2014 - A Year of Hello's and Goodbye's Part 2 - A Fond Farewell

As mentioned yesterday I think it would be fitting to remember some of the lovely animals at MKC that we have had to say farewell to.

So here is my tribute

Aquatics

"Pacman - The Ornate Horned Frog"

Pacman came to MKC a long time ago and was very old - he was quite good at being handled and was named after the computer game character as they look a bit like him.

The fan tailed Gold Fish have also died this year but everyone else in Aquatics are doing well.



Exotics

"Haribo The Corn Snake"

Sahara was my favourite reptile and was the first picture on my blog. She died back at the end of September suddenly but we think she was quite old. She loved coming in to the class to be nosey and seemed to enjoy being handled. I miss her. As she was so popular the decision was made to get another Uromastyx quickly hence the arrival of Jenson.



"Sahara The Uromastyx and me"  

Mammals

This is an emotional one for me as this most of my favourite animals are in this room and I knew that the time would come when we would have to say goodbye to some of the long term residents. This seems to have been the year. Any one who follows the blog will know how much I love the buns so it was very sad to see Peanut over 8yrs old and Benjy almost 7 say farewell. On a happy note they did leave us a lovely reminder of them in the form of Batch the Bunny who is their son. Both Peanut and Benjy were the first animals I really remember when I joined animal care almost 6 years ago and I have many fond memories of them  and miss them very much.

"Peanut and me" - One last kiss



"Benjy and me" before he retired.

Other mammals who have left us are Ellis the Chinchilla who I do not think I have a photo of as 3 of them all look the same and I get them confused with each other. We rehomed 4 of our 6 Quails as they can get quite aggressive with each other so we now have 2. Also rats and mice due to their short life span have come and gone.

The other 2 main mammals we have lost are 2  of the female Guinea Pigs - Zoe who was the oldest Guinea Pig I have ever come across went the same day as Peanut back in early July she was well over 7 and lived a very long and happy life with us. She even out lived her own daughter Sparkette. She was quite incredible and was always happy to be handled. She left her friend Pimms behind who despite being paired with another bunny passed away early in November a week after Benjy.

"Zoe the Albino Guinea Pig" - Reached a good old age 

"Pimms" Avery sweet little Guinea Pig

Last but not least a hello and goodbye in a good way - Albie Grubb who was a temporary resident during November as he went to live with one of the L2 students and is doing really well. I hope to have some pictures of him with his new wife Zara quite soon.

"Albie Grubb - renamed Grubb" - Happy in his new home with Zara 

So this is the last blog of the year and I thought it would be nice to remember those lovely animals that have given me and others so much joy.

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL - STAY TUNED FOR MORE IN 2015.



 



 

 

 

2014 - A Year of Hello's and Goodbye's Part 1

This has been the first year that I have written a blog and I have learnt how to write posts as I have gone through the year.

As the year draws to a close I thought it would be good to review some of the animals that have come and gone this year. All of the animals at MKC  are well cared for regardless of size, age, species and many of them live to ripe old ages.

Here is a feature of some we have said Hi to and some who we have sadly said bye to. Here is a review of those who stand out to me.

Hello    :)  

Aquatics Room

"Jeremiah - The Giant Bullfrog" - Growing fast!

"Mossy Tree Frogs x2" Still need a better photo

Various fish who are difficult to track for obvious reasons.
Exotics Room

"Tailess Whipped Scorpion" - One of the weirder species we have

"Jenson - The Uromastyx" - Quite the character :)

 

 

Mammal Room

"Minerva the Guinea Pig" - Still a little minervous but getting better

5 new Gerbils - 3 males and 2 females - One that looks like this    

Also some mice and rats but I lose track of these a little bit.

Look out for the farewells feature tomorrow the last day of 2014.

Animal Of The Week - Not Teenagers, not Mutants but defintely Turtles

College is now officially shut for the holiday but I still want to keep posting.

Recently I have had quite fascination with the Aquatics room and have based a number of  my lessons around Amphibians and Aquatic species. However there is actually a species of reptile in the Aquatics room and these seem quite popular. They are 2 resident turtles - Rodney the Common Map Turtle and The Painted Turtle with no name.

Back in the 90s when the original Teenage, Mutant Turtle film came out there seemed to be a spike in the sale of Turtles where lots of children wanted them. This resulted in people not understanding how to look after turtles and many were abandoned and poorly treated. As a result the RSPCA and other Welfare charities did work on improving the education of Turtle care and  this time round with the new and updated film it is hoped that history will not repeat itself.

"Do I look common or like a Mutant?" - Rodney The Common Map Turtle

Rodney came to us just before we moved from Horsted back in 2009 and the Painted Turtle arrived shortly after our move to the new building Gillingham in the same year. Common Map Turtles were given the name based on the pattern on their shells. They have lived together in a Terrarium in our Aquatics rooms ever since and enjoy swimming around and basking on their rocks. Both our turtles are Omnivores (eat both meat and plant) so enjoy a diet of invertebrates and plant matter. These species of Turtle originate from the USA where Turtles are quite common. These are a friendly species of turtle who actually enjoy attention unlike the "Mata- Mata" a South American Turtle thought to me the most aggressive species of turtle.

"Make up your mind am I a Turtle or a Terrapin?" - Painted Turtle with no name

One of the common misunderstandings there are about Turtles and Terrapins is that they are actually different. This is not the case , Terrapin is an English term used for certain species of Turtle that are semi-aquatic (spend some time in water and some time on land usually when feeding). Other parts of the world have used the word Turtle for exactly the same species. Painted Turtle is an example of this.

No-one messes with the Mata-Mata - no we do not have one of these at the college   

So remember anyone who hopes their turtle may turn in to Raphael or Donatello this won't happen and they need lots of looking after and the right environment to live in.              

"Animal Of The Week" - Chin Up!

Many years ago I used to have a gorgeous pet Chinchilla called Squingey. Unfortunately this was before the electronic age so I have no digital photos of him.

Squingey was  Lance and mine's first pet so I have always loved Chins. When we had him they were quite unusual and not a lot was known about them. Now this has totally changed and we have six Chinchillas at the college.

As mentioned in the last post I run a series of school groups and also handling sessions for both L1s and L2s. So any excuse for me to get an animal out.

Over the last week I have been running sessions with the L2s where we have been observing the behaviour of group living species so the Chins have been in the class having fun.

At the college we  have four grey Chinchillas Ash, Frankie, Angelica and Tufty live together and Max (white) and Alfie (grey) who live as a pair.

Today's feature are Max and Alfie

"Of course I am well behaved :)" - Max  

"You can put me down now!" - Alfie



Anyone who knows anything about Chins will know that they are very fast and will do what they can do out run you. Not funny when you get a Chin on the floor.  Max seems to have a rather unfair reputation as the bitey one however if he is handled correctly he will not bite and is actually quite placid at times. You will see in the photos placing one had under their chins (pardon the pun) and one under their back end this helps to make them feel secure and they cannot reach your fingers.

"Ok who called me the bitey one?!"

Max was originally paired with Angelica many years ago and they had a son Ozzy but since then we have had a few changes around and Max was paired with Alfie some time ago. Chins are group living animals and usually live quite happily together with the odd falling out. Max and Alfie get on very well so I only ever bring them out together. Alfie I find is naughtier then Max and has an obsession with trying to get on the floor - yes he has succeeded on occasion!

"Who could say such things about us? - We are way too cute"   

Chins are from the Andes which is a mountainous region in South America. One of my jokes is that they are from Chinchile as they are actually from Chile and Peru. They are known to live up to 20 years and are thought to have the softest fur in the animal kingdom.

Ash is our oldest Chin at around 16 years and I think the youngest is Tufty but he must be at least 5 or so. Chins are Crepuscular meaning they are most active at dawn and dusk so do not like being disturbed in the day when I am usually getting them out much to their disgust.

Chins still remain one of my favourite animals they are so amazing to watch and make funny little noises.   
          

Animal of the Week - "Allsorts of Fun"

Every week we run a School partnership taster session. I like to introduce these students to a variety of the different animals we have here at MKC. So I always make sure we have a reptile week and a mammal week.

Last week we had a reptile week and I introduced the students to Jenson (Uromastyx) and Eddie and Spike (Leopard Geckos). Students are also keen to meet the snakes.

Meet Allsorts our Corn/Rat Heinz 57 snake and is a constrictor - who seems to be everyone's favourite snake as he is so laid back and seems to enjoy being handled.


"Not sure your checks go with mine"


 Allsorts has been with us for around 10 years or more and came to us as a Corn Snake, however he is quite a bit longer than most Corn Snakes and quite  a bit thicker. Allsorts is the 2nd largest snake we have , the biggest being our Boa Constrictor "Ava".


He eats rodents like rats and mice and is fed around every 2-4 weeks. Snakes must not be handled for 2-4 days after they have been fed and usually you should wait for them to go to the toilet first. Feeding for snakes can be a stressful experience and if they are handled they can regurgitate their food.

In the UK we are not allowed to feed live food to snakes (unless signed off by a vet for health reasons). All our food is frozen and defrosted then fed to a snake with tweezers.



"I'm not thick I'm quite clever!" 

 

Snakes also shed their skin around every 4 weeks, you can see that a snake is due to shed when you see their eyes glaze over. Again snakes should not be handled during shedding as it can affect the process and cause the snake to become ill. Some of the Bradfields students had a go at handling Allsorts and realised how strong snakes are but could see he has a very mild manner.

Due to Health and Safety laws we are not able to keep Venomous snakes at "MKC"  so only house constrictors.

New Frogs On The Block - Mossy Frogs (Theloderma Corticale)

As part of the "NKOTB" series I have a more unusual new arrival to introduce you to. As usual the first pictures are rubbish but I hope to get some better ones soon.

It's easy to mistake these as a glump of moss or even a wet leaf but they are actually "Mossy Frogs". If they feel threatened they have been known to curl up in to balls and play dead to protect themselves from predators.

"Great Frogs - Shame about the Picture!"

 As you can guess they have this name as they resemble clumps of moss and use this to camouflage in to the background. These frogs are from Vietnam and parts of China and officially known as "Vietnamese Mossy Frogs".  They are a semi-aquatic frog so must have a water supply available at all times.   

El one of the technicians was given these frogs by a friend who was moving. Mossy frogs can be quite expensive at around £65 or more. They also require specialist housing and care so research any exotic species carefully before buying them. They would usually live in temperatures of 18-24 degrees Celsius and in the wild live at high altitudes and are keen tree climbers.

Our new residents are currently settling in and will be moved to our Aquatics rooms shortly. Lifespan in captivity is around 15 years so they are quite a long term commitment.

I will endeavour to get a better photo and let you know if we name them. I'm thinking Moss and Tree :)


 

 

 



NKOTB - Part 3 Continued - A first time for everything

Following on from Friday re. our new temporary "VIB" I thought it would be good for Albie to have some attention today and see how he coped with handling and grooming.

Here are some lovely photos of Albie - while he was  bit nervous at first he soon relaxed when I gave him a carrot. He then became quite curious.

"Is it safe yet?"



"I suppose the tickles are quite nice"

"BTW - I'm not an albino as my eyes are a green colour"  

This was also a good experience for the students to see how a new rabbit settles in to their surroundings and observing their behaviour.  Photo by permission of students.

"Now everyone one wants a photo with me!"

So you know that some of the permanent residents also gained from carrot time - here are some other photos. Care must be taken not to overfeed veg. to Rabbits and Guinea Pigs as this can give them upset stomachs.

"I thought I was your Favourite" - Willow Senior

"Snacks!"

  

"New Kids On The Block" - Part 3 a "VIB has arrived"

I am sure you are wondering what "VIB" is well it is a "Very Important Bunny" of course.

Meet Albie Grubb - while he is only a temporary visitor - he is a bunny so deserves a mention.

Albie was rescued and named by one of our technicians Sophie back in the summer - Sophie has been looking for a good home for him. While we are not a rehoming centre it turns out I have found a potential female match for him - no it's not me :). So for the moment he is temporarily lodging with us. He was only supposed to be here today but may now be with us until next week.

He is an albino lionhead - albinos have no colour pigmentation so have red eyes and white fur. Lionheads can require a lot of grooming so they are not always the first choice but make great pets.

He seemed completely un-phased today and has met our resident staff room bunny Willow Senior.

I only managed to get a quick photo but will try again next week so you can see his cuteness in its fullness before he goes to be somebunny's Husbun.



"How well the name Albie Grubb suits this bunny - but a rubbish picture"

       

"New Kids On The Block - Part 2" - Just in Jenson

As mentioned last week we have had a recent influx of new animals which is very exciting for everyone involved.

When I first had connections with Animal Care back in 2009  some very interesting lizards called "Uromastyx"  also known as the "Spiny Tailed Lizard" arrived from Heathrow Airport; they had been part of an illegal import case. Over the years I have become very attached to the Uromastyx we had as they make great animals to handle and  to show students who are more nervous of handling reptiles.

Uri who became Sahara later (long story) was one of my firm favourites - we had no idea how old she was due to the fact she was originally taken from the wild and was being illegally imported in to the UK.  Heathrow like to rehome these animals to places where they know they will be well cared for and have the expertise they need, that is why she ended up at "MKC". Sahara was likely to be quite old so is no longer with us. Uromastyx are known to live as long as thirty years.

"Sahara (formerly Uri) and me of course !"

A decision was made to get a new Uromastyx as they are popular with students, but can be quite hard to get hold of. The good news is that we now have a new "Spiny Tailed Lizard" who this time is a male. Jo O wanted a nice manly name for him so came up with the name "Jenson", which I like as it sounds like Jen's Son :) So here is another of our "New Kids On The Block".

Jenson says "Who's the kid around here? It's certainly not me?"

Like Sahara, Jenson is a "Gery" Uromastyx but is a yellow phase rather than a red one (Sahara). He is captive bred and still quite young. Although a little nervous at first; he has quickly settled in to his Vivarium and has been in the classroom a few times with me and enjoys head tickles.

A surprise for this type of lizard is that they are Herbivores so live mainly on plant matter and due to this diet actually do not need to have a separate water supply. Uromastyx are from very hot, desert countries mainly in North Africa.

"This is my side profile - how handsome am I?!"

Although Jenson will not replace Sahara - I am sure he to will be a popular choice for students to handle - I certainly have already become very fond of him.  

Stay tuned for some more newbies.

New Kids On The Block - Meet Minerva

It has been rather hectic at college recently in more ways than one and there have been some updates and changes in the animal rooms.

As you may know we have quite a number of animals who have been getting on in years and have lived with us for a very long time. I have featured Zoe the Guinea Pig previously and many of you may know that she is no longer with us and we have been looking at getting a new partner for Pimms.

The good news is that we have found another lovely Rex Guinea Pig who has come via the same breeder as Pimms. Her name is Minerva and even though she is very shy she is getting used to being handled and is slowly being introduced to Pimms.

"Meet Minerva"

I am not sure how old Minerva is but I think she is between 1 and 2 years old. She is not used to having other animals around her, but yesterday when I put her in with Pimms she did start eating and seemed to be more relaxed. She is also getting used to being handled and even went in to the classroom with Bradfields last week. Hopefully Pimms and Minerva will continue a long and happy friendship. Stay tuned as we have more new arrivals to feature.

"Hello Pimms my name is Minerva"

Pimms asks "Are you going to get on my Minervas then?"  

 

"Geck A Load Of This"

Over the last couple of weeks  I have been introducing Level 1s and the School groups to the Geckos we have here at the college.

From the picture see how many of our Geckos you can recognise - "Match The Gecko". I'll give you the answers in the next blog.

 

"How many can you name?"

There are over 1500 species of Gecko around the world. Geckos are usually found in tropical and hot regions near the Equator. South America and Asia are two very common places to find Geckos.

 

Geckos are Insectivores which means they usually feed on invertebrates like mealworms, cockroaches and locusts. Some Geckos have tiny hairs on their feet which allows them to stick to surfaces like the Crested.  Many species of Gecko do not have eyelids so lick their eyes to get moisture on to them, again the Crested Gecko is a species that does this.

 

At "MKC" we have the following Geckos so see if you can match the names to the above pictures. Only some of the Geckos have names. 

Leopard Geckos - Norris and Dorris and Spike and Eddie.

 Madagascan Day Gecko - One

 Sand Dwarf Gecko - Kirky 

Crested Gecko - One 

Tokay Gecko - Two  

Geckos are quite easy to handle and like to sit on the bridge of your hand. I usually start students off with handling Geckos as they are relatively easy, especially if you stay still.  They should live in Vivariums with heat lamps to keep them warm. You also will need to spray their enclosures with water everyday to create a humid environment. 

 

"What am I?"

 

       

Blogs Back With a Bullfrog of information

It has been some time since my last blog. College is now back and we have a new set of students.

I hope to return to regular blogs and get students input. If you are a previous student and would like to make comments about the animals please email me at Jennifer.Botelle@midkent.ac.uk.

So what better way to start the new college year than with one of the newest arrivals. This week's feature is Jeremiah the Bullfrog.




"I'm all new and shiny"

Jeremiah was given to us on the understanding that he would remain Jeremiah. The techs were keen to call him Gomez but have kept their promise and he is still Jeremiah - a great Biblical name :)


Jeremiah arrived in May 2014 at only 3cm long, I remember seeing him on his first day and he was so tiny. He is growing fast and is now about 6-7cm long and growing. Bullfrogs are known to grow as big as 30cm.


Bullfrog is generally a term used for large aggressive frogs found throughout the world and they will pretty much eat anything they can swallow like small rodents and insects, so watch out naughty students :).

They are native to America and Africa among other countries.  Quite often they are mistaken for toads due to their large and what may seem like a warty appearance. They come in a variety of colours but usually greenish/brown with stripes.

They like to live in or near shallow water so anyone keeping one as a pet should ensure they are kept in an aquarium or terrarium with some water for them to climb in and out of. Make the enclosure as natural as possible by placing rocks and plantation in with them.

Bullfrogs can jump up to six foot so care should be take when handling them. The average lifespan of a Bullfrog is around 5-6 years, but frogs are at risk in the wild and many species are dying out due to their natural habitats being destroyed and are being affected by the "Chytrid fungus" which is causing major problems in the amphibian world. However on a positive note Frogs are very hardy and seem to survive all sorts of issues and our Bullfrog Jeremiah is doing very well and living the life of luxury.

       

Animal of The Week - "Boris The Guinea Pig"

As it is still college break I am unable to get access to some of the information I need so I thought I would choose an animal I know well and particularly fond of.


"Blurry Boris - Head Shot" 

Boris is a "Teddy" which is part of the "Rough Coat" group which also consists of the "Rex" and "Abyssinian" breeds. Guinea Pigs come in lots of different colours and varieties however there are six main types of Guinea Pigs:

"Pictures courtesy of Google Images"

Boris arrived with us at the end of November 2012 just before parents evening so I was able to see him as a baby. Boris came with his brother Teddy from a good local source, they were around 8 weeks old. I am amazed at how quick they both grew and they soon developed in to entertaining characters who seem to enjoy being groomed and coming in to the class room - I can't believe that they are almost two.  Their fur suddenly went mad which makes regular grooming important for rough and long coat breeds.

"Ooh I quite like this"

Guinea Pigs are like humans with regards to Vitamin C as they cannot retain it in the same way some other animals do. Therefore all our Guinea Pigs have some form of vitamin C every day usually by way of  tomatoes or oranges which they clearly love.

In September I hope to return to more regular blogs and hope to include some student feedback.

Safety Tips - How to Handle an Amphibian.

Animal and student welfare is a top priority within our Animal Care unit at "MKC"; so before students are allowed to touch any animals a signed tetanus form from parents/carers is required.

Our technicians and staff also like to ensure that students are shown how to handle our animals correctly and safely for both the animal and the students safety. All students are expected to wear the appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (P.P.E) and any long hair should be worn up and hands should be washed before and after handling the animal.

Hands are washed to prevent any cross-contamination between different species and to ensure strict hygiene is followed at all times.

As I have featured the Aquatics rooms this week I thought it would be good to explain how to handle an amphibian. Amphibians like moist environments so at MKC the technicians have set up a series of terrariums perfect for our amphibians to live in.


Millipede The Horned Frog -  " Good - You have gloves on"

To ensure safety we make sure that all our Amphibians like Horned Frogs (see picture) are handled only by people wearing gloves and that these gloves are kept moist. Gloves are expected as the acid on a humans skin can affect the amphibian and cause a number of health issues. Therefore we have strict guidelines at MKC that all staff and students should wear gloves when handling amphibians.

As Amphibians like moisture it is important to keep your gloves moist and keep the amphibian near a container that has either moist tissue or small amounts of water in.

Frogs and toads like to jump so care should be taken to cup your hands over them or hold them in the middle firmly enough without squeezing them. Full training is given to students to help them with their confidence  in handling and to ensure correct techniques are used.

Remember that P.P.E is just as important for the animals safety as well as humans.


"Take care to hold firmly but not to squeeze."



Blog Return - Aquatics Room

Sorry that it has been so long since the last post - a lot has happened in the last month but I hope to get back to regular features.

As you may be aware college is out for Summer and all the animals can have a nice rest to get ready for the new intake of students in September. I know that some of the students are kindly volunteering over the summer to assist the technicians in looking after the animals so this is great work experience for them.

As I have already featured the Mammal and Exotics rooms it is now the turn of our other room "Aquatics"



"Aquatics Room"

  
I really like the aquatics room as the sound of the bubbling water has a wonderful relaxing atmosphere to it.  We have a great variety of species in this room and our technicians take great time and care in looking after all of the tanks and enclosures well. Aquatics can be quite technical and as a result we run Aquatic units for both L1 and L3 students which are very popular.

Species in the Aquatics room include:

A few Fan Tailed Gold Fish
Lots and lots of Guppies
About 8 Fire Bellied Toads
One Painted Turtle
One Common Map Turtle called "Rodney"
A Barking Tree Frog
A White Tree Frog
A Horned Frog which I call "MilliPede"
Two Clawed frogs among which is our oldest resident of them all. I hope to feature him soon. 
A Tiger Salamander
An Axolotl (Featured in Animal of the Week some time ago)
Newts
A Crab (which I think is still around)
Several different varieties of fish - too many to name. 



Fire Bellied Toad - "Who said Green and Orange clash?!" 

Mammal Room

This week's featured room is the mammal room as Zoe the Guinea Pig is the animal of the week. As you can imagine it only contains mammals oh and one flock of birds.

 

"Mammal Room - Home to lots of fluffies"

 

 

The mammal room houses all the cute and fluffy animals which I am particularly fond of. Yes it is my favourite of the three rooms. The mammal room is home to the following:

 

Five Rabbits plus Two: Benjy, Squeek, Snowball, Batch and Willow Jnr - plus the two staff room buns Peanut and Willow Snr.

Four Guinea Pigs: Zoe (Animal of the Week), Pimms, Boris and Teddy

Two Ferrets: Vinnie and Billie

Seven Chinchillas: Ash, Angelica, Frankie, Ellis, Tufty all in one enclosure and Max and Alfie in the other one.

One African Pygmy Hedgehog: Albert (see  Animal of the Week label)

One Ground Squirrel: Bill (see Animal of the week label) 

Two Russian Dwarf Hamsters: Starky and Hutch.

Two Syrian Hamsters: Trixie and Dino (not sure that I have this right)

Two Degus: Brothers with no names.

Three female rats and four male rats - no names.

Two gerbils I think but this does change.

Several mice but again this changes quite a bit.

Two Sugar Gliders - no names but very grumpy :)

Six or Seven Quails who are loud and a bit mad.  

"Another cuddle"

As it is OAP month this post would not feel right without another appearance from the "Matriach of the Mammal room" Peanut. Whilst she is not the oldest mammal we have she is the one that has been with us the longest. As mentioned in previous posts Peanut was born in May 2006 so is now over 8 years old. I have lots of memories of Peanut, quite the character. Always nuts about Peanut - x.   




Animal Of The Week - "Zoe The Guinea Pig"

Today see's the start of OAP fortnight. Most of the features will involve all of our older animals that we have at "MKC".


This week I thought it would be good to showcase Zoe the Guinea Pig as I have not featured a Guinea Pig yet and Zoe is quite remarkable.


Zoe was born amazingly back in July 2007. Anyone who knows anything about piggies will know that the average life span is around 5-6 years. Zoe is a month away from her 7th birthday which is quite something. Zoe has recently suffered some ill health but this is down to her age.


Over the years Zoe has seen many changes including the move from Horsted to Gillingham. She has outlived her own daughter Sparkette who died a couple of years ago. Zoe had a tumour removed a few years ago and developed dry skin on her back which all students notice when they do health checks on her.    

"Is this woman in every photo?!" 

Zoe is an albino which means she  lacks any colour pigmentation causing white fur and pink eyes. Zoe currently lives with another female Guinea Pig called "Pimms" and they have been together since the Autumn of 2012. Zoe previously lived with her daughter Sparkette and two other females called Badger and Amber who all sadly died during 2012. Zoe is popular with the students and is very friendly and cuddly as you can see from the photo.

"How many of these are you taking?"