of issues, and I for one, am wishing him a restful, happy, and healthy new year!

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  1. This is the first day I’m checking in, but I just wanted to say I loved reading ALL the entries. Your jobs are so interesting! I’ll be looking for some of you in the grocery store. :)

    Posted by Amy
    11:00 pm on December 22, 2007

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