*** Items on Ramba’s wishlist cannot be directly purchased due to import allowances, fees, and taxes of Chile. If you would like to purchase a wishlist item for Ramba, please go to the donation page and choose “Wishlist item” from the dropdown menu. On the next page there will be a space for “Item I would like to buy”, where you can specify which item you would like to purchase. ***
GRASS HAY
180 bales=$1088 + $312.00 for transport
$1400 per truckload- lasts approximately 4 months
ongoing need
An actual load of Ramba’s hay
Grass hay is more suited to an Asian elephant’s GI systems, than alfalfa, and the protein levels are optimal. With Ramba’s health issues, diet becomes that much more important: wanting to treat her system well, while getting all of the nutrients possible from what she is being fed. Since switching her diet to grass hay, Ramba has put on hundreds of pounds and regained muscle. We hope to continue to be able to help with feeding her what she needs to stay healthy.
DRIED CRANBERRIES
22-pound box=$100.00- lasts approximately 2 months
1 box donated 3/27/16 by a lovely anonymous donor
ongoing need
We have started offering Ramba dried cranberries to try to improve her urinary tract health and naturally try to prevent infections (which would complicate her kidney issues further). At first she walked away from them and left them for the ducks, but after her caregiver placed a handful in her mouth, she realized how fabulous they were, and now she loves them. They are now placed in her enrichment items as a treat as well as fed with her fresh cut grass. It is just another way to support her overall well-being. She just happens to really like them.
FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
$375.00 a month
ongoing need
A necessary part of her diet, trips are made to the local produce market where the booths are searched for produce that is both good for Ramba and that she enjoys. Some booths give the “Ramba discount” so a Chilean peso stretches much farther at the local market than it would in a grocery store.
OATS AND BRAN
50 pound bags=$18.00 each
1 bag of oat purchased 3/24/16 by Kellie Hornick
ongoing need
Ramba’s diet was recently supplemented with oats and bran, they are being used to replace the pellets she was recommended by an outside source, that had to be discontinued due to very high protein levels, and fairly high calcium levels. Although fresh grass and trees are the most important part of her diet, we need to make sure that everything is nutritionally balanced.
MEDICAL SUPPLIES FOR OLD RECURRING ABSCESS NEAR TEMPORAL GLAND
$20.00 a month-(Chlorhexidine solution, ointment, sterile water)
ongoing need
Ramba came to Parque Safari with an old swollen abscess by her temporal gland, just behind her eye. There are times where it is barely noticeable, and other times it swells and the skin cracks. Keeping it clean with an antibacterial wash has done a great job with preventing recurring episodes, but where it flares up, additional daily treatment and ointment is needed as well.
HERBS FOR HER KIDNEYS
Six 1-ounce bottles=$42.72 + $24.29 for shipping not including import taxes
ongoing need
These herbs were started due to lack of traditional medicine that can be used on elephants that have kidney issues. Ramba is receiving two different herbs, one to help flush out her kidneys, improving her kidney health and assisting in removing excess toxins from her body, and the other is to help bring her potassium levels down (which are a result of her kidney issues, but can directly affect her heart). These herbs are not available in Chile, so they have to be shipped from the US.
RED CELL SUPPLEMENT
$19.95 for 1 gallon bottle- lasts 2 weeks
ongoing need
Red Cell is a supplement commonly used for both its multi vitamin and mineral supplementation and it’s assistance in the formation of new red blood cells. This is an important supplement for most elephants, but even more important to ensure that Ramba’s body continues to function at optimal levels.
EMCELLE TOCOPHEROL
$100.00 for a 1000 ml. bottle- lasts 2 months
ongoing need
Captive elephants have shown to be deficient in Vitamin-E, which can cause neurological issues. Elephants are only able to absorb one form of Vitamin-E and this is it. Ramba gets this supplement delivered in peanut butter apples to ensure she gets the full dose and she enjoys it at the same time.
PEANUT BUTTER
$25.00 a month
ongoing need
Peanut butter is a caregiver’s friend. It is a pleasant way to be able to administer supplements and can be used in all sorts of enrichment projects. With receiving daily supplements, Ramba goes through a little over a jar a week.
CEREAL
$16.00 a month
2 months donated 5/6/16 by one of Ramba’s devoted anonymous supporters
ongoing need
No, this is not a plug, but it does happen to be her favorite treat (and we went through a ton to find this out). Ramba continually needs foot care, and although she is a superstar for foot work, there are still a few things that are not her favorite. Cuticle work and her back feet sometimes require a little extra encouragement. That is where the cereal comes in. It gets mixed with her regular treat of cut up fruits and vegetables and an extra reward for something she can be hesitant with. It lets her know she is doing an extra good job.
FOOTWORK TOOLS
Routers $7.95, Large Rasp $19.99, Hoof Knife $14.99
ongoing need
Foot care is an extremely important aspect of elephant care. Being the leading cause of death in captive elephants (due to improper enclosures, lack of walking, and compact surfaces), it needs to be a focus in regards to their health. There are several items needed so that work on cuticles, nails and pads can be done carefully and properly. These items also need to be replaced somewhat frequently to ensure they stay sharp in order to not cause unnecessary pain.
CLEANING AND SOAKING SOLUTIONS FOR RAMBA’S FEET
Chlorhexidine Surgical Scrub-1 gallon $86.69, Surgical Povidine Iodine-1 gallon $24.95
ongoing need
Due to small blowouts in her toenail, she needs to have that area scrubbed and soaked. These two items have both anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties, but work better on different strains. Topical treatment gets the best results, so these two items are a must to manage the infection and help speed healing.
CAREGIVER SALARY
Salary for 2 caregivers- $550.00 a week total, for both caregivers
ongoing need
Although having someone to truly look after and care for Ramba is vital, it is also the hardest thing to raise money for. Ramba has 2 caregivers, Caro and Conosu, who adore her and offer her all they can while she waits for sanctuary. We stay in close contact with her caregivers: talking, analyzing photos and information and changing her care, to ensure her well-being. In order to take proper care of Ramba, it is essential to pay attention to many of the little details in her life, and her caregivers do just that. Without her caregivers, Ramba would not be in the healthy condition she is in today.
