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Final episode for the Camel Connection Podcast. Our time has ended here, but if you'd like to continue to learn more about camels please search: Camel Channel with Tara Lea on iTunes Podcast, YouTube & all Socials. Massive thanks to all the loyal listeners!

In the past you’d often find me looking at my camels from a distance (with my head half titled), wondering if they are a healthy weight and taking note of their body changes, any grazes, cuts or wounds they might have and the consistency of their stools (fancy word for poo).   Truth be told, I was kinda wasting time doing this because I didn’t really know what I was looking for since there are no guides, books or documents to help me determine a camel’s health (besides the very complex camel veterinary manuals I have).    In this episode I’m covering the 3 Key Elements you need to know For a Healthy Camel, lets dive in…   Having had extensive animal husbandry experience personally is one thing, but this only helped me so far when it came to camel husbandry & care - camels are a whole other complexity I’ve discovered. You might have found this too along your journey…?   There are 3 important key elements to determine if your camel is healthy and these are:   1. A camel’s parasite (worm) load: 99.9999% of domesticated camels have a parasite/worm load due to their lack of resistance to worms (unlike other large, more common, domesticated animals such as cattle & horses which have been domesticated longer than camels, arguably of course, nonetheless camels have not built up resistance to worms, which can cause some serious health implications for camels in a domestic environment.     Side tip: The only way to know FOR SURE if your camels have worms, is to have their stools tested, this is the only way   A. Pro Tip: don’t bother drenching your camels on a, in quotes, “regular regime” because:   i. You don’t know what worms they do have, unless of course they were tested so you can’t say for sure that you’re treating them with the right medication and    ii. You’re potentially creating resistance problems down the track and    iii. If you medicate for worms then put the camels in the same area / paddock / yard as they were in prior to medication, you’re reinfecting and again, wasting money.   The second key element to determine a camel’s good health:   2. Feeding Correct Camel Nutrition:  Camel’s have a very unique biological makeup compared to other large animals and as uch as humans think they are feeding the camel when they feed, you’re not! You’re actually feeding the camels beautiful complex stomach because that’s where all good health starts with camels - at the stomachs - yes camels are 3 Pseudo ruminate stomachs, what’s the difference between ruminant and Pseudo ruminant stomachs you might ask (Sourced directly from a veterinary science website):   The key difference between pseudo ruminant and ruminant systems is that pseudo ruminant digestive system has only three compartments in the stomach and it lacks a rumen, while the ruminant digestive system has four compartments (example bovine / cattle) in the large stomach including the rumen.   Simply put, you cannot expect a camel to be in its best health if you don’t know what a camel SHOULD be eating, not just what they will eat, cos camels will eat A LOT of things, but that doens;t mean it’s good for them.   I’ll throw a spanner in the works here… Liken to the “cholate is good for you / cholate is bad for you debate” and that is: Camel’s cannot fully digest GRAINS. That meaning, if they are not able to fully digest grains due to their pseudo ruminant their digestive system is under stress and therefore more susceptible to health issues.    Camels should be eating foods that are longer in length than 5cm to help support their healthy gut bacteria and good health.    The third key element to determine a camel’s good health   3. A Camel’s Growth Rate: Do you know what bodyweight your camels should be for their particular age? I certainly didn't until I acquired the knowledge! From newborn camels to adult camels, there is a formula for a healthy growth

Would you like to learn more about camels so you can be a more informed camel owner, carer or cameleer…? Or maybe… Someday become a camel owner...? If this sounds like you, you won’t want to miss the very special online camel event Coming up! I’ll be hosting the Camels 101, 7 part Mini-Series where I will teach you short & insightful camel lessons to improve your camel skills & knowledge, and or, help you get started with camels! Register for this mini-series over at https://camelconnection.com/camels101 The Camels 101, 7 part mini-series will cover 7 key essential topics, in short, consumable lessons (that won’t take up your whole day, cos I know you gotta life), that you need to know as a camel owner or wannabe owner. Here’s a little glimpse of the topics that will be covered: How To Domesticate & Raise Camels How To Create Camel Friendly Spaces The Must-Have Camel Handling Skills that you need Camel Feeding Guide: What To Feed Camels For The Best Health Benefits Vet Care for Camels: Warnings & What You Need to Know What’s REALLY Involved With Keeping Camels (including costs!) And… My best advice on Camel Training & Husbandry as a camel owner, educator & behaviourist. Register for this mini-series over at https://camelconnection.com/camels101 You will gain many insights throughout these short lessons with me and my hope for you is that you feel more confident & prepared as a camel owner OR a wannabe owner. I help people all around the world expand on their knowledge of camels through my online Academy, which is a membership site consisting of camel owners, caretakers and wannabe owners from all over the world. This Camels 101, 7 Part Mini-Series is absolutely free to you, all you have to do is head over to CamelConnection.com/camels101 and sign up to get the 7 lessons delivered directly to your email inbox. Side note: if you don’t sign up, you will miss the very special & exciting new announcement that I’ll be sharing ONLY to people that sign up and I’m prettttyyy sure, if you’re keen on camels, you will NOT want to miss out on this announcement which will take place at the end of this mini-series. Register for this mini-series over at https://camelconnection.com/camels101

Don’t do this to camels unless... You are listening to the Camel Connection Podcast… A podcast all about… you guessed it - CAMELS!    I’m Tara, head Camel Educator at CamelConnection.com & your host of this podcast.   Lettme tell you, if you’re a camel owner, carer, or wanna be owner then you are in the right place.   I’m here to help you become more Camel Confident & Camel Connected in camel training, handling, psychology & wellbeing.   Ready to start learning more about camels? Let's dive into this episode about learning safe camel restraints...   Yesterday I had to take my 8yo (human) kid to get a needle.   The experience reminded me of how glad I am that my camels are trained into restraints as the nurses & I battled my kid in full on restraint for his & our own safety.    Although the experience was not nice for anyone involved, it was for my kid’s own good and better health, but if we had practiced prior to the appointment it could have been less stressful for everyone involved. My kid thought he’d be brave, but he crumbled when push came to shove.   Not much is different for camels who need to be restrained for the betterment of their wellbeing.    Learning how to safely restrain your camels is of utmost importance, regardless of whether or not you use the skill regularly or never, the importance is that you HAVE this skill and knowledge in your ‘camel skills toolbox’ for if, or when it needs to be used.   A common situation where a restraint (aka tie-down) can be used is for vet visits.    The vet needs to be able to come into the camel’s space, do their work and leave.   It’s NEVER a vets job to restrain your camel for you and truthfully why many vets will not attend to camels because of the lack of restraint.    Accidents can and will happen if your camel isn’t restrained probably for a vet visit.   Aside from vet visits, restraints can be used in many other situations like self-administering injections and “some” training processes.    Let me tell you, the last thing you want is a camel to accidentally whack you (or anyone else) in the head with any part of their body! But… You should never restrain your camel unless they have been trained into it, otherwise, they will panic and they may cause injury to themselves or a person.   Everything with camels is step by step and the goal with restraints is to help the camel understand that they aren’t “stuck” in a restraint. It is one of the most important training lessons you can give your camel(s)!   Training camel’s into restraints also builds more trust AND helps the camel feel secure.   I liken it to a seatbelt. When I wear a seat belt in the car, I feel safer, the same is for camels if they are correctly trained into restraints.    I’ve just uploaded an entire tutorial on how to train your camel into restraints into the Camel Connection Academy.   I cannot stress enough how important it is for a camel to be TRAINED into restraints, otherwise you're risking a camel that will likely experience trauma. Just imagine yourself being “stuck” in a restraint that you can’t get out of. Panic and anxiety will increase 10 fold.    In other words, if you can help it, do not try to restrain your camel(s) without them being trained into it. If you’ve already had to restrain a camel without any training, there’s still time to help them recover from this. The tutorial in The Academy will help!   To access the lesson [that every camel owner/carer should learn] on Training Camels Into Restraints sign up to the Camel Connection Academy TODAY to get instant access to this lesson plus an entire library of camel info.    Here’s to better camel skills!   Tara

There have been some BIG life changes for me, Tara, in the past 6 months and lots of life lessons learnt from my camels.   Although I’m a fairly ‘private’ kinda person (I know, most people laugh when I say that, but there’s a lot more than what you see or hear here), I do want to share with you some BIG changes that have happened the past few months and of course, the life lessons camel’s are continually teaching me.   I also want to share my camels with you, because EVERYTHING (okay, besides chocolate) is better when shared.    Choose how you want to hear about these big life changes, you can either watch the video and get a camel fix or listen to the podcast episode.    I appreciate you being here & happy Camel Connecting!   TRANSCRIPT:   These are strange times we are collectively living in.    Since the worldwide pandemic began I refused to talk about The ‘C’ word, because I lived in hope that it would be over, sooner rather than later.    I lived in hope that I could travel internationally doing The Camel things I had organised years in advance.   Many of us are suffering from multiple lockdowns & strict COVID restrictions, but one thing I find brings me back to the present moment, which is all we really have, is my camels.    They bring me back to what really matters - living in the present moment and every day doing ‘something’ towards your goals & dreams in life, even if those dreams & goals have to now include a “COVID friendly” slogan.    I’ve noticed Camel’s just seem to flow in life.    They trust that all their needs will be met, but, at the same time they never deny an opportunity to improve their wellbeing, in this case a new fed paddock which I’m preparing for them.    We can all learn some life lessons from camels, if we’re open to receiving the messages.  I’m personally a big fan of the spiritual and life teachings animals can teach me. I try to always be in receptive mode. I believe there is always more to life than what we visually see with our eyes.   There have been some BIG life changes for me in the past 6 months….   90% of our camel business is closed due to The COVID situation, and those that are regular watchers here know that Russell was diagnosed with prostate cancer last year, he has now fully recovered.    You might have noticed Russell missing from these videos & podcasts episodes recently and that’s because we have gone our own separate ways. We are no longer a couple and business partners. I realise this might come as a shock to some of you, but rest assured nothing within Camel Connection is changing much except, it’s just me and my small team of helpers helping educate you about camels.   There is absolutely no need for any sharing of details of Russell & mine separation, it’s a personal situation. A choice that I’m at peace with. If you’re inclined to google “Why Tara & Russell Broke up” you will not find anything directly from us. Anything you hear, see or read will just be rumors.   We do not need any “sorrys” in comments or direct messages & emails.    It is what it is. I appreciate you caring, but it’s onwards and upwards from here, there’s no point in looking too far behind when the rest of life awaits.   So, Life has been a little intense lately with a relationship breakup, multiple lockdowns and adjusting to single life.   Nothing is easy about it... but the camels inspire me with their “endurance” attitude.    When I look at my camels and hang around them they let me draw strength from their energy.    My camel’s always seem to know when things are “happening” in my life.    They seem to be even more drawn to me when I greet them and I swear they offer better cuddles & camel kisses to help ease the load when Life is… “Life-ing” me…   I know I am Blessed.    I feel so blessed to be surrounded by an amazing camel com

Can you guarantee your own safety around camels?   Do you know what it takes to make sure that you’re not going to be seriously injured by a camel?   I know this sounds like a heavy topic, but hear me out, because if anything, this is the most important thing you need to consider if you have camels or are thinking of having camels in the future.   TRANSCRIPT:   Hi, I’m Tara, head Camel Educator at CamelConnection.com & host of this podcast all about camels! And if you’re a camel owner, carer, or wanna be owner then you are in the right place!   If you’ve been listening here for a while you’ll know how much I bang on about how amazing camels are…   How much they desire connection with the most familiar things in their environment and how easy they are to train & handle...   My motto is ‘more camels in more lives’... but… there’s a but… There are some serious things to consider when becoming a camel owner.   I will tell you now, I'm not here to pull the wool over your eyes and fool you into camel ownership when you're not completely informed.   The most successful camel ownership that I see to date (in other words camels that aren't being rehomed 1 or 2 years after acquiring) is when people are WELL informed about camels in their behaviours, their care and wellbeing. So, as always I’m here to help you become more informed about camel ownership.   Safety first people! As cheesy as that saying can be, it should 110% be in the forefront of your thought EVERY. DAMN. TIME. you're with camels - Do not underestimate this!   To this day, even with the camels that I’ve known for over 8 years and worked extensively with them in commercial settings as well as spending hundreds of days and nights literally living and breathing them on camel treks, I NEVER let my guard down, ever!   Don’t get me wrong, I’m chilled and relaxed when I’m around my most trusted camels (cos they like that, obviously!), but I’ve 110% made a habit of being aware that I’m constantly in a risky situation given how large the animals are.   For instance, all one of my camels have to do is swat a fly - a fly people! - with their front legs (yes, cos they can lift them straight up!) and any part of my body is in the wrong place at the wrong time… Lets just say things can turn hairy real fast. I could be knocked out flat and left for dead if no one else is around!   I hear stories of people being injured by camels all the time and it’s deeply upsetting, because its sooooooo avoidable almost 99.9% of the time.   Camels ARE gentle giants, but they don’t actually know how big they are - Seriously! People get upset at their camels for doing ‘camel things’ yet at the end of the day the camel has no idea of their own size, which is why it’s so important to get formal training in place, so they can have a sense of identity.   A camel without any form training whatsoever is a confused camel.   Like dogs, if you don’t fromally train them they form their own identity which is usually rich in their natural instincts and they give themselves a ‘job,’ because they don’t have a pack leader. This is where bad habits and unwanted behaviours stem from and it’s exactly the same for the camel, they need a pack (or ‘herd’) leader for them to be a safe & well behaved camel.   How does one guarantee their own safety around camels…?   By formally training yourself and your camels or the camels you care for.   When I meet *new* camels I’m definitely not as relaxed around them as I am my own camels and I’ll never let my guard down enough to let a camel think that I’m NOT on high alert until I can get to know them better, because when a camel is uncertain or scared about a situation or person they’ll almost instantly react, which can lead to a dangerous situation FAST!   Note: Just because my ‘guard isn’t down’ that doesn't mean I’m not chilled and calm

Logically I think it’s possible that some camels are “untrainable,” but in my heart (and experience) I know all camels can be handled and trained if given the time & a handler/owner with the right skills. Ultimately, training a camel is a question about time… **** Become a member of our Cameleer Academy camelconnection.com/membership/ ****

Camel’s are walking compost heaps (as Camel Vet, Margie Bale puts it). They have 3 stomachs and all stomachs are working as a compost to create healthy bacterias to help camels stay healthy, keep a healthy weight (i.e. healthy hump), keep the minerals & nutrition circulating through their bodies so that the camel can be at its optimum health, just to name a few things. The camel’s stomach is what keeps them healthy - even skin & parasite (worm) issues can be nutrition related! When you’re feeding a camel, you’re not actually feeding The Camel, you’re feeding the Camel’s Stomach. This is the golden rule of Camel Husbandry 101, memorise it and practice it. **** Become a member of our Cameleer Academy camelconnection.com/membership/ ****

Camels are very sensitive creatures, yet can seem aloof in their demeanour, given this they are susceptible to experience trauma easily, especially if you don’t know how a camel thinks and how to handle them in a way that they understand, in this episode we’re talking all about the Signs of a Traumatised Camel and how you can manage them & help them recover. **** Become a member of our Cameleer Academy camelconnection.com/membership/ ****

It is world camel day, June 22nd, and in the past we’ve done podcasts on this [very] important day like: 3 Camel Myths Busted And... How Camels Have Changed People’s Lives But this year, it’s time to treat Thy Camel, after all they are the ones bringing us joy (ever seen a camel sneeze & fart at the same time!? You have not lived until you do, it is L.O.L!!!)....companionship (always there for you to lean into), challenges that change you into a better person (hello training, handling) and camel’s can offer us humans some life changing by-products like camel’s milk, wool, dung (yes, poo!) & even urine (which is believed in some cultures to cure some illness’). Camels are A-mazing and if you’re a camel owner or caretaker you’ll have your own definition of what’s amazing about the camels you spend time with. So how can we treat camels in a way where they feel...Well, ‘treated!?’ Remembering that camels are NOT humans, so you can forget the cake! 😉 🍰 This is not going to be an entire podcast about food treats for camels, rather a variety of things your camel will find enjoyable with you. Side note: Make sure you keep listening to the end, because, of course, we have a World Camel Day sale happening that you won’t want to miss out on. WORLD CAMEL DAY SALE: https://camelconnection.com/membership

If you have or are considering (or on a waitlist) to get a young camel, under 3 years of age, then keep listening, because you’re going to need this info... Known Fact: Young camels need the best nutrition & feeding in their first few years of life, not only to get a great start in life, but to live a long happy life with you! We get A LOT of questions about The Best formula for bottle raised camels that meets their very unique nutrition requirements away from their mother. We know, we know, a baby camel, in an ideal world, should be with their mothers until they wean, but it’s not always possible. Ultimately, no one wants to see a baby camel grow up with deformities and other health problems (that will cost an arm & a leg to try to rectify). Truth be it, if a baby camel is feeding off it’s mother the mother needs the best nutrition too (there are procedures around this). This month, we will guide you, via our monthly Camel Vet Talk, through this tricky process of the first few years of camel’s life and how you can give a baby camel the best start possible! **** Become a member of our Cameleer Academy https://camelconnection.com/membership/ ****

Welcome to Day 7, our final day of our Camel Training Mini-Series where we, Russell & Tara teach short, insightful camel training lessons to help you get started with Camel Connection Trust Based Camel Training®, our signature camel training method designed to help you tap into the camel’s psychology so that you can better understand The Camel! In This episode, we’re talking about Training Camels To Take a Saddle for the first time. Students who attend our in-person courses are always amazed that only after 3 days of training, camels are willing to accept a saddle, for the most part, without too much drama like bucking etc. In fact it’s rare when a camel does buck when accepting a saddle for the first time - if, that is, the training foundations are set right. **** Join Email List so You Never Miss a [Camel] Thing: https://camelconnection.com/signup​​​​​ ****