What IS That???!!!

This is freaking me out....

Ok, let me explain this picture. Look behind the big camel facing left in the middle of the picture. Can you see that black thing (or is it brown?)

I blew it up and tried to lighten it (see insert to pic) but that makes it worse.

I have been out of town with my bird show performing at the Pinal County Fair in Arizona.

I talk to Gil every day. He tells me what's going on at home and how my kitties are and of course how all the camels are doing.

I didn't think anything about it at the time but he mentioned that the milking camels seemed a little "light" like they weren't giving as much milk in the morning.

I mean, that can happen right? The weather in Arizona was a bit dry and windy so maybe it was windy here at the Camel Dairy in Ramona too and that might have bothored the girls and effected their milk production. Can that happen?

Ok, so we go out this morning to milk together and Gil is right. In fact, even a couple of the camels were so light, it was as if the babies had gotten their first and had an early breakfast.

But that isn't as weird as what came next! Shadow (our coyote fearin' dog) was barking at the pasture... I mean REALLY barking! So we go over there and see this BIG animal! I don't know what it was. It was right by the camels. I ran to get the camera and got a shot... not a great one.

What is that? Have you ever seen a bear or big.... what ... I don't know, in Ramona?

Gil got some video too and as soon as I figure out how to load it, I'll post it.

Now we are freaked out and thinking back on the past couple of weeks. The dogs have been barking a lot in the early, early morning. Even the racing turkeys have been gobbling non-stop (which we assumed was just because of breeding season) And come to think of it our donkeys (which are soooo smart and sooo good at alerting about predators) have been braying more too. The thing is, everyone is fine, I can't see where anything has tried to get into a pen or break through a fence.

I'll keep you posted!

Nancy

ps... to our neighbors: have you seen a big brown bear or big brown????

HOW DO YOU MOVE A 2000 LB. CAMEL PART 3: YOU'RE COMIN' HOME!

SPOILER ALERT!
Be sure to read parts 1 and 2 before this post. We wouldn't want to spoil the ending before you read the beginning!

So there we were, a team of hopeful, yet somewhat worn out animal handlers facing one, big, bull camel carefully harnessed in truckers tie-downs ready for our next amusing attempt to try to load him into the trailer. The make shift harness was securely tied to the 3000 lb test rope, strung through the trailer and out the front, across the driveway and tied to the Toyota waiting on the lawn.

NOTE: the photo above, right was taken after the camel was loaded into the trailer. You can see the harness between the front legs. Also... check out that hump! It almost touches the top of that EIGHT FOOT trailer!

We all stood for a few minutes, coordinating our plan, troubleshooting possible scenarios and going over procedure details.

Camel's owner would drive the truck, slowly backwards as Gil and I would help Camel into the trailer and shut the door. the owners grounds keeper would communicate between Gil and the truck driver to make sure the camel was not pulled in too fast or too slow and most importantly, to stop him and reverse him if something went wrong.

Gil initiated the countdown... three, two, one. Camel could see the change in our posture, he seemed to note we were getting ready for something as he stopped chewing his cud and looked curiously around. His face seemed to communicate, "what are you goofballs trying now? You should know you are no match for me." He did not look to concerned.

But as the truck inched backwards and the slack in the rope disappeared, the giant camel's shoulders and front limbs moved forward. His eyes showed his disbelief becoming two HUGE blinking orbits as his massive frame slid easily through the sand towards the trailer entrance.

With only one stop at the door so Gil and I could help him position his feet, the truck continuously edged backwards, easing him in. When he braced himself at the trailer door, he allowed his knees to fold landing easily in the thick bermuda hay bedding. Just like getting your pantyhose past critical territory, it was smooth sliding from there on out!

In he went, in a cushed position with rear legs awkwardly out behind. Gil called a halt, quickly secured the door and motioned the truck to move towards the trailer creating a nice, slack rope.
Camel stood up, looked around, and ate grain. He appeared to not want to make much of a big deal about our victory.

Once inside the trailer he simply looked around and relaxed. Gil slipped in through the small side door, talked to him softly while removing the harness. We all shook hands, heck.. we hugged like disaster survivors, and headed home.

On the way home, we called our veterinarian. We scheduled his castration surgery for the very next day! At first, the decision to castrate him was a difficult one to make. He is truly one of the most gorgeous camels I have ever seen. On a scale of one to ten.. he is a 20! But, he is a hand raised bull. There in lies his problem. Hand raised bull camels are one of the most dangerous animals you can work with. They are at the same time cuddly and territorial, affectionate and sexually aroused. They are easily confused between what is a suitable mating partner and choose partners like hay bales, lawn tractors, cars and people! Camel owners have been seriously injured and even killed by full grown "hand raised baby" bull camels.

The vet arrived the next morning, Camel, (now named Goliath... which of course never "took" because Gil started cooing to him, calling him Boo-boo) waited in the trailer and after relaxing into sedation, took the second step to his new life.

After the procedure, Boo-boo recovered from anesthesia in the trailer. A big spacious eight feet high by eight feet wide by twenty four feet long, it was the safest post surgery environment on a cool, spring morning.

Once up and around, Gil backed the trailer up to the gate of our quarantine paddock. (a 40 x40 enclosure away from the other camels where a new camel can be observed and treated before introduction to the herd) Boo-boo walked easily out of the trailer, briefly explored his enclosure before curling his neck back and blowing out his dula, head held high, eyes closed. That is bull camel for "I've arrived!"

Boo-boo was home, he was safe, and once the testosterone in his system dissipated he would be ready to meet his new family.

And that my friends, is another story!

Come meet Boo-boo in person at the Oasis Camel Dairy. Visit our website: http://www.cameldairy.com/ for tour dates and information. Maybe even take a ride on Boo-boo on one of our brand new SAFARI CAMEL ADVENTURES!