Llamas the perfect guard "dog"



Leah



One of the many types of animals that live at Majical Miniatures is the Llama. I have to admit, when I first started volunteering for the sanctuary, I was a bit nervous when I saw the herd of Llamas. I remembered my first experience as a child with one of these intriguing creatures. I could not wait to get up close enough to pet this large eyed animal with the soft curly fur that resembled a small camel. The Llama was not as excited to see me. As I reached out to pet her, she decided to SPIT on me. I do not mean a little spit but green, slimy, smelly cover my face spit! What I later learned was that Llama's rarely spit at humans and when they do, they are treating you as if you were one of the herd. The female Llama spits as a way to discipline or control herd members. I guess that meant she liked me. Nonetheless, I had no plans of getting that close to a Llama again until I met the herd at Majical Miniatures. It did not take long for me to fall in love with them. Especially, Leah with her big eyes and sweet face begging for you to pet her, Phantom, who may look like the Phantom but would have been more aptly named Shadow, as he follows anyone who walks by him and Priscilla, who seems to enjoy being the center of attention, strutting back & forth saying look at me.

 



Phantom



I learned some interesting things about Llamas. They are very social animals and live in herds with other  Llamas. Although, for thousands of years Llamas were pack animals in South America, in North America they are primarily guardians. A full size Llama will grow to be between 5 to 6 feet tall and can weigh between 280 and 450 lbs. Even the baby Llama or Cria will weigh between 20 to 30lbs at birth. They make excellent pack animals not only due to their size & strength, they can carry up to 30 percent of their body weight in a pack for several miles, but because they are very intelligent. After a few repetitions, they have the ability to learn simple tasks. This makes them perfect as guards too. Usually one gelding will guard a herd of sheep or other livestock. The addition of a Llama guard has all but eliminated livestock loss for many farmers. Many of the Llamas at Majical Miniatures are guards, helping to protect the other animals at the sanctuary.



Priscila



Llamas are grazers eating grass and many types of plants. Like cows, they regurgitate their food chewing on it for long periods. In addition to grazing, at Majical Miniatures the Llamas eat a regular diet of hay, grain and fresh flowers and on occasion, fresh fruits and vegetables for a treat.

If interested in sponsoring a Llama at Majical Miniatures please visit: http://www.majicalminiatures.org/sponsor.html

DINE TO DONATE AT APPLEBEES!

Who doesn't enjoy dinner out? Take the night off from cooking on Thursday, August 4, 2011 and Dine to donate at your neighborhood Applebees. Visit any of the 5 participating Applebees in Manatee county on August 4th from 4-9pm and 10% of your dinner bill will be donated to Majical Miniatures.

YOU MUST BRING IN THE FLYER TO QUALIFY!



print this flyer to help Majical Miniatures!



Print a copy of the flyer below or email us at info@majicalminiatures.org and we will email you a copy. Don't forget to tell your friends!

Prairie Dogs



no pictures please



Last week there was an article on News channel 7's website about a prairie dog who decided to make his home on (or should I say in) the first hole green at Bobby Jones golf course. The manager at the golf course had the area roped off so not to disturb him and told the news that he was welcome to stay as long as he wanted. Although Prairie dogs are native to the United States, Canada & Mexico, they are usually found in the northwestern states. It is assumed that this little guy was someone’s pet who either escaped or was released.

These small ground squirrels grow to 16 inches long, weigh up to 3lbs and feed primarily on grasses and some insects. The Prairie dog got his name because of his ability to ward off predators with a high-pitched dog like call.



are you my mother?



Prairie dogs are rodents that love to burrow and are known for being escape artists. They dig complex under ground tunnel systems that go on for acres. Of course, one single prairie dog will not dig a mile long tunnel alone. They are very social creatures that live in large colonies with several families of Prairie dogs within the same tunnel system. Because they normally live where the climate changes from 100 degrees in the summer to 35 degrees in the winter, their burrows help to control temperatures as well as protect them from hailstorms and blizzards.

Nap time!

Most farm owners consider the prairie dog to be a nuisance, preferring to have them removed from their fields for fear their horses or cows might twist a leg in one of the burrow holes. What they do not realize is that the tunnels will help channel rainwater preventing runoff and erosion and according to Wikipidia, can serve to change the composition of the soil in a region by reversing soil compaction that can be a result of cattle grazing. The removal of Prairie dogs has also caused the undesirable spread of brush.

This is another cute little creature pet owners cannot seem to resist. However, it is important to note that they are difficult pets to care for. They require a lot of attention and a very special diet. Each year they go into a period called rut. This can last for months, where the personality can change becoming defensive and aggressive. Despite this, they are very social and need to be with other prairie dogs to be truly happy. Over the last few years there have been bans on keeping prairie dogs as pets, the bans have been lifted in most states but are still in place in some areas. If you would like to sponsor one of our prairie dogs please visit http://www.majicalminiatures.org/ 

by Lisa Burns

Max’s Story

by Lisa Burns

You probably know that Majical Miniatures is a rescue and rehab sanctuary for wild, exotic and farm  animals. They take in all kinds of animals from kangaroos and Llamas to cows and pigs, but they do not take in dogs or cats. That does not mean they will not help get the ball rolling to find a home for an abandoned, abused or neglected dog or cat.

About a year ago Jan, the vice president of Majical Miniatures, stopped by a garage sale where she saw the saddest little dog. The woman at the garage sale explained that the dog's owner had spent a lot of money for him, a purebred Wheaton Terrier, but she had just let him go. Maxwell, although not an outside dog, stayed outside most of the time with access to the garage. He lost much of his fur due to terrible allergies, most of his teeth were broken, he was heartworm positive, was not neutered or housebroken. Jan knew she could not bring an un-neutered dog home but also knew there was no way she could leave him, so she immediately started making phone calls.

Jan reached Lindalee Anderson of Animal Networks Kitty Korner who put her in touch with Kerry Barnes. Kerry has been a rescue volunteer for Canine Castaways for over three years and last year started a foundation with her sister, Shannon Collins, to aid rescues in memory of their parents. Kerry credits her parents for teaching her about the love and loyalty of animals. The Al and Elaine's Legacy Inc foundation was set up to assist rescue groups with marketing and recruiting volunteers. Kerry took over from here. She dropped what she was doing and met Jan to pick up Max.

Within a day, Kerry was able to get Max's owner to relinquish custody of him, took him to see Dr. Taylor of Pet First Animal Hospital and contacted Christine of Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier Club. Christine Rohde is a foster mom for the Wheaten Terrier Club. She agreed to help and took Max home where she spent months nursing Max back to health, spending many nights sleeping next to him on the couch. Because Christine spent many hours with Max caring for him, they developed a special bond. She decided she had to keep Max. Christine says that Max is the ultimate dog, he is learning his commands, knows sit and of course the word treat! Max now has a forever home with Christine and is one healthy happy boy! It just goes to show that anything can be accomplished when we work together. To learn more about the organizations these ladies represent please visit their websites.

http://majicalminiatures.org/

http://alandelaineslegacy.vpweb.com/

http://flwheatenclub.org/

http://www.ankittykorner.com/

Fun facts about Sugar Gliders

Hi everyone, it's Alvin. I am a Sugar Glider and I live with my brothers & sisters, Theodore, Simon, Laverne & Shirley & my adopted humans at Majical Miniatures. Most humans see a cuddly good-looking Sugar Glider, like myself, at the pet store and decide they have to have one, not realizing how much time and money goes into caring for us. They soon find out it is not easy living with a nocturnal "party" animal that enjoys the nightlife! The majority of us end up like me, at a rescue facility within a year. Don't get me wrong, I love it here at Majical Miniatures, I get all the mealworms I can eat, live in a spacious high-rise cage with plenty of room to fly and host rockin' parties, even my human friends can stop in for a visit. That reminds me, party in my cage tonight 2am BYOM (bring your own mealworms). In the meantime, if you are considering adding a Sugar Glider to your family, check out these fun facts about us.

Did you know? Sugar Glider facts:

• Sugar gliders get their name from their love of sweet foods and a membrane that allows them to glide
• They are native to Australia, Tasmania, Indonesia & Papua-New Guinea
• They are marsupials which means they raise their young in a pouch on the mom's belly
• An adult Sugar Glider will weigh between 4 to 5 oz, grow to 13" long and can live up to 15 years
• Sugar Gliders are Nocturnal which means they sleep during the day and are active at night
• Even though they are fur covered, their ears are hairless. Their ears move independent of each other in constant motion picking up sounds
• Their tail is used for stability and balance and direction of flight when gliding
• A membrane of skin runs from the wrist to the ankle giving the Sugar Glider the ability to glide
• They make loud barking sounds like a small dog
• A Sugar glider is a social animal which means they do better in pairs but normally live in groups of up to seven adults and their young
• Their diet is made up of insects, small vertebrates, tree sap from Eucalyptus, Acacia and Gum trees, nectar, pollen and fruits
• Sugar Gliders can peel the bark of a tree with their teeth! Imagine what a bite would feel like!
• Much like a ferret or skunk they have glands on their body to emit scent and mark with their urine

• They are one of the most commonly traded wild animals in the illegal pet trade, where animals are plucked directly from their natural habitats

To learn more about Majical Miniatures and how you can help visit:
www.majicalminiatures.org
For more info on Sugar Gliders visit:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugar_glider
http://sugarglidercare.org/

Manatee County Ag Sheriff help rescue family of non-native deer.

At the end of last year, we had heard of a group of fallow deer that had been hand raised and released over off Jim Davis Rd in Parrish. One of our volunteers had voiced some concern over them but they tended to wander the neighborhood sticking to a schedule only they knew.

In Feb/March of this year we started getting calls about “our deer” being loose. Of course, they were not our deer and we had yet to see them. Then I got a call one day that there was a white deer in the road by the golf course that would not get off the road. So I went down to check it out and see what was going on. At first, they were nowhere to be seen. After a few minutes, the three of them crossed the road into a wooded area off Golf Course Rd. I spent the next 20-30 min just watching them as they meandered around browsing, checking me out, and playing with a cushion that was discarded by the side of the road. Then they ambled off following the creek.

These deer were fallow deer, which are not native to FL, and it is illegal to release them here. There was a white buck and two does (1 white and 1 brown). While they were doing ok on their own they were prime targets for predators, including humans since they were so ‘tame’ and they posed a problem to our native white tail deer as far as interbreeding. Fish & Wildlife agreed to let us try to catch and move them otherwise they were going to be destroyed. Now came the big adventure.

The white doe, by far the tamest, had no problem going into a baited trailer and being moved to the sanctuary the first week of April. The other two proved to be more of a challenge. The buck tended to push the other doe off and when he finally came close to going into the trailer, he bolted catching his foot in a fence and injuring his leg. After this, the two would not return to the trailer so that plan was scrapped. They were rarely seen for the next couple of weeks and we continued to get reports of him limping. Then the last week of April they started showing up again at a neighbors’ house on Jim Davis Rd regularly in the early am and late pm.

Due to the skittish nature of these two, we had to enlist the help of the Ag Sheriffs. We knew we were going to have to have them darted to be able to transport them. Mike Ference and Justin Yero came out along with their Sergeant Tom Frank to check the situation out. They agreed to come out on April 29^th to see if we could get this taken care of.

On that Friday Mike Ference (on his day off!), Justin Yero, Kevin Karava and Sergeant Tom Frank showed up bright and early. The deer on the other hand were late. They ended up playing around down by Gamble Creek Farms. So down the road the guys went. Now darting is not an easy task especially in a wooded area but with lots of patience, determination, sweat and blood (the guys from the brush - not the deer) mission accomplished! After having to bring them out of the woods through the brush and up the creek bed, they helped us get them to the sanctuary and settled. To these guys I am forever thankful. Without their help, this never would have been accomplished and the deer would have paid with their lives. All of them truly went above and beyond. Because of their efforts they deer are alive, they no longer pose a danger to motorist or people (a ‘tame’ buck in rut is nothing to mess with), and they are no longer a threat to our white tail population. While most of the neighbors will miss them, the deer are the ones that are the losers in this– they lost their short-lived freedom. They are happy to be back together though and enjoying a small piece of what they had.

Buck, Blanc and Babe want to send a special thank you to Paige Babor, Brenda Bagley, Dave and Joyce Leonard, Randy Bates, Gamble Creek Farms and of course Mike Ference, Justin Yero, Kevin Karava, Tom Frank. WE thank you as well.

Jan Doherty

Majical Miniatures

If you would like to sponsor Buck, Blanc & Babe please visit: MajicalMiniatures

Bunnies & Chicks for Easter presents is a NoNo!

It's Easter time! Children everywhere are becoming excited thinking about chocolate bunnies, Peeps & colored eggs, while parents & grandparents are thinking how cute it would be to have their child wake up to a cuddly bunny or fuzzy chick on Easter morning. Not a good idea parents!

Statistics show most people who purchase bunnies consider them to be disposable & about 80% of rabbits purchased as house pets are given away, brought to a shelter or abandoned in the wild with in a year of purchase. A simple search of “rabbits for adoption” will lead to hundreds of rescue sites. There are over 5400 rabbits available for adoption on petfinder.com alone. According to House Rabbit Services, they rescue about 1500 rabbits a year from local shelters.

Rabbits & baby chicks do not make good pets for small children for many reasons. Most people are disappointed to find that cute cuddly baby bunny they bought at the pet store does not stay cute & cuddly for long. Rabbits, especially babies, are very social and require a lot of time and attention. They are also very delicate animals that can unintentionally be hurt when picked up by a small child. Rabbits will become frightened when picked up; squirming until they are free which means your child could be hurt too. When frightened they may bite, runaway or become prone to stress related illness. Since rabbits are very sensitive to change, a routine for feeding, cleaning & exercise must be established. Let us not forget toilet training, be prepared for accidents and to help save on damaging household items you should “bunny proof” same as you would for a child. If you decide to adopt a rabbit, please do so from a shelter and do your research. You should realize that he will be “your” responsibility. It is unreasonable to expect a child of any age to take responsibility for care of a rabbit.

As for the baby chicks, they should never be considered as a house pet especially for a small child. Did you know that baby chicks & ducks carry salmonella? According to David Fester of Worldwide Health, The New Mexico Department of Health advises families to avoid potential exposure to salmonella by not giving baby chicks and ducklings to children as Easter gifts. Some of the risk factors for people getting sick with salmonella from baby chicks were keeping them inside the house and allowing small children to handle and snuggle with the baby birds," said Dr. Paul Ettestad, state public health veterinarian at the Department of Health.

So, Mom and Dad, how about this year we stick with the chocolate bunnies & peeps or better yet, donate to a local animal shelter in your child’s name. Majical Miniatures offers “adoption” packages. You make a donation to help care for the animal on site and your child will receive a packet with the animal’s bio, e- updates and even a birthday card! contact Jenna at jenna@majicalminiatures.org for more information.