The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1900-05-19
EooD FOR TIE AN1MArs
Feeding Il Quite a Science at the zoo.
logical Gardens

mails in the collection at the Zoo is an
art in itself, and requires not a little
knowledge Of natural history and the
habits Of the various animals in their
native state. Then, too, the general
health Of the animals must be looked
after and regulated largely by their
feeding. Those which are accus-
toned in the wild state to a large
amount of exercise in foraging for
their meals must not receive too much
food, or they will get sick.
The earnivora, including the lions,
pumas, leopards and iaguars, and the
vultures get their meat raw and fresh
lyklled, a butcher being on the prem
Uses. Horses, mules and goats form
their fresh meat supply. Once OF
twice a day the animals are given
fresh water to drink. The lions usu-
allydrink most atsundown, just when
they are awakening from their after
noon nap and are prepared, in the
wild state, to sally forth to look for
food.
Once a week, on Sunday, these
meat-eating animals are given a fast
day. This is to give their digestive
organs a rest, and is said to keep them
in good physical condition.
The bears get cooked meat and
chopped vegetables, also, cooked car
rots being the most toothsome dish
for them. They are fond Of fats, so
the greasy portions Of meat are select
ed for them. At intervals they are
given . dish of oatmeal well sweet
ened. The sloth bear, unlike his fell
lows, gets his meat raw, but it is much
bone and little meat, so that he has
plenty Of time over his feeding, and
is not able to bolt his food.
The wolves also get cooked meat,
as the raw meat would be liable to
give them mango in captivity. The
hyena gets as his tidbits what the
other animals would reject.
The baby lions get milk and finely
chopped raw meat when they are
learning to take solid food. Lion
esses when nursing their young also
receive milk.
Of course the elephant is the big
gest feeder at the Zoo, but his diet is
strictly a vegetable one. Jolly gets
hay by the bale, bread in loaves, bran
mash and oats, with an occasional
change of diet Of fruit and vegetables.
This does not take into account the
peanuts, popcorn and candy which he
voraciously devours blythe bushel and
pound as fast as visitors will feed
them to him. One Of his favorite
changes Of diet is the green boughs
of a tree in the spring or summer
when he can be led out into the coun-
try. He gets but little grass.
The camels get hay and grain, and
are not partial to water drinking in
cool weather. They are cud chewers.
Ponies, quagga, donkeys, antelope
and k~angaroos get hay and bran, with
a little grain at intervals.
In the cage in which reside the
"happy family" a composite dish is
set at feeding time. From this each
animal selects its favorite food. The
monkeys get vegetables and fruits,
with sometimes a dish of boiled rice
served with sugar and milk. They
drink Of warm milk in the morn
ing. The raccoons in this cage select
pieces Of cooked meat from the
general dish. They are f~astidious eat
ers, and if water is handy will wash
their meat before eatingit. The goats
almost anything that is left in
the dish and then fill up on the shells
of peanuts which have been fed to the
monkeys.
The parrots are content with varie-
ties of seeds, including hemp and sun
and with whole corn.
WhenitcOme to feedingthe snakes
discrimination has to be used. First
The snakes are given a bath in warm
water, which stimulates them to ac-
5ivity in cool weather. Then they are
ready fer a meal of a live rabbit or a
chicken or a pigeon, which is
killed and swallowed whole. The
snakes feed after their skins,
which is about once in three months.
Sun.
A ur.an D..