WILDLIFE TIP - from a rehabber

[Chicks_N_Horses]

Yes, we are federally liscensed. Yes, that was my dog.

We have a veteranarian who donates her work and time for our wildlife care. I have only needed her 3 times over the past 2 years. She also does this for the other lady who rehabs wildlife near me.

Our own personal animals are different. We treat them as we see fit, not how the government sees fit.

We do most of our own vetting ourselves. Even for other peoples animals, mainly horses. We keep the meds and surgical tools to do so. We also geld horses and other animals for people. The dog was my first ever dog getting sick like that. I did get panicky and quickly posted on this thread where I recieved good advice. My DH never completly refused the animal care. He said he didn't feel the dog was at that point. He was not budging on running him off to the vet so soon. It wasn't sick enough in his opinion to go racking up a vet bill when we could handle it. And we did...dog recovered in 2 days. Now, I am quick to want to run any animal to a vet. My Dh has better judgement than I do so I trust his opinon. He is 99% of the time always right on the money so very dependabe decision maker.

ETA: Wildlife and my own personal animals aren't really much different in my eyes. I love them all. If I could recieve free vet care for all my own animals I might use her more. She is an hour away too - that factors in. Our local vet is the most unfriendliest man in the world, IMO

I also love my chickens but I would never in a million years take a sick chicken to a vet....Dogs are basically the same here. We love our dogs but there is only so much money I am willing to spend on one anyways. We aren't rich folks by any means. Just blessed. I know some are die hard dog fans and I don't mean to upset anyone here, that is just the way it is....they are just second to last on the totem pole here.

 

[ChickenToes]

Thank you for this post! Maybe we could move it to the Ducks forum...

I get so tired of seeing these types of posts in the Ducks forum. "I found a duckling, and went looking for its mama but couldn't find it, so I'm going to raise it and then release it on a nearby lake/pond."

Do people not realize that once an animal is raised by a human its chances of survival out in the wild are practically 0%?

 

[redhen]

*sigh* n/m

 

[Slinkytoys]

I have rehabbed many an animal back in the day when we didn't have to be licensed to do so. Bats, rats, many raptors (owls, osprey, hawks), exotic waterfowl, raccoons, deer, wolves (Canadian & Eastern Timber), horses and on and on.

After marrying and moving to Colorado, I had been watching an owl nest. There were three owlets, two regular size and healthy, one smaller/weaker. As they fought for feeding, the smallest fell from the nest several times. Each time it was renested. Then I saw it under a tree out in our field. While its nestmates had managed to fly, this one was not feathered enough to do so. I left it on the ground (owls will stay with their young and still feed) until dusk when I saw a couple of coyotes stalking it (while the adult owls were dive bombing them). So I snatched it up and took it to the nearby raptor vet. The owlet checked out as healthy, it was a "brancher", meaning its feathers weren't at a stage where it could fly--just move about the branches. I brought him back home and crated him. I would put the crate outside so owls would stay around, but fed it until it feathered out enough to re-tree. Fortunately the feathers came in just about the time the owlet started to "woof" to me to be fed. If you wonder around the woods long enough, you'll hear the woofing sound of the owlets begging for food.
My hubby had to put the truck under the nesting tree so I could climb up and re-tree the owlet. I had sprayed a few feathers with the non-toxic haircolor spray (neon orange) to let me know if it made it or not. Since I didn't find its feathers around, I think it is one of the hooters we have in out pine forest.

The thing is, how many of us know what to do with stranded wildlife? Since I've done it before and had the blessings of the vet, I felt I did the right thing.....that being said, I've seen many a sad wild animal kept in deplorable conditions. Perhaps not on purpose, but through the lack of experience and knowledge.

Carrie

 

[Mrs. Glassman]

Oh, man....now I'm all

thinking about the moma deer looking for it's kidnapped baby!
How sad is that???

 

[Phox01]

I am or was a rehabilitator and all the animals that I got were brought to me form the local humane society . Raptors that had gotten trapped in chimmneys , or nets mostly. Usually released after making sure that they are uninjured and able to fend for themselves. The only mammal I did was brought to me by my cousin , a possum found beside its dead mother. That is the only way to be sure that the mama ain't going to take care of them .

 

[Cetawin]

Quote:
Not here they won't..been there, done that, tried that call.


***Deleted because it is just not worth it********



OP...great reminder...while not agreeing with some of your post, the reminder is great.

You mean the game warden won't help you out your way? That's horrible! He is being paid, he should be doing his job... I would be afraid to take in an animal I know nothing about, so I would definately MAKE them come out. Heck, before I got chickens I had to research them for 2 years

. It's just my personality, I guess I am cautious and like to be prepapred. I would be afraid of doing more harm than good if I know nothing about that type of animal, and unfortuantely I didnt come from a farming background to refer to.

hahahaha I did the same thing just trying to determine what breeds I wanted....still could not make up my mind.

 

[Chicks_N_Horses]

Mrs. Glassman :

Oh, man....now I'm all

thinking about the moma deer looking for it's kidnapped baby!
How sad is that???

What baby? No one kidnapped a baby deer?

ETA: Ohhh...if you are reffering to another thread then we will get in trouble by the mods.

This doesn't have anything to do with anyone else - just a rule of thumb for finding critters.​

 

[Cetawin]

Quote:
See that is where you and I differ...there is no difference to me in a wild animal injured and my chicken sick...if I see it i am going to help it.

I had not one but TWO vets working on my 3.85 cent brahma. Yes she was cheap to buy but I would have spent 1,000.00 to help her and to stop my little girl from crying. Yes we are very different indeed. It is not about how much money I have or do not have. If I cannot afford vet care I should not have the animals. While I am glad your puppy recovered, I am also glad the government tells you HOW to care for the wildlife in your care because I would fear for them otherwise.

 

[Chicks_N_Horses]

It is OK to differ

ETA: It isn't that we can't afford to get vet care for our animals. It is when we choose to do so. My DH was right, the dog never needed the vet. Thank goodness I didn't override my DHs decision and end up with a bill that we never needed to have. We are kind, compassionate, and smart folks. We didn't get this far by not being that way. I certainly hope no one thinks we are horrible folks who don't deserve critters because of this because we do as much as we possibly can to help animals....I have made that my life besides my own family.