Animal Diaries Archive
Look what the kids got for Xmas!
25 January 2008
Our kids had a fantastic Christmas with their new three-tiered goat tables. They just LOVE them! Each day the tables are used as a play area, viewing point, resting place and a sleeping platform- all rolled into one.
The ‘goat tables’ have provided plenty of fun and enrichment for our gorgeous goats as it satisfies two aspects of their natural ‘goat’ behaviors – their curiosity and their love of jumping onto high objects . Many unsuspecting goat owners find out about the traits the hard way, finding hoof prints and dents on their car bonnet and a goat proudly standing on the car roof!
Goats love to explore, jump up and walk along narrow ledges. They love to stand up on the highest point in the area checking out who and what is approaching.
When we take our goats out walking around the zoo they seek out different levels to explore, boulders to jump on, stairs to climb, and park benches to walk along. They used to love jumping up and balancing along the whole length of Cootha the wooden crocodile. They’ll often put their front hooves up on the wombat enclosure wall and have a good “sticky-beak” checking out any interesting wombat activity.
Back in their pens we have always given them a selection of logs, crates and upturned barrels but these goat tables are in a class of their own. First thing in the morning the goats stand up tall on their tables, necks craning to get the first glimpse of the early keeper arriving, calling out to the other animals that breakfast is imminent. Later on the goats play games like who can stay on the top platform the longest without getting butted-off, or how many goats can you fit on one platform. Then of course there’s good old ‘chasey’ with the tables adding an extra degree of difficulty.
In the afternoons the goats rest on their platforms chewing their cud and generally chilling-out after a hectic farm food session. By the time we leave to go home at the end of the day the goats are all snuggled up together on the different levels of their table sleeping peacefully.
So on behalf of our goats, we would like to thank Larry and Mitch from the construction team for building such great creations - they’re a real hit!
Kids Zoo Crew.
