NY - Giraffe Watch: April, 15, due to give birth at Animal Adventure Park

[LaborOfLobe]

3/29 Evening Update

"Taco Induction"
Keep on laughing! Our sense of humor has kept us sane throughout this entire process! Tonight, I will share with you Dr Tim's report to his following friends and colleagues.
"Ok Gang... if you have been watching today, you should start getting excited... we are seeing almost all the signs of birth happening within the coming days... of course, my schedule is crazy for the next few days so naturally, we will pick the worst time possible. Hah. In an effort to speed things along I am launching "Operation Taco Induction"... let's see what happens. (Not in Labor...) yet. - disclaimer - she didn't actually get a taco. I'm not ridiculous."
Keepers report continued discharge and mammary development. Appetite was off this morning - back this evening!
Never miss a beat by subscribing to our YouTube Channel!
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClnQCgFa9lCBL-KXZMOoO9Q
Also, stay connected to all things April through her site - www.ApriltheGiraffe.com
Now is not the time to loose the link or miss an update!
Rest with one eye open tonight!
Thank you all!

 

[CARIIS]

"15 months plus or minus 60 days " Oi Vi!

[video=youtube;-iNSWt9CI50]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-iNSWt9CI50[/video]

 

[CARIIS]

[video=youtube;y71r1jhMdRk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y71r1jhMdRk[/video]

Ha! I just noticed that when news outlets cover her they put April the giraffe - kinda odd that they seem to feel the need to put "the giraffe" on the screen

 

[2Hope4]

Well, been an interesting evening in my neck of the woods. Police chase that ended with the vehicle hitting a state trooper headon. The suspect....wanted for murder in MD....a member of MS 13 gang. Now...it gets more interesting. A teenager was found deceased in the middle of a country road here on Monday evening. No identification on the victim. Rumor mill states hands were cut off. Feds have been here looking in the creek/river since that time with a dive team, and CSI unit. A farmer calls to report 4 non english speaking males hiding in his barn. A vehicle shows up and picks them up. Police start chasing that vehicle since it was near where the body was found. Those people were arrested and one of the men in that vehicle was also wanted in the same murder in MD! It's getting scary even living in the country now. These gangs....scary as heck!

So 2 wanted murder suspects for a murder in MD have been detained, and they are also suspect in the recent 17yr old that was killed on Monday!

Stuff like this just doesn't happen here...until now!!

 

[2Hope4]

Back to April.. My feed is so choppy. Hasn't been this way until now. I've restarted it several times, and still it isn't right. Of all times for it to mess up! Hope the only way to see the birth isn't by buying the video...

April still got that hubba bubba in both cheeks. Still holding onto the baby. Sigh..

 

[perfectingpink]

Back to April.. My feed is so choppy. Hasn't been this way until now. I've restarted it several times, and still it isn't right. Of all times for it to mess up! Hope the only way to see the birth isn't by buying the video...

April still got that hubba bubba in both cheeks. Still holding onto the baby. Sigh..

My feed is choppy, too so it must be on their end.

 

[U2forever]

Good morning, Giraffe-ers & Giraffe-etts. I just tuned into the live feed on my phone and I thought she was pushing, so I grabbed the laptop and, and, and...anotherfalsealarm.

I haven't seen April's tail in that position before and her stance was different too. Poor thing, she is favoring her left hip/leg.

Oh my, she just landed a wee bit hard in her venture into laying down. My heart aches for April and her 150 lb load.

I really hate she is so uncomfortable and no access to pain meds or epidural.

My giraffe, September Sapphire, has already informed me of her intentions for an epidural.
When the time comes, that is.

Come on April, we are rooting for you to have a safe and healthy delivery and Calf.

 

[U2forever]

Well, been an interesting evening in my neck of the woods. Police chase that ended with the vehicle hitting a state trooper headon. The suspect....wanted for murder in MD....a member of MS 13 gang. Now...it gets more interesting. A teenager was found deceased in the middle of a country road here on Monday evening. No identification on the victim. Rumor mill states hands were cut off. Feds have been here looking in the creek/river since that time with a dive team, and CSI unit. A farmer calls to report 4 non english speaking males hiding in his barn. A vehicle shows up and picks them up. Police start chasing that vehicle since it was near where the body was found. Those people were arrested and one of the men in that vehicle was also wanted in the same murder in MD! It's getting scary even living in the country now. These gangs....scary as heck!

So 2 wanted murder suspects for a murder in MD have been detained, and they are also suspect in the recent 17yr old that was killed on Monday!

Stuff like this just doesn't happen here...until now!!

Well thats just too close for comfort, 2Hope4. Gangs in BFE, what's up with that?
Please stay safe.

:scared:
February 16, someone followed my DH home from bowling and he was carrying a loaded gun.
What happened was scary as hell and I stayed up for 2 weeks ready to defend my family.

Sorry OT

 

[2Hope4]

I've watched many animals give birth in real life. They didn't appear to be in extreme pain. Having gone through labor myself, I know pain is there though. But it was a different pain than the chronic pain from fibro that I deal with now. I didn't have pain meds for over 24hrs, then a Csection.

I think with animals, they don't have the higher thinking that we do, so they probably think all is just normal. A pregnancy ends in labor/delivery. I am not sure their thinking is any further than that. A normal, natural part of life.

This is the typically the time of morning April shows promising behavior for a birth! Hoping for her sake that today is the day! Praying all goes for her and the calf/calves.

I'm awake and waiting!!

 

[2Hope4]

It's gotten so when April goes to lay down, I can't watch. I'm so afraid she's going to break a hip!!! All that weight falling on one body part... eeekkkk!!! I bet if I landed on my hip in a fall, it would break!

 

[2Hope4]

Well thats just too close for comfort, 2Hope4. Gangs in BFE, what's up with that?
Please stay safe.

:scared:
February 16, someone followed my DH home from bowling and he was carrying a loaded gun.
What happened was scary as hell and I stayed up for 2 weeks ready to defend my family.

Sorry OT

!!
OT: Yeah, I don't know what the deal is, but this week has been crazy! Schools on lock down, etc., and all related to that body

It's just unbelieveable. Then to hear of two arrests from a prior murder in another state?!?! This is the country. I'm surrounded by farms! No way I ever thought I'd see this in my lifetime.

http://wset.com/news/local/identity-of-body-found-in-goode-released

That's just one local news reporting on the case. Never had heard of a gang called MS 13 until this week!

 

[2Hope4]

Has anyone seen Templeton (the rat) lately? It's been several days since I saw him. The last time was when he bumped into April's back while she was laying down...then I couldn't see him, and she rolled onto the back before getting up! I don't know if she squished him or not.

 

[U2forever]

Did anyone watching April live see what she just did? I thought either she was having a contraction, or slightly pushing.
It happened within the last few minutes, -4.00 give or take a few seconds. JMO

2Hope4, oh no, I pray Templeton (terrific name for a rat) is alive and well.

ETA:
BTW: April has been mooning everyone for the last few hours and the moon is full.

 

[LaborOfLobe]

3/30 Morning Update

Like many of you, we spent the evening watching our April. She continues to progress. Mammary development stays remains as filled udders, and will likely not get much Larger. Discharge continues to be present. Appetite is so - so this morning.
We continue calf countdown.

Wow! Look at that belly! Our girl is huge, her milk has come in and her backside is bulging. Surely it can't be long now!

 

[CARIIS]

I just don't know how patting an animal on the side every couple of days really gives info.

We know now that they can ultrasound giraffes. Maybe it is time to spend some of the money they have earned and it done to assure all is well??

I do not know if I am being a neurotic daddy (highly likely) but it can't hurt for a further inspection to make sure everything in the oven is doing so correctly moo

 

[CARIIS]

3/30 Morning Update

Like many of you, we spent the evening watching our April. She continues to progress. Mammary development stays remains as filled udders, and will likely not get much Larger. Discharge continues to be present. Appetite is so - so this morning.
We continue calf countdown.

LI Wow! Look at that belly! Our girl is huge, her milk has come in and her backside is bulging. Surely it can't be long now!

Was trying to find out how far from delivery do they start making milk - but this is interesting!

Unlike many animals, particularly cows, a giraffe’s udders do not appear to inflate when they are nursing their youngsters with milk.

One of the major changes that a female giraffe displays in the later stages of pregnancy is developing “wax caps” on her four teat, preventing vital milk rich in antibodies to protect the newborn calf from infections leaking.

“Wax caps are what develops on the teats of the udder to keep colostrum in the udder and to ensure it is for the baby's first nursing.
"Colostrum is a form of milk that is produced and holds the many antibodies and other essentials to allow any new baby to thrive.

I think this is what Dobbies issue was not sure tho.
“Giraffes do not 'bag out' like cows, goats, pigs, or other animals in lactation. It is a very subtle fill and development.”

Caps are shed just prior or during delivery, or can be removed by the suckle of the baby.”

[FONT=&quot]restlessness, tail raised, shedding of the wax caps on her teats, loss of appetite, swelling in the hind quarter, biting or licking her flanks

[/FONT][h=1]udders filling, which ‘generally happens just prior to birthing’ Oh brother [/h]http://www.express.co.uk/news/nature/778469/april-the-giraffe-teets-baby-imminent-animal-adventure-park


Gimme some of that:

 

[CARIIS]

[FONT=&amp] [/FONT]overpowering
aroma.


"[FONT=&amp]also known for not being the most pleasant smelling creatures. In fact, older males are sometimes called "stink bulls".--[/FONT]several smelly chemicals that work to stunt the growth of fungi and bacteria on skin.These included indole and 3-methylindole; the same chemical compounds that make faeces smell.

Another compound present - para-cresol - is present in creosote and serves to repel bloodsucking ticks.--

[FONT=&amp] Their smell is believed to come from their antibiotic and parasite repellent rich fur, and is also thought to have a part in their mating selection.

[/FONT][FONT=&amp]fixture in zoos all over the world. While in such captivity, they are known to lick various objects frequently; this is because captive giraffes never get to suckle their mother, and instinctively try to anyway.

[/FONT]

http://www.factzoo.com/mammals/giraffe-long-neck-spots.html

 

[CARIIS]

got distracted! Ok back to other "fact finding " post - ugh staying on task .................an lifelong enduring battle!

[video=youtube;pf7T_IG3Yx4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pf7T_IG3Yx4[/video]


Real giraffe dance

[video=youtube;y5S6p2zfTz4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5S6p2zfTz4[/video]

 

[U2forever]

!!
OT: Yeah, I don't know what the deal is, but this week has been crazy! Schools on lock down, etc., and all related to that body

It's just unbelieveable. Then to hear of two arrests from a prior murder in another state?!?! This is the country. I'm surrounded by farms! No way I ever thought I'd see this in my lifetime.

http://wset.com/news/local/identity-of-body-found-in-goode-released

That's just one local news reporting on the case. Never had heard of a gang called MS 13 until this week!

BBM:

MS-13 is beyond bad news. I cannot remember if there associated with prison gangs or not but I do know they are mostly of
Latin American/Central American descent.
You don't want to associate with them or go anywhere near em, and that's the good news.

I also cannot remember if MS-13 has a large control over Chicago and the cartels running the drugs with Sinaloa or not. Please feel free to correct my mistakes.

Just going off the top of my head here.

 

[CARIIS]

mating rituals of giraffes are rather complicated, because female giraffes refuse to mate during the entirety of their pregnancy,

So that the male giraffes can keep track of the times when the females are available to mate, they have developed a behavior called flehmen, in which the female giraffe urinates in the male giraffe’s mouth. This rather kinky-sounding procedure is actually perfectly pragmatic—the female giraffe’s urine tastes different when it’s ready to mate.

Baby giraffes learn how to stand almost immediately upon birth, thanks to their rapidly inflating leg veins. When NASA observed this, they were able to create the Lower Body Negative Pressure process. It’s a device that consists of an airtight tube that seals around the astronaut below the waist and applies vacuum pressure, thus rapidly expanding the leg veins and making blood rush into the legs and pelvic area. When this pressure is applied at regular intervals, the astronaut’s leg veins stay in shape.

Because giraffes are built the way they are, drinking can pose serious problems for them. To get to water, they need to spread their front legs and crane their neck down at an awkward angle, a position that leaves them clumsy and vulnerable to predators such as crocodiles.

walking giraffe might seem slow, until you realize it can cover 4.5 meters (15 ft) with every step. That means even a leisurely walk gives it a speed of 16 kilometers (10 mi) per hour.

Giraffes are well-versed in the art of self-defense, to the point where even lions only dare to attack them in large groups (and then only when they’re desperate). Giraffe legs are powerful and heavy, and each of them ends in a hard, sharp, 30-centimeter (12 in) hoof. A giraffe can kick in any direction and in a manner of ways, and its kick can not only kill a lion, but actually decapitate it.

tongue is colored bluish-black to protect it from sunburn, and the giraffe uses it much like an elephant uses its trunk—it grasps things with it and uses it for personal grooming, such as picking its nose and cleaning its ears.

nsides of the mouth, along with the lips and the tongue, are completely covered with hard, finger-like papillae to protect it from thorns and nasty gashes.

[FONT=&amp] Sometimes, though, the mother giraffe will leave the calf by itself. When this happens, the infant will lie down and wait for its mother to return.

[/FONT][FONT=&amp]they have two weight-bearing hooves on each foot,

[/FONT]Female giraffes often return to where they were born to give birth.

tongues can be up to 20 inches long and are darkly colored, which is thought to help protect them during frequent sun-exposure.

Giraffes require over 75 pounds of food a day—and with a diet of leaves, this means they spend most of their time eating.

heart. It's two feet long and weighs up to 25 pounds.

jugular veins contain a series of one-way valves that prevent excess blood flow to the brain when the giraffe lowers its head to drink.

Although they're more likely to run from an attack than fight back,

http://mentalfloss.com/article/56318/20-things-you-might-not-know-about-giraffes[FONT=&amp]

[/FONT]http://www.livescience.com/27336-giraffes.html

http://listverse.com/2013/10/12/12-fascinating-facts-about-giraffes/