TWO resident raccoon dogs at Wigfield Farm have just moved into their new personalised home.
The raccoon dogs are the only two of their kind at Wigfield Farm and their new enclosure was built by members of staff so the pair could be together.
Flo and Ralph’s new home has a big outside enclosure filled with trees and climbing equipment for the animals to play on as well as an inside area with two separate compartments so they can get close to the staff.
As the raccoon dogs are great climbers their new home has been especially made so that no matter where they manage to get to in the enclosure they won’t be able to escape.
A glass panel has also been installed in the enclosure so that they can be seen by the public while they are indoors without being disturbed.
Both of the animals are on loan at the farm from the Mayfield Alpaca Centre in Sheffield. Ralph has been on loan at the farm for the past three years and Flo has been on loan for the past two.
Ralph was hand-reared from him being a pup and has been good with human interaction in the past but since being in the enclosure with Flo he has had to show his dominance meaning that they are not the best animals to be around humans.
This is another reason why this enclosure has been built so that they can be close to staff and members of the public at the farm without any danger of anyone being injured.
Gemma Goulding from the farm said: “We had to gradually introduce them to the enclosure and each other. We did this slowly by giving them a few hours together then half days and then full days and eventually we were at a point we could leave them alone together in their new home.”
The enclosure took months to build but due to its success staff have decided to build two more. Tortoises that live at the farm aren’t currently on display so one of the enclosures will be especially built for them so they can be seen.
