Zoo Momma visits with baby animals

VERNON — Lori Space Day made a visit to the Vernon Leisure Club on April 18 accompanied by spring baby animals.
“We’re going to bring out the predator animal first because I don’t want to smell like the predator’s lunch,” Space Day quipped.
As she snuggled a baby red fox named Gordon Redfoot, Space Day described characteristics of the fox to the delight of the club members. The weeks old fox kit had the signature red fox white tip on his tail, is a carnivore and an omnivore because Gordon loves blueberries.
“One-third of the red fox’s head is ear, so of course the fox has excellent hearing,” Space Day said, as she held up Gordon to the interested group.
According to Space Day, a fox can hear a mouse that’s four feet under the snow.
The next baby animal was Jenny the Woodchuck. The cute baby received aahs from the audience. Woodchucks are true hibernators by lowering its breathing and blood pressure and losing weight as the animal emerges from the hibernation den.
“This animal also has special ears, that have muscles that close when they burrow to keep dirt out of their ears,” Space Day clarified.
The Zoo Momma had a handy tip for the group in how to keep woodchucks out of your yard. Just dump used kitty litter down the woodchuck hole.
The next visitors were two, three- week -old Polish chickens complete with funky Rod Stewart type “hair” (feathers).
Between animals, Space Day rummaged in a tote bag and displayed several of Space Farms artifacts like a non- electrical curling iron, a town cryer bell and a pig scraper.
The hour- long talk concluded with two audience volunteers bottle feeding two adorable Arabian sheep. The ever- jovial Space Day is truly a zoo momma. Over the years, she has raised 38 lions, 15 tigers, loads of sheep, deer, foxes, coyotes and woodchucks.
Space Farms is open for business and fun this spring and is celebrating its 91st year. The farm is on 450 acres of land which was once home to Native Americans.