Below are some case histories taken
from the TTEAM Connections newsletter January-March 2004 written by Practitioners in other
countries, and others who have used TTouch to help Reptiles and Wildlife.
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SNAIL
MASSAGES AND SNAKE TICKLING
13th October, 2009 - BBC Wiltshire article,
'Snail Massages and Snake Tickling', profiling the work of TTouch Practitioner Adam
Rogers.
To read the article please click *here |
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Chipmunk
By Leah Camou TTACT participant
Simon, the Miracle Chipmunk. On April 29, I received a
chipmunk for rehabilitation. By his weight, I figured he was about 4-5 weeks old, too
young for him to be out on his own. A cat had caught him, not once but twice. Surprisingly
there were no puncture wounds so I didn't have to worry about infection. However, he
wasn't able to move his back end, but he got around very well dragging his back legs and
tail behind him. It was obvious he had spinal cord trauma. I took him to the vet the next
day, and she diagnosed a severed spinal cord and asked if I would like to have him put to
sleep. I declined that option. I took him home and started doing the TTouch, using a
Q-tip. I worked his whole back, legs, tail and abdomen to keep his bladder and bowels
functioning. My intent was for him to walk again and to be released. Every day, 2-3 times
a day, I TTouched him. His appetite was great, all his organs were functioning and within
two days he was moving his right back leg. Two days later, I was able to elicit muscle
twitching in both hips. Several days later, he was moving his left back leg. Several more
days and he had full use of both back legs and tail and was a speed demon. He was getting
wilder every day and by May 12 I was unable to hold him. I was going to keep him another
week to give him time to get stronger. However, on May 13, I put him in a cage and left
him out overnight to acclimate to the weather. The next morning he was gone. Somehow he
had managed to slip through the cage bars. "Hey, I told you I was ready to go. I'll
be fine." I have no doubt that there's a happy little chipmunk running around my
house.
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Snake
By Petra Beverung, TTEAM
Practitioner in Germany
I would like to share with you my favourite TTouch story:
My husband has several snakes in our apartment. Over the winter we keep them in a very
cool room. After the last winter one of the Aeskulapnatter (Elaphe longissima) had a
problem: She could not stretch her body in a straight position anymore. Behind her head,
the rest of the body stayed curved. She was able to move forward and also was able to eat,
but she had problems with shedding her skin. The old skin got stuck in the curves.
My husband treated her with homeopathic and waited several
weeks without success. He thought that the snake would be too shy to be touched. She never
liked to be caught, and bit sometimes. But since she had the problem with the shedding of
her skin I was finally allowed to touch "Jadus." (Her name because she is as
green as jade) In the evening, I took her out and sat with her on the sofa. She was a
little shy, but she stayed still and she allowed me to do many small Racoon TTouches on
her body. I got a very good feeling in my heart, and I could feel where I was supposed to
TTouch. That night, I slept better than ever in my life. I felt the good feeling still
during my sleep. The next day I TTouched Jadus only briefly in his terrarium. She was
lying calmly. One day later, I took her out again and touched her for a longer period of
time.
The next day my husband called me at work: "Jadus is
straight again! And she is fast now, she is 'racing' through her terrarium." Jadus is
healthy again and she can shed her skin and she is not shy at all anymore. She now thinks
humans are interesting.
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Turtle
By Janice Fowles TTouch
Practitioner-1 Ottawa, Ontario
It is surprising sometimes how we are introduced to animals
that seem to choose the time and place. I was visiting a friend who has a wonderful
outdoor pond full of fish, and a side area for turtles that her autistic son adopts -
normally those in need of special care and friendship (another of the animal world
wonders). Now, to continue my story ...
Myrtle was the largest of their painted turtles, and
attracted a hawk with her beautiful colors. The hawk swooped down and grabbed Myrtle in
her talons. Myrtle was strong (and obviously not ready to become dinner). By account, she
seemingly struggled and bit the hawk, who immediately released her. She fell from a height
equal to two two-story houses. At a glance there was something different - she had lost
her left back leg, and was in trauma from the fall (and the experience). I just happened
to visit on that afternoon.
My first step was to check on her breathing and to stop the
bleeding where there was only a stump. Her breathing was ragged and was speeding and
slowing, which, according to her owner was not normal for her. She showed no interest in
eating or drinking, and was not reacting to a stranger working with her. I began with the
Lying Leopard on her shell as I did not want to overwhelm her by touching all her shell. I
left her for about five minutes to see what her reaction would be. She did not show any
outward reaction so I moved onto the turtle TTouch all over her shell, explaining to the
owner(s), how it may calm Myrtle and stabilize her breathing and temperature. (I also gave
her Rescue Remedy.)
The bleeding on her leg had slowed significantly. (I had a
Calendula homeopathic tincture and used it on her wound while working the TTouches). Her
breathing became regular and we left her alone for about 1/2 an hour.
She accepted small Raccoon touches on her other three legs,
neck and tail. I soon was able to do VERY small python lifts on her three legs, and moved
to where her lower leg had been severed. It was hot to the touch, and I was particularly
careful to be gentle with her so the bleeding did not start again. For me, this was the
first time I had worked on a phantom limb especially one so recent. It was phenomenal that
once I began doing Noah's March at the end of the leg lifts - on all her legs - that she
began to walk. And walk she did. It was almost as though she had been walking without the
lower leg for ever! Her head and tail were out of her shell and she was interested in
eating once again.
At each step of the way, both my friend, and her son were
interested in trying the touches on their other turtles, then continued with Myrtle. The
realization that she had recovered was a rare find a month or so later - turtle eggs!
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Possum Babies
By Sarah Fisher
I was on a training course for horses near San Francisco
with Robyn. It was incredibly hot and we were in the middle of a drought. At the end of
the day I was walking back to the house when I spotted something struggling in the
swimming pool. A baby possum was clinging desperately to the pool cleaner as it swirled
around the edges of the pool.
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Fortunately the possum was in easy reach and I
fished it out. Another participant was on hand as well and we wrapped him up in the towel
to dry his bedraggled body. He was very weak, freezing cold, limp and in shock. We used
tiny TTouches around his ears and began doing Ear Work - stroking his tiny, finger nail
shaped ears from the base right to the tip. I knew the effects of Ear Work on horses but
was still stunned at the response from the possum. He
came back to life in a matter of seconds, warmed up and became interested in what we were
doing. A cotton bud was fetched and we began doing tiny TTouches around his mouth with the
dampened tip of the bud. He began moving his mouth and licking at the water. Within half
an hour he was sitting quite happily |
| in a warm bed made from a
cardboard box and was hand feeding and drinking water with relish. |
| Later that evening another drowning baby was
found in the pool and after appropriate TTouch work, he too was popped into the box with
his sibling. They were checked periodically throughout the evening and early the next
morning, and they were both alert but settled in their temporary home. Three more babies were found in the yard by other participants
during the day but as they were only in need of food and water they were put straight into
the box without receiving any TTouches.
The difference between the TTouch babies and the other
babies was marked. When food was being put into their box the two TTouch Possums ran over
to take the food whist the lid was still open. Their eyes were |
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| bright and their coats were
gleaming from all the self grooming they had been doing. The three unhandled babies
however hid, hissing and displaying defensive behaviour when the lid was raised. Their
stress levels were really high. Their eyes were hard and staring, their mouths were open
and their coats were dull. Although this work is not about forcing the TTouch on every
animal that comes our way, there was concern later that evening that the three un-TTouched
babies were not feeding. We took them out of the box one by one and did a few minutes of
Ear Work and lightest TTouches on their body to see if they would settle. The result? Five fat, shiny possum babies, feeding well and ready to
be moved on to a temporary home before being released back into the wild. Prior to doing
TTouches on the other three youngsters it had been easy to tell which were the babies that
had been in the pool as the behaviours were so different. After all of them had been
worked on it was impossible to distinguish between the pool possums and the yard possums.
It only took a few minutes to change and possibly even save the lives of these little
animals. This story is not unique. There are countless testimonials from around the world
from people who have literally saved an animals life by using the TTouch techniques. |
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A Royal Python
By Claire Coe TTACT participant
France
| If someone had told me I would be working with
snakes a few months ago I would have laughed! Having just finished my second course in the
UK and been back here a few days, I heard a report on the local radio that a member of the
public had found a royal python in one of the Geneva suburbs. It was reported to not be in
very good condition and the firemen had taken it to the local Vivarium. I felt that I
should try to do something for the snake if I could and thus went to see it. In French and English I tried to explain TT and though a bit
skeptical (but interested) the Vivarium let me see the python. Its underside was in good
condition but the middle of the back had many raw pink spots. Anyway after about 30 mins
of various touches it went from being coiled and anxious to calm and straight. I rang the
next morning to see how it was and they were amazed. The snake hadn't eaten since they had
received it (for 6 days) and it fed within an hour of my visit.
I went back a few days later. The python is now starting to
shed and seemed more interested in rubbing against my hand. The first visit it had been
motionless for long periods of time seeming to enjoy the touches. This time the periods
when it was motionless were fewer.
I went to visit the python for the third time, on Saturday,
after having left it for a week. I wasn't sure if I would be doing any TT work as the week
before it looked like it was starting to shed and the young lad |
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| there said it takes between 1 - 2 weeks and
also they don't eat during this time. So I was a bit surprised to learn that the python
had not really done a complete shed but mainly just over the pink/raw parts of his skin.
These areas have now changed from raw pink to a cream colour and look to have healed. He
also said the python hadn't lost his appetite and was so much better. Normally he brings the snake out to me in a shallow crate but this
time he just brought him out and placed him on a raised counter. I spent about 30 minutes
with the snake. He was SO relaxed that he made no effort to go over the side and he
remained virtually motionless the whole time. I really had the feeling that the python
remembered me and that he was saying in his own way - ttouch - yes please! When I finished
the snake didn't move and when the young lad went to pick him up I heard him say under his
breath 'oh wow' on how relaxed the snake felt.
The first time I heard about Tellington Touch was this year
and I certainly had no knowledge or particular interest in snakes let alone thinking about
touching them and here I am visiting a python - amazing!
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On the Wild Side -
Working with Wolves
By Toni Shelbourne - TTouch
Practitioner 2 and TTEAM Practitioner
As a Tellington Touch Practitioner I have the privilege to
work with many different species, all of whom are unique in their own way. Out of all the
canines I've worked with, to me, wolves are the ultimate. I first started working with
wolves in 2001. An Assistant Senior handler contacted me to ask if I would be interested
in working with a pack of 7 socialised wolves using the Tellington TTouch Method. Like
many people, wolves hold a special place in my heart and I readily agreed. Three years on
and I am heavily involved with the UK Wolf Conservation Trust, (UKWTC), and its wolves,
having myself become an Assistant Senior Wolf Handler, a member of the council and the
organiser of the Trust's seminars.
Wolves are by nature a timid, nervous animal. It is said by
Native American Indians that if you see a wolf once it has seen you a thousand times. All
the fairy tales and legends are misleading. They are incredibly clever, very resourceful
and the ultimate team player.
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Being socialised means the wolves have been
raised with humans. Don't mistake the word socialised for domesticated or tame. The wolves
at the Trust are wild animals that have learned to trust and tolerate the presence of
humans as long as the humans obey the rules. Our wolves interact with many different
people from children to adults. They walk with members of the UKWCT in the woods and
attend many shows and schools each year. In return, when they are not being ambassadors
for their wild cousins, helping to raise awareness and funds for projects in Europe, they
live in large enriched enclosures back at our base near Reading in Berkshire. We feel it
is a big responsibility looking after captive animals and ensure that their health and
welfare is paramount. This means they get the best care we can provide them and when not
working they live in an environment which is the closest to their natural habitat as
possible. Some of us at the Trust have had the privilege to observe wild wolves and our 7
socialised wolves show the same characteristics and routines as the wild ones, often
playing tag with each other at dawn and dusk and displaying hunting skills and strategies
toward any pheasants or small rodents who are unfortunate enough to stray into their
enclosure. So where does TTouch come in to all this?
The wolves display no behavioural problems, they don't suffer from many illnesses or
injuries and they don't need their performance enhanced. They do however react very
instinctively, at times they can be shy or nervous in new |
| situations or to some stimuli.
TTouch is a tool at help them act beyond instinct. It can calm, reassure and help them to
cope with the limited demands we put them under. |
For example we often do meet and greets. This is where a member of the public can, (if the
wolf is willing), stroke them. This is controlled by the wolf handler and assistant
handler. Occasionally someone doesn't listen to our instruction and touches the wolf in a
dominating manner, this can unsettle the wolf and make it nervous and unwilling to be
touched again by anyone it doesn't know or trust. In these situations I have used TTouch
to help calm and reassure them. Once settled they generally allow other people to come and
meet them. This is also true of objects in the environment which might spook them. One
wolf is fearful of hot air balloons and all are suspicious of anything new around the farm
or building and maintenance work being carried out. By using the TTouches I've managed to
stop them bolting or been able to calm them enough to walk past a scary object without
using force. |
| TTouch was very useful when I first came to
work with the wolves. Wolves stop forming strong bonds with other wolves and people after
3 months of age. This is to enable a tight family unit to form. As the wolves were all
mature when I first started to work with them it meant I had a lot of spade work to do to
form any kind of relationship with them. It can take months to build a bond with an adult
wolf and even then it will never be as strong as it is with a person who has known them
since birth. Using TTouch tools like the TTouches enabled me to form a bond with them very
quickly. TTouch also gave me the observational skills to read their body language and
calming signals. I can tell who the wolves are happy with and who they are not before
those people touch them. Occasionally a manner, or scent of a person, un-nerves them and
I'm able to intercept these people and redirect them to another wolf who will accept them.
This in turn keeps me safe because if the wolves are unsettled, ultimately it's the
handlers who are in danger not the member of the public who didn't follow the wolf
etiquette. |
© Tigress Productions 2003
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| Wolves are a very hardy species.
The injuries and illnesses they sustain often tend to be minor and usually heal on their
own without intervention from humans. |
A wound or injury that looks very serious to
us will often heal with in days. Where possible we let nature do its job and only step in
if the situation looks to be getting worse. Treating a wild animal, even a socialised one
is never easy. They revert to instinct and can often guard an area of pain. At the UKWTC
we have an experienced Wolf Welfare Officer whose job it is to ensure the wolves are happy
and healthy. It's his job to make decisions and liase with vets etc. Ultimately it's the
welfare officer who will go in to treat the wolf. Over the last 3 years I have helped him
apply medications and devise ways of getting wolves to take meds orally. We have found
that a calm, efficient approach that includes TTouches works the best. The wolf is less
stressed and we can always reapply the medication the next time we come to do it - a good
test of how the animal felt about the experience.
Having captive animals is never ideal. In a perfect world
all wild animals would be free to live their lives as nature intended. If we do have the
responsibility of caring for captive animals I feel it is our duty to make their life as
enriched and as stress free as possible. We have so much to learn from them and if I can
give back a little of what I get from these beautiful creatures then I will. Tellington
TTouch seems a great way to do that. I enjoy working with the wolves and they seem to love
it too!
For more information about the UK Wolf Conservation Trust,
please visit their *website.
*TTouch UK is not
responsible for the content of external websites
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