There's been a lot going on these days preparing for the cooler weather hitting the Snake River Valley! All of the animals are now either in their winter quarters enjoying the warm 80 degrees, or outdoors soaking in the hot tub warm geothermal water that is located on our property. I put together a few pictures I took along the way as we all prepare for the fall/winter season! Enjoy - Corbin
A lot of people wonder where Soni our large adult male alligator resides when the cooler weather hits. The answer is he stays put! Like I previously mentioned above, our property on the Snake River is located on geothermal water. This means our water comes out exceptionally warm (100 plus degrees)! Matter-of-fact it's hard to even get cold water! In the winter time we raise his pool level to keep him nice and comfortable when the temperatures drop exceptionally low.
When Soni had had enough of us in his pool, he decided to crawl on land and watch us from this vantage point. Soni very rarely ever exhibits aggressive behavior towards us. This probably has to do with the fact that he has been around humans ever since he was born.
The majority of our animals move indoors from their outdoor summer exhibits. In the summer this pool is a thriving place and home to water turtles and our younger alligator. In the winter, its residents move indoors and the pool is drained.
Luckily, Napoleon is covered in hair-like feathers that insulate him and keep him warm during the cool winter. Here we decided to try a unique enrichment experience for him: Christmas music! I think he was more curious in the red stereo than the actual music!
Oddly enough, Tinkerbelle our Sulcata tortoise still enjoys exploring the outdoor tortoise yard. She has the ability to come and go from the warm tortoise house as she pleases. Here she actually crosses ice! She normally limits her time outdoors to only a few hours each day because of the cooler temperatures.
Thanksgiving is hands-down one of my favorite holidays! I create huge, elaborate diets for our vegetarian residents! Fruits like bananas, kiwis, and apples are special treats that are not normally included in their daily diets.
I wanted to end the post on this picture! Here Godzilla eyes the new Christmas tree and lights...Which he will probably climb on and destroy sooner than later!