More babies in rehabilitation. All orphaned.

Have had my share of wildlife spend the night in my bathtub in a nice warm box or cage or whatever for the species. Always after talking to a wildlife rehabilitation facility going over many things regarding the job at hand. And only if they were stable enough for me to care for them for one night. I have learned a lot and cared for many. Never feeding until I talk to the pros and get my instructions going over them a few times until they were straight in my head. You never feed a baby animal on your own. Feeding them the wrong formula is deadly. 

 I am not the one with food in hand here. But I took these little guys in. This was a very small                                             operation but boy she had a lot to care for. And she was a natural.

                                            So tiny and hungry. In loving gentile hands.

                                 I got to watch ( very quietly ) this little chipmunk being fed.

         These don't do well I was told in captivity. Like so many babies. They need their mother.

Then we have squirrels who seem to do very well.But mother is always the best thing for any wildlife baby.

                                                           My little bundles did very well.

    Then I had a couple raccoon orphans. This being one of them. She showed up in my backyard. We tried to get it. But as tiny as it was. It beat my husband over the fence and up the tree out of reach. But on a hot summers night with our windows open. Around 10pm. A piercing scream got our quick attention. A big male raccoon had forced this little one into our pond and it was hanging on for dear life. Literally. Crying,shaking. We had a blanket and cage ready from earlier on. My husband sprang into action and got it out so fast it never knew what happened and into a warm dry blanket into my arms. I called my rehabber friend again as I had spoken to her earlier already, and we were told what to do for this little one til morning. Then we got it to her asap. No worse for wear thanks to our quick response. This little girl was called Jenny. She grew strong and big and went back to the wild. One lucky little girl. Along with her a couple days later,were 2 others a bit smaller that we found up the street from us.  Curled up together in the middle of the road on a very hot day. On an extremely hot road. Dehydrated,hungry and scared. They to got the help they needed to survive and eventually go free again. Absolutely amazing little beings. But very sad so many loose their mom's because humans hate them around. You live in their turf. They were there first and they are only trying to survive on what little habitat they have left.Keep your yard clean of garbage. Dont put garbage out til the morning of and don't feed them. Recycle properly. And wash all your cans and jars. A raccoon,skunk or other animals can get stuck in these items. They don't know they can be a trap and harmful. We can live together.

                                            And yet another little bundle of joy found me.

                       Another night without the tub. So tiny and alone after loosing its mom.

                                                      Keeping each other snugly warm.

 Look how they wrap their little tail around their handlers wrist. Precious. Hang on little dude!

 Chipmunks as I said earlier are very finicky to rehab. After long hours of care and feeding and loving this little one passed away. Keeping it fed and warm were priorities that this lady dedicated                                      her all to. It is heart breaking when they loose a life.

                 Just to show how tiny that little one was. Weighed in at 7 cents worth. Shown below.                         Sometimes no matter what you do. They are just to tiny and cant survive without mom.

                                                     

Just being me!!

Every now and again I am going to through some personal shots in here. I have 2 fantastic kids and both have been by my side in one way or another. Karen is married with 2 beautiful children and she keeps me going here. All my blogs are done by Karen. Lord knows it is not my thing. Jeff still at home on and off depending on where he is has been my sidekick in some wildlife issues or just out havin fun with our cameras. I have managed to talk Karen into getting out there to. Just a bit more difficult with her busy home life. One lucky mom.

   Getting the first turtle crossing signs up in Innisfil in 2009. Jeff and I have now sustained more than 10 pair of signs and have the township making their own now as well. Some had to be replaced twice. But Julia of Adopt a Pond Toronto Zoo is right on board here. Couldn't have done it without her.                                                                      Working together.

 Jeff & I on a twin otter at MNR in Bracebridge after donating a series of photos to the pilots. Having witnessed them at work fighting a bush fire. Amazing guys.Good to have them on our side when                                                                    things go wrong out there.

                                                    Just me being me by Jeff Howard

 Me & Kiko and saker falcon who got away from her owner. A cancer survivor who depended on her for his recovery. We got the word out and got the bird back just in the nick o time. She was very hungry and lost. I have never seen such a heartwarming reconnection. It was beautiful. A lot was learned by this event. He was new at falconry and she was a young bird. They are still together and going strong years later.

                                            Karen me and Jeff together for a special event.

Squirrel babe rescue 2009

Seems 2009 was a busy year for me. My dog had killed a momma squirrel in our yard this year. A Shepard/husky mix he loved to chase things. We were always at him and we did finally get him to stop. He was the most amazing dog ever and really has left an impact on us. Passing away suddenly of a tumor on his liver in 2012. A year of many losses for us. But in spite of him killing this mother squirrel to whom I knew was a mother. But had no idea were. It was up to mother nature. And mother nature and Max came through. I was sitting outside and Max ran to the back tree wagging his tale and yipping as husky's do. Talking. Looking back at me then at the ground then me again. I went running back. A teeny tiny baby squirrel. Then I heard more high pitch squeaking way up the tree. Oh my god. Max found the babies. I took him in the house and grabbed a nice cozy box. As I stood there and another one fell at my feet. And another. There were 4 in all. And also a pair of very upset starlings with babies in their nest near this one. The starling picked em off one by one. I cant blame her. To her these little guys were a threat to her nestlings. Even though they weren't. But one thing I can say for sure is that Max really came through for me and these babies. And as we didn't have time to get all the leaves up last fall. There was lots of soft leaves around this tree that made these falls a soft contact upon landing. I could never have gotten them easily as they were very high. And I was so surprised at that falling distance that they were alright. They cried and cried and were starving,emaciated as you can see. And full of fleas. No mom to keep them clean. But amazingly enough,they had survived a whole week. And now it was time they themselves needed to get help or die.Mother nature never ceases to amaze me. Her creatures are so amazing. Seeking out help if they loose a mom by coming to us. Or if they are injured and seeking us out in hopes of getting help. And hopefully coming to the right kind and friendly person. Because although I will never understand it. There are many people out there that would kill before they would help. How their survival skills are embedded in them at such a young age. And will do what they can to do just that. Survive. I learned at a very young age to take things in if they needed help. To never walk away. And to do what I could to do so. Thankfully our Max needed out that day at that time and found them. Husky's are one amazing animal. And these babes owe our Max their lives.

                            So tiny as they fell at my feet into a soft bed of leaves. One at a time.

                             Nothing but skin and bones. I don't know how they were alive.

     They were covered in fleas so I decked myself up in a rain suit so I didn't get any fleas on me and                             take into my home with my pets.Maybe a crazy idea but it worked.

  Back then I called Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary. And found out what to do before I did anything. You NEVER give wild animal cows milk EVER. It is not meant for their stomach's and can cause many problems and even death. Never feed a wild baby without first calling a wildlife rehab facility. And the only reason I fed them ( after getting instructions )  is because I had to hold on to them over night before they could meet me to pick them up. Being 2 hours or so away. Babes needed food asap. So we set to work and every 3 hours straight through the night  & day I fed them. And I would do it again. How precious an experience this was for me and how rewarding .

                                I ended up having them 2 days. Wow look at the difference.

                                                          Enjoying a good warm meal.

                                                                  Look at that face.

                                                               Getting a face wash.

                                                                       Next up.

                                                         Incredible sticky little feet.

                           Before its face wash this little one snuggles in with a full warm tummy.

 Full tummies and dry and warm all snuggled in for another nap til next feeding. Oh so beautiful.

  And here is one of our little ones following month at Aspen Valley. Beautiful. All were released.