Some Extra Treats. Some Love. Then Leave.

With Rana and Mara together all the time, and Lady… well, with Lady doing Lady-things, Maia has been enjoying some extra affection from her humans.

As part of this, Maia has enjoyed going into the barn for “treatments” lately. Normally, she gets a visual inspection, tick check, and bug spray application, and anything else that may pop up, all of which can happen along a fence. Recently, she’s shown interest in coming into the barn, so we’ve been doing more thorough check-ins in the chute (with lots of treats). She doesn’t seem interested in staying in the barn for any length of time, but she likes to go inside, get some extra treats, some love, and then leave.

Walking around and moving her body is one of the best things that Lady can do to help her feet. While Lady tends to move around lots in the habitat, we have noticed she moves less when she is having a sore day. When we see she is having a ‘slow’ day, we leave lots of little piles of food for her. These piles encourage her to move around without asking her to follow. This way if she is sore and doesn’t want to walk at that moment, she doesn’t have to. Lady likes to graze and gets lots of extra food from her treatments, so she isn’t always motivated to pick up every palm frond or piece of fruit.

Maia, on the other hand, is highly food motivated in every way. After she leaves the barn, she will lie down in the mud wallow for a bit, and then walk around the yard, picking up every scrap of food she can find. We always joke, “If it is there, Maia will find it.” She doesn’t need the extra calories, but she clearly enjoys being our resident vacuum and “helping” the caregivers clean the yard by ensuring there is no food left behind to clean up.

She’s such a team player that way. ??

Photo of Maia snacking after a mud wallow nap.

July 2, 2020

Comments(17)

Wim says
July 2, 2020 at 4:13 pm
All you need is Maia, love and food. Wonderful story but hopefully she won’t be the outsider.
???
Susan says
July 2, 2020 at 4:26 pm
Very nice mud cover application there, Miss Maia! Looks especially comfie and exfoliating! And, once again, I find myself happily relating to her in that I am a human food vacuum ??. Love and Hugs to all! ❤️?❤️?❤️
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  Kyle says
  July 2, 2020 at 8:16 pm
  Same here Susan! Me and my dog love to eat :). Smart Lady Maia! Make sure to get all that food!
Cherr i says
July 2, 2020 at 5:08 pm
Love her, their all so precious ??
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  Kyle says
  July 2, 2020 at 8:18 pm
  My thoughts exactly!
Jillyp says
July 2, 2020 at 5:08 pm
Glad Maia is enjoying hoovering up and ‘earning’ a few extra snacks too. Is she alone a whole lot more now, I mean she used to spend a lot of time with Rana didn’t she? I feel a bit sorry for her that she has ‘lost’ the attention from her friend although Rana is over the moon with Mara being there. It must be hard for Maia to adjust and not have the same relationship. Glad she is coming to her humans for a little extra attention though and she is clearly still enjoying a good wallow ?????
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  Kat Blais says
  July 3, 2020 at 7:29 pm
  I just responded to essentially the same question, but I will paste it here as well so you get notification of a response…. Maia has the choice to spend time with Mara and Rana most days. She is the one that often leaves when they are interacting with each other. Mara and Rana are with Lady sometimes, but the rest of the time, they share space with Maia. Rana is always receptive if Maia comes over. Mara is a little reserved initially, but only when Maia is in bulldozer mode. Her energy, when she is like that, still seems to be a bit much for Mara. But they all do well. Maia hasn’t seemed to want to be extremely close to another elephant since Guida’s passing. That may change, but it doesn’t seem like it’s something she wants or is ready for at this point.
  - Jillyp says
    July 4, 2020 at 4:54 am
    Thank you for your answer and helping us understand Maia a little better. She must still be grieving dear Guida, as with us humans, it’s up and down and takes a long time when you lose someone close. Great to hear she is mostly in the same yard and approaches Rana and joins in when she wants to ❤️ Thanks so much for all the postings, it’s fantastic to feel part of the ele’s lives ???????
Dianna says
July 2, 2020 at 5:51 pm
Feeling kind of sad for Maia, before Mara came she did have interactions with Rana, and it seems that that has chsnged since Mara came. Not that I don’t love that Rana and Mara are the best if friends, just hope Maia isn’t getting left out of the picture on friendship. And of course Lady is always kind of to herself. Hope in due times they will all spend time together. I know they have their own personalities and likes just hope they get the best of their new freedom & friendship.
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  Kat Blais says
  July 3, 2020 at 7:27 pm
  Maia has the choice to spend time with Mara and Rana most days. She is the one that often leaves when they are interacting with each other. Mara and Rana are with Lady sometimes, but the rest of the time, they share space with Maia. Rana is always receptive if Maia comes over. Mara is a little reserved initially, but only when Maia is in bulldozer mode. Her energy, when she is like that, still seems to be a bit much for Mara. But they all do well. Maia hasn’t seemed to want to be extremely close to another elephant since Guida’s passing. That may change, but it doesn’t seem like it’s something she wants or is ready for at this point.
Alejandra Enquin(Sandy) says
July 2, 2020 at 6:11 pm
Que hermosos relatos de Maia y Lady y el Duo Dinamico(Mara y Rana).Que vida tan llena de amor y cuidados y mimos.Tanto bien les hacen a esa chicas! y a nosotros que miramos y recorremos desde casa el frondoso Paraiso que ustedes! han creado.Gracias !!!
Debbie Sides says
July 2, 2020 at 6:15 pm
She loves her mud baths!
Je says
July 2, 2020 at 7:44 pm
“Resident vacuum” cracks me up! And I know everyone appreciates her diligence. 🙂
Sherry says
July 2, 2020 at 9:29 pm
I love a bite myself!?❤️
Bertica Valdes Suarez says
July 3, 2020 at 12:05 am
Maia, super cute — her ears so pretty, especially made-up in mud, in perfect proportion to her head, her eyelashes! baby face.
I hope I don’t prefer Asian elephants. I see them soft and emotional, sweet. I can’t wait to get to know the Africans very well, so I can love them too. Thank you Kat for the pics and the postings. I love your writings.
Paula says
July 3, 2020 at 7:13 am
Esas largas pestañas…ese embarrado rostro…y la personalidad de Maia!
Cómo no amarla tanto ❤
Shirley Taylor says
July 3, 2020 at 1:21 pm
Well someone has to tidy up what the others leave, her beautiful face she is so adorable and does her own thing for sure. xx

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