Our Weekly Roundup!

Now that spring break is over, we can catch our breath until the week of April 7th, when we hope to be very, very busy with our Easter celebration!

Let's catch up on this week's events:

Monday, we announced new and very special "Feed Tours" beginning on April 19th!  You don't want to miss this "bone crunching" tour, so make your reservations today! 

 

Observe our exotic wild animal keepers feed lions, tigers, cougars, bobcats, and more from just a few feet away. Throughout the feeding process, our keepers will give you some behind the scene information about our wild cats such as diet, special care (our geriatric cats), and our animals’ favorite foods. You will also be able to have short informal and informational cat chat sessions with our keepers. 

 

The Feeding Tours will be available on the third Thursday of each month, so if you miss the April 19th tour, you can catch the next one in May, June, July...!

We also announced that our wild cats are ready for their close-up shots on April 29th!  Professional and amateur photographers will have the opportunity to photograph our exotics wild animals in a natural and semi-natural background. Capture those special moments as our wild ones splash in their pools, play with their toys on the playground, or just coming up to greet you, up close and personal!   Make your reservations today as only 15 lucky people will be able to amazing pictures of our animals!

 

On Monday afternoon, we announced that we were nominated and selected as a finalist in the Cold-EEZE $1,000 give-a-way! 

 

But we need YOUR help to secure the first place title!  All you have to do is vote for us and then encourage your friends and family members to do the same!

Here is the link to the voting page!

http://www.facebook.com/ColdEEZE?sk=app_215117178528798

From March 19, 2012 through April 1, 2012, Cold-EEZE Facebook fans can cast up to 5 votes per day! So start voting, please!

Now it may appear we are ahead right now, but we all know how that can change "on a dime."  So please continue to vote (5x) per day for In-Sync Exotics!  Your vote DOES count!

 

On Tuesday, we celebrated an amaz-ing anniversary! If you haven't seen the pictures or read this posting, you must go to this page to see what a difference love and attention can make in the lives of three precious wild animals!

 

Have you ever heard of anyone blood typing a wild cat before?  Well, we are!  Read all Wednesday's blog posting about exotic wild cat blood typing and why we decided to do so!  PLUS you'll meet our smallest rescue ever!! 

 

Did you know we are on Twitter!  We posts tibbets about our animals' care and routines, plus lots of pictures and now videos you won't see anywhere else!  So come Twitter with us @Insync_Exotics!  Or you could simply click on our Twitter Feed button at the top of the blog page to keep up with the latest wild cat news!

 

 

And did you know that Nadia recently had tooth surgery? You can read all about her trip to the vet in Thursday's posting titled "Nadia's Tooth Surgery!"  She had quite an adventure, but was an angle through the entire procedure.  We are so proud of Nadia!

 

We hope you enjoyed this week's blog postings and will join us again for more wild "cat tales" on Monday! Don't forget, we are open Saturday and Sunday,so come out and say "hello" to our residents and staff!  

 

Have a safe and wonderful weekend, everyone!

 

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Nadia's Tooth Surgery!

You may recall on February 23rd, Nadia was visited by our vet to determine why there was a small hole on the side of her face.  Our vet brought along his portable x-ray so he could take digital pictures of the wound.  Our vet returned to his office so he could review the pictures he had taken of our ailing Nadia.

Nadia’s x-rays revealed she had a tooth (T-3) on the right side of her face that was not healthy and it needed to be extracted. 

So yesterday morning, we transported Nadia from In-Sync Exotics to her vet’s office which is located only a few miles away from us.






Shortly after our arrival to our veterinarian's office, Nadia was prepped and ready for surgery.

Nadia's surgery went very well.  The total time it took to remove the tooth was about an hour and a half and there was a minor complication as her tooth just didn't want to come out.  Our vet had to slice the tooth and then grind out the broken pieces.

Once the anesthia reversal drugs were administered, a groggy Nadia slowly woke up, missing one tooth.  She was an absolute angel through the entire procedure!

When Nadia's vet gave us the green light, we took our patient home to fully recover.

Now that her tooth has been extracted, Nadia's facial wound should heal on its own.  We estimate that it will take about 4-6 weeks for the facial wound to completely heal and the tooth hole about 10 days to close.

No doubt, our Nadia is much happier without her nagging tooth problem. Ever since she was two months old (prior to her arrival at In-Sync Exotics), Nadia had a lot of prexisting problems with her teeth.  Once her baby teeth dropped out and her adult teeth grew in, she hasn't had any dental issues until now.   

Our girl was reunited with her cage mates, Mohan, Saber, Lucca, and Emma and everyone is now doing great!

We hope you enjoyed today's posting of Nadia's trip to the vet! Be sure to record your reactions by clicking on one of our reaction buttons below. Don't forget to share this blog with your family, friends and co-workers. And don't forget to check us out on Twitter as we "twitter" special animal tibits throughout the week! 

We just added a video to Twitter on our tiniest animal rescue ever! 

P.S. 

Here is the link to the voting page! You know what to do!

http://www.facebook.com/ColdEEZE?sk=app_215117178528798

From March 19, 2012 through April 1, 2012, Cold-EEZE Facebook fans can cast up to 5 votes per day! So start voting, please! Thank you!

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Blooding Typing Our Wild Ones!

Just like in humans, captive exotic wild animals sometimes require blood transfusions.  Unlike humans, dogs and cats, blood banks do not store blood for exotics such as tigers, lions, cougars, bobcats and servals.

Do wild cats have more than one blood type? Yes!  The AB system is the major blood group system in exotic and domestic cats. For all practical purposes, cats are considered to have two blood groups: A and B. The third blood group, AB, is very rare in cats. As with humans, when giving a transfusion, the blood groups must be matched otherwise the cat's antibodies will destroy the alien blood cells.

Cats with blood type-A have naturally occurring anti-B antibodies at a low titer and cats with blood type-B have naturally occurring anti-A antibodies at a high titer. 

Cats with the rare "AB" type do not have anti-A or anti-B antibodies and are thus universal recipients for blood transfusion. It should be noted that the nomenclature of cat blood groups is confusing; the "AB" type is not the result of presence of the A and B blood groups!

Interesting to note, there is not a lot of information available on the subject of “blood typing exotic wild cats” on the Internet.  There was one article, published by the US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health, in 1999 titled “The AB Blood Group System in Wild Felids” that published the study results of blood typing 131 exotics wild cats belonging to 26 felid species.  

The results were quite interesting:  80% of the wild cats were type-A, 18% were type-B, and only 2% were type-AB.  Cougars, African and Asian golden cats were type-B and the other species were found to be type-A.  Two cheetahs and one bobcat had the rare AB-type blood. 

So far, reports of exotic wild animals receiving or donating blood is rare (however there are a lot of reports of Charlie Sheen’s tiger blood quote on the web…go figure). We found two articles on the Internet that pertained to this particular subject:    Tiger Cub Receives Rare Blood Transfusion (2008) and Cougar Xavier is a One-Cat Blood Bank (1984). 

So why is blood typing important to In-Sync Exotics?  Well, if one of our wild ones requires a transfusion during surgery, for instance, it is important to confirm that both the blood donor and the recipient have the same blood types; otherwise the recipient’s antibodies will destroy the alien blood cells.  Medical reasons that may require a blood transfusion includes hemolytic anemia, cancer, and liver/kidney disease.  

In memory of Midas, we blood tests
all our cats.

Last year, we started blood typing our exotic cats.  The decision to blood type all the cats  was made shortly after Midas passed away.  Had we known his blood type prior to his death, we could have tried two alternative medical treatments that may have extended his life.   

So far, we have blood type tested all the tigers (except Abrams, Apollo, and Kaiya), three lions, three cougars, and both leopards.  Interesting to note, our non-native species (tigers, lions, and leopards) are all type-A and the cougars (native species) are type-B.  We are very curious to see what blood types our cheetahs and bobcats are as they may have the rare AB-type blood.

We will continue to test all the cats and record our findings in their medical records.  Hopefully, we will never have to use this information, but if we do, at least we will be prepared!

"I am blood type-A!"

 Oh, and on a quick side note, most domestic non-purebred cats in the United States are type-A.  Blood type-A and -B frequencies in domestic short- and longhair cats vary from country to country; some countries have only type A cats, whereas others may have as many as 50% type-B cats. Furthermore, blood type frequencies vary between breeds; for example the Siamese and some related breeds have only blood type-A, while other breeds may have as many as half and half As and Bs (eg, Turkish Angora and Van).

A Very Tiny Rescue

If you are an In-Sync Exotics' Twitter fan, you received a "tweet" yesterday morning about our latest rescue. 

Last week, we told you about our smallest rescue--a little baby squirrel.  Well, this week we have an even smaller rescued animal...

...a baby raccoon!

Details on this little guy or gal will be posted on Twitter!  So tweet with us @Insync_Exotics!  You can see more cute photos of this little baby raccoon on Twitter! 

Not twittering?  Well, you can read our "tweets" by clicking on our Twitter feed button found at the top of the blog page!

We hope you enjoyed today's blog posting.  Let us know what you think of today's posting by clicking on the reaction buttons below and don't forget to share the blog with others by clicking on our share buttons!  Thank you!

PS... Don't forget to vote!

Great news! Supporters of In-Sync Exotics nominated us for the Cold-EEZE $1,000 give-a-way! We were chosen as a finalist!

Now here's your opportunity to help us win this month's donation. All you have to do is vote for us and then encourage your friends and family members to do the same!

Here is the link to the voting page!

http://www.facebook.com/ColdEEZE?sk=app_215117178528798

From March 19, 2012 through April 1, 2012, Cold-EEZE Facebook fans can cast up to 5 votes per day! So start voting, please! Thank you!

Let us know what your reaction was to this posting by clicking on one of the reaction buttons below and don’t forget to share it with your family, friends, and co-workers by using the share buttons below. Thank you!

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We're Celebrating an Amazing Anniversary!

It was three years ago today when we rescued three exotics wild big cats from a dire situation.  In 2009, the USDA confiscated one lion and two tigers from a Texas entertainment facility and brought them to In-Sync Exotics where they found a safe, nurturing haven.

When the cats first arrived, it was heartbreaking to see just how neglected and emaciated all three cats looked—covered in sores and suffering from a variety of ailments.  

The male lion was about 100 lbs underweight and he suffered from multiple, severe bone issues. He limped on his front legs and had trouble supporting his back end. The tip of his tail was raw and swollen from constant chewing and sucking most likely from stress or boredom. Watching him limp around with the tip of his tail missing, simply broke our hearts. 

As to the two tigers, well, the first tiger was about 200 lbs underweight and his teeth (including his canines) were grossly worn down.  Turns out his teeth were worn down from playing with his only toy at his former home--a drill stem pipe.

The second tiger was also roughly 200 lbs underweight and he had a terrible skin condition. Test revealed his skin condition was the result of poor nutrition and unsanitary living conditions. When he first arrived, he was stressed, agitated and so terrified that he scrunched himself up into a corner until he discovered the den, where he holed himself up for three days.  

All three cats needed lots of love and attention to help heal the physical wounds we could see and those we could not.

Three years later, we'd like to introduce you to...

Kahn!

Amol!

and Apollo!

We are truly blessed to have such magnificent cats in our lives and we truly appreciate just how far they have come over the last three years!  

Kahn looks great now!  His wounds have healed, including his tail tip.  He no longer feels stressed or bored because he has the lovely Sheila and lots of toys to play with each day!

Amol still has problems with his teeth nubs and will be seen by a dentist that specializes with this type of dental problems this summer.  Meanwhile, Amol continues his love affair with his blue barrels!

And handsome Apollo is not only looking great, but he also has a playful personality!  He used to be very aggressive tiger when he first arrived--but no more!

This is why we exist...

To help heal damaged bodies and mend broken hearts...

Thank you for supporting us...we could not accomplish our mission without you...

Happy 3rd Year Anniversary

Kahn, Amol and Apollo! 

May you all have many, many more wonderful years with us! 

PS...  Don't forget to vote!

Great news! Supporters of In-Sync Exotics nominated us for the Cold-EEZE $1,000 give-a-way! We were chosen as a finalist!

Now here's your opportunity to help us win this month's donation. All you have to do is vote for us and then encourage your friends and family members to do the same!

Here is the link to the voting page!

http://www.facebook.com/ColdEEZE?sk=app_215117178528798

From March 19, 2012 through April 1, 2012, Cold-EEZE Facebook fans can cast up to 5 votes per day! So start voting, please!  Thank you!

Let us know what your reaction was to this posting by clicking on one of the reaction buttons below and don’t forget to share it with your family, friends, and co-workers by using the share buttons below. Thank you!

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Help In-Sync Exotics Win $1,000 from Cold-EEZE!

Great news! Supporters of In-Sync Exotics nominated us for the Cold-EEZE $1,000 give-a-way! We were chosen as a finalist!

Now here's your opportunity to help us win this month's donation. All you have to do is vote for us and then encourage your friends and family members to do the same!

Here is the link to the voting page!

http://www.facebook.com/ColdEEZE?sk=app_215117178528798

From March 19, 2012 through April 1, 2012, Cold-EEZE Facebook fans can cast up to 5 votes per day!  So start voting, please! 

Cross your fingers. ;-) This is gonna be close!

Thank you everyone for voting "In-Sync Exotics!"  And don't forget to use the share buttons below-- let's get the word out, everyone!

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Feeding Frenzy!!

Are you crazy about our wild ones?  Want to learn more about their quirks and amusing behaviors?  Well, you can with these two exciting events scheduled for next month -- you simply do not want to miss out on either event!  By attending one or both events, you'll have some amazing memories to share with family and friends that will last a lifetime!

Come out to In-Sync Exotics for a “bone crunching” good time that you’ll never forget!  Join our wild ones for dinner for our first-ever “Feeding Tours” starting next month!  Advanced reservations are required for this special event starting on April 19, 2012.  The feeding tour is about three (3) hours and the admission is $100 per person, with a limit of six (6) participants.   No children under the age of 13 are admitted and ages 13-17 years of age must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.

For reservations contact Lakshmi via email! At the time of registration, we will require a 25% donation deposit which can be made on-line or by check.  Please contact Lakshmi for additional information or to schedule your tour today! 

Observe our exotic wild animal keepers feed lions, tigers, cougars, bobcats, and more from just a few feet away.  Throughout the feeding process, our keepers will give you some behind the scene information about our wild cats such as diet, special care (our geriatric cats), and our animals’ favorite foods.  You will also be able to have short informal and informational cat chat sessions with our keepers. 

The Feeding Tours will be available on the third Thursday of each month, so if you miss the April 19th tour, you can catch the next one in May, June, July...! 

Our Wild Cats are Ready for Their Close-up Shots!

In-Sync Exotics is excited to offer professional and amateur photographers the opportunity to photograph our exotics wild animals in a natural and semi-natural background.  Capture those special moments as our wild ones splash in their pools, play with their toys on the playground, or just coming up to greet you, up close and personal! 

We cater to small groups with only 15 reservations available for the spring, summer, and fall photo shoots; however, we must have at least 10 people scheduled in order for the private photography session to take place. 

Our spring photo session is scheduled for April 29, 2012 from 7:30am – 12:00pm. 

What to expect during your photography shoot

All participants will receive an orientation prior to breaking out into small groups with two volunteer animal caretakers per group.  Our goal is to allow you to photograph our animals without the double barrier hindering your view.  If you have professional photo equipment you can focus past single cage wire if the cat is far enough from the side of the enclosure.  If you are using amateur photo equipment, you may have single cage wire in some of your photographs.

Our animals always come first—we do not force our animals to perform, but allow them to act naturally in their own environment.  If one of our cats is not in the mood to be photographed (for instance hiding in her den), then the small group will have to move on to the next animal.  Some of our smaller cats can be rather shy and elusive, so we cannot guarantee you will get a great shot of all our wild ones, but we will give it our best effort to quietly encourage our shy ones to come out and greet you!

This event is by appointment only. Please email Lynne for info on availability, waiting list, payment options and details about the shoot.

The cost for the private photo shoot tour is $100 per photographer.  Prices and terms subject to change without notice. 

You do not want to miss this opportunity to take some fabulous photos of our animals!  With the weather a little cooler in the mornings, we feel confident that you will walk away with some of the most amazing pictures of our animals waking up and playing!  So sign up today and we’ll see you on April 29, 2012! 

Spring Break Update 

We had the best-ever Spring break!  Averaging about 200 people per day, we were able to educate the public on our wild ones' history and species-specific information.  Huge roars of thanks to everyone who came out and helped make our Spring Break such a success! 

All of us here hope you have a wonderful Monday!  Tuesday's posting will about a very special third year annivesary for us at In-Sync Exotics, so join us again tomorrow for more interesting news from our sacntuary!

We have a "Who Am I" Winner!! 

Lynn McCarthy answered the questions correctly!!!  Here is her response to the Who Am I challenge: 

I am Jynxie, I came to InSync because my former home closed (WAO). I tried to live with Sabu, but I was too much for him LOL rambunctious is the word. My favorite toys are buckets, and I love to play with balls in the playground.  

Congratulations Lynn for answering the tough questions! Your gift is on its way to you!

Sale continues at our on-line gift shop! 

Several people took advantage of the 30% discount on all our products found in our on-line gift shop! The discount is good until Monday night, 11:59 CST. If you haven't checked out the on-line gift shop in a while, then you are missing out on some very cool new items! You can get flip flops with the cats on them, just in time for the warmer weather! Plus hats, tank tops, tote bags, gym bags, and more!

In order to take advantage of the 30% discount, this is what you’ll need to do:

1. Find the item on our store page that you would like to purchase at http://www.cafepress.com/insyncexotics.

2. Write down or select/copy the product number (ex: Product Number: 030-627415283).

3. Go to www.cafepress.com and enter the product number minus our store id (030) in the search line at the top of the web page (ex: 627415283).

4. You should see your desired product and you are now ready to order or order or continue shopping using the same steps above.

Don't forget to enter the coupon code MARCH30 at checkout to receive the 30% discount. In-Sync Exotics will receive 10% of the total sales after the discount!!

If you have any problems with your on-line order or you simply want to place your order by telephone, you can call Cafepress' friendly customer service representatives at 1-877-809-1659. Just be sure to have the product number(s) handy when you call.

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