Tūmanako
This is the second part of a series looking behind the scenes at Te Puna Kararehe (TPK) – our animal husbandry and behaviour unit. Last week we shared a story about how the TPK team manages to care for the animals during Level 3 lockdown. This week, we hear about our newly named bearded dragon and some very cute additions to the TPK whānau.
Tūmanako: our bearded dragon
Our bearded dragon has a name – Tūmanako. Suggested by Schools Operations Manager, Trude Cameron, Tūmanako means ‘hope’ in te reo, and is a name fitting for a reptile who arrived with us at TPK just after the last lockdown.
The bearded dragon is a reptile that has a “beard” of spikes under its chin that puffs up depending on its mood. They’re among the most popular pet reptiles, as they tend to be gentle, inquisitive, and active during the day.
Tūmanako was a little skittish when she first came to us, which is understandable according to EAS Senior Technician Stacey Middleditch. She’d had a big move from her old home at a pet store, and over the lockdown she would have had only had exposure to a few people looking after her.
“Reptiles aren’t thought to have the broad range of feelings that mammals have but I think they get to know their carers, and recognise them, likely by smell and they trust them,” says Stacey. “So being in a new place with no familiar sounds and smells would have been disconcerting for her.”
Stacey’s happy to report that Tūmanako is now a happy sociable girl and very nosey! “She’s frequently caught with her nose up to the glass of her vivarium watching the goings-on, especially if it’s something out of the ordinary.”
Stacey also says that she’s getting easy to handy, happily sitting on a hand or, preferably shoulder so she can watch what’s going on. She’s around eight months old and Stacey says they’re 85% sure she’s female at this point, but it’s not exact until she reaches sexual maturity which can be between 10-18 months old.
“She loves her insects,” says Stacey, “but like most teenagers isn’t so fond of her vegies but we still offer them daily and she’s taking a liking to kale which is great — now to get her to eat her other greens!”
Bearded dragons are becoming popular pets and all students on our animal care and vet nursing courses will have more encounters with this very friendly breed of reptiles. “Her friendliness and outgoing personality is fantastic for teaching students about husbandry, enrichment, diet, handling and health checks,” says Stacey.
“Tūmanako is the perfect name for her, as she was and still is a representation of the hope we all need going forward, and her symbolism as a new start was very apt,” says Stacey. “Even with the current situation she is still a symbol of hope as she will be waiting for the students when they get back as well as the staff who like to visit.”
The latest arrivals at Te Puna Kararehe
One of the new baby guinea pigs at TPK
The staff at TPK were delighted to welcome baby guinea pigs a few weeks back when Rain, one of the pregnant guinea pig mums fostered by them gave birth.
TPK works closely with Auckland Cavy Care, an animal shelter run by Unitec Bachelor of Applied Science student Hartley Holder, and often fosters guinea pigs that Hartley has rescued.
The babies were named Bramble and Blackberry as their mother was rescued from a roadside Blackberry patch in the Waikato after a tip-off from a concerned member of the public. Hartley and her team had to make several trips to rescue the six or so guinea pigs who had been dumped there, including three pregnant females. All of the rescued animals have now been given foster homes, with two – Gloria and Marshmallow – currently at TPK.
Stacey Middleditch is fostering mum and daughter Blackberry at home during lockdown, where she says they’re thriving and enjoying a diet of grass, dandelion leaves and broccoli. You can find out more about Hartley’s work on Facebook at @CavyCareRescue
Lovely to see the animals and you are doing a fabulous job Stacey!