Comments on: Zoo Elephants: Meet Smitty http://blogs.sandiegozoo.org/blog/2006/10/13/zoo-elephants-meet-smitty/ Sat, 21 Nov 2009 16:31:43 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: ron ringer http://blogs.sandiegozoo.org/blog/2006/10/13/zoo-elephants-meet-smitty/comment-page-1/#comment-44146 ron ringer Fri, 08 Jun 2007 16:17:30 +0000 http://www.sandiegozoo.org/wordpress/general/zoo-elephants-meet-smitty/#comment-44146 Hi Lisa! so good to hear from you. I remember well those days in the elephant barn especially in the summer! If you have Tori's e-mail ask for mine and let me know how you are. ron ringer Hi Lisa!

so good to hear from you. I remember well those days in the elephant barn especially in the summer! If you have Tori’s e-mail ask for mine and let me know how you are.

ron ringer

]]> By: Lisa Wolhuter http://blogs.sandiegozoo.org/blog/2006/10/13/zoo-elephants-meet-smitty/comment-page-1/#comment-43882 Lisa Wolhuter Thu, 07 Jun 2007 01:11:40 +0000 http://www.sandiegozoo.org/wordpress/general/zoo-elephants-meet-smitty/#comment-43882 I went to Zoo Explorers in Topeka , KS where I adored being in the elephants' area and watching their training and general activities. I have to admit the building smelled to high heaven first thing in the morning when I came to offer my services to the keepers but after a while, it didn't matter just to be around these magnificant beasts.. We also had a " Tempo" female elephant in our environment and I remember fondly my time spent with her and her counterpart. I also had some great keepers in the zoo that contributed to my experience and I remember fondly my time with them. Many moved away but I hope they know how much they meant to us. Thanks Ron! You were the best!! Lisa Wolhuter I went to Zoo Explorers in Topeka , KS where I adored being in the elephants’ area and watching their training and general activities. I have to admit the building smelled to high heaven first thing in the morning when I came to offer my services to the keepers but after a while, it didn’t matter just to be around these magnificant beasts.. We also had a ” Tempo” female elephant in our environment and I remember fondly my time spent with her and her counterpart. I also had some great keepers in the zoo that contributed to my experience and I remember fondly my time with them. Many moved away but I hope they know how much they meant to us.
Thanks Ron! You were the best!!

Lisa Wolhuter

]]> By: Margaret http://blogs.sandiegozoo.org/blog/2006/10/13/zoo-elephants-meet-smitty/comment-page-1/#comment-14762 Margaret Fri, 20 Oct 2006 16:07:44 +0000 http://www.sandiegozoo.org/wordpress/general/zoo-elephants-meet-smitty/#comment-14762 Do you ever give your elephants a " bath" , i.e. scrub them down? I think it would be hard to do in a protected contact situation. Do you ever give your elephants a ” bath” , i.e. scrub them down? I think it would be hard to do in a protected contact situation.

]]> By: Margaret http://blogs.sandiegozoo.org/blog/2006/10/13/zoo-elephants-meet-smitty/comment-page-1/#comment-14731 Margaret Thu, 19 Oct 2006 21:15:45 +0000 http://www.sandiegozoo.org/wordpress/general/zoo-elephants-meet-smitty/#comment-14731 Ron, Speaking of " when it is their turn," do you notice any of them wanting to get in front of another to have her turn? If they are doing it for the enjoyment of time with their keepers and treats, do they compete for that attention? Granted they have a " pecking order" which may preclude that, and they may also each have separate keepers which would also affect it. Just curious if they react like dogs do when you pay attention to one, the others try to get in the act and get their fair share. To my knowledge that is not a trained behaviour except how humans react to it. Ron,

Speaking of ” when it is their turn,” do you notice any of them wanting to get in front of another to have her turn?

If they are doing it for the enjoyment of time with their keepers and treats, do they compete for that attention?

Granted they have a ” pecking order” which may preclude that, and they may also each have separate keepers which would also affect it.

Just curious if they react like dogs do when you pay attention to one, the others try to get in the act and get their fair share. To my knowledge that is not a trained behaviour except how humans react to it.

]]> By: ron ringer http://blogs.sandiegozoo.org/blog/2006/10/13/zoo-elephants-meet-smitty/comment-page-1/#comment-14696 ron ringer Thu, 19 Oct 2006 02:33:10 +0000 http://www.sandiegozoo.org/wordpress/general/zoo-elephants-meet-smitty/#comment-14696 Hi Diane, At this point, we are picking the colors for the girls but we hope to be able to allow them to pick in the future. We have not noticed a preference by any of them. According to the experts, elephants do see colors but we aren't sure of the spectrum. We know they can be trained to pick certain colors, we're just not sure if reds are reds and so on. At this time I think the girls like to paint for the time with their keepers and the treats they get while doing it. The fun thing is that they are all very enthusiastic about painting when it is their turn. Hi Diane,
At this point, we are picking the colors for the girls but we hope to be able to allow them to pick in the future. We have not noticed a preference by any of them. According to the experts, elephants do see colors but we aren’t sure of the spectrum. We know they can be trained to pick certain colors, we’re just not sure if reds are reds and so on. At this time I think the girls like to paint for the time with their keepers and the treats they get while doing it. The fun thing is that they are all very enthusiastic about painting when it is their turn.

]]> By: ron ringer http://blogs.sandiegozoo.org/blog/2006/10/13/zoo-elephants-meet-smitty/comment-page-1/#comment-14694 ron ringer Thu, 19 Oct 2006 02:28:05 +0000 http://www.sandiegozoo.org/wordpress/general/zoo-elephants-meet-smitty/#comment-14694 Hi Margaret, It actually took the girls a lot less time to deal with the change than it did me. They went from me being in charge and abiding by my commands to completely having the choice wether to comply with our request or not. It is kind of like parenting from a distance. Say my child is across the street with a bowl of Ice Cream in one hand and a bowl of Vegetables in the other. It is my job to convince them to eat the vegetables first even though they could choose the ice cream first. It's when the elephants choose the ice cream that is the hardest time. As far as contact, we still are very close to them and still have lots of contact just through barriers. We have not had a bull at the Zoo for a very long time. We hope with the completion of our new exhibit that we will be able to have one. Hope this answers your questions and keep them coming. Hi Margaret,

It actually took the girls a lot less time to deal with the change than it did me. They went from me being in charge and abiding by my commands to completely having the choice wether to comply with our request or not. It is kind of like parenting from a distance. Say my child is across the street with a bowl of Ice Cream in one hand and a bowl of Vegetables in the other. It is my job to convince them to eat the vegetables first even though they could choose the ice cream first. It’s when the elephants choose the ice cream that is the hardest time. As far as contact, we still are very close to them and still have lots of contact just through barriers. We have not had a bull at the Zoo for a very long time. We hope with the completion of our new exhibit that we will be able to have one. Hope this answers your questions and keep them coming.

]]> By: Diana http://blogs.sandiegozoo.org/blog/2006/10/13/zoo-elephants-meet-smitty/comment-page-1/#comment-14648 Diana Wed, 18 Oct 2006 16:17:23 +0000 http://www.sandiegozoo.org/wordpress/general/zoo-elephants-meet-smitty/#comment-14648 Hi Ron, I have noticed different colors featured on each elephant's artwork. Are they guided by you or other keepers as to which colors they'll paint with? Do elephants see a full range of color like humans? I am curious if elephants like the enrichment due to the activity or if the excitement of seeing different colors adds to the enrichment? Thanks for sharing their masterpieces with us. Hi Ron, I have noticed different colors featured on each elephant’s artwork. Are they guided by you or other keepers as to which colors they’ll paint with? Do elephants see a full range of color like humans? I am curious if elephants like the enrichment due to the activity or if the excitement of seeing different colors adds to the enrichment? Thanks for sharing their masterpieces with us.

]]> By: Margaret http://blogs.sandiegozoo.org/blog/2006/10/13/zoo-elephants-meet-smitty/comment-page-1/#comment-14640 Margaret Wed, 18 Oct 2006 12:58:58 +0000 http://www.sandiegozoo.org/wordpress/general/zoo-elephants-meet-smitty/#comment-14640 Thanks for the clarification, Ron. I am sure they really enjoy the painting too, or they wouldn't continue to do it. It's such an imaginative enrichment activity for both the elephants and the keepers. Did you notice any changes in the elephants' behaviors toward the keepers when you switched from free contact to protected? If they were used to you being close to them, it must have seemed strange to them to have bars and distance between you. Have you had a bull elephant at SDZ in the past few decades? If so, how did you handle him, as opposed to the girls? I know Mabu is at WAP, and is very happy, and busy, with his harem. Thanks for the clarification, Ron. I am sure they really enjoy the painting too, or they wouldn’t continue to do it.
It’s such an imaginative enrichment activity for both the elephants and the keepers.

Did you notice any changes in the elephants’ behaviors toward the keepers when you switched from free contact to protected? If they were used to you being close to them, it must have seemed strange to them to have bars and distance between you.

Have you had a bull elephant at SDZ in the past few decades? If so, how did you handle him, as opposed to the girls? I know Mabu is at WAP, and is very happy, and busy, with his harem.

]]> By: ron ringer http://blogs.sandiegozoo.org/blog/2006/10/13/zoo-elephants-meet-smitty/comment-page-1/#comment-14551 ron ringer Tue, 17 Oct 2006 01:43:21 +0000 http://www.sandiegozoo.org/wordpress/general/zoo-elephants-meet-smitty/#comment-14551 Hi Calvin, We shifted to Protected Contact in 1998. Before that, all of our elephants were cared for in free contact. I spent 15 years taking care of elephants that way before we shifted to Protected. It actually took me longer to switch than it did the girls. Hi Calvin,

We shifted to Protected Contact in 1998. Before that, all of our elephants were cared for in free contact. I spent 15 years taking care of elephants that way before we shifted to Protected. It actually took me longer to switch than it did the girls.

]]> By: ron ringer http://blogs.sandiegozoo.org/blog/2006/10/13/zoo-elephants-meet-smitty/comment-page-1/#comment-14550 ron ringer Tue, 17 Oct 2006 01:41:10 +0000 http://www.sandiegozoo.org/wordpress/general/zoo-elephants-meet-smitty/#comment-14550 Hi Margaret, The elephants do paint themselves along with the keepers, their exhibit, and, occasionally, they get some on the canvases. We use nontoxic watercolors and most of the time we wash off the paint if the girls allow us to. As far as irritating their nasal passages, when Devi does blow painting I make sure that she rinses her trunk out. I have seen no signs of irritation. If the paint bothered any of the girls, they would not cooperate with the painting. Hi Margaret,

The elephants do paint themselves along with the keepers, their exhibit, and, occasionally, they get some on the canvases. We use nontoxic watercolors and most of the time we wash off the paint if the girls allow us to. As far as irritating their nasal passages, when Devi does blow painting I make sure that she rinses her trunk out. I have seen no signs of irritation. If the paint bothered any of the girls, they would not cooperate with the painting.

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