It was either a dark and stormy night, or maybe it was during the day—I can’t quite remember—but the monsoon rains and winds in August devastated Ghost Ranch Exotics and Funny Foot Farm. Now, they are left to rebuild. It’s more enjoyable to reminisce about how we first met.
Have you ever experienced sharing a hotel room with a capybara? I have, and while it was great fun, it posed a few challenges as well. Georgi brought Mia the capybara to a BlogPaws conference just outside Las Vegas, where most attendees brought dogs and cats. I’m pretty sure the hotel wasn’t anticipating a capybara guest, but Mia was there nonetheless.
- Melanie and Mia
- Mia and Georgi
- Stacy and Mia
Despite having a large outdoor area for dogs and capybaras, Mia spent plenty of time indoors, which was the most enjoyable part.
- Mia is the center of attention.
- Georgi discretely feeds Mia from the buffet.
- Melanie sneaks some salad to Mia.
When I say Mia was indoors at the hotel, I mean not just in the dining and common areas.
Mia tests the bathtub. She took baths on and off all day long.
- Mia tests the bed.
- Oopsie daisie.
- Mia helps Melanie take a photo of her gigantic check!
A couple of years after, Melanie Typaldos and I traveled to Arizona for another BlogPaws conference. We visited Georgi, Mia, Ken MacNeil, and their friends at their home, which served as the precursor to what eventually became the original Funny Foot Farm.
- Lots of capybaras.
- They are what we’re here for.
- Georgi distributes snacks.
- Capybaras are fond of these inexpensive plastic pools.
- Larger pools and mudholes are nice as well, but they prefer these pools.
- Perhaps the dog can persuade them to head to the pool.
- Alright, one is ready to proceed.
See what I mean? While they have a large swimming pool, their favorite is the wading pools. Go figure.
- Such a stunning beauty!
- Melanie joins the capybaras in the large pool.
- A little dive, please!
- Where’s the poop?
- Follow the leader.
- Capybaras are everywhere.
- Capybaras enjoying themselves.
- Melanie gives her approval.
The images shown above are from the original site. Funny Foot Farm has since moved to a new location, but it was unfortunately sold out from under them. They recently relocated to a new piece of land and were in the process of setting up when monsoon rains and winds hit, causing significant damage. While some animals escaped, the majority have been recovered.
- Yikes!
- Yikes again!
Here are a couple articles about their storm damage. Here’s a link to their fundraiser.
Georgi and I met because of our shared interest in capybaras. Over the years, I have seen her herd expand and change. If you enjoy capybaras, her petting zoo in Arizona offers one of the best capybara encounters outside of a traditional zoo. If you really love capybaras, consider making a donation to help with the rebuilding efforts.
Below are various photos I borrowed from their website. As demonstrated, their collection extends beyond just capybaras. (Copyright © 2023 Private Exotic Animal Experiences in Tucson)
