Starting the Day Early!

Our days always start out very early here at IEAS! We are always sure to feed as soon as the sun comes up, when the day is at it's coolest and the animals are most active (particularly in the summer time).  Because of this, the meal preparation has to start between 5:30 and 6:00 AM.

The morning meal preparation includes the diets of the all of the felines residents of IEAS - bears will eat later. Typically, two interns will come in to take care of the first part of prep which is divvying out approximately 300 pounds of meat (Triple A Brand meat - specially formulated for exotic animals) into more than 40 pans according to our diet chart. Poundages must be accurate to ensure a proper and nutritious diet, so this task takes some practice! About 30 minutes into this process, the rest of the interns join and add supplements to the meat. This includes Missing Link (a vitamin supplement), calcium, and any veterinary prescribed medications.  All of these supplements are mixed into the meat so the cats don't even know they are there. Then, at about 7:00 AM, we head out to start the day! 

Suffice it to say, meat prep gets everyone up and moving in the morning. It's definitely a busy and messy process, and it sets the tone for the rest of the day!