Living with Anteaters

Pua's late summer hike

2010-09-06T14:01:00.000-07:00

Big yawn

It was a cool day so she wore her tank top dress

Crossing the un-pet-friendly bridge

Looking good

Tree sniffing

She will rub her nose on the trees on the way out as she sniffs then on the walk back a quick sniff tells her she's on the right trail.

Looking out over the woods

More tree sniffing

I'm not finding any bugs

Pua scared by the birds

Pua finds bird calls concerning. I assume in the wild the bird calls would help to warn of danger.

Sitting in a tube

Nap time

Trying to wake from her nap

Standing tall

Pua on the trail

Smells like the right trail

That's not a log, Pua

It was a long walk

Pua running

Taking a small break

The car is this way

Once she got on the pavement she ran right for the car

Wake me when we get home

Mostly Mandua

2010-09-06T13:28:00.000-07:00

Behind again. These first two are from the night I posted the last post.

Mandua and Pua getting closer

First we came in and I was going to drop Pua in the basket as I often do and a head popped up. So I held her up for him to sniff like I have done the other way round.

He tried to play with her but she got upset since she's used to fighting most recently. So I moved him when she climbed her tower and was coming after him.

After eating though he came back. Once she discovered him she wanted to chase him off but I distracted her with a treat. This worked at first and she took a rest.

However after the photo she went back to trying to scare him off. So kept giving treats but she got bored of treats quickly.

However during this time Mandua had time to think things out. Instead of trying to fight back he stopped that and instead leaned back out of her way. Pua has given up and gone to bed.

Mandua has won the right to sleep in the basket, for tonight.

She is actually very interested in him and his scent but they are trying to settle territory and learn to trust each other.

--
So Mandua spent some nights in the basket. Till one night he was hyper and playing with me in the basket when I got called away. He kept playing and fell basket and all. Had plenty of worse falls with anteaters and not had one broken yet but I never like that. Well he returned to sleeping in the closet.

He will sometimes decide Pua's food is better or he runs low and goes to steal hers. I talked her into ignoring this one night with blue cheese bribes and when done she went into her washer with him still there. However it's one baby step forward. He has tried sleeping in her hammock on his bold nights and she chases him off.

He's open to her if I bring her over to him now but she panics and runs away. She's okay but a bit nervous when I bring him over for her to sniff. I let him wander into the rest of the house but when he caught scent of Pua he panicked.

They both show interest but both are scared so we have a bonding exorcise planned to help them get over their fear and well let you know how it goes. It was to be an experiment but I've now heard it's been done before so less experimental and more an exorcise in behavior modification or animal psychology.
--
Mandua is very playful with me.

Mandua wanted to play up high

He dropped his noid

Poking his toy

Hey there

Playing with the raccoon

Playing with Mandua

Shortly after the video someone came in and distracted me and he threw himself at my arm and he didn't hurt, just felt his claws brush my arm. I'm just cautious as he goes all out on the stuffies and wasn't sure how rough he'll be switching to me.

I now can squeeze his hands during play and let him get me some. He plays gently but if I play hands on for very long then he starts pinching harder. So he actually does better playing some with me and some the toy.

Mr Mandua goes to the park

He was thrilled and was running right out of the crate, he was already leashed. He was hyper and running all over the park and wanted to try climbing a few trees. So I moved him to the hiking trail so we could follow that and he could better learn leash control.

Crossing the bridge

He was okay till he got over the river then he freaked out so was carried across. On the walk back he'd not go near the bridge so took him across in the carry bag. Going over a rushing river is scary.

Checking out a deer trail

We didn't do any off trail time as he wasn't ready for that. Pua and I worked up to that over quite some time.

Full on run

Mandua spent most of his time running

A little slower heading back.

Mandua and his new pink Puppy

He likes this one but found the love bear creepy.

Mandua pin up photo

Catching up again with Mr. Mandua

2010-08-22T15:03:00.000-07:00

Let's see if I can get caught up and not forget to much.

So Mandua is slowly coming out of his shell. He was happily paying with the stuffed raccoon on his own on the 15th so let him be while I went with Pua to do her rounds. Later Pua went to the closet wanting to pull her rope up for a treat. Mandua had been down on the clothes bar but came up behind her and "attacked". Having been goosed she dropped her treat and turned on him. She backed him up onto the window shelf and I pulled him down. No injuries or pulled hair.

He has staked out the closet as his territory now, sleeping in there most nights. First night Mandua came down from the closet bed for food but was nervous and I had to carry him to the cage food bowl. Pua was begging me so I brought him over for a sniff. We have since compromised and I put his food on the window shelf.

Mandua finely decided to explore on the 18th and he found his way onto Pua's tower while I was playing with her. She went up there to chase him off but he shoved her off her tower instead.

I guess she needed knocked off her pedestal a little bit, lol. She still very much likes his scent and is good when I hold him for her to sniff. They just need some time to get used to each other and lay down some rules.

This happened before he peed on my shirt in the closet. Which came as a shock when I went to clean up and found crystals in his urine.

I've not dealt with that before but Mandua's owner knew more about crystals and what can cause them. He has been quit inactive since he got here and not drinking a much. So I made sure he drank more, mixing water in his food and took him out for daily walks in the yard and after a few days his urine looks normal again. His urine stream has looked good and uninterrupted. I did call the vet about it but the vet tech said they need an actual urine sample to test and not just the crystals. That's a pretty difficult task with an anteater so very glad things cleared up.

He's has some issues int he yard behaviorally. After he gets worked up he starts charging me or any critters nearby like Jake or Quasi. It may be he's trying to play but I'm not sure. The one day he just wanted to nap in the yard then when I got him up and running around he started that. Last night we played first then went out and he was fine and just when I was steeling my nerve to let him get me when he charges to see if it's play or not.

Have played with him by hand a couple times but he does pinch a little rough for my taste. Still nothing like Eldorado pinches so we play till he gets rough then let him get the toy instead. Told he didn't play like that before so he may just need to learn to play gentler. Think he may be young enough to learn that.

So the 20th Mandua was sick of his soupy food & found his way to the drier & ate Pua's food while I was playing with her. Then he went behind the washer. He wanted to stay there. That's not a place to live so I lured him out as far as I could with a treat then moved him to the playpen. I was also worried about Pua's reaction as she would get really worked up and freaked out when Eldorado would get back there. He went back to sleep in the closet.

(looking over my tweets here) After playing with him in the tree house(Closet shelf bed) he curled up around the noid.

21st Mandua came down at 8am explored a little then made his way to Pua's food. After a bit she realized he was there & was coming to chase him away. So I moved him to his food. After eating he came back but was looking behind the washer. Pua came out & they had a face off. Both stood claws raised. He backed off since he is smaller.

He went behind the sink, she decided that was far enough away & went to bed. He came out after a bit & went back up but went over the tower. He dug into the pet clothes basket and went to sleep there. He stayed there all day. He'd look up when I would go by and I brought him a drink a couple times. He woke before Pua and played with me then I took him out and he ran the yard, peed and had a nice formed but huge pile of poop.

Pua enjoys sniffing over his trail when she goes out.

Mandua sleeping oddly

I think doe to there being so much poop in him at the time though he later moved to lay on his side.

Mandua on the closet wall

Treat time

Feeling lazy

Got food?

Chillin in the "tree" house

Mandua climbs the wall

Eating over the window

Climbing the closet wall

He managed to make it all the way up

Mandua in the pet clothes basket

Later in the day

Playing with me

He was nice a little bit then was pinching hard so I got the noid for him.

Wrestling a noid

Poking a noid's eye

Pua's hike and Eldorado update

2010-08-19T11:45:00.000-07:00

Meant to post this like a week ago

Eldorado settled in Quickly. Here are a couple videos of him playing with his new friend.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLWiUf4gTEU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_3SAwmZUkA

Pua sniffing a tree

At her favorite stump

Can we take this home?

I'll sleep here instead of the washer

It just needs some curtains

And maybe a lid

I'm just resting my eyes

Napping in a stump

Where's the anteater?

Napping in the dry creek bed

On a rotten tree

It was broken off just above her

No ants in here

Good night

She was tired and kept napping so I offered the bag and she got in. Had to carry her back.

Mr. Mandua and Pua and Me

2010-08-15T13:19:00.000-07:00

Well I tried letting Mandua come out to Pua when she came over. She was nervous and turned away. He came out slowly and sniffed Quasi first(I don't know how I failed to notice he was there but it was to late). He didn't care about Quasi and went around him sniffed Pua's tail came up behind her growled and pounced her clawing fiercely and a fight broke out. I pulled Pua away and he went back to his cage satisfied. Pua got a scratch to her leg, pink with a little red but not bleeding. Next day was just a little reddish pink spot left.

PS Quasi did nothing and went back to sleep.

Pua wasn't too rattled short time later she was trying to take a vinegar bath in the sink. I rinsed a cup out earlier so she smelled it. I didn't to give her any to bath in though. It would likely sting that scratch.

Saturday I gave Mandua his treat. When he ran out he wanted to grab me so I tried letting him. It turned into a full blown attack with him growling at me as he clawed at me savagely. However savage for Mandua still isn't very savage. He did not leave me bruised or bloodied or in pain after. I'm not sure if he's a weakling or he just can't muster being mean even when he's trying. It was obvious he meant it though.

This behavior only happens after I've given him a treat and it's all gone so I just wont give him treats any more, unless they are just left with his food and not given by me directly. I have been giving him probiotics in his treat. His last poop was very nice just in a bad place(well get to that later).

Last night I took things slower. After his attack I didn't want him getting away with that behavior and Pua had just gotten up so I peeled Mandua out of his hammock and held him up for Pua to sniff on her tower. The boy is a limp rag when held. Pua had been looking for him so happily sniffed but gave a couple nervous growls, each time coming back to sniff again. He set to eating when put away. Pua kept wanting me to bring him back. Pua is smitten now to win his heart or at least enough for a summer fling would be nice.

She still might do better with a youngster to raise into the man she wants for a true companion like she did Stewie so she could teach him to share the bed and food like she liked to do. It was cute. Stewie when young followed her around and copied what she did. She even let him ride on her back once when he got scared.

Mandua getting into his food

Pua entertaining herself

Small snack and then he was just standing there. He let me get him back out so we repeated. No growls this time. Both nervous. Let them sniff then pull him back when he squirmed or one raised a claw a little. Pua kept wanting more but after a bit she left to do her rounds and he went back to eating in his cage.

Then later the night got weird. He wouldn't settle in his hammock. Found he pooped it in! So I pulled him out and stuck him in the closet so I'd have time to change it before he got back. Well he surprised me by exploring the closet.

On the closet wall

On the cat condo

On the way back he saw the Noid. Remembering play with it from before he attacked.

Playing with the Noid

Then he explored more wanting to go up where Pua is. I just picked him up each time to let them sniff then moved him back and played with him with the Noid and raccoon. He decided later he liked the raccoon more and we payed for hours.

Playing with the Noid

Some relaxed sniffing

After lots of play he rested awhile sniffing out.

So Pua and Mandua got to sniff a lot last night with me holding him. She was more nervous later with growls but towards the end she quit growling and then had passed out.

A little royal drool

You'll have to look close but there's like a foot long stringer of drool hanging down.

I'll have to see how he will play with me tonight or if he will. After all if he didn't hurt me when he was serious he should be fine during play.

Oh and he was upset about the hammock switch so slept in the cave instead.

Mr Mandua and Pua

2010-08-13T15:44:00.000-07:00

Sorry it's been awhile, if you want more timely updates you can follow us on Twitter http://twitter.com/PuaTamandua

Pua contemplating the new guy

She looks asleep in this shot but she was listening.

Mandua eating

At around 3:40 am

Pua eating too

Mandua sleeping in the hammock

He first slept in the dirt box then next night found his way to the hammock. He's been having some trouble adjusting. Being a "teen" he's feeling all angsty about coming into a new family. So he hasn't come out willingly but a few times. He is getting used to all the scary sounds though.

Documenting Mandua's markings

Scar under right ear, there is a small notch there too

A close look shows a pink spot in his right ear.

Mandua emerges from his cage

He sniffs a dog

He goes back

We took Pua for a walk so I let Mandua sniff her in the carry bag before we left. I couldn't see in due to the light but she didn't seem to notice. He perked up though so he came out and explored after we came back then went for a run in the yard.

He got so hyped up he was flinging himself at me, I think in play, but I didn't let him get me. He flung himself at the kitten several times too but Jake was smart enough not to let Mandua get him. His claws have been to sharp for play. He tried giving me finger pokes and he poked a hole in my finger, ouch. I finally got tough and pulled him from the cage to file his nails today.

Now I feel bad I waited he had poked a hole in his own palm too. Stewie also had that problem when we first got him. Whenever he did it I'm not sure but it looks to be healing nicely already. Now next time he wants to finger poke and play we can see how it goes. He wanted to poke and play a couple times and had to let him play with the stuffed Noid instead.

Mandua checked out the cat condo

In the closet

So where's Pua?

So later I switched roles and bagged Mandua while Pua was up for her to sniff

Pua first meets Mandua

Pua and Mr Mamndua were both awake. So I took Pua over to see him in the cage. He had hiden in the cave from me but came out to see. She sniffed and left but didn't flee in terror like with Edlorado. She still seemed interested from her safe place and Mandua was excited so I bagged him. Stuck him in the carry bag and put him on the drier for her. She sniffed and was nice then look around like she was going to turn in then growled at him. Then checked Eldorado's usual haunts. Then she realized this wasn't Eld and sniffed nice again. So I put him up on a good note. He ate more and she turned in then came back out and looked around for him then rubbed herself on everything around the washer so he'd know the place is hers.

That night she did a slow crawl through the yard on her rounds thoroughly sniffing everywhere he'd been.

Next night she came to see him on her own

Pua comes to see Mandua

Pua comes to see Mandua Video

So she shows interest but he is feeling defensive. He hissed so she growled back at him while on the shelf. True letting her get above him while he was caged may not have been the best choice but didn't think he would attack and he hasn't wanted to come out, and forcing him out wouldn't put him in a good mood for the meeting. Now that his claws are done I can try opening the door and see if he will come out to see her if I hold her back. Just don't want her going in with him as that could have a worse out come. Happily he did not hurt her feet so was just trying to scare her off and not hurt her.

At least now it looks like she is willing to except one of her own kind. Mandua just needs to chill a bit.

Eldorado has left the house

2010-08-07T15:44:00.000-07:00

A day cleared up so we did the trade a bit sooner than expected. The night before He was being sweet and while I was playing with Pua felt something on my leg. He had come up behind me and touched my leg with his paws wanting me to play with him too.

Later though Pua showed us why he was better off going.

Pua had a normal night and raided the fridge and played in the closet and had cheese there. Then she sought out Eldorado. I thought we were turning a corner but it was a corner into a dark alley I think. She fooled Eldorado too. He came to great her but apparently she wasn't coming to say hi but was hunting him down.

Our last photo of him

Goodbye Eldorado

Really sad to see him go but things were only getting worse instead of better. Really miss him already so maybe we'll bring him back if she hates the new guy who's here on trial but if he can be happy else where I will likely spare him that. Quite torn really but we'll see if Pua likes one of her own kind better.
song is: not meant to be by theory of a deadman

He clawed at the crate the whole drive up and I let him run around the car some when we got there till we met for the trade off. Seems he slept on the ride home for them. Sounds like he is settling in pretty well there after his first night. Taking treats and got out to explore.

Mr. Mandua is finding it a little hard to adjust. He's fine to handle as he's a type C personality, in contrast to Eldorado's type A. He's scared and depressed but he should come around. He's taken treats but spent the first night sleeping in the cave. He moved to the dirt box to sleep and sit there. He started to come out once but heard my dad clear his throat in the other room and darted back in.

He was sleeping with his head on the wood but forgot the flash and it popped up and woke him.

He did respond to my hand squeezes by giving me a couple finger pokes but then curls back up. He liked a neck rub a little better.

Checking out the food

At the back fence

His owner suggested taking him out to perk him up. He wanted to come right back in the door so I moved him into the yard a bit. He then went to the back fence and paced there.

Moved him to the old wood

But he went back to the back fence so I brought him in

Can you take me home now?

He's a decent size but he still has baby soft fur. I think the boy just needs some time to settle in as his whole world is new again.

Wont be introducing them right away but since I think Pua likes her "men" young maybe Mandua's boyish looks will help.

Eldorado Explores and Pua bathes

2010-08-04T11:37:00.000-07:00

One more week and we trade the dark night for prince charming and see if Pua prefers a gentleman over a warrior.

Aside from Pua hating him he's doing great. Much better with being picked up and carried. So when he got up early he not only got to go in the yard but explore the whole house too. He climbed on my mom's lap and then showed his claw at her for being to close but then he just moved on.

Then the other night I offered him some vinegar but he smacked at it after it stung his nose and spilled it which I think stung his claw as he did a "dance" then flipped over and pinched at his own foot before eventually leaving. He later returned and played with the turtle for a long time. He also did drink some vinegar from the jar. He has no problem lapping some from the jar as the small mouth keeps is nose out of it so then he likes it.

I was happy to see him able to entertain himself.

anteater plays with stuffed turtle.
I was just cleaning stuff out of the trunk and put books in instead and hadn't got it all put up yet.

Eldorado outside

Fast dog

Was going to delete it but it shows he didn't maul the zooming dog

In the living room

Since he doesn't try to maul me for picking him up now he got to explore the house too.

In the cat bed

Checking out the fence

In the back part of the yard

not quite posing on a stump

Through the limb pile

From the tree removal

No no no

Learning the word no and ignoring the lesson of a leash tug means go the other way. Pua's pretty good with leash corrections unless feeling real determined. Eldorado was determined to do whatever I said no to.

He heard dogs barking

No one likes those barking dogs

Can I get on the table?

Time to check out the tub

Ew, yucky

Here drink this instead

Thirsty boy

Tamandua in a tub

Pua's vinegar bath and Eldorado gets stuck

Poured some anteater spit vinegar dregs down the drain and Pua decided to bath in it. Then Eldorado climbed the curtain while I was watching her and got stuck. I gave him a lift down with the basket after.

Pua takes a vinegar bath

Poured some anteater spit vinegar dregs down the drain and Pua decided to bath in it. So I put some cider vinegar and some regular in the sink. Pua turned the sink on a trickle and added water. They have modified scent glands that make their skin orange/rusty and that made the vinegar bath orange.

Guess why she likes this is while raiding ant nests in the wild they spray their acid as self defense so they would get acid on their skin. Some birds do a behavior called "anting" where they bath in ants, rubbing them into their feathers. No one is for sure why.

Eldorado explores

2010-08-01T13:33:00.000-07:00

I keep getting certain questions repeated so I'll try answering them here though I don't mind answering questions it's obvious many are wondering these things.

Mainly does Pua just need more time to warm up to Eldorado and maybe this is normal behavior and in the wild she would reject him till she comes into heat and she might become receptive once ready. There is a lot at play in answering those but the short simple answer to both is no.

While they have the solitary label on them and are not known to live in groups there's still not a great deal of research into how they react to each other in the wild to say they are solitary in the antisocial sense and what there is of research seems focused on the vested variety so even less is known about how the blond(non or partly vested) so we can just ignore wild for now and look at captive. One fact I do know is the vested ones in Panama do fight over females.

So let's look at captive behavior. Pua took to Stewie right away other than protecting her food at first and after a week they were playing together. There were just some scared hisses from Stewie that she would respond in kind to and some avoiding till they warmed up. No fighting at all.

Like wise other blonds have been introduced with no real troubles. Vested to vested pairing also seem to go fairly well but some older reports make them out to sometimes take a little longer to warm up to each other and need a little more care introducing. So far though Eldorado seems like he would be accepting of Pua if she were open to it.

Pua also cycles monthly and Eldorado has been here two months. She hasn't cycled very heavy or been as interested in licking herself. She does vary some but this could be from stress. Either way she has shown interest in herself twice but no interest in letting him help.

Another strike against this being just a natural female thing is that her new suitor which we should be able to arrange coming here soon accepted a female blond easily but tried with the vested girl he rejects her and despite her being little has gone through a cycle of spotting. She like Eldorado is wanting to be friends with the blond but blond boy says no, though he is not so violent about is as Pua has been. If it were just the way females act till ready the male should be okay with her.

So this is not a girl thing but a subspecies thing. Which answers the first question too, no she will not warm up to him in time. The best we could hope for would be to wear her down enough she eventually puts up with his existence. This doesn't make for the happiest of lives for either of them.

The other question sometimes is if jealousy comes into play. I'm sure it does. Pua owns us and our home is her kingdom but I don't think that is the main issue. It just doesn't help.

I'd guess the subspecies difference in smell makes him smell like a "monster" or something to her. She's been accepting of other species additions before. I guess smelling like an anteater but not like one she's ever smelled is just a little too much for her.

She hasn't been pulling hair since I last trimmed her nails so now he is getting pushy and just pushes past her sometimes to get behind the washer or where he wants. This attitude isn't helping his cause much either.

On the bright side it's not really hurt my relationship with her. She plays with me more as a way to reassure herself.

So it should not be much longer till we can do the trial switch. I will just need to go slowly with her and the new guy so she knows this is someone new and not her rival.

The new guy has been sleeping in a cat cubby so I snatched Jake's old condo for my room.

Eldorado checks out the cat condo

On the second floor

Going in

It's a little snug

Tamandua butt

I liked the way it looked framed in the hole

He looks like a rat

This thing smells like kitten

In the cat condo

He still likes playing with me and the other night when I was busy with Pua he was hanging out the hammock playing with the hanging toy in his cage.

Enjoying the closet

Cheesy toy

Yummy

Relaxing

He likes digging in the toys and blankets in the play pen.

Cushy bed

He smashed in the top of the house bed to lay on top.

Backing up

Is this a log?

One last note is my public service announcement. Now I get a lot of odd looks when I mention this but my mentioning this last time bleeding nails came up recently save a life, so here goes:

Cayenne pepper!
I keep a little baggy of it in my purse in case of emergency and a jar of it in my pet medicine drawer. It can stop bleeding even life threatening bleeding. I nicked Eldorado's quick last night when I trimmed his big nail. It was dripping all over. I began dipping his nicked nail in the pepper powder and the bleeding stopped shortly.

Recently a friend's animal got bit in a scuffle and it nicked the artery in it's leg. She's a doctor so knows what that looks like. She packed the wound with the pepper powder and it worked. She had to reapply a few times but by the time she got to the vet the next day he had nothing to offer her but an E-collar.

There have been cases like that in people even packing gun shot wounds with it. It's not widely known or used but it works when it is used. It also helps from the inside out. It can help even more if you give some internally too.

The standard dose is one teaspoon in a hot/warm glass of water(1 cup). The heat makes it work faster but in a pinch cold water will work. If the person/animal is not alert enough to drink it just add enough water it's not powdery so they don't inhale it and put it in their mouth.

Which brings us to how it works and the fact it can help other life threatening conditions. It works on the circulatory system to make sure it performs in top shape. So if a vein or vessel is cut open then it will restrict blood flow into the vein. It helps speed healing though because the undamaged veins will get blood flow to the area and make up for the damaged veins.

This means if you have a heart attack or stroke it will open up the veins to allow more blood through as well as boost the healthy veins to compensate. It has saved lives in this way too.

One more note is that when treating wounds it is also antiseptic. Remember it's used as one of the ingredients to preserve meats in sausages and such. It will also help in fighting the microbes in a wound. So applying cayenne to a wound is a bonus all around.

Does it burn? Well results very by individual as some people have more sensitivity to it than others, some say no some say yes. Some birds don't have the burn receptors at all so if you were one of those birds the peppers would taste sweet and not burn. In my experience any thing you put in a cut burns/stings anyway so to me it's a none issue as it does more good that the small harm of the discomfort.

Oh and the other plus is it discourages an animal from messing with the wound and if they do lick it then they get some internally. Eldorado made that mistake and after going to bed licked his claw. I know this because a short time later he got up and chugged some water, lol. This effect also made the E-collar not needed for the previously mentioned animal as neither animal wanted to lick the wound after the first licks.

You can buy extracts at health food stores instead of the spice powder if you like. Just do not buy any that say they have the hot/burn taken out as that removes the best parts.

Pua's walk

2010-08-01T13:15:00.000-07:00

Time for a hike

Trying to decide, Is this walk worth waking up for?

I found ants!

That will wake her up

Yummy ant eggs

Those are her favorite. She stayed awhile trying to get them all.

Under the fallen tree, Digging in the dirt

Enjoying dirt

I think I'll nap now

Which way?

After her nap was rudely disturbed she needed time for her brain to wake up.

Okay we go this way!

We didn't make it to the hallow tree before she decided to go back so I don't know yet if it has given way to the river.

I need some attention

Hugs

Eldorado and Pua stuff

2010-07-29T12:31:00.000-07:00

Checking out the drier

Getting rejected by Pua again

Napping near Pua's area

Passed out on the sink

Safety line tail

Just in case she falls.

Eldorado in the yard

Checking out the green house

At the wood pile

Passing the water dish

He just circled the yard and ran a bit.

Going home

Oh no

he peed

Playing with Hyzzie's boyfriend

She went and reclaimed it after.

Hey dog

Pua trying to get Eldorado

Eldorado wanting to get back out. We went out again once he let me put the harness back on because Pua wasn't in the mood to go out yet.

In the hamper

He climbed in on his own to check it out.

I'm sorry mom

Eldorado got himself stuck behind Pua's washer. I had the flashlight to look back there and Pua was upset about it of course. Well she growled and hit my arm. I'm sure she wasn't aiming for me and I just got in the way but I put her in the crate till Eldorado felt safe enough to come out again.

He tries so hard to win her over but she's not budging on this

Eldorado plays with me

2010-07-24T11:50:00.000-07:00

Warning though it's 8 minutes plus and not so great since I set the camera down to film us

Eldorado playing with me. He plays gentler than he used to but still pinches pretty hard when he grabs me so I mostly want him getting the toys instead. After all that play I think he mostly just needs his nails dulled a bit more and play will be more pleasant.

Oh and what wasn't seen was his holding my finger then sniffing and rubbing his nose on my finger. I don't know quite what he was thinking. Stewie used to do that but he'd then force his mouth over my finger to suck on it. He was a big baby.

Kat in the crate

Just after Eldorado tried to go in and stepped on her. Scared him more than her. Pua then yelled at him.

Trying the ladder

He backed down after the photo

Pouting

We had been playing and I went to get the camera.

Monkey man

He discovered he can climb on the ceiling.

Did you bring a treat?

I figured out why Pua doesn't like him. He's got clammy palms, ew, lol Think he sweats through his hands & feet. They get moist when playing. I thought he was getting pee on them somehow at first. Sometimes his tail is moist too but just the end. Seems others get sweaty palms too. Funny I don't remember Stewie having sweaty palms, may just be forgetting. Pua doesn't get sweaty palms. Princesses don't sweat.

Eldorado found my milk on the desk when he was exploring. Anteaters should not have plain milk due to the lactose. The lactose in cheese and other fermented milk products has been broken down. But this fellow is food possessive and will whack you for messing with what is his. He was spilling it though so foolish me tried to hold the cup for him and once he noticed he tried to whack me, lol. I got it from him when he tipped the cup again and lost his grip. Must remember to put food and drinks away before letting him out.

Kittens and crates with Pua

2010-07-23T11:36:00.000-07:00

Remember this one?

He's grown

Cheek to cheek

What you looking at Pua

Kat just walked in

Pua and her shadow

Looking for garden bugs

I heard barking!

Hyzzie in the crate

Eldorado checked out the crate too

Kat likes the crate too

But she came out when she saw the camera.

So Pua seems to be in heat for sure now. She is very hyper and showed interest in herself last night. However instead of being more receptive to Eldorado she took to yelling at him from across the room for breathing to loud. Anteater PMS?

Tuesday's walk with Pua

2010-07-23T11:31:00.000-07:00

She mostly did lots of running

On a fallen tree

You don't mind waiting do you?

I'm gonna dig a bit more

In a hallow stump

Okay I'm coming out

A nice rotten hole

In a hallow tree burl

Poking around

Time for a nap

Heading for home

Checking things out

She bounced all over the car this time

A night of peace

2010-07-20T17:28:00.000-07:00

Pua got up at 8 which is quite early for her and ran around till about 10 then went into the washer. When she didn't come out I let Eldorado out and he played with me a long time and then ransacked my closet shelves. Then he went to eat and I went and played with Pua when she came out.

Then she didn't want to eat unless I stood there with her. When Eldorado came back out I would play with him and come back to her now and then. Pua would beg like crazy for me to come back to her with one or two hisses at me for touching him but since he stayed on his side of the room she was content.

He hadn't slept in his hammock for a few days so stuck the new one in thinking the old one may be too dirty for his tastes.

Inspecting the new hammock

It's good. now go away.

After play nap

He fell asleep while I pet him

Sleeping with a raccoon

Pua wants not to be left out

At three am I woke to the shock of an anteater on the bed. I though Eldorado had escaped at first since Pua hasn't come down in so long other than to go after Eldorado but it was my girl. She had opened the fridge and then came to play with me then of course she demanded a bed time treat.

Eldorado was up and making a racket so I tried him out again, once she went to bed, but this time he went right for Pua's tower. I carried him away and he went right back so I put him away with a distraction.

Squeaky toy with cheese

He played with it for about 15 minutes

Eldorado update

2010-07-19T10:35:00.000-07:00

Pua and he were both up early but Pua didn't want to go out so I leashed him up and took him out for a bit then brought him back in.

Eldorado is trying with Pua. Night before last he was standing his ground but would keep his claws down as he stood there till pushed by Pua. Seems Eldorado read some notes on how to tame a wild animal. It's often said when taming an animal to just spend time quietly sitting near them. One time he spent some time last night sitting quietly at the edge of Pua's comfort zone. He took an unassuming position with his side to her and not looking at her. Pua was not happy but the boy is trying.

Last night after Pua had her time outside and I closed her in she just stayed in her washer and I played with her in there. She did not want to deal with him last night so was hiding out. Once he did get onto the sink from coming the long way around, other wise I was blocking him, and she came out to drive him off. There were tufts of Eldorado hair on the sink after and I notice now he has several places where she has pulled hair from him in these bouts. He hasn't hurt her and her claws are dull but seems she can still pull fur.

I feel so bad for them both right now. He's just trying to settle in and she just wants him gone, gone, gone. I did play with him some last night too. He likes attacking the stuffed toys and poking at them. He'd like an anteater friend but Pua is having no part of it. And poor Pua is so insecure now in her own room.

I still hope being the same sub species and oddly mellow she will take better to the new guy when he comes to try out.

Eldorado outside

2010-07-17T15:10:00.000-07:00

That's not the usual end sticking out

Sleepy boy

Seems getting beaten by Pua regularly has mellowed him out. I was able to slip the harness on him while he had his ketchup so took him out.

He didn't really want to be out though.

How do you open this door?

Now this is interesting

I carried him to the wood and that got his attention for a bit.

What's following me?

checking out the leash

Sniffing about

This harness feels funny

Happy now? I'm done.

He came in and circled around to the other door into the main house but changed his mind and went to his cage. I think he was thinking about Pua attacking him there.

Hiding in the cave

so I wont be temped to mess with him again.

Eldorado plays and Pua fashion

2010-07-17T11:05:00.000-07:00

Trying to redecorate

Eldorado spent some time pulling blankets into his cage

I better get treats for this

They were cheap so I tried the doggy bikini bottoms on her. But they weren't a good fit.

Playing with an old rose

She stepped right out of the panties when she was done playing.

A new dress/tank top

Now that's more her style

It was just to cute to pass up

do I get treats?

Sniffing something

Got milk?

Pua was begging so I offered her the buttermilk contain I was just finishing off and she liked it.

Getting buttermilk left overs

There's no more?

He didn't get as much on him as Pua

Play time

Eldorado played with me for the first time last night but he plays rough so it was nice when he decided to attack the raccoon instead.

I was thrilled. He went back to his cage to eat after. We played again later after Pua had some outside time. I mostly played by tapping the backs of his claws as we play battled to avoid his pinching to hard then let him attack the raccoon.

I also picked him up a couple times very briefly to start getting him used to it under normal circumstances.

Pua still hates him and wants to protect her prized possessions from him, which includes me. I think her attacks were a bit less aggressive last night though.

oh and can't forget Hyzzie

More Pua and Eldorado

2010-07-15T23:35:00.000-07:00

Eldorado and the impossible shelf

Eldorado fails at the shelf

Silly boy can't pull yourself up if you anchor yourself down with your tail, lol. I did go help him with a hand under his foot and he backed down to the cage again.

Upset about the shelf failure

A cheese pick me up

Pua goes after Eldorado

That's not far enough away dude

Pua becomes a bully

Guess her mommy never told her it's not lady like to back a guy into a corner then keep whaling on him. Was going to pull her off of him but then she backed off. No injuries were inflicted and he came back later to the other corner of her castle and she came at him again. He tried to stand his ground some that time but had to retreat to his cage. Pua celebrated by digging in her dirt box and picking at her wood.

Jupiter enjoys anteater wood leftovers

I do have wood shavings for him but he really enjoys having dirt.

Looks like the scene of a terrible accident

but I believe this lamb was MURDERED

So why do I think it might work better with another guy. Well with a more mellow guy even if Pua reacts like that I could hold him and pet and reassure her. Part of it is jealousy, or in less anthropomorphic terms, she's defending what is hers. When he got stuck behind the TV I had to go move the TV stand to let him out. Well she didn't want me near him and bellowed and would start to come over. If I came and pet her she would mellow. So I moved it a little then come back to her till I'd let him out.

So reassure her while I've got a mellow guy on my other hand could work. Kind of how it worked with Stewie. In a short time I got to having one on each hand playing with me even though they avoided each other at first, then next thing ya know they were playing with each other.

I think Pua likes being a bully though. She wants to play with me after. Tonight she chased him to under the bed. I stopped her so as not to have a fight under the bed.

The Pua & Eldorado Soap Oprah

2010-07-14T17:57:00.000-07:00

Ya sure that's comfortable?

Nose holding

She decided not to go out because the neighbor's dog was barking. So she hung out in the sink.

Eldorado circled the room several times that night with me blocking the way to Pua with a blanket. When I had to carry him away he finally decided to do something else and went under the bed, then clawed a hole in the bottom of the box spring and went inside. So I had to stand guard near Pua till he came back out.

morning mess

Passed out

New bowl

Was hoping he'd make less mess. He did still flip it later but did make less of a mess over all with his food.

Pua kicks butt

I'm tired of you sniffin around like a hound dog. I told you I'm not interested. I'm through being nice about it."

Pua was confident she wanted to deal with Eldorado herself last night, so I dropped the blanket barrier and after a few smacks from her he fled. Guess he's got some honor after all. He didn't want to hit a lady. Well a lady anteater any way, lol. He tried to take his frustrations out on me after. He went in his cage and when I came over he came out trying to get me. Aggressive little snot. But if I'm not having to keep him away from Pua it might go better.

Sniffing where he'd been

White eyes

"That was scary. Now you need to give me a treat for bravery."

Trying the climb pole

I think we need to add some limbs or hand holds.

Laundry day today. Pulled Pua from the washer and she was wrapped up in a pee soaked blanket, ew. Why? "It's simple mom, nothing wants to mess with pee" Well I certainly don't, lol. So in the wild a predator would come along smell all that pee and move on thinking it's someone's latrine? Hmm, an interesting thought as to why many tamanduas will pee where they sleep. Conversely Eldorado likes her pee enough to bath in it.

Eldorado found a new fun thing to do. Night before last he tore a hole in the under side of the box spring and went inside and explored for awhile. I tried to block that and last night he tore a new hole. I stopped him going in by holding his tail. I avoided getting clawed by letting go soon as he gave up and pulled his claws from the hole.

Eldorado not a good match

2010-07-11T19:27:00.000-07:00

You peeping at me again?

So been awhile between posts on Eldorado. First few days he did good but he was out of his element, jet lagged, and scrawny. Now he is a good weight, settled, healed from all his injuries and ready to take on the world. So progress is very slow though he is calming down and tries to whack me less often. He lets me pet him during his ketchup treat. The biggest problem is when I let him out he wants to go to Pua. He ignores all her warnings so I have to keep him away. He will attack the blanket or towel I use to move him. He was really wound up about it one night and I had to let him attack a quilt and drag him away so I could wrap him up in it to get him back into the cage.

I've now heard from others that these Paraguayan vested tamanduas are more aggressive than the Guyana ones. No one knew that going in since they have not been available for so long. I used to say I had never heard of an aggressive Tamandua. I will have to revise that to I've not heard of an aggressive non-vested, regardless of age. So the Paraguayan ones are less suited for house pet type of pets though you will probably do okay with a baby even they can be intimidating I've heard though should tame down much better.

This boy is bossy more than he is scared of anything. The other night Eldorado took my finger gently and was poking then suddenly gripped it real tight and took a swing at me with his other claw. I've avoid all attempts of his to get me so far. Maybe I'm just not being bold enough but unlike Pua or Stewie if they did strike would just hit you and pull back, I've seen Eldorado sit there mauling the towel I grabbed him with for quit a bit after I've let him go.

Will he come around. Yeah but it's been a couple months and it could be many more. In the mean time Pua wont even think about trusting him until I do and can show her he's safe. They also seem as though they do not speak the same language. He doesn't give warning hisses for example and he just ignores hers. I think he was alpha tamandua of his territory and he still wants to be king of the jungle.

So, I hate to say it and it's not 100% set is stone yet but pretty sure, that Eldorado will likely not be staying here. There is a nice lady with fantastic set up not terribly far away, just annoyingly far. She's at one end of the state and we are in the middle. She has some anteaters already and her place would be more suited to him and she is used to handling wild critters. She will hold him while we "test out" her Guyana male to see if Pua will be happier with one of her own kind.

Her male is tame and really quite docile. Even her little girl can carry him if needed. He's apparently not phased by anything, other than smoke. This should make introducing him to Pua much easier. Eldorado will also do better in a better environment where he doesn't have to be fussed about trying to get to the girl(Pua) all the time and struggling his base instincts to fight for his girl, which means fighting me since I'm the one stopping him. I worry if i let him get to her and them tussle it out that it could hurt our relationship as she expects me to protect her.

We are responsible for Eldorado and if he doesn't wind up staying where he's going or coming back here then we will make sure he finds a great place. He's gorgeous so I'd love to keep him but I think it's in the best interest of all the animals involved to do this switch. I just have some things to straighten out first so he has a couple weeks or so to decide if he wants to be more friendly but I think he would be happier in a less house pet type environment than I can give. I'd want him to be something he's not and probably wont ever be.

Bottom line though. Pua hates him. That throws a serious monkey wrench into the taming bit.

Last night was a night where we had some baby steps in the right direction though. Afternoon tried to lure him out for a treat to see if I could slip a harness on while he was eating but he only came as far as the threshold of the cage. He was balanced on the wire so had one hand hanging in air and I put my hand under his for support. Without thinking about it he put his weight on me then later noticed and sniffed me but wasn't fussed about it. He cleaned his cup then went to groom.

Later he came out and went under the bed and just peaked out from under the corner near Pua's area. Then Pua got up and went for her wake up treat and he headed onto the washer. She hissed and acted like she might come down and get him so I scooped him up but told him he was a good boy as he wasn't bad about fighting that time. He did get out again later after Pua was closed in my room for the night.

He's still cutest when he's sleeping

Afternoon grooming

He let me scratch him some that day as he groomed but didn't go for that stuff today. He lets me pet neck and shoulders, plus ears and the head some but isn't comfortable with lower.

Hugging his tail

In the little house

Was the only pic he let me get

Having a treat

He didn't let me get a harness on him while eating this time. No touching under the arms or under the neck(throat area).

Healed tail

The other side has more scaring but he's using the end just fine now and is all healed, no more scabs.

Happily last night he didn't head straight for Pua.

seems to still like Pua's scent

Going up

He explored then headed over there. I used a towel to block the climbs to her area and this time he was good and didn't fight it. She was busy with a treat but hissed when he came close. I told her I'd not let him up there and she went back to her treat. Other nights she has yelled at him from across the room for being out or just making noise in his cage.

Burrowing in the play pen

He came to the end and I let him sniff me and after a sniff he made a move to whack me but I pet him some anyway as he burrowed a bit more.

He climbed up on his cage and went all around the top confused about how to get back in for awhile though eventually found his way in. I filmed it but the video wont upload.

Lazy afternoon

He was laying with his head back but moved when I got the camera.

He was up grooming this afternoon but on a different shelf. I tried to pet him some through the bars. He acted like he tried to hit me but I saw the move wasn't so fast and not a full hearted try at hurting me so I got brave and left my finger in there and he grabbed it a few times. He seemed disappointed he hadn't scared me and he moved away.

However in contrast I opened the door to let him out tonight and as he started to come out and was one the edge I held my finger out so he could sniff or ignore as he saw fit and he saw fit to take a swing at me so I closed the door and told him he can't come out if he's not nice. He was just like "whatever" and went to eat.

If he only knew, he doesn't have to fight me to dominate me. If he's nice he'd get waited on hand and foot like Pua.

Here's a video of Pua begging

She's not as animated as she used to be but she is very insistent. She had cherry tomatoes already and she only sucks the juicy bits out of those.

And Quasi thought 78 was too cool with the Ac on.

Time for hammocks

2010-07-06T13:18:00.000-07:00

Eldorado peed in his hammock the other night and didn't like the backup hammock or Pua's as they are to small. He's huge. He slept in his dirt box & made mud in is water(he's got a second bowl of water that is safe). So I spent Sunday making him another jumbo hammock, & made it a blanket hammock, open on two side instead of pocket. I was tired and sewed the top on upside down but he might not mind. It's a back up and I cleaned and mended his so it too is a blanket hammock. He likes it and has spent some time inside the blanket even.

So I offered Pua his wet hammock before washing.

I'm not interested

It's kind of hard to ignore

well, a quick sniff

Video of her checking out the hammock -

Eldorado in his hammock

Back after washing and modification to make it open on both ends.

Eldorado size

The hammock is 39 inches by 39 inches. I sort of measured him before by not touching him and the estimate was 19 inches which is about right as he takes up a bit more than half the hammock.

The night Eldorado didn't have his favorite hammock he "played" but it might have been more taking out his frustrations. I looked up and he was hanging from the underside of the shelf whacking at the hanging toy. Then he grabbed hold of it with both claws poking it. He stopped when I got the camera, of course.

Eldorado is an aggressive boy, especially food aggressive. Also if I pick him up with a towel he will attack the towel for quite awhile after I let go. One time I was moving a treat cup around from under the shelf and he pounced on it with his claws like a cat after a mouse. I thought it was just a fluke till he ran out of food last night. He acted like he was willing to kill me for a meal and was in a tizzy so had to carefully show him where the food was as he kept trying to get me through the bars till I helped him figure it out. Okay I know a once starved animal can be food aggressive but wow. I used to say I had never known or heard of an aggressive Tamandua and that they were strictly self defense but Eldorado has changed that. Vesteds can be aggressive.

We are making baby steps, I can touch him while giving him ketchup and last night as he was getting up and headed to eat the first time.

Pua in the safari hammock, otherwise known as the backup hammock

She felt I should have a treat bribe if I was taking photos

She got her treat

Video of her licking -

Hanging on the bars

somehow I hung it wrong and he couldn't lay on the branch so he did this instead.

Hope everyone had a good 4th. Pua likes to sit in the window and sniff and listen to the fireworks. She's not fond of the dogs barking though. She just jumped once when a boom went off real close.

Pua's cool summer walk

2010-07-06T00:15:00.000-07:00

They are predicting hot temps but the heat wave didn't hit today and it was cool, so Pua got to wear her Beach Princess tank top.

this bridge is not pet friendly

Up the stairs

They left nothing for me

Was probably skunks getting grubs

Starting out slow

Harness straps showing

Kind of like a bra strap showing with your tank top but it's needed.

Tree sniffing

Feeling a bit lazy

Time for a nap

She then headed back, going slow and cautious of sounds. Then when we were nearly back she turned around, sped up and did the whole trail.

More tree sniffing

Time to explore

Smells like the right way

A bit grumpy

She wanted to climb the hill

This looks interesting

Looking Noble

Enjoying the sun

She sat then laid there for awhile.

Pua in the ferns

She stripped

Trying to explore everything

Should I carve my initials?

Starting to get tired

Dieing ferns

Wake me when we get home

Pua checks out Eldorado

2010-07-03T20:12:00.000-07:00

Checking out Eldorado

I took her to see Eldorado, who was sleeping on the bottom of the cage. When I let her go she went on the rabbit cage but then turned around and looked at him from there. Then she got brave and crawled across my shoulders and then onto his cage and up. She hung down the sides sniffing in his hammock then left via the shelf. Eldorado slept through it all.

Pua checking out Eldorado video

Eldorado's claws

Eldorado sleeping

Love how he sleeps like this a lot. He is 15.5 pounds now. He's got a belly now which is appropriate for the species since they poop every other day and pee just once a day there is a lot of stuff in their little bellies.

His arms are firming up and gaining muscle but still has a way to go before he has nice big Popeye arms like he should have.

Dosing in the basket

Looks like trouble's coming

Oh no! I just washed these sheets

The perils of giving them dirt to play with.

Tamandua arm bone

Found the right cap for it but still haven't figured out how this works with the shoulder blade they have.

They are now done water soaking and letting them dry since I forgot to buy the peroxide but will see this week how expensive it is here compared to town.

Pua log and Eldorado comes out

2010-07-02T16:44:00.000-07:00

Log time

Some other anteater's had this

Might be something left in here

Anteater rump

Can't seem to climb this

First night out in a long time. Was 4 am for me but was glad he wanted out so let him for a bit.

He had white eyes since it had been so long since he'd been out and was nervous.

He tried to climb up where Pua was and he ignored her growls and threats of decapitation. So I put him away then. As mentioned last post. She was on the sink swinging her claws down at his head but kept missing as I distracted him with a towel.

I got a better nail clipper so hope to blunt them soon so then may try letting them sort it out, with the threat of serious damage out of the way.

What do you want human?

I smell anteater in here

Under the desk

Pua in the new clothes basket

The other had a huge hole in the bottom from falling down numerous times

Eldorado the next night

A nap on Pua's blanket

Eldorado rolls in Pua's scent

He later pooped there but missed the pad since he had it wadded up.