If I Could Talk to the Animals --Dr. Dolittle -- My Idol

So, I have a variety of animals and what I really wish is that I could talk to them like Dr. Dolittle of book and movie fame!  Oh, to have conversations with a parrot or hedgehog or llama or horse.  What a wonderful life that would be.

Say, what!?!

For years, people (scientists included) believed that we, human beings, were the only animals that had language -- and that's what made us different.  In recent time, scientists have been surprised to find that many animals have complex forms of communication, though they are quick to say that these forms do not fulfill all of the properties of human language.  (If you want to learn more about the properties, they are: arbitrariness, cultural transmission, discreteness, displacement, duality, metalinguistics, and productivity.)

Interestingly, many studies of animal communication/language is done with the animal learning OUR language or a human language, in any case.  Koko, the ape studied by Dr. Francine Patterson, learned American Sign Language.  Alex, the famous African grey parrot studied by Dr. Irene Pepperberg, learned English.  And the list goes on...and these animals do not learn to speak (or sign) as well as one would expect from a human.

However, scientists were surprised to learn that prairie dogs' communication system could identify what kind of animal was approaching, how the predator was acting, and give general information about the animal's size, color, and speed of travel.  This research was done by Dr.  Con Slobodchikoff.

While I liked learning about the research done by scientists like Dr. Patterson and Dr. Pepperberg, I am particularly gratified by the studies of Dr. Slobodchikoff.  In my mind, HE is more like Dr. Dolittle than the other two.  He learned the 'language' of the prairie dogs instead of expecting them to learn his language.  I hope he is doing further studies.  (Please note that Dr. Patterson and Dr. Pepperberg were not only studying language skills, but trying to learn more about the cognitive ability of their subjects.)

Yeah, I'm talking to you!

 Here on the Funny Farm, I conduct my own little studies.  Yes, my critters (except Prickly Paul-yet- and maybe Lizzy the bearded dragon) know their names and respond, when they want.  I don't even have to have food for them to come when called, though I have to admit that food does help with some of them.  I am learning to 'communicate' like a prey animal through study with Parelli Natural Horsemanship.  I take my llamas to Llama Camp to learn more about how llamas think from people who know more than I do.  I went to a Macropod Informational Exchange to learn more about macropods (like Clancy, my wallaby).  There is so much to learn.  Oh, yeah, I try to train my animals, but they also train me.

Maybe someday I will be more like Dr. Dolittle and be able to talk to the animals.  "If [I] could talk to the animals, just imagine it.....what a neat achievement that would be!....If we could talk to the animals, learn their languages...talk with the animals, grunt and squeak and squawk with the animals, and they could squeak and squawk and speak and talk to [me].".




      

    

      

Why buy Prickly Paul the hedgehog from a breeder?

     I often suggest going to a rescue or Humane Society to find a new pet.  I have found pets for the GEE Funny Farm on Craigslist.

     Why didn't I get a hedgehog from a rescue or Humane Society?  Well, I've watched for one, but haven't seen one.

     Why didn't I get a hedgehog from Craigslist from someone trying to 'rehome' theirs?  Because if they 'didn't have time' for their hedgehog, I would find a prickly ball with issues that I would have to overcome.  Hedgehogs need to be handled a lot, every day, so you CAN feel comfortable handling them.  Paul came with a bonding bag that I've carried with me the last two days.  His breeder handled him every day for the six weeks he was with her.  I could tell, because he was relaxed with her and with me when she handed him over.

     So, Thursday we picked him up and carried him in his bonding bag home.  When Nathaniel or I got him out, he would start out in a ball, but after a bit would relax -- thank goodness!  He is not very comfortable to hold when he is in protection mode!

     Friday I carried him around while I delivered meals on wheels (I even shared him with one of the people I often deliver to).  He was now relaxed when he was in his bag.  I could pet him and even touch his toes:)

     Today, I carried him around when I took Nathaniel home, did some shopping and once, while shopping, I had to take him out of the bag to check on him because he was so relaxed he felt limp!  That was scary -- and he didn't ball up until I touched his tummy -- then he turned into a prickly ball with a huff and a puff, so I decided he was okay.

      When I got home, I let him out and he crawled around on me, ate a little turkey from me, got a drink from a water bottle lid, and let me handle him a lot:)  That in three days.  Trying to 'tame' one that was older and had not been handled would have taken a lot longer.

       I've had people try to give me their unwanted pets.  In the old days, I might have taken them, but now I really need to pick and choose and only take in animals that I can use and that other people can pet.  It is sad, but true.  So, that is why I decided to go to a breeder this time.  I hope you get a chance to meet Paul.

Talking Turkey

Like everyday, morning and night, I've just come in from feeding animals.  Sometimes, depending on weather, I dread going out, but once there it is a joy.

So, tonight, I'll tell you about feeding the turkeys.  I started off by calling them.  They were hanging around outside David's office window where they spend a lot of each day peering in at him and tapping on his window.  One of our turkey hens was hand-raised and she is pretty sure that she should be an inside bird.  She loves seeds given to her by hand and has made our other two hens look forward to the treat, too.  We have been going up to the window and herding them down to their pen.  They have to go in since there are coyotes and other things in the night that would love a turkey treat!  

Once we get them headed in the right direction, they usually go to the pen without a lot of complications -- unless we wait until it is truly dusk.  Then they are perched and if they move they want to go toward light -- which isn't in the direction of their pen.  So, I try hard to get out to them before dusk!!  My latest idea was that, because they love the seeds I give them, we would reward them when they go to their pen.  Last night my hand raised hen came at a turkey trot to meet me at the barn, where I keep the treat, and follow me to the pen; the other hens came running, too.

Tonight, they glanced in my direction, but they didn't move.  It was warmer out today and the snow had melted, but now it is starting to freeze and it is slick.  They are uphill from me and I'm not too happy that I'll have to slip and slide up the hill to herd them.  I decided I'd go ahead to their pen, calling as I walked.  Just about the time I was going to give up, my little hen came running with the other two on her heels.  Whew!  Saved again by a turkey!  Sarah, the hand-fed one, looked at me expectantly and I gave her a treat.  She's a wonderful turkey ambassador!

(In a moment of true confession -- I wrote the blog last night and didn't have a camera.  So I thought I'd get a video tonight.  I opened the garage and there they were waiting for me.  So, they followed me down to the barn and I ended up dropping some seeds to distract them long enough for me to get ahead of them -- I love turkeys!)