Babe, an African elephant born in 1984, receives treatments which may make some envious. Foot soaks three times a day, along with regular nail filing, make it sound as though Babe is making luxurious visits to a spa. But knowing her history, no one would want to change places with her.
Due to a past in the circus, Babe’s feet have seen a rough life of standing on hard surfaces, not to mention sub-standard foot care, over many years. The fact is that elephants in captivity usually need constant foot care, including filing of nails, trimming of pads, and cleaning on a regular basis. Babe probably did not receive this care, nor did she receive proper treatment for fractures of her hind legs while she was with the circus.
To improve the overall condition of her feet, Babe receives foot soaks three times a day with warm water, Epsom salts, cider vinegar and disinfectant. She not only cooperates with the process, she seems to actually enjoy it!
The process goes something like this: A large bucket is filled with chopped fruit and vegetables. Her caretaker then mixes the warm water and other ingredients for the soak in two other buckets. Next, he places four huge tubs in Babe’s barn and calls to Babe. Knowing she will receive fruit and vegetables for the next 15 minutes, she readily steps into the tubs. The foot soaking solution is poured into the tubs, where it surrounds her feet, warming and soothing them.
The caretaker sits just outside the enclosure barrier and throws one or two pieces of food at a time to Babe. She busily picks each one up and puts it into her mouth. Although she can easily put a whole cantaloupe into her mouth, she patiently accepts the small pieces. A balance is struck between time and calories: the right amount of time for the foot soak. Fifteen minutes is the appropriate duration for her soak and is also just the right amount to keep Babe cooperating without overfeeding her.
The efforts seem to be paying off. The condition of Babe’s feet is improving, and she is moving around better. She continues to surprise and delight her caretakers with her ability to not only understand but also to cooperate.
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