Forget It, February

I usually find February to be my least favorite month, weather-wise.  Maybe it just seems colder because I know spring is around the corner, maybe it's because it lacks the holiday season fun of December and early January.  At any rate, I start counting down the days to spring.  I always get the feeling that the animals are, too - especially the ones that are cooped up inside due to cold.

In late February, though, I notice that I start seeing a lot more animals outside on kind of "iffy" days - days when that same temperature might have kept them inside a month ago.  I call it "Forget it, February."  Actually, I call it something else, but that name can't be shared on a blog with young readers.  The premise is that the keepers, facing the prospect of another day of their animals stuck inside, look at the thermometer, hem and haw for a moment, then say, "heck with it" and let the animals out for a spell.  It gives them a chance to get in a really good cleaning and gives the animals a chance to get some exercise.  It also helps condition the animals to the cooler weather so that they'll be better able to take advantage of the not-infrequent cool days of March and sometimes April.

You can only push this so far (and not at all with some animals, such as reptiles).  This does not extend to letting the monkeys out for a frolic when it's in the teens.  But a day in the 30's with the sun out and with access to indoor space to come in when they want, a tolerable February day can be a fun outdoor excursion for a lot of animals as they (and the keepers) wait for the coming of spring.