Tellington TTouch Method on Wildlife
and Zoo Animals

Practical tools for old problems

By Toni Shelbourne

TTeam Companion Animal and Equine Practitioner
In the UK it's widely believed that we should keep physical contact with our captive animals to a minimum. We believe that it's best for the animals, less stressful. But what happens when we do have to touch them? What if they get sick or have to be hand reared? What stress occurs when we do have to get close to them and at what risk to the keepers? What happens when a keeper leaves and gets replaced? These are the problems we face every day working with captive non-domesticated animals. What do we do? We try to get the job done and get out again as quickly and safely as we can, minimise the stress. But what if there was another way?

The Tellington TTouch Method (TTeam) is a unique way of working with all animals and is used world wide by zoo keepers, animal trainers, vets, rescue centres and the public. TTeam recognises that posture affects behaviour and by changing the posture and releasing tension patterns within the body, often unwanted behaviours diminish or disappear completely. The animal learns self carriage, self confidence and self control. Stress levels are reduced, helping the animal to relax. This enables them to act calmly in previously perceived frightening environments or situations such as handling for veterinary examination, moving to new enclosures or the introduction of a new animal into an existing group. It also has wide reaching benefits for the rehabilitation of rescued animals with behaviour problems, helping them to re-adapt and relate to their own species if raised in isolation. It can also speed up the healing process and works well with all modalities of medicine.

TTeam work has many elements but body work is the most appropriate for captive wild animals. Using the TTouches (special ways of moving, lifting and stroking the skin which work with the nervous system), we can teach the animals to act beyond instinct. The animal learns to learn. Animals exposed to TTeam are amiable, calm individuals with more options due to their ability to adapt to new situations without forming a strong one-person bond with a keeper.

Handling in cases of injury or illness without danger to animal or handler

TTeam techniques help keep animals and handlers calm, which can ensure ease of handling in frightening situations like treatments and vet examinations. The simple act of gently stroking an ear from base to tip can relax, reduce the respiratory rate and boost depleted immune systems. Another benefit of ear work is that it can reduce shock and give vital support to the animal while waiting for veterinary attention. Other TTouches can release tension and take animals out of the fear responses of flight, fight, freeze, faint and fool around. Due to the reduced stress, repeated treatments become easier as the animal's perception of the situation improves.

Animals who receive regular TTouches during illness or injury often recover quicker with less secondary problems, and animals with on-going health issues can be supported with the work to maintain mobility and good heath. Of course, TTeam should never be seen as an alternative to veterinary attention but when used beside conventional or holistic veterinary care, complements it well.

The work is also known to be beneficial to older animals by giving them more mobility, aid in pain relief and adding a zest for life. Even for an animal without health issues it can improve mental stimulation which combats stress-related stereotypic behaviours.

Relating to humans in an appropriate way

From the point of view of the animal we can often 'over handle'. This is of course very stressful for them. TTeam can enable us to work appropriately and in a way which facilitates future handling. We even have a special TTouch we call the Llama touch which was developed especially with their dislike of contact in mind.

TTeam deepens rapport between handler and animal and often makes it easier to introduce new handlers when animals are mature. For animals that are in petting zoos it can potentially help them to be more accepting of the general public. In Oakland Zoo, San Francisco, a TTeam Practitioner regularly teaches children to TTouch and groom the animals. Previously many children were afraid of the goats who responded to the children grabbing and feeding them by butting and jumping on them. Some parents pushed or hit the goats to keep them away when they were aggressive around food. To combat this, food was banned after 3pm and special goat rangers where trained to teach the children to gently groom and do TTouches on them. Now the goats are gentle and relaxed around children, being careful of how they place their horns and standing quietly, enjoying the interaction.

In the same zoo, Kayode a 3 year old giraffe regularly receives TTeam work to help with an old injury. At 1 year old Kayode received a deep, penetrating puncture wound on his front fetlock joint during a fall. In the next 21 months he received intensive treatment. The aftercare involved oral phenylbutazone and transdermal fentanyl patches but, worried about the long-term use of these drugs; his keeper started looking into alternatives, one of which was TTeam. As giraffes have little tolerance for being touched, Linda Tellington Jones worked with his keeper to show her ways of helping Kayode tolerate the work. Within 2 weeks of working with him for 15 minutes twice each day he not only tolerated the work but really enjoyed it. Also, after this period his phenylbutazone was reduced from every 2 days to every 5 days. His keeper is continuing to work with him to manage the long-term effects of the injury.

Reducing stress in perceived frightening situations

It is possible for animals to relate beyond instinct without humanising them, still respecting their individuality and species behaviour. This has far-reaching benefits for handling, loading and travelling, new situations, introduction to new environments or new objects in existing environments (less likely to bolt or panic) and enhances problem-solving abilities for new tasks, i.e. if animals are involved in film projects or zoo displays/shows. TTeam respects the animal and works with it, creating mutual trust and co-operation. It can also help with mental stimulation by getting the animal to think about a new task and work their way through it in a calm, thoughtful manner.

Hand raising young

Some young have to be hand reared and not all thrive under our expert care and attention. Young are often susceptible to stress, illness and can become humanised, finding it hard to relate to their own kind at maturity. If young are raised using TTeam body work they are more accepting of humans without making them dependent on us. A lynx plus TTeam does not produce a big house cat, it produces a lynx with more options. Young raised this way become amiable, easier to handle adults but still maintain their wild characteristics and instincts. They are also more adaptable as they mature and will often calmly except new situation and people, especially if TTeam is continued with each new handler. It becomes the norm, the constant in their lives.

If young are not thriving, often the work can support them. It can encourage neonates to suckle and feed, weak or fading young can be supported and encouraged to thrive. Simple ear work can help guard against infection by enhancing their natural immunity.

Using TTEAM on the animals in your care

TTeam is safe and simple to use. The TTouches are easy to learn and within a few hours of working with a certified practitioner you can learn enough to help the animals in your care, making it a simple tool for anyone to use. It will not change the character or natural instincts of the zoo animals you work with, it will enable them to live in co-existence with you, helping them to accept their captivity and thrive in your care through less stress and a closer relationship.

Practitioners are taught ways to work safely and often don't even need to be in the same pen, working through the bars or instructing the keepers on how to do the work. Just learning some of the safe, simple TTouches can make a different to an animal's life.

Results in many zoos world wide have been outstanding and the work is growing in popularity as the way to handle captive animals.

Toni Shelbourne is a qualified Tellington TTouch Companion Animal level 2 and Equine Practitioner. She is based in Reading, Berkshire and has been working with TTeam for the last 8 years. She works closely with the UK Wolf Conservation Trust as a Deputy Senior Wolf Handler, where she has just successfully rehabilitated a socialised wolf with spinal injuries. As well as working with the wolves, she has also worked on snakes, lizards, birds, meerkats, lemurs, squirrel monkeys, pigs, sheep, hedgehogs, turtles, tortoises, rats and other small animals as well as working privately with dogs, cats and horses. She also runs 1 and 2 day workshops on the work and runs staff training days for various local rescue centres.