What’s soft, fuzzy, and loves to be cuddled? Oh, by the way, it’s a marsupial.

We’ve heard of therapy dogs, cats, horses and even monkeys. But have you ever heard of a therapy kangaroo?



Meet Kaye Williams of Rainbow Farms in Bixby, Oklahoma. She raises kangaroos. Along with her “Mob,” Kaye’s farm is home to Sammy the camel, dozens of tiny burros, ponies, and several horses.

Kaye’s kangaroos weren’t always destined to become therapy pets. As she likes to tell it, “when one door closes, another opens.”

In 2001, Kaye took over her neighbor’s farm, including the kangaroos. She planned to put the place up for sale, and relocate to more acreage, Then came 9/11, and her dreams of a larger place had to be put aside.

One morning, six months later, Kaye went into the kangaroo pen and found all of her kangaroos poisoned to death. She had kept two babies inside for the night, so they were safe. As it turned out, contaminated food was the culprit. Once over the shock, Kaye knew she had to go back to work. As a registered nurse, she found a position with Shadow Mountain, a rehabilitation facility for teens in crisis. She started bringing her Joeys (baby kangaroos) to work in backpacks

The ‘fit” was a no-brainer. Joeys love being swaddled in their mama’s pouches. The cuddling comforted the kids as well as the Joeys. For the first time, boys and girls with emotional issues sat quietly and calmly while cradling the Joeys. The feeling of being needed– that some body is dependant on you– does wonders for taking the focus off your own problems.

Bonding with another being is a wonderful antidote to anxiety and fear. Studies have shown that people who interact with pets in a soothing manner show a marked decrease in stress and anxiety. Blood pressure drops and heart rates slow. Many therapy pets go to hospitals and nursing homes for this very purpose.

Before she knew it, Kaye was busy taking her “Joeys” to therapy sessions in hospitals, hospices, to school visits, birthday and private parties, and to corporate events. She was in such demand with her kangaroos that she had to stop working full time at Shadow Mountain. It’s a full-time job just caring for the Mob, and Kaye does it all by herself.

Kangaroos of all ages are in the Mob, about a dozen in all. Some of the kangaroos are pregnant. The alpha male, Jay, weighs in at about 200 lbs., and his tail could flip you head over heels. The teen-agers seem content to “boing” around the pen. Like most teens they are curious and eager to test the boundaries, as in trying to box with you, search your pockets, and nibble on your clothes.

I fell in love with Jo Jo, a tiny, preemie boy. His forelegs were no thicker than a matchstick. He stuck his tiny nose in my neck, nuzzled, and licked me the whole time I carried him. (I wanted to stick him in my pocket and take him home). Bella, a one-year old female, hopped around our feet. She was too big to swaddle. When Kaye wanted to pick her up, she grabbed her by her tail, swung her upwards, and then grabbed her around her waist. She explained that you cannot pick up a Joey under the arms because their chests are so narrow and their forelegs so small, that you would crush their ribs. The tail is the strongest “limb” of a kangaroo. An adult could swat you across the room and even break your bones with its tail. (Remember, all of Kaye’s kangaroos are tame. Don’t try this in the wild)

Kangaroo Facts:

Boys are called Boomers

Girls are called Flyers

Babies are called Joeys

And the group is called a Mob

QUIZ: What marsupial is native to Oklahoma?

(answer below)

Joeys spend about 4-1/2 months in their mother’s pouches. They crawl in as newborns and attach immediately to a teat. At about three months, heads and tails can be seen poking out of the pouches. Once they venture out of the pouch, they usually hop right back in. The world is kind of scary when you’ve been cocooned for months in your mama’s pouch. Flyers do what most moms do; they leave the babies out for longer and longer times, until one day they shut the door and tell the kids to stay outside. This adjustment time takes about 10 months. Mama kangaroos actually seal their pouches so the Joeys cannot get back in. At that time, Flyers are ready to become moms again.



Today, Rainbow Farms is a fulltime endeavor for Kaye. She books visits to the farm for those who want the full experience of wandering among the Mob.

Sammy the camel puts on her own show. Kaye waves a two-liter bottle of orange pop, and asks her if she wants her soda. Sammy lumbers to the fence and after lifting her hoof to the command of “shake,” Kaye tips the bottle and Sammy inhales it in about 15 seconds. Kaye releases the bottle and Sammy continues to tip it until it’s all gone, and then she flips it over the fence.

For visits or parties, contact Kaye Williams at Rainbow Farms by phone at (918) 269-3795 or email at [email protected]

Quiz answer: The possum

Story by Sherri Goodall



