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Welcome to the new
home of Eight Tiny Reindeer!
Reindeer look a lot like their wild North American cousins, the
caribou, but are somewhat (8-10 inches) shorter, and there is
a difference in color. Reindeer are believed by many to be the
first domesticated animals with a written reference to herding
in a 9th century letter from Norway's King Ottar to Alfred the
Great which mentioned his fine herd of over 600 reindeer.
Both male and female reindeer grow antlers each year; they are
solid antlers that grow from permanent bases on the frontal bones
of the skull. When they are growing, the antlers are soft, rubbery,
and the living mass of blood and marrow is covered with a furry
skin. The antlers grow rapidly and during this period the reindeer
are said to be "in velvet". The antlers are finished
growing in August, harden, and the "velvet" is vigorously
rubbed off.
The bulls then begin to rut. They become aggressive and they become
protective of the females in the herd, and the breeding season
of several months begins. The older bulls generally lose or "drop"
their antlers first, usually late December or early January, with
the remaining bulls following this process until as late as March.
The females generally keep their antlers until calving time, 7
months from when they were bred. Then the antler growing process
is repeated all over again. Gestation is about 224 days. The calves
are usually single births with that flurry of activity beginning
in April. Twin births are extremely rare in reindeer. The calves
are up nursing and walking very quickly, normally in less than
an hour. They weigh between 8-14 pounds at birth Reindeer grow
rapidly and some can easily weigh 90 pounds when they are 4 months
old. By then, they have already grown their first set of "Rudolph"
antlers. Farm raised reindeer are curious, friendly, likeable
animals. You will hear the 'clickity click' of their big hooves
and find out why people fall in love with them when they see them.
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