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Shhh! Has “slow season” started?

9/10/2012

8 Comments

 
I’m almost scared to ask, for fear of inviting an influx of late babies! In the past week, though, I had just one new intake, so maybe…we’ll see!

The squirrels continue to grow apace; below are photos of them taken earlier today. In case you’re wondering, pecans are a treat, and I use them as a bribe to keep the little rascals still for photos—and sometimes, it actually works!

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The single intake last week was this juvenile Eastern cottontail, who had massively infected eyes. After conferring with Rhonda Woods, a metro-area rehabber who specializes in rabbits, I made the decision to euthanize the poor little fellow. Had he survived the stress of captivity and several-times-daily treatment of his eyes, he still most likely would have been blind. Rhonda and I discussed the options, and I agreed with her that euthanasia was the kindest.

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The female red tail from last week has issues aside from possible frounce and/or capillaria. The second time I fed her, she strained to reach the plate I had the cut-up mouse on, so I moved it closer. She ate from the plate, but I still had her restrained. For the third feeding, I sat the plate in my lap—on a folded towel—and let her sit in my lap and eat from the plate, with only my hand resting on her back as restraint. For the fourth feeding, I placed a bit of mouse on the glove and held it out so that she had to flit over to the glove. She rocked back and forth a couple of times, then launched herself right at the glove, tearing into her “reward” as soon as she landed.

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In fact, she refused to come off the glove; I had to ease my hand out of it to finish feeding her. I sat her and the plate in my lap and let her have at it, totally unrestrained, as I snapped photos. Yep, we have a bird whose major problem is her past interactions with humans…If she’s a screwed-up falconry bird, which seems likely, someone needs to lose their falconry permit; if it’s “just” a case of some untrained idiot attempting to make a pet of her, which seems less likely but still possible, that person should be fined to the max for illegal possession of a raptor. Sadly, we have no way of knowing who screwed her up, but this should be “fixable” so that she can return to the wild. At least, that’s the plan right now; her behavior will dictate whether she’s releasable or a candidate for an educational bird. So far, so good: she’s progressed to eating whole rats, which I honestly didn’t think she’d manage this quickly!

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The mourning dove and Eurasian collared (EC) dove are looking less like cacti and more like birds now. The EC dove seems to have some nerve damage to his right foot, but at the moment it’s not slowing him down any.  We’ll have to wait and see how it affects his perching. So far he’s not attempting to perch but is flapping like crazy when I feed them. He can lift himself about two inches when he tries; the mourning dove can manage short flights/jumps from the perch to the cage floor and back. If they continue at this pace, they should be in the flight pen by the end of next week, maybe sooner!

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Eurasian collared dove
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Mourning dove
8 Comments
Ann Feldman
9/10/2012 09:45:55 am

I so look forward to these posts. They give me an insight into how all this works. Sad to see the bunny, but right decision I know. I LOVE the squirrels. I treat our park squirrels to shelled almonds on the way back from the pool (and eat some myself). Things I have seen squirrels steal: a stalk of broccoli from the Union Square Greenmarket, an attempt at a bag of chips hanging from a pole at a kiosk near city hall, a muffin as big as itself and attempting to cross a street in the nabe. (had to lean on it and rest now and them). Your red-tail is sweet and I believe young enough to be taught to be wild. Have a good week!
Ann

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Laurens Wildlife Rescue
9/10/2012 01:08:35 pm

Thanks Ann! Squirrels will try anything at least once; I've had the wild ones in the yard attempt to tote off my water dishes. One even made it about 5 feet up a tree with one of the smaller dishes once--while I stood there, half-laughing, half-swearing at him! RTs are amazing birds. They never cease to amaze me, and this girl's no exception. I sincerely hope we can get her "wilded up" before long--her genes need to be out there in the gene pool. The squirrels are learning to lap formula from a dish as I limit my handling even more. The older two are pretty neat about it; the younger one likes to try and bathe in the stuff!

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Pipette
9/10/2012 06:18:18 pm

So sad about the bunny, but he must have been in a lot of pain from such a miserable infection. At least now he's safe & out of pain.

The photo of the RT eating off a paper plate is amazing... as if next she'll want a table-cloth or something. Hopefully, her instincts will take her in the opposite direction! The only thing I envy you about this one is the experience of having a RT sitting on your lap. I know that's abnormal behavior for the RT, but still...

PS: The squirrels kind of earn their keep by being so funny. It must be like having a squad of humorous hooligans on hand!




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Uwestsider
9/11/2012 05:02:33 am

Oh boy! look at that red-tail. I hope you can teach it to be wild...but it must be thrilling to be with it so close up. Honestly, i can see the lure of wanting to 'have' one, but fortunately the pressure of caring for it correctly and healthfully would completely stop me in my tracks--not to mention the law, etc. Thanks So Much for your updates, GaR!!

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Laurens Wildlife Rescue
9/11/2012 06:26:27 am

Thanks, UW!

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Laurens Wildlife Rescue
9/11/2012 05:04:18 am

Hey Pipette! As "cute" as it looks, I highly do not recommend having an unrestrained RT on your lap; if this gal had decided to nut up, I would have been toast. (How's that for mixed metaphors?) But I wanted to see what she'd do, just to confirm my suspicions...Hopefully, with limited handling and exposure to wild RTs, she'll also "wild up." That's our goal, anyway.

Yeah, squirrels are equal parts cute and aggravating; these babies are still at the cute stage and by the time they hit aggravating, they should be good for release!

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neener
9/11/2012 05:37:16 am

(whispering) I hope your slow season has started! Maybe you can get some proper rest now!
I agree, the bunny's eyes all clouded like that don't seem to lead to a good prognosis, unfortunately :( and the best call was made. It takes such a big heart to do what you do! ♥
I now know what the rehabbers went thru with all of the baby squirrels we would find abandoned for hour and hours after storms where I worked. I appreciate the insight! I know their antics from watching them @ the park while working (wurking? lol) While feeding the deer, goats, birds, etc I would always leave caches of food for them, and @ this time of year, with halloween decorations going up, and pumpkins,etc, I would put caches of them in the same places to try and save our displays as well!! It worked in those areas.. my boss could never understand that.. (shhh!!)
I envy you the RT experience as well- sorry it is a by product of another self serving, self centered, egotistical, dominance threatened human with a driven need to prove its' power over another being!! Why some must do this in such a cruel way is beyond me! It reminds me of the leaders of a 'possee' or 'gang' in school and afterwards- same mentality of bullying/controlling applies. Happy to hear you are making great progress though!
Hope the possible nerve damage doesn't affect the perching and/or release of the one dove. Hoping they do make the flight pen and you can relax in a nice long, well deserved bubble bath sometime in the very near future!! :) Take care! ♥

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Laurens Wildlife Rescue
9/11/2012 06:29:11 am

Thanks, Neener, and I *am* starting to get a little more sleep--in bed by midnight the past few nights!

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