Spirit Keeper Animal Sanctuary

10/11/2024

https://youtu.be/94_DSiSUvxc?si=VXKpRwHPrXEUFj1w

On November 8-9, 2024, a significant winter storm impacted Colorado Springs and the surrounding areas, including Ellicott and Yoder where Spirit Keeper Anima...

09/11/2024

Shoveled snow today. Anyone else get to move snow.

03/11/2024

We are sad to report we lost Poncho Pony this evening due to liver failure. Poncho was saved from slaughter many years ago and has been with us for over 20 years.
Poncho 1999(?) - November 2, 2024.

03/11/2024

Lucy is doing well post-knee injections. The knees are at risk of initially being worse due to the trauma from the injections but she is still getting anti inflammatory cream and oral pain management so she is doing the same as prior to injection. The Spryng™ with OsteoCushion™ Technology can take about 3 weeks to fully integrate and bind to the synovium. It’s a long set-in time to start working but also works for a long time. This is a biotechnology not a medication.

01/11/2024

Lucy today just before getting her knee joints injected with Spryng gel. She had to have two injections in each knee. We got some video footage and will post something to YouTube soon. We couldn’t have done the is for her without those of you who donated to her fundraiser!

https://www.sprynghealth.com/

29/10/2024

Congratulations to Kinova for the launch of their Pet Success Program.

Pet Success Program Rooted in cutting-edge animal behavior research, Kinova’s Pet Success Program ensures that your new Ball Python will transition smoothly to life beyond our facility. Each enrolled snake undergoes thorough preparation before shipping to reduce post-sale stress, resulting in a we...

28/10/2024

Lucy (far right in the first two photos) is pictured here with some of her friends, Sujal and Summer. Her knees are being injected with a long lasting gel on Thursday afternoon. To make this happen we had to do a fundraiser, thank you to all who donated, have our vet order the treatment from the manufacturer, wait for it to arrive, and get our vet scheduled to come out. Lucy has been kept comfortable while waiting thanks to Surpass topical ointment, an anti inflammatory rubbed into her knees twice daily. I was skeptical about how well it would work on severely swollen and arthritic joints but it has been a huge relief to her. Lucy has been able to get up and down more easily and move around more freely. The Surpass is $82-$86 a tube and we use about 1.5 tubes a week applying it twice daily to both knees.

20/10/2024

Monroe, Norwegian Elkhound. He looks so handsome when he’s watching us eat dinner.

08/10/2024

A few of the dogs.

08/10/2024

Some of the critters today.

28/09/2024

This would be a helpful watch for several people I have done recent consultations for:

Welcome to Royals at the Ranch for Thursday, November 17, 2022. Regular viewers should be well versed in body language, stress levels, and potential emotiona...

27/09/2024

FALL IS OFFICIALLY HERE! HAS YOUR HORSE RECEIVED THIER FALL SHOTS YET? 🍂🍁

As a horse owner, the good thing about the colder season is knowing you won't have to deal with as many insect-related issues compared to the spring and summer months. The cold weather, however, brings different challenges to your horse’s health such as respiratory viruses — which is why fall vaccines/boosters usually include inoculations against influenza and the respiratory form of herpesvirus (rhinopneumonitis).

If your horse has yet to receive their fall vaccinations this year, contact your veterinarian today and work with them to determine the optimal vaccine protocol for your animal. Based on their situation, your horse may need additional specific risk-based vaccinations. Your horse doctor will be able to provide accurate information on what products to use and why.

If you are interested in learning more about horse immunization, the AAEP's Vaccination Guidelines are available on our website at: https://aaep.org/guidelines/vaccination-guidelines

26/09/2024

Nice day in Colorado!

22/09/2024

Puncture wounds in the foot qualify as medical emergencies, due to the number of vital structures just beneath the sole that can be physically damaged and/or contaminated with bacteria when they are penetrated by a sharp object.

If your horse steps on a nail or other sharp object and it remains embedded in the hoof, resist the temptation to pull the nail out and consult with your veterinarian first. Leaving the nail in place will allow the vet to take x-rays of the foot before removal, which helps to identify exactly what structures have been penetrated, and to plan the most appropriate strategy for dealing with the situation.

If your veterinarian advises, carefully remove the nail to prevent the horse from stepping on it and driving it deeper into the hoof cavity. As you remove it, be sure to mark the exact point and depth of entry with tape and/or a marker so the veterinarian can assess the extent of damage. Apply antiseptic to the wound, and wrap to prevent additional contamination while you wait for your appointment.

Penetrating hoof wounds can be extremely serious and shouldn’t be underestimated. The prognosis for successful recovery depends on quick action to identify the path of the nail, treatment of potential infection and mechanical damage to the foot, and proper aftercare. As always, consult your horse doctor for more information and advice!

20/09/2024

These 3 situations can look extremely similar when we see the finished product, but there's a HUGE emotional distinction between them to the being on the receiving end.

Aversives are anything at all that the learner dislikes, finds uncomfortable, concerning, bothersome, annoying, it doesn't even need to be physical, it could just be your approach or body language. ANYTHING the horse works to avoid is an aversive. If the removal of this thing reinforces a behavior, we know the thing removed was aversive to the learner. So if the RELEASE or removal of this thing works to make the horse want to keep doing that behavior in the future (pressure/release) we know that thing is aversive to the horse. That's how negative reinforcement works, apply an aversive stimulus and remove it when the horse does what we want. We often equate this with "pressure" because of the old phrase "pressure and release" because in normal horse training we apply a form of physical or psychological pressure, then when the horse does what we want, we remove it.

Pressure, however, is often, but not always, aversive. Which trips people up alot when we have these conversations. Pressure is just physical pressing, which could be uncomfortable and invasive, or it could feel great! Depending on how it's received. A massage, scratching an itchy spot, or a good rub down, can feel good. Our bum sitting on their back, our hug, the girth, a halter, it's all pressure, but is it aversive? That's interpreted by the horse in front of you.

You can test the aversiveness of pressure by applying it and seeing the horse's reaction. Do they react? Do they do behaviors to try to make it stop? Do they show discomfort or frustration? We can counter condition things that are benign or neutral to be appetitive, but things inherently aversive to the learner, that cause actual pain or discomfort are going to be much harder, if not impossible to counter condition. Those innate aversives can also poison our positive training if mixed in without great care. So avoid true aversive pressure where possible.

If there's a tactile sensation that the horse does NOT find aversive, you've tested it and you're sure, you can use that physical sensation as a cue. Train the behavior with whatever shaping method you prefer, free shaping, capturing, or targets, then once the behavior is happening reliably, put the behavior on whatever cue you find appropriate. Even tactile cues which can look and feel like traditional cues, without carrying the emotional baggage.

16/09/2024

https://www.behavioreducation.org/post/minimizing-transition-stress-for-snakes-a-guide-to-low-stress-home-and-habitat-changes

This blog augments my YouTube Playlist on Transitions and the videos contained in that list.

IntroductionTransitioning a snake into a new environment, whether it's from breeder to pet owner or from one enclosure to another, can be stressful for the animal. This is particularly true for species like Python regius (Royal Pythons), known for their reactive coping style, shy nature, and sensiti...

15/09/2024

https://youtu.be/Vpepv_Ph-qo?si=kIgexX23gQq3yZ-9
Reach Out Reptiles

Choice-Based and Context-Based Snake Handling: Respecting Boundaries and Building TrustIn this video, I share my approach to handling snakes based on choice ...