Solomon

Inquisitive! In one word, that’s Solomon! This young dromedary camel wants to know EVERYTHING! He is super-friendly and curious and always investigating something.

Solomon was born on February 19, 2022, in Bellefontaine, Ohio. Unlike many animals in the NarroWay barn, Solomon has never known a hard life. Solomon’s birth family loved him dearly and still contacts NarroWay to check on him.

Solomon’s birth name was “Bartholomew.” But when we first saw the for-sale photo of the newly born prince, we gave him the stage name, “Solomon,” knowing he would one day become the king of the NarroWay stage. Taking the only break in time we had, Director Yvonne “Birdie” Clark rented an animal trailer and set out with Director Rebecca Martin and Theatre Manager Lora McCoy, for Ohio. It was Easter Sunday! We brought Solomon home to NarroWay on Monday, April 18, 2022.

Solomon was 2 months old and still sucking a bottle when he arrived at NarroWay. He required a lot of attention, with bottle feedings 5 times a day. But there was no shortage of people to attend to his needs. The most difficult part of Solomon’s early care was his training. A camel grows large and, like any large animal, can be dangerous if allowed to develop bad habits. The things that seemed cute for a baby camel were prerequisites for bad behavior if dismissed. This would have made it impossible to use Solomon on the NarroWay stage amid a large cast.

Solomon currently weighs nearly 1000 pounds and stands 6’ tall at his shoulder and almost 8’ tall at his hump! Though his growth will gradually slow down, Soloman will not be fully grown until he is 6-7 years old. All Solomon’s handlers were taught to use the same training methods so he would never get mixed signals on what is and isn’t acceptable.

After much persistent discipline, he has become quite the gentleman on stage. Backstage is another matter! Before becoming the star on stage, he is often the prankster backstage and in the barn. He loves to pull his costumes off after he has been beautifully adorned. In the barn, he has mastered turning over his water bucket, to which we have now attched 3 chains! He has learned to use his lips to unlock the stall across from him and finds opportunities to break into the pens to visit other animals. But his worst habit is this: when the 50-gallon stock tank used to water the whole herd doesn’t suit him, he just picks it up and and dumps out 50 gallons of water!

Solomon is super smart and keeps us on our toes trying to out-think him. He is a “people-camel” who never meets a stranger. He is the first to come to the fence when guests stop by. From the smallest child to the largest man, Solomon loves to “meet and greet.”

Solomon often hangs around Chester, the donkey, while in the pasture. They are about the same age and are kindred spirits. Solomon loves to watch Curly and Mo in the adjacent lot- until a new adventure catches his attention.

Solomon is a man of many costumes. You’ll see him beautifully adorned for all biblical shows at NarroWay. With his majestic stature and inquisitive personality, he is the star of the show every time he enters.