Last year on my birthday I was really lucky to have been taken to Jimmy’s Farm, which is not too far from Ipswich and about a ninety minute ride from home.

Jimmy’s Farm 2020

We had a whale of a day and loved seeing all the animals, especially Steve McQueen the escapee Meerkat and experiencing their epic sausage rolls.

Steve?

When it was getting close to my birthday, the lockdown had been released somewhat and so we decided as my special day was on a Sunday, we would revisit Jimmy’s Farm and this time we would take Theodore with us as dogs are thoroughly welcomed.

The Farm has a great booking system where you look for your chosen date and are offered all available time slots. Once that time slot is fully booked, it is taken off the system. This is to limit the amount of people coming to the farm due to the ongoing Pandemic, but doesn’t limit your time at the Farm.

So excited

Basically you can stay onsite for as long as you want, right up to closing time.  A great system all round.

We booked to enter at 1100 and set off for Suffolk at 0900. Due to the amount of us going, (five adults plus one big floofy boy) we had hired a VW Sharan for the day to give us a bit more space and comfort.

Arriving in good time, we went to the booking in area to enter the Farm and also advise that we were here for an animal experience.

Oh, didn’t I mention that?

Baby Bear had treated me to a visit with the Family of Tapirs that call Jimmy’s Farm their home.

To say I was excited was an understatement. I was literally buzzing to spend some time with such an unusual species.

Amazing Alpaca

Before the experience we were able to wander around the farm looking at some of the other animals, including one of my other favourites, the alpacas.

Absolutely Awesome

We went to feed the three of them and could see at the end of their section was a large crows all standing around. I managed to overhear the fact that a mummy goat had just given birth to a baby and was in the process of delivering a second one.

Happy Birthday Babies!

What a birthday present!

Theodore also felt like it was his birthday as he was making friends with ALL the animals he could, whether they wanted him to (or not)

Fweeend

Anyway it was soon time for us to head for our Tapir Time.

For those of you not familiar, Tapirs are a species of Mammals that mainly come from Central and South America. There is also a Malayan Tapir in the Far East, which is quite a Geographical gap indeed.

Horse? Rhino?

The Tapir is related to both Horses and Rhinoceros, yet have the size and body of a large pig. They are a really unusual species in that the almost look like a combination of all the parts that were left over when animals were being created.

Such an Unusual Animal

With hooved feet, (four toes on the front and three on the  back) a proboscis style snout that has no bones and can be pointed in any direction or used as a snorkel and thick rough skin with fuzzy short dense hair, they are certainly a strange mixture.

Terrific Teddy

However, they are also very sweet and I was so looking forward to learning more and actually meeting them.

Our guide for the experience was a lovely lady called Holly and she took us down to their enclosure and gave us a sheet of rules to read and some verbal advice too.

Look at those Stripes!

She mentioned that whilst the Tapirs are very friendly, if they feel threatened then they can sometimes barge into you. They also like to nibble on clothing and we had already been told to wear long sleeves, trousers and trainers as it can be a little muddy.

So Excited!

The written rules state that you mustn’t touch the animals so whilst it was called ‘Tickle the Tapirs’ I didn’t expect that we would actually be stroking them at all.

Brunch Time

However, Holly advised us we could stroke and scratch the Tapirs as much as we wanted!

Tickling Time for Tanya and Teddy

She entered the pen and said Good Morning to the family of three; Teddy, Tip-Tap and Tobias.

The Tapir Trio

Tip-Tap gave birth to Tobias in April 2021 so he is still very much a baby and looks completely different to Mum and Dad. Baby Tapirs are born with striped and spotted fur which acts like a camouflage in the wild. This disappears as they grow older and they left a grey/brown colour.

Could he get any cuter?

Holly advised us that their skin is quite firm with short fuzzy hair and described it like a very firm unripe Kiwi fruit. Tentatively stretching my hand out to Teddy, I took my first stroke and have to admit it was completely and utterly right.

Just so sweet

Whilst you immediately think that there is no similarity to a horse or a rhino, the skin is very much a thick, protective skin like a rhino. The Tapir has the top of the head and a jaw like a horse; the fur from the top of the head down the back looks liker a horses mane.

Look at that Cheeky Smile!

To start with Teddy and little baby Tobias came out of the pen and I was able to give both of them stokes and scratches. After a couple of minutes Tobias went in to be with his Mum and soon settled down having a drink from her and a snuggle.

Milk Time

Teddy was the real star of the show though. Holly advised if we scratched the side of his leg, he would plonk himself down on his back and expect his tummy to be tickled.

Holly teaching us what Teddy likes

Of course, it was a no-brainer.

Waiting for the tummy tickles

One leg scratched. One Tapir on his side, lifting his leg up for belly rubs and scratches.

Wrapped around his little hoof

Baby Bear had come on the experience with me so we took turns scratching a snapping photographs. Holly was extremely knowledgeable about the family and gave us lots of info and insights into the breed.

In my element

I have to admit, some of the things she told us made me think that either Theodore or I were loosely related to the Tapir Family.

She advised that they really love their sleep but are really at home when in the water, splashing around. They are exceptionally social and having their photographs taken but can also be quite stubborn.

Such a sweetheart

Sounds absolutely like us both!

She went on to tell us that Tip Tap is called ‘The Diva Princess’ as she will not do anything she doesn’t want to do. They are not allowed to have food in their sleeping area, but she will go without food all day if it means her having to leave it.

Nope…. not going out.

Holly told us of how close knit a family the three were and it was soon easy to see that when Teddy decided to go into the sleeping area where Mum was nursing Tobias.

Happy little boy

He went right to the head of Tip-Tap and started kissing and licking her. She looked in her element with a smile on her face. Yes, a smile, really!

Tapir Kisses

Teddy gave her lots of love and snuggles before he too, lay down by the doorway shielding his lady love and baby from any harm.

Protecting his Family

At that point we took our final photographs and said goodbye to the beautiful family.

By the end of the experience, I was absolutely shattered so was deposited on a seating area in the new garden section with Baba, whilst the others went to see the rest of the animals. My leg was really hurting and I just wanted to rest it.

Beautiful New Garden Area

It was absolutely gorgeous; sitting in the English Sun looking over the most beautiful and fragrant of gardens.

Of course, when the family came back, I had to have some snaps taken for my blog.

Loving Life

All in all, it It was an amazing birthday treat and I had enjoyed every second of it.

Suffice to say, I slept the whole way home in the car and apparently I snore as loudly as those Tapir did.

Cheek!

Till next time,

SPSG xxx