Wildlife Wednesday – All You Can Do is Try

Just when I said that Older Daughter might start getting some sleep, a very tiny mammal came into her Wild Angels world and had to be fed every two hours.  Yep.  That’s all night, too.  The little thing did not live.  That makes it even harder. 

Older received a call from someone who said they found “a mouse or a rat or something” on a grocery store parking lot.  The woman said it was just a baby with its eyes still closed.  Before the day’s end, the baby was delivered to Older.  As it turns out, it was a deer mouse.  That’s why there had been some confusion about exactly WHAT this baby was.  This is not the basic field mouse that most of us are familiar with. 

When Older was telling me the story of this new baby, she reminded me that exactly one year ago she took in the baby deer mouse that I found injured in our shed.  At that time, we absolutely KNEW that the little baby would not survive.  Mice are extremely hard to keep alive when they come in with eyes still closed.  And the one from last October had a mouth injury, too.  Older took it home and fed it every two hours.  She kept telling me that I shouldn’t get my hopes up because she had made it three full days with baby mice many many times, only to have them die on the fourth day.  But the fourth day came and went.  And Older brought that little deer mouse all the way to adulthood and successfully released it.  (That post is *here* and if you scroll down to the end of the post you will see pictures of that CUTE little deer mouse from a year ago.)

We hoped that maybe there would be that kind of success with this one – exactly one year later.  But it wasn’t to be.  She received it on Saturday afternoon and it died Monday morning.  I could tell that this bothered Older a great deal.  Even though baby mice are extremely hard to keep alive, I think because of last October’s success, Older was allowing herself to believe that this little deer mouse would make it.  I reminded Older that the little thing didn’t die on that parking lot.  It had been enjoying its every-two-hour feedings and its cozy little bed.  All you can do is try.

 

Sleeping. So sweet.

 

I reminded Older of her successes.  The squirrel who recently moved outside and learned to climb has now been successfully released.  And the two baby squirrels are learning to eat solid food.  It’s hysterical to watch them.  They have to hold the morsel with both little hands and then balance it against the cage floor while they nibble.  Precious!

 

 

See you tomorrow.

 

Comments

[Random Felines]

we all understand....you have to do SOMETHING

[ginny & the fur family]

So sorry the baby deer mouse did not make it. Older did her best and the best is all one can do. Squirrels are so sweet. We see them all around our house and put food out for them. keep up the good work older. God loves you !

[Maria in CT]

I can certainly understand how sad Older Daughter must be. Sometimes no matter how hard we try, the outcome is not what we would have hoped for. But those of us who truly care keep trying, and Older Daughter certainly cares deeply about the animals she rescues. Thanks for all you do for the wildlife in your care, and for your work at the shelter. You are the best of the best!

[Andrea and the Celestial Kitties]

Make sure you give Older Daughter a hug from all of us because we know how hard her chosen life is, especially on days like that. I know she'll keep trying, and she will have successes! It just wont be all of them unfortunately. It's wonderful that she tries!