New Baby reindeer to my herd

Well.....we greatly appreciate it! It's been so informative and great fun!

 

Talking of fun.. Thought you might like this...
Video not the best quality and most of the play I missed before I got my camera out (I was having too much fun) but Freya is becoming very playful baby (another Hector in the making), surprising as her mother is BSC .

Herd update, Lexi still very lame, particularly when she first gets up. Hector running fence line continually & can't think about anything but his hormones...oh can't wait for him to come out of rut!!
and a few snap of today..




Welcome to the virtual tour!!

 

Karen - Freya certainly has a lot of character and looks incredibly healthy!!! All due to your great efforts! The video was too cute! I also loved the pic's!!! Hector looks like a racehorse at the starting gate...but oh so handsome!

 

Love the pictures Karen. You could be having a lot of fun if you have another Hector in the making! I do hope that Lexi soon gets better.

 

What to do...?
I know in my own heart, I will continue...
But other reindeer owners have seen video and say NOT to play with reindeer as they become too dominant... I much prefer an animal that isn't frightened of me... I can give them boundaries when needed.
My playful reindeer will accept hoof trimming, injections etc. without even being on a lead rope... And not sure anyone else can give a rutting bull injections and daily vits over fence - I can... I can catch him and tie him up without even entering his paddock.
Elsa my new girl was captive bred (not by the lovely couple I got her from) but can't believe how wild she is... nobody spent time with her as baby.
I will continue building up trust in my deer... more than happy to give them boundaries once the trust me.. but not before.

 

Lovely pics and video as usual Karen! I so enjoy the reindeer posts. Freya is delightful and so pretty!

 

Karen Just keep doing what you doing they are yours and you know whats best for them. Your happy and they are Really HAPPY.

 

Other Reindeer owners don't own YOUR herd, so how can they tell you what's going to happen with YOUR herd?
Hector and Lotte sure turned out to be vicious tyrants, didn't they? lol
Maybe the other owners mean well... but to me it seems like they are just jealous of what you've accomplished!

This isn't your first Reindeer Rodeo, so you go girl

 

Well here is my 5 cents worth! I don't think those other reindeer farmers have a clue as to how well your farming technique works for you and your herd! You MUST give love and respect to get love and respect (trust) back! "If it is NOT BROKEN" why fix it!?" and starting young is the way to go in my opinion!
the Freya video, she is too cute! And I totally agree with shellhappybj,and GuineaUP!

 

I agree with what the others have said. You are an experienced "mum" to reindeer and they obviously love you as much as you love them. Just keep doing what you are doing and take no notice of what other (probably inexperienced ) reindeer owners say.

 

Karen, I agree with what the others have already said. I'll also add that other reindeer owners who responded to the video most likely don't have the same relationship with their reindeer the way that you do, so therefore the reindeer may respond to them differently if they were to try to "play" with the reindeer. Raise your herd the way that you prefer to do so. It seems to be working well for you so far.

 

Thank you all.. Your thoughts were mine too. Daren't really express that they keep their herds at arms length... I prefer mine to be happy with me being part of their herd (but still being the IN Charge Herd Member), I can walk or lay amongst them whilst they are laying down and chewing cud without them stressing...
Today's update. Never tried this route before, but Boris being a castrate is VERY lazy stripping his velvet so vet suggested testosterone jab.. It's been on order for days.. finally got it this afternoon... It's a human drug and in glass ampule which I have never dealt with before (and no human dosage recommended let alone animal)... Thought vet had said 1ml (I misheard) thank goodness I checked as 0.1ml... Oh my goodness if I hadn't checked, at best I would have been launched over fence.

Lazy lump will hopefully strip out soon..

 

Big difference in those numbers! Let's hope it works.

 

Stripped or not yet, Boris is one handsome gorgeous (lump of a) boy! ), and oh so aggressive... lol. NOT
Yikes at an accidental Testosterone OD, runnnnnnn !!!

 

Karen - do the other reindeer herd owners you refer to take their animals in public or are they left wild on their property? Since yours interact with the public, I would think it appropriate for you to know each one very well and that only comes with spending lots of time with them. Additionally, you have shared you have had some young visitors (I'm remembering the young girl who was being bullied at school) that had such a positive and rewarding experience. As you say, you are the Top Reindeer of the herd and put boundaries in place when necessary, as well as observe good safety practices (not going into the field with bull during rut). Are these other reindeer owners nearby? Perhaps they could come and tour your operation and see for themselves the standard practices you have. At any rate....carry on

Thanks for the photos. Boris is very impressive even just relaxing.

 

Even though we aren't Open to the Public, due to no facilities (toilets) I have quite a few families visit - just the ones that offer willow, birch leaves and apple donations... They mix freely with my herd (even tots), except rutting paddock (during rut) and must admit I put Hector on a lead rope if tiny children visiting just before rut as Hector gets a little playful but they can still cuddle and climb all over him but he isn't allowed to instigate play as tiny tots can't tell him if he is playing too hard. But regularly have little ones (humans) in with the herd at home - for 9 months of the year no problems (mind you I don't allow tots in paddocks when calves are first born) at this time for me keeping my mothers and babies unstressed is paramount..

 

It is a good thing you listened to that "little voice" that says check with the vet! Boris although very beautiful, is a BIG BOY, and you don't need him in full charging mode and poor boy would not have known what had hit him! Everything you post and I read tells me you use a lot of common sense
and you and your herd are better for it!

 

It seems the testosterone may be working - he's starting to strip but still being lovely... I went a little less than the 0.1 ml.. as I didn't want him getting rutty..
Our first booking is next Saturday (19th) but I can get away with Katya and Mischa BUT he is needed for a wedding on the 24th... lets hope he doesn't look like a zombie then!!! Got to love his lazy boots! Grrh!!

 

Will keep fingers crossed that he strips out for the wedding on Thanksgiving here in the USA!

 

Well Boris looks very calm and maybe too relaxed! Hopefully he does not look like Zombie Boris
on the 24th! I hope all goes well for the wedding!