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Started By
Message
re: Old Mike the Tiger Cage
Posted on 9/30/11 at 12:06 am to lsutigertalk
Posted on 9/30/11 at 12:06 am to lsutigertalk
I scanned this from the 1981 Gumbo yearbook
1
Posted on 9/30/11 at 1:23 am to lsutigertalk
watch the movie Everybody's All-American
Posted on 9/30/11 at 2:14 am to nosaj56
that was filmed in 1988, 7 or 8 years after the picture link I posted.
Posted on 9/30/11 at 7:10 am to Red Stick Tigress
quote:
I scanned this from the 1981 Gumbo yearbook
Wow what a shithole that thing was... Glad to see they treat the current Mike better. The current enclosure is better than most zoo habitats.
Posted on 9/30/11 at 7:15 am to CapitalCityTiger
The old wheeled tiger cage I saw sitting and rusting away a while back at Central Hitch on Airline.To bad things like that and the old basketball floor from the cow palace Pete played on wasn't saved I think...........
Posted on 9/30/11 at 7:57 am to lsutigertalk
Posted on 9/30/11 at 8:03 am to lsutigertalk
quote:
I was looking for some pictures of the old cage, because me and my friend were talking about how awful it was. I was looking for some pictures of it and I can't find any. Can anyone tell me where I can find some?
Mike IV was never in the new habitat, so you can try that. I did a quick search and there might be a couple of close-ups, but you can't really tell anything.
Mike V was also in the old habitat - I can describe it:
There was a solid "bunk house" so to speak, I guess it was about 12X15 (completely memory dependent) and it was consistent in architecture and color with buildings in the quad. It had air conditioning. Pretty much any hot day, Mike IV would be found inside there.
He had two outdoor areas, I guess about 750 to 850 square feet each. The area adjacent to the bunk house had a small pool, maybe 10' to 12' across and at least 1 climbing area (at least Mike V did). The other outdoor area, and I'm pretty sure they added it during Mike IV's time, had some green space, grass and a (I'm assuming fake) felled tree at an angle so he could walk on grass and climb the tree. Mike V liked to get in the water, especially as a cub and juvenile - another thing he did was play with an empty beer keg in the water. He would push it away from the side of the pool with his paw, wait for it to get about centered then pounce on it, hug it and try to sink it. He LOVED doing that as a younger tiger.
From what I remember of being on campus with Mike IV, he paced around the green area or lounged around his air-conditioned area, but he was getting older. I did see him 1 time at the BR Zoo and he looked pretty content.
Posted on 9/30/11 at 8:13 am to lsutigertalk
quote:
I was just a kid when it was up. I really don't remember what it looked like, so it seems like it was awful compared to the new cage.
Growing up in the early '50's I remember my family talking about opposing teams fans doing awful things to the Mike because they were able to reach him with sticks through the bars. Anybody ever heard this?
Posted on 9/30/11 at 8:18 am to Mulat
No wonder our cat now doesn't want to come to the games ...
he's livin' the good life in a several Million $$$ cathouse
Hey, Mike, wanna get off your arse and come to the stadium and roar for the peeps
STFU ... It's time for my early evening fiesta
How much you wanna bet he's ready for KY?
he's livin' the good life in a several Million $$$ cathouse
Hey, Mike, wanna get off your arse and come to the stadium and roar for the peeps
STFU ... It's time for my early evening fiesta
How much you wanna bet he's ready for KY?
Posted on 9/30/11 at 8:22 am to lsutigertalk
Anyone remember a time when Mike's cage did not have a top? I've heard stories from old timers, talking about catching coons and possums. Then tossing them over the top into Mike's cage, and watching him get a hold of the critters.
Posted on 9/30/11 at 8:28 am to Ace Midnight
quote:
It had air conditioning. Pretty much any hot day, Mike IV would be found inside there.
It funny you say that, I don't even remember ever seeing him outside of the house. Barely remember what the outside part was like.
Posted on 9/30/11 at 8:28 am to TravelSmartly
The earliest memory I have would be 1954 or so and by that time they had the cyclone fence forward of the main bars of the cage, I think. I do not remember the top of the cage not being secured in some fashion.
Posted on 9/30/11 at 9:51 am to Kingpenm3
quote:
It funny you say that, I don't even remember ever seeing him outside of the house. Barely remember what the outside part was like.
And Mike V didn't like it inside, or so it seemed - he was always outside. I remember 1 time, in the old habitat, he was laying right up against the bars, just outside and to the left of the door to the house, but facing away from Bernie Moore and back towards Tiger Stadium. I was talking to him, and he was very relaxed, comfortable (this must have been the spring of 1991 or fall of 1992, he was between 18 mos and 2 years), and not reacting to me, or other people wandering around the area. Suddenly, his ears perked up, and he became tense and alert, fixing his gaze back towards Tiger Stadium.
I looked back that way and didn't see anything alarming. Then, I picked up movement, a couple of dogs were crossing the parking lot and approaching, roughly Gate 5 (back then, there were no "portals", you just entered through your gate). That was 200+ yards away. He probably smelled them first. That was the day I figured that all of the human contact meant he bonded with humans and either considered himself human or us tigers. In any event, he considered the dogs a possible food source.
Posted on 9/30/11 at 9:55 am to TIGERTANK59
quote:= party
fiesta
Siesta = nap
Posted on 9/30/11 at 10:09 am to SG_Geaux
quote:
Yeah that concrete was awesome
The iron bars were cool too!
Posted on 9/30/11 at 10:13 am to TravelSmartly
quote:
Anyone remember a time when Mike's cage did not have a top? I've heard stories from old timers, talking about catching coons and possums. Then tossing them over the top into Mike's cage, and watching him get a hold of the critters.
Posted on 9/30/11 at 11:22 am to lsutigertalk
You can see an aerial photo here. Small but gives you a good idea of its size prior to the current habitat.
Posted on 9/30/11 at 11:27 am to LSU NO Tigah
Here's one from the 1930's. Pretty cool!
Posted on 9/30/11 at 11:31 am to LSU NO Tigah
This photo is tagged 1930's is this correct?
This post was edited on 9/30/11 at 11:34 am
Posted on 9/30/11 at 11:37 am to lsutigertalk
I believe I remember someone on here over a year ago who bought that cage and was going to restore it. I just looked but must not have commented. Does anyone else remember this?
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