Catching up again with Mr. Mandua

Posted by: Tamandua.Girl / Category: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Let's see if I can get caught up and not forget to much.

So Mandua is slowly coming out of his shell. He was happily paying with the stuffed raccoon on his own on the 15th so let him be while I went with Pua to do her rounds. Later Pua went to the closet wanting to pull her rope up for a treat. Mandua had been down on the clothes bar but came up behind her and "attacked". Having been goosed she dropped her treat and turned on him. She backed him up onto the window shelf and I pulled him down. No injuries or pulled hair.

He has staked out the closet as his territory now, sleeping in there most nights. First night Mandua came down from the closet bed for food but was nervous and I had to carry him to the cage food bowl. Pua was begging me so I brought him over for a sniff. We have since compromised and I put his food on the window shelf.

Mandua finely decided to explore on the 18th and he found his way onto Pua's tower while I was playing with her. She went up there to chase him off but he shoved her off her tower instead.

I guess she needed knocked off her pedestal a little bit, lol. She still very much likes his scent and is good when I hold him for her to sniff. They just need some time to get used to each other and lay down some rules.

This happened before he peed on my shirt in the closet. Which came as a shock when I went to clean up and found crystals in his urine.

Crystals in Tamandua urine
I've not dealt with that before but Mandua's owner knew more about crystals and what can cause them. He has been quit inactive since he got here and not drinking a much. So I made sure he drank more, mixing water in his food and took him out for daily walks in the yard and after a few days his urine looks normal again. His urine stream has looked good and uninterrupted. I did call the vet about it but the vet tech said they need an actual urine sample to test and not just the crystals. That's a pretty difficult task with an anteater so very glad things cleared up.

He's has some issues int he yard behaviorally. After he gets worked up he starts charging me or any critters nearby like Jake or Quasi. It may be he's trying to play but I'm not sure. The one day he just wanted to nap in the yard then when I got him up and running around he started that. Last night we played first then went out and he was fine and just when I was steeling my nerve to let him get me when he charges to see if it's play or not.

Have played with him by hand a couple times but he does pinch a little rough for my taste. Still nothing like Eldorado pinches so we play till he gets rough then let him get the toy instead. Told he didn't play like that before so he may just need to learn to play gentler. Think he may be young enough to learn that.

So the 20th Mandua was sick of his soupy food & found his way to the drier & ate Pua's food while I was playing with her. Then he went behind the washer. He wanted to stay there. That's not a place to live so I lured him out as far as I could with a treat then moved him to the playpen. I was also worried about Pua's reaction as she would get really worked up and freaked out when Eldorado would get back there. He went back to sleep in the closet.

(looking over my tweets here) After playing with him in the tree house(Closet shelf bed) he curled up around the noid.

21st
Mandua came down at 8am explored a little then made his way to Pua's food. After a bit she realized he was there & was coming to chase him away. So I moved him to his food. After eating he came back but was looking behind the washer. Pua came out & they had a face off. Both stood claws raised. He backed off since he is smaller.

He went behind the sink, she decided that was far enough away & went to bed. He came out after a bit & went back up but went over the tower. He dug into the pet clothes basket and went to sleep there. He stayed there all day. He'd look up when I would go by and I brought him a drink a couple times. He woke before Pua and played with me then I took him out and he ran the yard, peed and had a nice formed but huge pile of poop.

Pua enjoys sniffing over his trail when she goes out.

Mandua sleeping oddly
Mandua sleeping oddly
I think doe to there being so much poop in him at the time though he later moved to lay on his side.

Mandua on the closet wall
Mandua on the closet wall

Treat time
Treat time

Feeling lazy
Feeling lazy

Got food?
Got food?

Chillin in the "tree" house
Chillin in the "tree" house

Mandua climbs the wall
Mandua climbs the wall

Eating over the window
Eating over the window

Climbing the closet wall
Climbing the closet wall
He managed to make it all the way up

Mandua in the pet clothes basket
Mandua in the pet clothes basket

Later in the day
Later in the day

Playing with me
Playing with me
He was nice a little bit then was pinching hard so I got the noid for him.

Wrestling a noid
Wrestling a noid

Poking a noid's eye
Poking a noid's eye


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Pua's hike and Eldorado update

Posted by: Tamandua Girl / Category: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Meant to post this like a week ago

Eldorado settled in Quickly. Here are a couple videos of him playing with his new friend.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLWiUf4gTEU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_3SAwmZUkA

Pua sniffing a tree

Pua sniffing a tree

At her favorite stump
At her favorite stump

Can we take this home?
Can we take this home?
I'll sleep here instead of the washer

It just needs some curtains
It just needs some curtains
And maybe a lid

I'm just resting my eyes
I'm just resting my eyes

Napping in a stump
Napping in a stump

Where's the anteater?
Where's the anteater?

Napping in the dry creek bed
Napping in the dry creek bed

On a rotten tree
On a rotten tree
It was broken off just above her

No ants in here
No ants in here

Good night
Good night
She was tired and kept napping so I offered the bag and she got in. Had to carry her back.




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Mr. Mandua and Pua and Me

Posted by: Tamandua Girl / Category: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Well I tried letting Mandua come out to Pua when she came over. She was nervous and turned away. He came out slowly and sniffed Quasi first(I don't know how I failed to notice he was there but it was to late). He didn't care about Quasi and went around him sniffed Pua's tail came up behind her growled and pounced her clawing fiercely and a fight broke out. I pulled Pua away and he went back to his cage satisfied. Pua got a scratch to her leg, pink with a little red but not bleeding. Next day was just a little reddish pink spot left.

PS Quasi did nothing and went back to sleep.

Pua wasn't too rattled short time later she was trying to take a vinegar bath in the sink. I rinsed a cup out earlier so she smelled it. I didn't to give her any to bath in though. It would likely sting that scratch.

Saturday I gave Mandua his treat. When he ran out he wanted to grab me so I tried letting him. It turned into a full blown attack with him growling at me as he clawed at me savagely. However savage for Mandua still isn't very savage. He did not leave me bruised or bloodied or in pain after. I'm not sure if he's a weakling or he just can't muster being mean even when he's trying. It was obvious he meant it though.

This behavior only happens after I've given him a treat and it's all gone so I just wont give him treats any more, unless they are just left with his food and not given by me directly. I have been giving him probiotics in his treat. His last poop was very nice just in a bad place(well get to that later).

Last night I took things slower. After his attack I didn't want him getting away with that behavior and Pua had just gotten up so
I peeled Mandua out of his hammock and held him up for Pua to sniff on her tower. The boy is a limp rag when held. Pua had been looking for him so happily sniffed but gave a couple nervous growls, each time coming back to sniff again. He set to eating when put away. Pua kept wanting me to bring him back. Pua is smitten now to win his heart or at least enough for a summer fling would be nice.

She still might do better with a youngster to raise into the man she wants for a true companion like she did Stewie so she could teach him to share the bed and food like she liked to do. It was cute. Stewie when young followed her around and copied what she did. She even let him ride on her back once when he got scared.

Mandua getting into his food

Mandua getting into his food

Pua entertaining herself

Pua entertaining herself

Small snack and then he was just standing there. He let me get him back out so we repeated. No growls this time. Both nervous. Let them sniff then pull him back when he squirmed or one raised a claw a little. Pua kept wanting more but after a bit she left to do her rounds and he went back to eating in his cage.

Then later the night got weird. He wouldn't settle in his hammock. Found he pooped it in! So I pulled him out and stuck him in the closet so I'd have time to change it before he got back. Well he surprised me by exploring the closet.

On the closet wall
On the closet wall

On the cat condo
On the cat condo

On the way back he saw the Noid. Remembering play with it from before he attacked.
Mandua wrestling the noid

Playing with the Noid
Mandua wrestling the noid

Then he explored more wanting to go up where Pua is. I just picked him up each time to let them sniff then moved him back and played with him with the Noid and raccoon. He decided later he liked the raccoon more and we payed for hours.

Playing with the Noid


Some relaxed sniffing
Some relaxed sniffing
After lots of play he rested awhile sniffing out.

So Pua and Mandua got to sniff a lot last night with me holding him. She was more nervous later with growls but towards the end she quit growling and then had passed out.

A little royal drool
A little royal drool
You'll have to look close but there's like a foot long stringer of drool hanging down.

I'll have to see how he will play with me tonight or if he will. After all if he didn't hurt me when he was serious he should be fine during play.

Oh and he was upset about the hammock switch so slept in the cave instead.


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Mr Mandua and Pua

Posted by: Tamandua Girl / Category: , , , , , , , ,

Sorry it's been awhile, if you want more timely updates you can follow us on Twitter http://twitter.com/PuaTamandua

Pua contemplating the new guy

Pua contemplating the new guy
She looks asleep in this shot but she was listening.

Mandua eating
Mandua eating
At around 3:40 am

Pua eating too
Pua eating too

Mandua sleeping in the hammock
Mandua sleeping in the hammock
He first slept in the dirt box then next night found his way to the hammock. He's been having some trouble adjusting. Being a "teen" he's feeling all angsty about coming into a new family. So he hasn't come out willingly but a few times. He is getting used to all the scary sounds though.

Documenting Mandua's markings
Mandua marking
Scar under right ear, there is a small notch there too

A close look shows a pink spot in his right ear.
Mandua markings

Eating

Mandua emerges from his cage
Mandua emerges from his cage

He sniffs a dog
He sniffs a dog

He goes back
He goes back

We took Pua for a walk so I let Mandua sniff her in the carry bag before we left. I couldn't see in due to the light but she didn't seem to notice. He perked up though so he came out and explored after we came back then went for a run in the yard.

He got so hyped up he was flinging himself at me, I think in play, but I didn't let him get me. He flung himself at the kitten several times too but Jake was smart enough not to let Mandua get him. His claws have been to sharp for play. He tried giving me finger pokes and he poked a hole in my finger, ouch. I finally got tough and pulled him from the cage to file his nails today.

Now I feel bad I waited he had poked a hole in his own palm too. Stewie also had that problem when we first got him. Whenever he did it I'm not sure but it looks to be healing nicely already. Now next time he wants to finger poke and play we can see how it goes. He wanted to poke and play a couple times and had to let him play with the stuffed Noid instead.

Mandua checked out the cat condo
Mandua checked out the cat condo

In the closet
In the closet

So where's Pua?
So where's Pua?

So later I switched roles and bagged Mandua while Pua was up for her to sniff

Pua first meets Mandua
Pua first meets Mandua

Pua and Mr Mamndua were both awake. So I took Pua over to see him in the cage. He had hiden in the cave from me but came out to see. She sniffed and left but didn't flee in terror like with Edlorado. She still seemed interested from her safe place and Mandua was excited so I bagged him. Stuck him in the carry bag and put him on the drier for her. She sniffed and was nice then look around like she was going to turn in then growled at him. Then checked Eldorado's usual haunts. Then she realized this wasn't Eld and sniffed nice again. So I put him up on a good note. He ate more and she turned in then came back out and looked around for him then rubbed herself on everything around the washer so he'd know the place is hers.

That night she did a slow crawl through the yard on her rounds thoroughly sniffing everywhere he'd been.

Next night she came to see him on her own

Pua comes to see Mandua
Pua comes to see Mandua

Pua comes to see Mandua Video

So she shows interest but he is feeling defensive. He hissed so she growled back at him while on the shelf. True letting her get above him while he was caged may not have been the best choice but didn't think he would attack and he hasn't wanted to come out, and forcing him out wouldn't put him in a good mood for the meeting. Now that his claws are done I can try opening the door and see if he will come out to see her if I hold her back. Just don't want her going in with him as that could have a worse out come. Happily he did not hurt her feet so was just trying to scare her off and not hurt her.

At least now it looks like she is willing to except one of her own kind. Mandua just needs to chill a bit.


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Eldorado has left the house

Posted by: Tamandua Girl / Category: , , , , ,

A day cleared up so we did the trade a bit sooner than expected. The night before He was being sweet and while I was playing with Pua felt something on my leg. He had come up behind me and touched my leg with his paws wanting me to play with him too.

Later though Pua showed us why he was better off going.

Pua had a normal night and raided the fridge and played in the closet and had cheese there. Then she sought out Eldorado. I thought we were turning a corner but it was a corner into a dark alley I think. She fooled Eldorado too. He came to great her but apparently she wasn't coming to say hi but was hunting him down.

Our last photo of him

Goodbye Eldorado

Goodbye Eldorado

Really sad to see him go but things were only getting worse instead of better. Really miss him already so maybe we'll bring him back if she hates the new guy who's here on trial but if he can be happy else where I will likely spare him that. Quite torn really but we'll see if Pua likes one of her own kind better.
song is: not meant to be by theory of a deadman

He clawed at the crate the whole drive up and I let him run around the car some when we got there till we met for the trade off. Seems he slept on the ride home for them. Sounds like he is settling in pretty well there after his first night. Taking treats and got out to explore.

Mr. Mandua is finding it a little hard to adjust. He's fine to handle as he's a type C personality, in contrast to Eldorado's type A. He's scared and depressed but he should come around. He's taken treats but spent the first night sleeping in the cave. He moved to the dirt box to sleep and sit there. He started to come out once but heard my dad clear his throat in the other room and darted back in.
Mandua day after arrival

He was sleeping with his head on the wood but forgot the flash and it popped up and woke him.
What was that?
He did respond to my hand squeezes by giving me a couple finger pokes but then curls back up. He liked a neck rub a little better.

Checking out the food
Checking out the food

At the back fence
At the back fence
His owner suggested taking him out to perk him up. He wanted to come right back in the door so I moved him into the yard a bit. He then went to the back fence and paced there.

Moved him to the old wood
Moved him to the old wood
But he went back to the back fence so I brought him in

Can you take me home now?
Can you take me home now?
He's a decent size but he still has baby soft fur. I think the boy just needs some time to settle in as his whole world is new again.

Wont be introducing them right away but since I think Pua likes her "men" young maybe Mandua's boyish looks will help.


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