Magnus has been encouraged in to the pool again this week at the end of every day to keep him moving and cleanse his eyes and scratches. He is only feeding once a day and is receiving antibiotics when he is eating. Becoming quite fiery, but this is ok and he is doing lots of grumbling noises – perhaps showing the young boys he still has it.

Fatima is becoming more interested in Magnus – obviously impressed by his grumbling. She is also very hungry – and now regularly jumping in and stealing fish from the buckets when the Animal Care Team’s (ACT) backs are turned.

Sheba has been occasionally seen without Ray in tow this week. ACT thinks she may be starting to make moves on Magnus. She is also feeding well.

Anneka is busy as always, often the last out the pool at bed time. She is also enjoying all the attention Magnus is getting from the ACT. It means that when the ACT’s backs are turned, she can creep up behind them and tug on their trousers.

Lizzie has been sleeping on the top step of the Convalescence pool a lot – doing her sealy smile (toes and head out of the water) and of course always with her tongue hanging out! She is also receiving antibiotics and pain relief for her squint in her right eye.

Snoopy has been intrigued by all the attention her old man is getting. At the start she was doing her usual moaning, then dashing to the other side of the pool. Now she is just watching intently from a safe distance away, safe in the knowledge that this time the ACT are treating Magnus and not her. She is very hungry this week and now taken to head jutting and blowing bubbles, trying to get more fish.

Ray is still chasing Sheba but occasionally gets the cold the shoulder! So Ray turns his affections back to his other love….fish.

Marlin along with Fatima is very hungry and always at the front of the queue at feeding time. He is also very playful with the ACT and unfortunately Magnus – another reason for the old man to grumble!

Attie has been spending a lot of time in Nursery pool 1 this week, by herself. We think she is taking an interest in the new pups that are in nursery 2, and can’t wait to meet them.

Our common seals have had all their feed reduced as Jetsam and especially Little Ed are looking particularly rounded, partly as Flotsam is not hungry and just playing with his fish – mainly dropping them in the water for Little Ed.

Flipper has become a terror at pool cleaning time. He lies very quietly pretending to be asleep, and when the ACT come close with the hose and broom he suddenly wakes up and chases them with his mouth playfully open. Obviously lots of fun for Flipper – not much fun for the ACT, who has to dodge his sharp end.

Yulelog on the other hand is the perfect seal – picking up his flippers to let the ACT clean and sweep up.

Pepper is choosing to eat only sprats and mackerel when chopped up – and likes to be fed at the mouth of her cave. Rocky has decided he prefers sardines to mackerel. Much less barking from him at the moment which means Pepper can get a good night sleep.

Carus has enjoyed a variety of fish this week including mackerel, sardines, sprats and conger eel. This all makes for a very happy Carus and how does Carus shows he is happy… by sitting on the side of the pool or on his rock spitting and snorting fishy bits at the Sanctuary’s visitors.

Mika and Chaff are learning to train together. This caused chaos when the ACT first tried it, but now they seem to get very excited and both lie together, open mouths together and even lift their flippers together. Chaff is even learning some manners and allowing Mika to get her fair share of the fish.

Thai and Bamboo have both been loving all the rain recently as it means mud slides are back on the days agenda! Also means extra puddles to play in. The only bad thing about the rain – is the very annoying drip that has appeared from a hole in the Holt roof – no fears the ACT are on the case! Both appear to be in excellent health and feeding well.

Our goats have been hiding from the rain. All seem rather bemused by the very large mushrooms that have appeared in their paddock. They have also been treated to a few Sunday roast scrapes this week – don’t like parsnips but love broccoli and carrots.

Tuppence, Muffin and especially Bracken hates all the rain. Bracken can often be found hiding in the stables sheltering from heavy down pours. On particularly wet days the ACT take pity on him and provide hay in the rack so he does not go too hungry.

Reef, our cat, is getting very friendly now and can often be found around the pools during opening hours and can pick the ACT out of the crowds to remind them that it is feeding time. He also loves mackerel and ACT are having to watch unguarded buckets! Reef has also been seen hunting down on the river banks.

Roo now weighs 16 kilos and always seems to have a fish in his mouth! He takes the fish to the haul out area and bites it in half. Roo eats one half and leaves the other.

Ronnie is being force fed fish, is doing well and has started to moult heavily. She has had the final worming and been flipper tagged (orange 02).

Magnet has had second wormer and been flipper tagged (orange 03). She has also had a change of antibiotics and is much happier. Magnet is also eating much better, not much mess for the ACT to clean up. Ronnie and Magnet have now been put in the same pen together. Hopefully this will teach Ronnie to learn to feed herself.

Narla is still receiving milk every 4 hours and is starting to put on weight; she now weighs 12.5 kilos, and due to start on fish next week. Narla was in isolation 1 but has now been moved to the temp pen in the hospital. She has the biggest eyes of all our pups and large front flippers (hopefully she will grow in to them).

Pebbles has now finally moulted and being force fed fish, she is very bright and receiving eye drops, hopefully in the water by the end of week. On Wednesday (25th of October) we had another call about a pup that needed help, so we had to move Pebbles from hospital 4 down in to the nursery pool 2 to join Roo and Koko. Pebbles, had just finished her eye treatment and was happy feeding by herself, she seems unfazed by the suddened move, and is doing well.

Koko is feeding on whole fish and has had final worming and been flipper tagged (Orange 05). Koko is sharing a pool with Roo so he can teach him to feed.

Mutley who was in hospital 2 had a change of antibiotic which now means all her wounds have healed. She was due to go in to water at the end of the week, but due to the arrival of more pups in the hospital, she has now been moved to nursery pool 1 outside.

Simba’s wounds have now all healed, but still not interested in fish and hates being force fed, will be in water very soon. Simba who was in isolation 3 has now been moved through to the main hospital in to pen 4, as we needed his pen for another seal.

New Arrivals this week

Pup No. Nine
On Wednesday (25th of October 2006) we received a phone call from a member of the public about a pup on Gwithian beach. Claire and Abi got the rescue kit and cage and headed out to the beach. They found the pup on the beach it had lots of wounds but seemed to be a little feisty to say the least.

On arrival back at the hospital, it was put in to isolation 2 and given a clinical assessment. The seal was a little boy and weighed 23.5 kilos, he was around 2½ weeks old and was mid–moult. He also had lots of puncture wounds to his body and quite a nasty wound on his chin. He also has a bad infection in his right eye, but too soon to tell if this will affect his vision in the future. He has also been put on a course of antibiotics, pain relief, anti-inflammaties, vitamins and iron. Due to him maybe having only vision in one eye, we wanted to call him Cyclops, but we felt Gnasher was a nicer name but still showed his personality.

Hospital update 27th October 2006 - Gnasher has now been moved through to the main hospital and is in pen 1. He was given fluids for the first 12 hours on arrival before things got a little dangerous and he was moved straight on to fish. Gnasher is quite happy on fish and will probably be moved down to the nursery pool soon.

Pup No. Ten
On Wednesday evening (25th of October 2006) the Sanctuary received a call about a pup at Watergate Bay in Newquay. The caller said the pup had really bad injuries and the tide was fast approaching. We called one of our volunteers who went out and managed to pick the pup up before the tide washed it away. He was quickly transported back to Gweek, where the ACT had moved Simba out of isolation 3 into the main hospital, so we could put this one in.

The pup arrived and the wounds were worse than expected. On closer inspection, we found that she was a little girl, and weighed 21.5 kilos, the rear flippers had large multiple wounds all over and one flipper even had a wound down to the tendon. The pup also had wounds to the belly, front flippers head, chin, and whisker bed. This seal was in a really bad way, but we wanted to give it a really pretty name, so we called her Daisy.

Hospital update 27th October 2006 - Daisy is still in isolation and continues to have her wounds treated. Because she has so many wounds, we are concerned about septicaemia setting in and are monitoring her closely.

Pup No. Eleven
On Thursday (26th October 2006) the Sanctuary received a call about a seal that was on a beach near Par in St Austell. From the description given, it sounded like the pup was in a really bad way. Luckily we had an RSPCA officer close by who went and investigated it on our behalf. The officer called us and it was obvious that the pup needed our help and quick. The pup was brought straight to Gweek, and pup in to isolation 1. We had moved Narla in to the temp pen in the hospital. This pup was a little boy and weighed 12.5 kilos it was very dehydrated and so malnourished that you could see its hip bones. It also had a few puncture wounds to his rear flippers and front flippers. Fluids were given and a drip was set up just in case the pup stopped breathing. The pup was then left to rest in peace and quiet. We have called this pup Squirt.

Hospital update 27th October 2006 - Squirt has made it through the night but is still not out of the woods, he will be on the critical list for the next 48 hours.

Pup No. Twelve
On Thursday afternoon (26th of October 2006) the Sanctuary received a phone call from Sam, a member of the public, concerned about a seal at Prussia Cove. Rachael who was heading home decided to swing round the Cove to find out the pups’ condition, to see if it needed our help. She got down to the beach to find a tiny seal, obviously malnourished, dehydrated and under weight. Rachael called the Sanctuary who sent out Sarah with the land rover and cage to pick up the pup. With Sarah on her way, and the tide fast approaching we needed to get the pup off the beach. Help was on hand from member of the public, who provided a sheet to put the pup in to get it up the cliff, and the gentlemen and ladies who helped carry it to the awaiting vehicle. We took the pup back to Gweek and put him in isolation 2. Gnasher who was in that pen was quickly moved to hospital pen 1, and Magnet was put in with Ronnie. The pup turned out to be a little boy, and weighed only 14 kilos. He had puncture wounds to his flippers, malnourished and was dehydrated. The pup was given fluids, treated and named Penfold. This pup is expected to have a short stay in the hospital and progress quickly.

Hospital update 27th October 2006 - Penfold seems to be alright after his journey yesterday, and will be started on fish later on today or first thing tomorrow.