Comments on: A Toy for Cheetahs http://blogs.sandiegozoo.org/blog/2007/10/04/a-toy-for-cheetahs/ Sat, 21 Nov 2009 05:40:24 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Valeria http://blogs.sandiegozoo.org/blog/2007/10/04/a-toy-for-cheetahs/comment-page-1/#comment-436658 Valeria Wed, 25 Mar 2009 23:28:23 +0000 http://www.sandiegozoo.org/wordpress/default/a-toy-for-cheetahs/#comment-436658 Thats increible!!! I was think for long time the chetahs i´m keeping are the problem, but not the are only. I´m tried with a lot of things for enrichment, but they...nothing. Some things are efective for once chance but then... they ignored.. I´ll try with your enrichment. Could you send me or show me a photo of theenrichment? Thank you very much. Val Thats increible!!! I was think for long time the chetahs i´m keeping are the problem, but not the are only. I´m tried with a lot of things for enrichment, but they…nothing.
Some things are efective for once chance but then… they ignored..
I´ll try with your enrichment. Could you send me or show me a photo of theenrichment?
Thank you very much.
Val

]]> By: Philip Jansen http://blogs.sandiegozoo.org/blog/2007/10/04/a-toy-for-cheetahs/comment-page-1/#comment-414739 Philip Jansen Fri, 09 Jan 2009 08:50:47 +0000 http://www.sandiegozoo.org/wordpress/default/a-toy-for-cheetahs/#comment-414739 Thanks for the enrichment tips, I am a student and want to become a animal keeper. I am now researching some whays of enrichment. But i am trying this with cheetahs the t are not tame. Som your way would not work with them. And the fake guinea hens are a gread enrichment to. I wonder if you would know some nice metheds to enriche captive cheethas thet are not tame. Thanks for the enrichment tips, I am a student and want to become a animal keeper. I am now researching some whays of enrichment. But i am trying this with cheetahs the t are not tame. Som your way would not work with them. And the fake guinea hens are a gread enrichment to. I wonder if you would know some nice metheds to enriche captive cheethas thet are not tame.

]]> By: marie martinez http://blogs.sandiegozoo.org/blog/2007/10/04/a-toy-for-cheetahs/comment-page-1/#comment-395096 marie martinez Mon, 27 Oct 2008 17:09:50 +0000 http://www.sandiegozoo.org/wordpress/default/a-toy-for-cheetahs/#comment-395096 Good idea! We are always looking for new things for our cheetahs also. We will definately be giving that a try. I've put together an enrichment item that works really well with the cheetahs here. We gather up feathers that are left over from the guinea hens that keep flying into the cats enclosure and freeze them for a couple of days - then take some meat (about 1 pound) and shape it into a flat meatball, put into flat dish and then stick the feathers all over the meat so it looks like a guinea hen with no head or feet - then we cover our masterpiece and put in freezer. We take out of freezer after it has frozen and defrost just a little bit but not enough that the feathers will come out and then give it to the cheetahs - they LOVE it. They try to pull the feathers out to get to the meat - just like in the wild. Good idea! We are always looking for new things for our cheetahs also. We will definately be giving that a try. I’ve put together an enrichment item that works really well with the cheetahs here. We gather up feathers that are left over from the guinea hens that keep flying into the cats enclosure and freeze them for a couple of days – then take some meat (about 1 pound) and shape it into a flat meatball, put into flat dish and then stick the feathers all over the meat so it looks like a guinea hen with no head or feet – then we cover our masterpiece and put in freezer. We take out of freezer after it has frozen and defrost just a little bit but not enough that the feathers will come out and then give it to the cheetahs – they LOVE it. They try to pull the feathers out to get to the meat – just like in the wild.

]]> By: Louise http://blogs.sandiegozoo.org/blog/2007/10/04/a-toy-for-cheetahs/comment-page-1/#comment-85166 Louise Wed, 10 Oct 2007 22:58:53 +0000 http://www.sandiegozoo.org/wordpress/default/a-toy-for-cheetahs/#comment-85166 What a funny story -- and exhausting for all of you! It's interesting to read how different the cheetahs are in terms of what stimulates them. Good for you all for persevering and being creative! What a funny story — and exhausting for all of you! It’s interesting to read how different the cheetahs are in terms of what stimulates them. Good for you all for persevering and being creative!

]]> By: Sharon http://blogs.sandiegozoo.org/blog/2007/10/04/a-toy-for-cheetahs/comment-page-1/#comment-82475 Sharon Sat, 06 Oct 2007 21:36:16 +0000 http://www.sandiegozoo.org/wordpress/default/a-toy-for-cheetahs/#comment-82475 Thanks Kym for the great enrichment for me - I laughed so hard. I share my home with three cats, one of whom just wasn't interested in anything I came up with for him to play with. One day, I took an old shoe lace out of a pair of skates and left it on a table. The next thing I knew, Nick was marching around the house carrying that silly long shoe lace in his mouth, batting at it, sleeping on it, dragging it, completely happy. I spent hours and hours trying to come up with a toy he would love and had just about given up. Thanks for the smiles you brought me. Keep up the good work! Thanks Kym for the great enrichment for me – I laughed so hard. I share my home with three cats, one of whom just wasn’t interested in anything I came up with for him to play with. One day, I took an old shoe lace out of a pair of skates and left it on a table. The next thing I knew, Nick was marching around the house carrying that silly long shoe lace in his mouth, batting at it, sleeping on it, dragging it, completely happy. I spent hours and hours trying to come up with a toy he would love and had just about given up. Thanks for the smiles you brought me. Keep up the good work!

]]> By: Margaret http://blogs.sandiegozoo.org/blog/2007/10/04/a-toy-for-cheetahs/comment-page-1/#comment-80921 Margaret Fri, 05 Oct 2007 15:51:59 +0000 http://www.sandiegozoo.org/wordpress/default/a-toy-for-cheetahs/#comment-80921 Thanks, Kym. It sounds like you found a great " winner." Hopefully you can keep up with the ropes and the tug-of-wars that ensue. The tigers are getting great enrichment and exercise. With all the excercise and sleep that are a result of their excitement and activity, they are bound to get VERY HUNGRY. Since they love food, now you have your work cut out for you. Thanks, Kym. It sounds like you found a great ” winner.” Hopefully you can keep up with the ropes and the tug-of-wars that ensue. The tigers are getting great enrichment and exercise. With all the excercise and sleep that are a result of their excitement and activity, they are bound to get VERY HUNGRY. Since they love food, now you have your work cut out for you.

]]> By: Mae in NJ http://blogs.sandiegozoo.org/blog/2007/10/04/a-toy-for-cheetahs/comment-page-1/#comment-80790 Mae in NJ Fri, 05 Oct 2007 12:23:27 +0000 http://www.sandiegozoo.org/wordpress/default/a-toy-for-cheetahs/#comment-80790 Kym, thank you for the amusing blog about looking for enrichments for the cheetahs. I wish I could have seen the cheetahs' interactions with the weeble! So hilarious- you described it well! I especially liked your observation that Etana associated the frightening weeble with the keeper who made it move! You finally found the perfect enrichment that takes advantage of the cheetah's ability to run and anticipate movement of the prey (buoy). The sisters are fortunate to have keepers who would not give up until they succeeded in finding the right toy. I can imagine how disappointed you must have felt when the cheetahs ignored your earlier attempts. Busted by the cats! : ) Kym, thank you for the amusing blog about looking for enrichments for the cheetahs. I wish I could have seen the cheetahs’ interactions with the weeble! So hilarious- you described it well! I especially liked your observation that Etana associated the frightening weeble with the keeper who made it move!

You finally found the perfect enrichment that takes advantage of the cheetah’s ability to run and anticipate movement of the prey (buoy). The sisters are fortunate to have keepers who would not give up until they succeeded in finding the right toy. I can imagine how disappointed you must have felt when the cheetahs ignored your earlier attempts. Busted by the cats! : )

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