once in a lifetime chance

once in a lifetime chance (Full Version)

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nyrisa -> once in a lifetime chance (10/16/2007 11:59:10 AM)
Hey, look what I got the chance to do today! I got to feed and play with 4 little eight week old bengal tiger cubs! It was an awesome experience. They are amazing, both as cubs, and definitely so as 400 lb adults. [Mod Note: images removed]

PrincessBush -> RE: once in a lifetime chance (10/16/2007 12:01:16 PM)
How cute!! i got to do that once about 7 years ago. They were adorable!

MadameDahlia -> RE: once in a lifetime chance (10/16/2007 12:03:17 PM)
Adorable! They look so sweet. You're a very lucky lady to have been given this unique opportunity.

SunNMoon -> RE: once in a lifetime chance (10/16/2007 12:38:24 PM)
I want to play with the kitties pout That looks like so much fun. Just awww

LaTigresse -> RE: once in a lifetime chance (10/16/2007 12:39:09 PM)
I am SO JEALOUS!!

SeeksOnlyOne -> RE: once in a lifetime chance (10/16/2007 12:42:05 PM)
i am so jealous!!!!! theyre adorable

nyrisa -> RE: once in a lifetime chance (10/16/2007 12:57:47 PM)
What floored me is that these cubs were only eight weeks old; that is the same age that my kittens were when I got them. The kittens were so small they fit in my palm, and they could barely toddle around to chase a ball of yarn. These cubs were HUGE in comparison, and they were already stalking and pouncing on each other, and those teeth and claws are just plain scarey, even as baby teeth. They are born with the instinct to creep up silently and attack from behind, and I got pounced more than once. I would sure hate to encounter one of the grownup versions. I think tigers just became my animal of reverence.

LaTigresse -> RE: once in a lifetime chance (10/16/2007 1:07:48 PM)
Are they as soft as they look?

nyrisa -> RE: once in a lifetime chance (10/16/2007 1:17:47 PM)
No, their coats weren't silky like a cat's, it was slightly rough, like petting a dog. Their paws fascinated me; the pads were like very soft leather, and were very warm, despite the grass being cool after the rain. And their claws are retractable like a cat's. One second they'd be patting your knee with a soft paw, then the next they'd be wrestling with a stuffed toy, their claws sprung and digging into the cloth. They already knew several commands, chief of which was "No bite!". They are being trained not to chew on humans like they do with each other in play, since even with a play nip, our skin is about 9 times more fragile than theirs and punctures would happen. I was glad they were such well behaved little folks.

Lordandmaster -> RE: once in a lifetime chance (10/16/2007 1:21:32 PM)
One tigress feeding another! Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrow!

dovie -> RE: once in a lifetime chance (10/16/2007 1:23:30 PM)
soooo fun nyrisa and i am Jealous-Jealous-Jealous!! good for you!! what a beautiful experience and THANK YOU for sharing this...a wonderful feel good visual for the day! dream well, dovie

DesertRat -> RE: once in a lifetime chance (10/16/2007 2:40:24 PM)
That's incredible! I'd love to do that. You're very lucky. Bob

LadyEllen -> RE: once in a lifetime chance (10/16/2007 2:44:12 PM)
Jealousy is not a trait I espouse, so I'll just say this; "I hate you I hate you I hate you!" LOL Never mind, I got my own little kitties to play with E

Termyn8or -> RE: once in a lifetime chance (10/16/2007 2:52:26 PM)
Count your lucky stars I guess. It is a rare instance when you get that kind of opportunity. I got a couple friends who used to work at the Cleveland zoo. They got similar experiences. I got another buddy who would just about drool at those pictures. These are animal people, I mean they have a connection to animals. The latter mentioned has been able to get among wild deer, go up to a junkyard dog and make friends, and a few other things. The formers mentioned have taken home monkeys and rare birds. They always returned them, but that doesn't mean it was not illegal. They just wanted to interact and get to know the animals. They were young and wild. I am not pleased that they taught a monkey to smoke cigarettes, and now they probably wouldn't do it again, but they did it then. These people also raised the best dog I have ever seen in my life. I do not even wasnt to go into details, it would take too long. But this dog was so intuitive and communicative it was unbelievable. He knew his left from his right. That's more than I can say for some people. Animals are great, but I would never keep one. Nice pics, and I hope you enjoyed your time with them, but the ideal would be that they go home, and home is not the zoo, it is the wilderness. Those animals you held and played with are babies, and they will grow up to be dangerous predators. Only certain people can make the ultimate connection with them, I wish I could. If you were to raise them to adulthood, they need to see you as the Master, and there is only one way for that to happen. You need to be a master of martial arts and not afraid to spill some blood. That will help you survive it, but the teaching is a whole nother subject. But it can be done. If you have the ability and the means to do it, a lion or tiger could be the ultimate in protection as well as some degree of compaionship. But when that animal grows up, it is going to be very hard to handle. But if you can really tame the beast, you have a very formidable ally. But for now have fun while you can, Wish I was there. T

nyrisa -> RE: once in a lifetime chance (10/16/2007 3:02:32 PM)
Oh, these aren't my kitties, Termyn8tor. They were born at the local zoo. They were bred in captivity, and can never be released to the wild, due to the fact that they won't have the survival skills of a wild born animal. Also, due to loss of habitat and other factors, they are endangered in the wild. These guys will never hunt antelope on the grass plains, but they will be a valuable part of an effort to keep the species alive.

MadameMarque -> RE: once in a lifetime chance (10/16/2007 11:20:16 PM)
Nyrisa, since they've removed your images, I hope you'll post the images somewhere, and post the links. Image Shack is one handy place, for that.

winterlight -> RE: once in a lifetime chance (10/16/2007 11:59:46 PM)
how come the images were taken off? i never got to see them.

Real0ne -> RE: once in a lifetime chance (10/17/2007 12:38:02 AM)
Nice putty cat! Yeh no kidding and even as tiny cubs they play rougher than hell LOL A guy by my home town raised all kinds of wild animals on a donation based farm and they had little lion cubs there. I was amazed at how powerful and rock solid they are. i noticed that too that their fur was soft but sort of course and grainy. It was fun we got to feed them from a bottle etc and get our fill playing with them... Even as a child though i remember thinking dang if this cat is this powerful now as a kitten.... yikes!

nyrisa -> RE: once in a lifetime chance (10/17/2007 12:06:27 PM)
I did not realize posting images on the forums was a no-no. Ack! I deserve a spanking for that. Here is the sign up sheet. --------> Here is a link to the photos, though. smiles http://sukaxena.homestead.com/files/cub1.jpg http://sukaxena.homestead.com/files/cub2.jpg

RosesHaveThorns -> RE: once in a lifetime chance (10/17/2007 12:21:40 PM)
Oh wow...Those are so cute! Must have been fun to pet them! Did you get to feed them cream? I've seen some zookeepers do that...And it is funny and cute to see a fullgrown tiger being fed cream from a carton.

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