The Keepers, have been using the new scale in the farmyard to get weights on the animals. That means a lot of training for Max: getting a leash on; walking “nicely” without pulling Kent around; no side field trips to eat plants; get all four feet on the scale and hold still… Success has occurred. Any guesses as to how much the heaviest animal at the Museum weighs?
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Our Jersey steer, Max, is a picky eater. Unlike most bovine, which will eat anything you hand them, Max really only eats his hay and steer chow (breakfast cereal for cattle). Keepers Kent and Jill and I have been working extra hard since last summer to sneak extra pieces of training foods into his giant mouth, just to get him to try something new.
For training reasons, it’s a good idea for Max to learn to eat foods that are more portable than an armload of hay. We’ve been the most successful thus far with dried fruits, but only if Max is in the mood. Usually, Max takes a tiny nibble of the new treat and turns his nose up at it, if he tries it at all. The rest of the farmyard animals (pigs and Ducky, included!) are happy to much down a “cookie” that’s specially made for farm animals, while Max fires them back out of his mouth covered in steer spit without even tasting them.
Until recently, anyway. Here’s a short, shaky cell phone video of Max FINALLY trying (and liking) a farmyard cookie…or three.
Please don’t feed the animals anything! Even if it seems harmless, like loose hay off the ground or grass or leaves, could potentially make them very ill. Leave feeding the animals to us keepers, it’s the one part of our job that doesn’t involve cleaning poop!
If you want to see what our animals eat up close, become a Museum of Life and Science member and sign up for a Bears Up Close or a Behind the Scenes Tour, they’re wicked awesome!
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What are the mats in the fence used for?
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Any guess about what that is on Max and why it’s there…
…is it something to keep Max from bending his neck/esophagus while eating?
If this isn’t right, think I can hear lots of a’mooosing laughter!
I don’t know what it is or what it is for, but it looks like it would make it harder for Max to slug you with that bony (but cute) head. How about a wattle holder?
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In February, I posted about our opossum Sonny going for a walk. In March, Sonny went for another stroll and this time he made it all the way up to the farmyard.
Lightning and Sonny out for a stroll
The sheep are mesmerized
Max and Sonny
I love this!
Great Pictures!
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Scout seems to have overheard Lightning and Max plotting a few months back and Lightning and Auggie, too! It’s time for some investigation into what all the fuss is about.
What do you think all the chatter is about? Maybe our former interns were right, it is all about the sheep.
Scout: “I’m just glad cows don’t fly. Hahahahahaha”
Max: “You really quack me up.”
It absolutely has to be about the sheep and, of course, the Alpacas. Exactly what they’re saying I can’t know but it’s probably something that they don’t want the sheep to know. Have you noticed any of the other animals talking to the sheep lately?
Just received a female 3 year old domestic bred ring tail lemur. How do I know when she is in season via behavior and physical signs? Do females make a constant purring sound during this or any other circumstances? She was parent raised for the first 8 months.
thanks for any input…i have experience with prosimians but not this species
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Here is a video of the animals in the farm yard enjoying some watermelon. Its rare that everyone can agree on one food and watermelon seems to be it.
Fun music! Lightning has such great table manners!
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Here’s a few then and now photos of some of your favorite Museum critters. Enjoy.
MAX OUR STEER
then...smaller than Chummix Goat.
Now... 1500 pounds later
SCOUT OUR DUCK
then...could fit on Kristen's hand
Now...no longer yellow, quiet, or able to fit on anyone's hand.
AUGGIE OUR PIG
Then... not much bigger than a bottle and awfully cute.
Now... still cute, but + 120
VIRGINIA BEAR
Then... 15 pounds and drinking from a bottle
Now...300 pounds and chewing through ice blocks
ME (really)
Then... even wore purple back then
And so very cute (you in purple– then and now).
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Sarah shared this photo with me of Max and Lightning (I love that Dr. Cannedy calls him Lightbulb).
Anyone want to share what they think the boys below are thinking?
So Max, what do you think the humans, think we are thinking??
Looks like you interrupted them plotting a conspiracy of some kind.
So sweet! I miss seeing them and can’t wait to introduce them to Scott!
Lightning: “You distract her with those big brown eyes while I steal her radio.”
He did, in fact, steal my radio and toss it into the duck yard just after I took this photo. As a general rule, I think that all of Lightning’s antics are premeditated. So clearly, he’s just trying to get Max involved this time.
Lighting has tried several times to unionize the farm animals but has been out voted by the sheep..
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Max always reminds me of Borden’s “Elsie the Cow”. (Maybe it’s the black eyeliner) What breed of steer is he, anyway?
He was so cute as a baby! He’s still cute now but he was so sweet when he was little.
How old is Max now?
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1200 lbs? What is that, like 550 kilos?
Bonus info: When Max stood on the scale the plate noticibly lowered itself and I have NEVER seen it do that before.
How much do the bear’s weigh versus Max?
Currently, Max weighs about 764 Kg (almost 1,700 pounds). Mimi, our oldest best, weighs about 160 Kg- (about 350 pounds)
Wow..does this mean Max’s weight is more than the combined weight of all four bears? I remember seeing a keeper’s blog of him being bottle fed!!
How does Max’s weight compare to Mr. Mooster? And how does it compare to an average jersey steer of his age? Just curious.
Kathy and DJ:
Max does weigh more than all four bears combined.
We did not have the scale when Moo, a belted galloway, was at the Museum. I’d have to think that Moo weighed more though. As for Max, I think he’s on the big side for Jersey boys.
Congrats Kent (and Max)!