So thought while I had a chance when the kids and Trent are having a rest that I would blog some more. We had a great day at Hartley's the other day, feeding and having our photo's taken with the crocs! Kids had such a wonderful time. Pheobe said her best part of the day was feeding the chicken to the croc's, Maurice said the whole day was great!
When we arrived we went to see the Croc feeding show. The keepers told us lots of useful information about crocodiles in general, them some more info about some of them in Queensland and then of course some more info on all the ones they had in their park. Pheobe and Maurice both had a chance to throw some chicken to the croc's, Maurice's didn't quite make it over the fence, so Pheobe gave him a helping hand. Next we went on our boat tour around the lagoon that was man made and designed for the croc's. It had 19 in total, 4 males and the rest female. It was mating season so we also saw some of the 16 nests built up around different places in the lagoon. We managed to see their biggest croc who was Ted, he measures about 5.4 meters, so rather LARGE! The tour guide was really good telling us again lots of cool info about the croc's. We even found out that when an egg is laid its neither male of female and it's temperature in incubation is how the sex of the croc is determined.
After some lunch we went and had our pic taken with an 18month old croc. Pheobe even held him by herself which she is very proud about. Next we took the farm tour. Here we went and saw all the croc's that they breed each year! They go and collect the eggs from the nests as soon as they are laid, incubate them at the right temp that they desire to have male or female crocs (they mostly have males because they grow quicker of course!). Once hatched they put them into completely closed tanks for a year where its dark and nothing can attack the little buggers! Next when they are old enough they go into purpose built pens that's where they stay until it's time to have them made into belts, purses, keyrings and anything else. They also grade the skins, a little like wool classing I guess! When the man who took the tour got one of the crocs out for everyone to touch, he didn't have anything to keep it's jaws shut, so I gave him my hair tie, this did the trick!
After this we went to the snake show, kids got to see a venomous snake and learned a little about fist aid when it comes to snake bits etc... They also saw a python. The man who did this show was very good and seemed a wealth of knowledge. Last but not least we went to the croc attack show. We saw the keepers with a pretty big croc who went over all the things we learnt through the day about crocs. They got the croc to demonstrate the notorious death roll and head shake, this was pretty good. Pheobe and Maurice were very impressed.
Overall, a great day and the kids had a fantastic time. If you ask Pheobe what a croc is called they are called crocodylie!
I don't have the pic's on our camera of us holding the croc's because that's how they get more money out of you, they have to take the photo! I do have some of the other photo's so I will add them on now.
Maurice with his head inside the croc's mouth!
Pheobe patting the croc on the farm tour with tour guide Tom!
The snake show.
The croc attack show
The death roll
The end of the croc attack show
Pheobe & Maurice sitting at the croc feeding
A croc
Another croc
Pheobe throwing out her chicken to the croc
Maurice doing the same
Pheobe now doing a bigger throw of Maurice's chicken to the crocs
Good head shot!
The kids behind the bars
Out on the Lagoon a croc jumps out
Another croc in the lagoon
Pheobe with her head in a crocs mouth
Pheobe and Maurice riding a croc!
There you have it, our day with the croc's!
Until the next blog, hope everyone is well and we can't wait to catch up when we get back.
Cheers,
The Guye Gang! xo
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