6/13/12 CC-ALF-12-06-06-01
An attempt to feed Fitzy in the morning failed so Christian and Kristin force fed her (total of 173.3 grams) in the afternoon.
6/14/12 Exciting day! In the morning I tried to feed Fitzy a capelin with forceps (stick feeding) but she quickly pushed it away with her front flippers and swam to the other side of the tank. When I attempted to present her with a blue crab, same reaction several times, appearing very annoyed and stopped swimming over to my side of the tank. I left the capelin and the crab in the tank and stopped attempting to stick feed her, just tallking quietly and watching. After a while, Teresa Kelly, the NCRI photographer who does so many photos for N.E.S.T., arrived and we just talked quietly by the tank and watched. Then, out of nowhere Fitzy floated over to the crab and took a bite. It was uphill from there. A while later, after she decided to have a big bite of the crab, we called Christian to come out. It was a joyous moment as we three watched Fitzy crunch on. These are the precious moments in rehab.
Later that day, Fitzy defecated for the first time, the second greatest thing that happens in Rehab. It was a great day!
6/15/12 Fitzy Eats close to max off the Bottom of the Tank
Today, even tho it took 2 hours, Fitzy slowly consumed 270 grams of capelin and squid on her own, off the bottom of tank. Despite her difficult breathing and floating, both of which continue, Fitzy is eating on her own. She continues to be in low water during the day so she can swim and eat (sea turtles have to eat underwater) and very low water overnight so she doesn’t have to continually lift her head above water to breath. Fitzy is a champ! Next week more N.E.S.T. Rehab Volunteers will be caring for her.