From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Lancashire, UK

Please can anyone help initially with acquiring a hard walled gourd to try as enrichment for captive gorillas and orang u tang.....if successful as enrichment the aim would be to try and grow them for ourselves, so any suggestions of the most appropriate seeds would be really gratefully received.. Thank you very much Stephanie

10/28/2010 8:52:21 AM

Upa Creek, Mo

Hi Stef, can you elaborate on what you mean by enrichment a bit more? Thanks

Luke

10/28/2010 9:40:22 PM

Lancashire, UK

Hi Luke...thank you for emailing me.....enrichment is providing them something to do to entertain them so the idea is to drill holes into the gourd, stuff it full of goodies mixed up with straw and stuff so that they spend hopefully hours entertained trying to get the food so it is encouraging natural behaviours and helps prevent them having undesirable behaviours.

Stef

10/29/2010 8:22:02 AM

Thuringia/Germany

Hi Stephanie
Is that what you're looking for?
http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=148785

10/29/2010 12:55:00 PM

Lancashire, UK

Hi Stephanie,

I don't think I can help out with the advice as I have never grown them before.

Is it for a particular zoo or such like in Lancashire?

Really hope someone is able to lend some helpful advice for you.

Simon

10/29/2010 3:58:09 PM

Upa Creek, Mo

Stef, I am just starting to grow gourds and pumpkins myself, but would really like to help. I emailed a guy I know who grows birdhouse gourds which are pretty resilient and hopefully he will help. As noted above by GermanPumpkinWorld, the Siam pumpkin or Malabar gourd is something to look into as well.

10/30/2010 9:44:53 AM

Lancashire, UK

Hi german pumpkin world, yes that is the sort of thing i am looking for. I was told that the bird house gourds and bottle gourds are good too. Do you have these available, at this time I would just require one or two to make sure that it works ok. I have also been told that some of the gourds grow about 3ft which is ideal considering the size of a silverback gorilla, anything too small but would get thrown out of their enclosures. 
Thank you so very much for taking the time to contact me, Stef

10/31/2010 8:03:57 PM

Lancashire, UK

Hi Luke, thank you so much for your help, fingers crossed hey your friend can help, the birdhouse gourds are perfect for what I need. I will wait to hear back from you again when you get the chance,

Thanks again stef

10/31/2010 8:07:52 PM