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Wildlife Wednesday – Good News and Not So Good News

Good news and not so good news – let’s do the second one first.

Older Daughter received a call from the veterinarian (Dr. B) who works with the animals at the humane society where my girls work.  Dr. B received a call from a man who works on air conditioners.   He was working on a unit and he says – “A raccoon was killed in a terribly awful way.”  (I told Older Daughter that even if she ended up getting that whole story that I don’t need to hear it.)  He did not, of course, think about the possibility of babies.  He came back several days later to check on something and there were three baby raccoons, very cold and weak.   Because this man was working in the same town as the humane society, Older was able to get the raccoons right then.  Younger Daughter was at the shelter when they came in and she got them onto a heating pad.  When Older Daughter arrived at work, she did all of the things you must do initially.  The babies were in fact cold, weak, and very thin.  They had been slowly starving to death ever since the mom had been killed a few days before.  It’s not great news that these babies had been without mom for several days.  Older said the only thing that was slightly hopeful was that they didn’t seem to be in the active dying stage yet.  Their fur was good and they were probably nice fat healthy babies until mom was killed.  Older is cautiously hopeful that maybe these babies did not get to her too late.

 

 

Of course, she will do everything possible.  I sure wish these sweet little babies could survive and eventually thrive.

 

The really good news to report today is that Older Daughter is a miracle worker!  You remember the three little baby starlings that she took in.  Two of the three had broken legs.  Older splinted those breaks and hoped for the best.  Baby birds grow super fast and so if the legs could be splinted correctly, it wouldn’t be long before they would be usable again (IF the splinting worked).  Older was very nervous watching these babies grow.  The one that did not have a broken leg was starting to perch on the edge of the basket they stayed in.  The other two, or course, could not. 

Then . . .   

 

 

Yep!  All three can perch now.  This was crucial for their successful release.  You might remember the buzzard that Older Daughter saved from a steel jaw leghold trap.  That bird lost the leg in the trap because it was completely broken off.  But buzzards can do well with only one leg.  Starlings depend on perching so they really need both feet to hang on.

 

 

Now all three of these darling starlings can be released back into the wild as soon as they are old enough.

 

Gifts in the Name Of

There isn't much to write about today.  I'm finding it difficult right now to write about the animals here with me - my dogs, my cats, the Wishers and the rescue donkeys and pigs.  I'll find my way back to it soon enough.

I did not, however, want to pass up the opportunity to mention a couple of gifts that came to Winnie's Wish.

Ginny, a supporter of Winnie's Wish, sent a check in honor of the Gotcha Day for her dog Brindell.  Brindell was a stray dog I took in years ago and Ginny adopted him.  Here is what she wrote:

My dog Brindell is almost 14 now -I got him from Chrystal. She called him Braydon. He is still alive and taking meds twice a day.  Some day I will have to let him go - just not right now. Thanks for such a sweet dog Chrystal- he is loved dearly.

Ginny - THANK YOU.

 

Winnie's Wish received a paypal gift from supporter Cynthia. She wrote:

It took me a few days to do this. Every time I tried I cried. I sent a donation in memory of Little Roo.  I can only imagine how you must be feeling. Love Cynthia

Cynthia - THANK YOU.

 

 

I'll be here tomorrow for a Wildlife Wednesday.

 

Wildlife Wednesday – Busy as a Beaver

The last two weeks I’ve posted my Wildlife Wednesdays even though I was in too much pain to write about losing Little Roo.  In fact, the Wednesday after his death, my post was already written as I’d done it a couple of days before – so all I had to do was load it.   Life goes on.  And Older Daughter is inundated at this time with abandoned baby wildlife.  So I will continue to tell her stories.  Thank you for your kind words about my loss.  I appreciate you all so much.

Last week I told you about all of the raccoon babies that Wild Angels has taken in.  There’s yet another one since then, possibly to be followed by more.  But first, let me share with you a couple of visitors Older Daughter had this past week.  

She released four baby bunnies a few weeks ago and she was lucky enough to have one of those show up again.  She had just stepped out onto her front porch, something caught her eye, and there the little thing was – looking fat and healthy.

 

 

This little bunny wasn’t the only Wild Angel alumnus to make an appearance.  I have written a couple of times about the “wobbly raccoon” who was released near Older Daughter’s home and who continues to return year after year.   She was a baby in 2018 and she had a wobble that worried Older Daughter.  But this little gal could do everything the other raccoons could do so she was eventually released.  Then, in June 2020, Ms Wobbly Raccoon showed up in Older Daughter’s yard.  Older quickly threw out some food and Ms Wobbly came right over to eat.  AND – she had two babies with her.  Then, last summer, Older discovered Ms Wobbly in one of her outdoor enclosures (that was standing open) and maybe you remember – she had two babies with her again.  Older has been really happy to see Ms Wobbly year after year, knowing she is doing fine.  So . . .  Yep, you guessed it.  Ms Wobbly showed up last week.  She had a healthy meal and then left; no sign of any babies yet but I bet she’ll bring some before the summer is over.

 

 

 

So I mentioned at the start of this post that there was another baby raccoon at Wild Angels.  This brings the total to ten.  Older got a call on Sunday night.  The people were in their home with their two dogs.  They could hear something in a wall and both of their dogs were sitting staring at the wall and would not leave the spot.  They ended up cutting out a piece of the drywall and found the baby raccoon stuck between two 2 x 4’s. This baby, of course, would have died in that wall.  They found Wild Angels online and got the raccoon to Older Daughter.  They said, however, that there were more babies in the attic or soffit or somewhere.  So we’ll see if these end up at Wild Angels or if the people will allow mom raccoon to continue to care for those.

 

 

This next story started on a Tuesday and continued on Friday.  A person contacted Wild Angels about a baby bird.  Older ALWAYS suggests to anyone who calls about a baby bird that they first try to get the baby back in the nest.  But the person said this one had fallen from a nest way up high on a building.  There was no reaching the nest.  When Older Daughter received the baby bird, she immediately saw that one of its legs was broken.  In fact, the leg was turned completely backwards at the break.  The baby bird’s mouth was packed with mud as well.  Older Daughter did not expect this one to live but she splinted the leg anyway.  Then, somehow, this little bird started to recover.

 

 

On Friday the person called again.  Three more baby birds were down in the same place as the first one.  One was already dead.  It was a terrible fall from a very high place.  Of the two that survived the fall, one had a broken leg.  Older received them and splinted yet another baby bird’s leg.  She had no idea if these babies would live. 

 

 

But so far – all three are alive.  They have regained some strength and they are eating.  We will see.

 

 

Raccoons, opossums, bunnies, squirrels, baby birds . . . .    these are the little creatures Older Daughter is set up to care for.  However, she recently received a little wildlife baby who was very different.  Wild Angels received a call from a Conservation Officer.  A baby beaver was found stranded when a creek or pond or something was being dug out.  It was reported to the Conservation Office and when the officer received the baby beaver he brought it to Wild Angels.  Older Daughter is quite capable of caring for a baby beaver while it is so small.  She bought beaver formula and had it overnight-delivered.  She already knew that beavers MUST be in water to be able to eliminate.  So she got baby beaver all set up in her spare bathroom.  And along with formula, she bought the foods a beaver eats, and she goes out to our pond to pick willow branches every evening.  In the meantime, Older started looking into finding a permanent placement for this beaver.  Beavers stay with their parents in the wild for two years.  There are definitely wildlife rescues where beavers are a common resident.  Luckily, Older Daughter found a wonderful rescue for this little gal and she will be transported to her new home in June.

 

 

Wild Angels Wildlife Rehab – BUSY, BUSY, BUSY.  (Would it be too corny to say – “Busy as a beaver.”)

 

Little Roo

It has taken me two weeks to be able to write about this.   I thought I could do this story last week but then I couldn’t.  Without fail, over all of these years, I have found writing about a loss to be helpful.  All of you reading here understand the love for a furry family member.  All of you reading here know how much I love the animals in my life.  All of you reading here have been along for the losses, and you have had your own.  When I say that I’m still having trouble writing about this one, I hope you all know me well enough by now to know that I don’t love some animals more than others.  I have loved, and continue to love, each and every animal that comes into my world.  But there have definitely been some along the way who were special.  There have been some with whom I’ve shared a special bond.  My love for all of the animals here now and for those who are long gone is the same.  But the relationships have been different.  And the bonds have been different. 

This animal was one with whom I had a special bond.  In addition, his death was tragic and senseless.  So I have really really struggled with this one.  I thought about not writing this one out.  As I said, writing has always helped me through these losses.  But this one kept me so torn up that I never could sit down at the computer and start typing.  Maybe I should keep this one in my heart is what I thought a few times.  But then, I wouldn’t want to not honor and memorialize this little guy.  He deserves this.  So I am writing, through my tears, about losing my precious Little Roo.  Going to do my best here.

You know we live in the country.   Younger Daughter and I walk our dogs on the gravel road that runs from my house, past her house, ending at Older Daughter’s home.  We start at my house with my three – Ressie, Rolly, and Roo, and then we stop by Younger’s house and her dogs join us.  The walk is about a mile from start to finish.  All of the dogs absolutely love it.  My husband keeps the grass along this entire road mowed.  And beside the mowed strips, he bushhogs so that there is about a 15-foot swath on each side of the road of short grass.  Otherwise, the tall grass of the fields would come right up to the sides of the road.  He doesn’t keep this area so tidy just for looks.  Not allowing the tall grass anywhere near the road keeps us from having to worry about snakes.

On Tuesday, May 3^rd, we started our walk.  Younger Daughter said that even though her dogs would be sad, she wasn’t going to take them that day because she had just released some baby bunnies near her blackberry bushes and she was afraid her dogs might run over and sniff one out.  As we started our walk back, suddenly Little Roo screamed.  I jerked my head around and saw one of the biggest copperheads I’d ever seen in my life.  It was coiled right on the edge of the road.  I remember screaming at Younger Daughter that Roo had been bitten by a copperhead and then the rest is somewhat of a blur.  I know that Younger Daughter charged into action.  She grabbed Roo and started running to her house.  I was running behind her and Ressie and Rolly were running with me.  She screamed at her husband to throw her the keys and to get my other two dogs.  Then we were in their truck racing towards town.  I called Older Daughter at work and told her to get Dr. B ready for us.  Younger Daughter put her flashers on and we made the 30-minute trip in less than 20.  Little Roo collapsed against me on the trip in. He lost control of his bowels.  I knew I was losing him.  Older was already there when we arrived. We ran into the clinic and Dr. B started an IV and gave pain medication and an antibiotic shot.  And then Older started educating me on venomous snake bites in dogs.  Small veterinary clinics don’t keep anti-venom because of the enormous cost.  Most dogs survive a copperhead bite with supportive care.  But Little Roo was only 6 pounds.  This was a huge factor.  The rest of this story just gets worse and worse.  Because about an hour after we arrived, Roo had stabilized SO much that we were told we could go home.  I said I’d go home and get some work done and get a shower and then be back.  Older would stay in touch with Dr. B and keep me updated.

Younger and I didn’t actually even leave town for another hour.  We sat in the shelter parking lot waiting for the first update because I was afraid to head home and be half an hour away and then find out something bad was happening.  Got the first update that he was staying stable.   Younger Daughter drove us home.  (Oh, how I wish I hadn’t.)   Older kept me informed.  He was remaining stable.  And then just as I was walking out the door to head back to town, Older called me.  He was crashing.  Dr. B had found a clinic in the other direction that had anti-venom on hand.  We wouldn’t be able to get Roo and get there in less than 2 hours.  Older met us on the road and handed over Roo.  He was already basically unconscious.  We put our flashers on and started driving as fast as possible.  But about a half hour into the trip, Little Roo died in my arms.

We’ve walked that road several times a week for years and years and years.  We keep the sides of the road mowed down JUST SO that we won’t encounter a snake.  I had three dogs with me – two 25-lb dogs which would most likely have survived this bite . . .   and one 6-lb dog.  How is it that the snake was sitting at the edge of the road where there was absolutely no grass to hide in, and that the one dog who couldn’t survive it was the one who was bitten.  I cannot make sense of it. 

Little Roo was kind of like a child to me.  He was needy.  He wanted to be picked up and carried a lot.  He was afraid of storms.  He loved tiny tennis balls and we had to play ball EVERY day when I would sit down to have tea.  He slept against me every single night.

Besides losing a baby who had been SO much a part of my every single day, I lost him in one of the most senseless ways I can imagine.   I know time heals, but I don’t believe I will ever smooth over the scar that this one has left on my heart.

 

Rolly, Ressie, and Little Roo

Little Roo – Farewell.

 

Wildlife Wednesday - Raining Raccoons

I’ve been writing about the new wildlife babies at Wild Angels - some baby bunnies (5), baby opossums(2), and baby raccoons(3).  The baby bunnies have been released.  The two little opossums are still doing really well.  This is great news because they came in near death.

 

 

The three baby raccoons are also doing really well.  They have just started eating a bit of solid food.  Older says they had banana baby food all over their faces, hands, and bedding after that first attempt at eating.  Here they are - looking good!

 

 

Then last Friday, Older got calls about more baby raccoons.  The first two that came in were found sitting in the road.  They were extremely thin and very hungry.

 

 

 

 

Before the day was over, Older had received ANOTHER call about baby raccoons.  This person explained that these three little raccoons kept trying to get into her garage.  She put them in a crate and had been feeding them canned cat food for three days.  It’s not the worst thing you can feed a baby raccoon, but these babies were too small to ingest enough nutrition.  They still needed supplemental formula.  When Older Daughter received them they were very thin and very hungry.

 

 

 

 

Then on Saturday, Older got yet another raccoon call.  This baby was found in someone’s yard.  This one was in the worst condition of any Older has received so far this season.  He was weak and thin and severely dehydrated.  He was very close to death.

 

 

(You can tell from the pictures that all of these baby raccoons are improving.  Fingers crossed.)

It seems to be a rather rainy Spring – raining raccoons that is.  See you next week.

 

 

Wildlife Wednesday – Flyin’ High

You remember that a few weeks ago, Older Daughter’s husband noticed a struggling buzzard below the bluff near the river.  I did a raging post about this buzzard because it was dragging around a steel-jaw leghold trap, making it impossible for this bird to fly.  Older Daughter and her husband were able to remove the trap from the bird’s leg but the foot was severed.  With proper treatment and lots of healthy food, the buzzard recovered nicely.  A buzzard can do very well in the wild with only one foot.  The hope was that there would be a full recovery and the buzzard could be released.  And that hope was fulfilled.

 

 

 

Look closely! Our buzzard is joining two others.

 

Older Daughter and her husband took some real joy in this release.

 

Now for some updates on the babies that flooded into Wild Angels only a little over a week ago.

There were five bunnies, three raccoons, and two opossums.  It’s nearly impossible to keep baby bunnies alive since they desperately need their mother’s milk.  But of the five that came in, four survived.   They need to be released as early as possible so they can begin to eat a rabbit’s diet.  After transitioning these babies to various grasses (Older Daughter picked a baggie full three times a day), these babies were ready for the great outdoors.

 

three of the four survivors

 

 

 

already nibbling

 

 

The three little raccoons are doing really well.  No issues at this time.  Raccoon kits stay babies much longer than baby bunnies.  They will be in Older’s  care for quite a while.

 

 

Finally, the two little baby opossums arrived in pretty bad shape.  But they have survived so far and are actually beginning to do better. 

 

 

 

 

With that buzzard back in the skies and the baby bunnies hopping around in Older Daughter’s yard, it’s a good day.  I’ll keep you posted on the baby raccoons and the baby opossums.

 

These Gifts are SO Appreciated

Winnie’s Wish has received some gifts.  Each year, on their Gotcha Day anniversary, one-time Wishers Hershey and Frosting (now Felicity) send a special gift to commemorate their special day.  Their mom and dad help them get this gift to the Wishers.  This year it’s their NINTH Gotcha Day anniversary.  Wow!  Seems impossible that it’s been that long.

 

 

mr and husband – THANK YOU.

 

In addition, Winnie’s Wish supporter Maria sent a paypal gift in memory of Rocky.  She said something very sweet in her email, something I must always remember - It's hard to let them go, but it's the ultimate gift, not letting them suffer.

Maria – THANK YOU.

 

And – Winnie’s Wish received  a paypal gift from supporter June.

June – THANK YOU.

 

See you tomorrow for a Wildlife Wednesday update.