With winter just around the corner in Chile, Ramba’s care routine is starting to shift. She is starting to spend her nights in her barn, waiting until morning to come out and warm herself up in the afternoon sun. Ramba’s barn is small, so a hay cage was just installed in her barn, ensuring her overnight hay lasts longer and stays clean and dry.
There will be an adjustment in her diet: increasing the amount of hay she consumes, as her ability to graze is limited by the season. The change is gradual, but she will still need probiotics to make sure that her stomach isn’t upset by the shift. Some elephants are like tanks when it comes to what they eat. But, there are always those that are much more sensitive, and Ramba is one of those elephants. With her age, and the possibility of colic, we try to take all of the precautions we possibly can.
Ramba does have a coat that was made special for her, in an extra effort to keep her warm. She received it at the very end of last winter, but showed no interest in wearing it. Due to her being handled through protected contact, the coat can be put on her, but since she spends a lot of her time walking through her enclosure, there is no way to force her to keep it on- it is her choice. Her caregivers will be working on introducing it to her and getting her comfortable with having it put on her. But ultimately, she will be the one who decides if she wears it or not.
Overall, she is doing very well. Ramba’s toenail, the one we discussed in her last update and have been keeping an eye on, is doing well. Her caregivers send pictures twice a week, when they do footwork, allowing us to assess if there is any progression or need to change treatment. They are continuing to use anti-fungals and anti-bacterials to treat the nail, and we haven’t seen any major changes. It continues to heal well. Her appetite is good and she continues to maintain her weight at a good level.
We had hoped Ramba wouldn’t need to spend another winter in Chile, since she doesn’t do that well with the cold. We’re not ready for her yet, but we are edging closer to being able to make Elephant Sanctuary Brazil her home. Please stay tuned for updates on the property.
If you would like to help with the purchase of a much needed truckload of hay for Ramba or any of the other many items that are required for Ramba’s care, you can visit her wishlist. To learn more about Ramba’s story, visit her page.
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