New Baby reindeer to my herd

Great video, I must say Hector really just wants your attention! Fingers crossed for Mischa and hopefully a healthy baby for her this season!! Best of luck with the rest of the herd too!

 

Don't get me started Labmommy..... Ruminants tummies are permanently on the move... In mid, to late March I can see definite punches, which aren't digestive processes BUT now I watch too for slightly unusual movements in those tummies.. I am sure I have seen in Mischa's belly, a different movement... but hubby just rolls his eyes .... I am just watching and wishful for now...
Mid March I will give them all their annual vaccinations for optimum calf protection (just in case), will inject with Ivomectin for worms (just in case) and they will all be drenched with selenium, cobalt and vit B and I will incorporate lamb creep into feed as it is higher in calcium...
Reindeer cows (girls) have a huge draw on calcium deposits in April/May/June as they have calves growing internally or feeding and also growing antlers

 

I am still SO in love with Mr Hector !!!!!
And Oh yah, Miss Mischa is a little on the "fluffy" side isn't she lol. Maybe she has twins in there? How common is that Karen?

I have noticed the stripes in their markings several times before in your pics, and yes they do kinda of look like ribs at first glance... but with as good of care, feed and luscious pasture that you provide for them I never figured it to be anything but their natural (and seasonal?) markings . Maybe it's kind of like with horses.... some do get dapples at times, which is usually a sign of good health/nutrition (I have seen this in my own horses, especially in the Spring when their pasture grass is lush, rich and nutritious).

 

Twins are very very rare.. and Mischa hasn't so far managed to have 1 baby survive so I would hope against hope that it isn't twins just one big bouncing happy baby....
Tomorrow (I am hoping/planning) to start the groundwork for my next "Taj!!!" (water trough stand) but need to lay a slab base first... haven't done that before so will need to do research first (Bless the internet!!!) First Taj is tonight wrapped up like a swaddling child as we are having a few nights of frosts and the mortar hasn't gone off yet...

Edit... Ignore what I said yesterday, have put off laying slabs and instead painted & drilled mounting frames... slab laying is another of those jobs I put off...
Adding a picture of Boris in the sunshine - lovely day here today, cold but sunny.

 

What a beautiful picture! Just love your posts. Boris has a full rack now?

 

Boris' antlers have been like this all year Lotti and he still hasn't dropped them yet but hopefully in the next few weeks.

Thought I'd share this photo too, it's of one of my 4 honorary member of the herd, Dilly. As you can see the herd are very relaxed with "their" dogs... and they do know the difference if a turn up with someone else's black Labrador.

 

Just one of the gang!

 

Lovely photo and Dilly is gorgeous!

 

Well, I hate to have it go . It is so beautiful.

 

Still having problems with overexposure on my camera since we fiddled with it, despite restoring factory settings but I hope you can look beyond..
Hector & Lotte playing..

 

I just Labs and Dilly is a beauty!! I love that the herd and Dilly are all just hanging out together!! Great photo Thanks Karen!

 

Dilly was on the way back from the vets...she has a mammary cancer but it is complicated by the fact she has only just come out of season.. She is now on very serious drugs to bring her hormone levels down quickly before the tumour can be removed and spay at the same time... I cannot (any female) administer drugs - only men... thank goodness it isn't a daily injection as hubby doesn't do needles!!!
Wish her luck, the drugs can cause vomiting (Vet's orders, hubby has to clean up vomit!!!)... This continues until next Friday when she will have tumour removed and spay too...
I am convinced mammary tumours must be genetically linked as her litter sister (Diva) had the same problem 5 months ago.. not so much of a problem as appeared between seasons.. I have (seriously had dogs, usually bitches for 31 years - never less than 2 and usually 5 at a time) and never had mammary cancers before and yet all have followed same route.. ie they are kept entire, as they work better not spayed, they then go through all tests, both genetic and working and if they excel then maybe they have a litter. Their puppies have been exported for competition to Germany, USA, Norway.. Some of my girls have never had a litter but at most two, from a really good one, Dilly has had 2 litters & 2 babies winning well in Germany... But she has a hard time ahead of her.
Not worried per se but she has bridges to climb...

 

Is it that females cannot be in contact with the specific hormone drugs?

 

Yes Noelle, a pretty strong drug, no (human) females can come into contact with it, even a little on skin will be absorbed. Apparently even drops on skin will cause abortion or scramble female hormones... Poor Dilly, expecting vomiting etc but the only other option was to wait for 3 months and her cancer might be more aggressive... She'll be fine, usually dog mammary cancer is benign but just tough at the moment -expensive drug... If I was being a sceptic...
don't get me started, my Large animal vet bills are half the price of the "pet" animals... It's a disgrace, large animals, vets come to me, charge half the price for an animal that needs twice the drugs... Insurance claims for small animals are to blame!!!

 

I am saying a special prayer for Dilly. She is lovely....great pic of the "herd"!!! I loved the video of Lotte & Hector playing....which took me to some of the older video's. I'm so thankful for this thread and all your patience teaching us about reindeer. I hope you never stop. I don't know what I'd do without my reindeer info fix. I'm enjoying watching the 2 babies(Hector & Lotte) growing up. Hector could have his own TV show. LOL He is such `a character!

 

So sorry about Dilly's troubles; I hope treatment will be uncomplicated and very successful. Love the video of the kids playing! Hope they are careful not to poke each other in the eye.

 

Willow. It's funny you should say that, as I was only laughing to myself the other day when I was head wrestling with Hector - I wondered what Accident & Emergency would say if I went in with an eye injury and said a) It was caused by a reindeer and b) Not maliciously, I was only play head wrestling with him.... I might be put in a white jacket!!! Lol

A couple of picture of the babies BUT I might not be able to call them "the babies" much longer..... as I am pretty convinced that at least Mischa and Katya are in calf... nothing for certain and hubby just rolls his eyes when I say I "think" I have seen something in those tummies - okay not obvious kicks yet, as too early. The ruminant tummies roll/undulate but I have seen equivalent to a pulse, which "I think" are little kicks. Doesn't happen often but little ones sleep a lot - my excuse for tummy gazing for hours!!!!

 

My how our babies have grown this past year. Thank you so much for this thread Karen, it always lifts my spirits to come here. I can't wait for any news on new babies this year. Fingers double crossed for Mischa.
Saying a little prayer that everything will go well for Dilly.

 

Oh Bless JJ. The "our babies" comment meant so much to me.. Feels like everyone is on board and sharing my reindeer life journey, the good and the sad... Thank you so much.

Dilly, the dog, will be fine, I am sure. Her litter sister went through same mammary cancers 4 months ago but Diva didn't need the aggressive hormones first because she was between seasons.. Dilly just has to go through the "sicky" bit first... poor girl but her op is scheduled for Friday, then just sore and on the mend...

Edit.. just adding a couple of photo's of my possible Yummy mummies.. these two, Mischa and Katya are the only two so far that I "believe" I have seen unusual movements in their tummies... wishful thinking know BUT....

 

Need a rant... can someone post in between last post...before I get my knuckles rapped for double posting... Getting so angry with people dumping unwanted pets... My reindeer are well hidden but their paddocks are so close to a town.. and it seems when kids get fed up with their pet rabbit, parents dump them close to my paddocks and the rabbits come to me!!!... The wild ones are causing enough problem with potential broken legs in their rabbit holes but I find it hard to despatch these BUT trying to rehome just isn't working... even rabbit rehoming services class them as wild if their mothers were dumped pregnant!!!
These aren't wild rabbits... even if they were born in my paddocks!!!