Free Snake Relocation Directory

This seems important to share:  Free Snake Relocation Directory

Even if you don't love them, please understand that snakes are an important part of our ecosystem. Please don't hurt them.

Shadow just found a baby hummingbird in the driveway.

Shadow just found a baby hummingbird in the driveway. It's got feathers, but not a full set. I offered our feeder to it and it didn't drink so we put it in a tree out front where we think they nest. We read that the mom's still feed them so we're going to keep an eye on it and hopefully it'll be ok. If not I'll see if there is a rescue around here for them.

I'm about to share something helpful...

I'm about to share something helpful, but before I do I need to preface it with:  In most states this is illegal to do without a permit.  But in the spirit of doing more good than harm, here you go:

I see so many well-intentioned people trying to "help" little animals they find during the spring and if you don't know what you're doing - you're probably hurting rather than helping.  Unfortunate, but true.

In Alabama, it is SO EASY to get a license to kill (hunt, fish, whatever), but, just fuck you if you want to help an innocent life (pardon the language, but it took me literal years to find a way to get a permit to rehab wildlife and the state found a technicality on which to revoke it that same year).  However, I did learn how to keep some baby animals alive and I'm going to share that with you now.

First of all, NEVER FEED A COLD BABY MAMMAL.

Little mammals need to be warm in order to digest.  If you can't reunite a baby with it's natural mother then the first thing you need to do it put it in a small, dark place (like a shoebox with airholes).  Take an old sock and fill it with some dry rice, tie the end off, and microwave it for a minute or so and put it in the box with the baby.  This is what we call a "rice mama."  Let the baby get warm.  Use small blankets or washcloths to keep it from getting burned and to give it something to snuggle with.  You can do similar with a warm water bottle or even a heating pad, but it's very important that you only put warmth on one side of the box.  You (probably) don't want to cook this baby.

Second of all, if you don't have a baby kitten, puppy, goat, or cow, DO NOT FEED IT kitten, puppy, goat, or cow milk.  You can buy milk specifically for the animal that you are trying to help; milk that was made to closely resemble what they would get from their mother, and that is what you should feed them.  Feeding a baby an incorrect diet can cause diarrhea which can lead to dehydration and death.  Milk for many species can be found here:  www.foxvalleynutrition.com.  Another source for milk is www.henryspets.com.  Henry's Pets also has great nipples and syringes for teensy mouths.

I'm not interested in going into how often to feed what species of animal; that is easily Googleable information and depends entirely on the species and age of whoever you've found.  But be aware that many newborn mammals sleep a lot and kind of like humans will get a little wiggly / fussy when hungry.  The one thing I will say here is that YOU SHOULD NURSE IN THE SAME POSITION A WILD MOTHER WOULD.  I LOATHE seeing videos of people nursing baby puppies and kittens on their backs.  If their mother was nursing them they would most likely be laying flat on their tummies.  Try to mimic what would happen in nature to avoid aspiration and pneumonia.

Third, after feeding, YOU GOTTA WIPE THE BUTT!

Most very young mammals cannot pee or poop without stimulation.  Wiping with a warm cloth from tummy to under the tail will get them going.

After that, babies need rest.  I know that small animals are adorable and that it's hard to resist holding and cuddling and taking selfies with them, but they really need to sleep.  Whether you're trying to rehab or steal a baby from nature to keep as your own will decide how you handle this.  Tryna keep a baby?  You probably want to keep it on your person and handle it a lot.  That can also be a good source of warmth.  Planning to release?  Do the opposite and leave it alone as much as possible while still maintaining a heat source.

If you've decided to keep the wildlife you were helping, then proper nutrition is important forever.  The Henry's Pets site linked above has squirrel diet.  www.Mazuri.com has omnivore diet that is good for opossums as long as you supplement it with veggies (especially dark, leafy greens) and yogurt and the like.  Again, do not feed them cat food or dog food because they are not cats or dogs.  Too much protein will cripple an opossum with Metabolic Bone Disease.  You can tell things have already gone wrong for them if their eyes bug out. That is due to changes in the skull.  It is not curable and the opossum will not be releasable if this happens, but it is very easily prevented with proper nutrition.

I will put photos in the comments of a healthy vs. unhealthy opossum.

Baby bunnies are hard to keep alive by even an experienced rehabber, so good luck with that.  Many birds are federally protected because of migration so I would highly recommend getting them to a rehab facility.  And finally, be careful with who you let know that you have wildlife in your possession.  Alabama Fish and Game can and ABSOLUTELY WILL come take and euthanize any wildlife that they deem unreleasable - so take a baby from nature at your (and unfortunately the babys) own risk.

Last bit of info I can share on this subject:  If you have a soft heart or live in an area where you encounter lone baby wildlife pretty frequently then the best thing I can recommend is keeping some supplies and formula on hand.  Be well and try to do no harm.  ❤

Official first day of Spring Post:

Official first day of Spring Post:

If you find baby wildlife the first course of action is to reunite with mama if possible while interfering as little as possible. If it is not possible to reunite baby with mama, put in a dark warm safe place while you seek help. 

For Anniston and Calhoun County, specifically, DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES call The Anniston Museum of Natural History. As of my last interaction with them they were not a qualified rehab facility and definitely didn't behave as such (they crippled opossums with what would have been easily remedied diet and then gave them away as pets when they became too burdensome. Ask me how I know).

For mammals (furry animals with nipples), please contact Wild Mammal Care of Alabama 205.871.7803.

For birds, please contact Alabama Wildlife Center.

Source:  I rehabbed with a state permit baby squirrels and opossums for a year.

Please share and save some lives.

Baby buns are incredibly hard to keep alive

Baby buns are incredibly hard to keep alive - even for experienced rehabbers. Their best bet is with mom. Please don't intervene if it's not an emergency and DO NOT TAKE ANIMALS TO the Anniston Museum!

Y'all, I'm not really ok right now.

Y'all, I'm not really ok right now.  I don't know why.  You would think that I would be SO RELAXED since it was spring break, but my life just doesn't work that way.  I think the post from Tuesday sums a lot of it up, but there is more going on than that.

I've been on spring break since Monday and I haven't done a stitch of studying or schoolwork.  I should have really been taking advantage of this time to get good at Java and Intro to Advanced Math, but I didn't.  I slept a lot, caught up on housework, and have been a lump on the couch with my dogs, but over the last few days I've been avoiding notifications because I just don't want to talk to anyone and today I didn't even want to get out of bed.  I feel like depression and anxiety are getting to me, and I don't know what to do about it.  If nothing else being on break should have been relaxing and good, but nope.

Now thanks to tornadoes jacking up my school I have another week off, so it's almost like I've gotten a second chance to catch up.  I hope I don't waste it.  I am concerned that I will because my motivation is zero, but we'll see.

I'm probably about to take a break from social media because I feel like I just can't deal.  I actually just told Shaun (who is sitting on the couch next to me) not to talk to me because he was like a notification right now - something that wanted attention that I don't have to give.  So it's not personal.  I just need to be left alone right now.

Before I go I'm going to tell y'all what to do if you find small animals.  Best thing is for it's mom to have it, but if that isn't possible look for a vet or licensed rehabber (NOT THE ANNISTON MUSEUM).  I highly recommend Wild Mammal Care of Alabama 205.871.7803 for mammals and Alabama Wildlife Center for birds.  However, if you for some reason have no choice but to nurse a baby animal, do this:

1)  Warm the baby (and keep it warm, but don't cook it - they need space to get away from the heat source in case it is too much).  Never feed a cold baby.  You will likely kill it.

2)  Hydrate the baby with clear Pedialyte.  If they aren't hydrated they can't digest milk, and you will likely kill it.

3)  Feed milk that was MADE FOR THE SPECIES.  Don't feed wildlife kitten or puppy milk.  The FoxValleyNutrition website has formula for wildlife.  Buy it and use it.  Anything else can cause diarrhea and upset stomach, and some young babies are too vulnerable to survive that.

4)  Kitten bottles are shit.  For kittens and small animals, go to www.henryspets.com and buy their excellent syringes and silicon nipples.  For puppies, human bag bottles with premie nipples are amazing.

5)  NURSE THE BABIES FLAT LIKE THEIR PARENTS WOULD.  This seems like common sense to me, but so many humans think it's adorable to feed kittens, puppies, and wildlife like human infants.  It's not cute; it can be life threatening.  Don't do it.

6)  Wipe the butts with something warm after every feeding.

7)  Leave them alone except for feeding time.  Honestly, they are supposed to spend a lot of time sleeping, so don't mess with them.

*  If you find baby rabbits, find a rehabber.  They are especially hard to not kill.  I do not recommend trying to rehab them yourself.

*   Birds cripple easily so try to get them to the bird center, or maybe try Dr. Cooner at AMC.  Also note that many of them are illegal to try to rehab without a special license.

I hope y'all are doing well.  I'll see you when I feel like I have the energy for social media again.  Until then, take no offense if I don't talk to you.  I just can't right now.  ❤

You might have noticed that I've been quieter than usual lately....

You might have noticed that I've been quieter than usual lately.  I have and it's because we've been going through a transition.  It seems that I'm having quite a few of those right about now.  LOL

I'd like for you to meet Kira because you'll be hearing about her now just as much as you hear about Shadow.  She's officially part of the family now.  💕

It's uncanny how well she fits in with us.  If I didn't know better I'd say that she's our long lost child.  She is goofy like Shaun, artistic, always singing and dancing, and interested in learning to play percussion, (which I am more than thrilled to help her with).  She is not high-maintenance at all, so of course I love that, as well.

The biggest thing is how amazing she is with the animals.  Turns out, the baby "field mice" I'm rehabbing are actually rats, but anyway, she's been a huge help with them.  She seems to love all of the creatures here.  She isn't afraid of anyone and doesn't think they're gross.  In fact I've seen her go around and pet / tell the animals goodnight.  She's a girl after my own heart.  ❤

So anyway.  We've got a new kid.  😃  I know that our living setup is far from conventional, but we're happy and healthy, so that is what's important.  Between our two houses we have plenty of space - it's just a matter of figuring out how to best arrange things.  But seriously, I am super happy to have another girl around.  It feels really nice.  💗

So... I've met some people at school and that is better.

So... I've met some people at school and that is better. I got to talk to 2 other CS girls today - both of which are in my class.  I'm pretty pumped.  We exchanged numbers, so now if shit gets real we can have each others backs.  😃  The school also sent out an email saying that they had free tutoring for both of my CS classes, so it is a relief to know I'll have that resource as well if I need it.

I have also just about decided that I can't EVEN with that rolling backpack I have.  I think I need something smaller and something that I can actually carry on my back because it flips over when I hit bumps, and I have to stop and pick it up every time I need to go up or down stairs (which is often, an it's always when other people are trying to get to / from classes, so I'm not a fan of stopping the traffic).  I don't know.  I need to change what I'm doing, though.

I'm insanely exhausted today, and I'm glad for the long weekend.  I have a lot of catching up to do.  And also, I was contacted last night by someone who needed a person to rehab some field mice, and even though I'm not doing a lot of animal stuff right now no one else would take them, and so I have them.  I'm going to look for another rescuer / rehabber to take them, but I don't think I'll have much luck.  😕  But we shall see.

Anyway.  I hope all is well with you.  My plate is full and my cup is almost empty, but I'm going to take care of me soon.  ❤

Best advice:

Best advice because baby buns don't usually make it without real mama helping out.  🙁  Even experienced rehabbers have trouble with these.

"If you see fur flying out when you mow, it does not mean you killed anything. Mother rabbits will line and cover the nest with fur to keep her little ones warm and comfy. If you find a nest of baby rabbits, leave them alone. Plant a flag next to it so you don't mow over it. They will be gone within a month."

Just received another update on Mr. Robin:

Just received another update on Mr. Robin:

"Hello Blu,

No problem!  And I am happy to report that he is now feeling well enough to eat on his own.  He's a long way from 100%, but we're heading in that direction!

Best,

Scottie Jackson"

Update on Mr. Robin:

Update on Mr. Robin:

"Good morning Blu,

Yes, I personally picked him up from Dr. Haley Burke at Alford Avenue Vet Clinic a couple of days ago.  He appears to have run into something (maybe a window or a car), as he seems to be pretty out of it.  He isn't eating very well on his own, so we are hand feeding him hourly to make sure that he gets his nutrients.  Hopefully with a little time and TLC, we will begin to see some improvements!  Thank you so much for checking up on this little guy!

Best,

Scottie Jackson

Director of Education and Outreach"

I found this friend on my way to get some coffee.

I found this friend on my way to get some coffee.  He can fly, but seems to be hurt because he didn't fly - even when cars were getting really close to him.  He only flew low to the ground and for short bursts to get away from me.

I have called Oak Mountain and am awaiting their call back.  Assuming that they will take him is there anyone who can help me with transport?  I'm already late for work and truth be told I haven't slept enough to be ok to drive that far.  I would probably fall asleep at the wheel and kill us both.  🙁  Someone please help me help him.

P. S.  That's a feather stuck on the side of his face.  I haven't tried to remove it because I don't want to stress him further.  He's resting in a box away from all of the other kids right now.

Found Itty.

Found Itty.  I brushed him off just enough that he could feel the sun on his shell.  He's outside with food, sun, shelter, and a very shallow plate of water.  I'm hoping that makes him feel wonderful.  🙂

Itty seems to be enjoying his bath!

Itty seems to be enjoying his bath!  He's not trying to get out - just chilling against the side.  Why not?  🙂

Is it just me or does Itty Bitty look a little perkier this evening?

Is it just me or does Itty Bitty look a little perkier this evening?

He spent all day outside in the sun and fresh air.  Looks like his dirt dried out so I'm going to fix that right now.  Shadow didn't have school today so he checked on him for me off and on and Itty was up walking and checking things out at least once when he went out there.  So, that's much better than being lethargic.  He still looks pitiful, but turtles are notorious for being slow at EVERYTHING - even healing so he's gonna take some time.  But that's ok - I have patience.  🙂

Itty bitty box turtle...

Itty bitty box turtle must have buried himself last night.  I can't see him anywhere in his house.

This is the sad little face of an animal who has not been properly cared for. 🙁

TRIGGER WARNING:  Animal Neglect

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This is the sad little face of an animal who has not been properly cared for.  🙁

This little box turtle came to me today from my friend who works in a pet store.  Some dude had been asking for months, (it seems like, anyway), for her to take some turtles from him.  She finally relented and when she picked them up this past weekend they were in less than stellar shape.

This guy, along with 2 other box turtles and a red foot tortoise, had all been living in a 75 gallon tank together.  That is very much NOT ok for a few different reasons.

His shell is so soft on the underneath that you can dent it with your finger.  His nails are clearly overgrown, and some are completely missing, leading me to believe they probably broke off down in the quick from being so long.  His beak is also overgrown, and his (or her - not even the vet could tell) tail seems to be partially missing or disfigured.

My friend took him to see Dr. Atlas today and he thinks that with proper care, lighting, and nutrition, he will be ok.  I really hope so, but I gotta say - I put him in his new home 2 hours ago and he hasn't moved once.  He is the definition of pitiful right now.  🙁

The reason I am posting him in my rehab album is because he very well might be native to here (we are not sure yet, but better safe than sorry), in which case I shouldn't have him without a permit.  But I have no intentions of dealing with conservation so that's why I'm not posting him for all the world to see.

Anyway, send this little dude all the good vibes.  I'm about to stick him in a warm bath and see if that perks him up some.

I also have the red foot, but I'll post pics of him later.  I was planning to just foster him, but Shadow (much to my surprise) seems to want to keep him.  We'll see.

For anyone who was curious about this guy...

For anyone who was curious about this guy (I've been calling him Wally) - I let him go tonight.  I wasn't super sure he was going to be ok at first, but over the course of a week or so he finally started walking around and eating and drinking like he should.  Last night he even growled at me, so I took that as a good sign that he was ready to be back in the wild.  Yay Wally!

It's been a pretty long time since I've posted anything regarding rehab efforts.

It's been a pretty long time since I've posted anything regarding rehab efforts.  I have distanced myself from the whole rehabbing thing since I can't easily obtain a permit in my district.  I don't want to do anything that's not lawful and have it end in an innocent animal losing it's life because of me.  I couldn't live with that.

HOWEVER, I also can't look the other way when I see someone in danger.  I went to Wal-Mart and this is what I came back with.  I'm going to call him Wally while he's with me.

I parked my car, looked ahead, and saw this huddled mass out in the aisle, where the cars drive.  Right as I looked up, he was narrowly missed by a huge truck.  Instincts kicked in, I didn't even know what it was before I got there, but I already knew I was picking it up.

Since I was totally unprepared I didn't have a glove or a kennel or anything with me, but this baby didn't even hiss.  I think he (or she, I haven't bothered to check) was pretty petrified.  Since I needed greens for my lizards I just stuck him in my car, ran in, got what I needed in a hurry, and came back.

Baby is resting now.  I haven't seen any obvious signs of injury, but he's really dirty.  I have offered water, but he hasn't drank yet.  He looks old enough to be on his own, so if he seems ok I'll let him loose ASAP.  If he's not ok I'll take him to AMC so that he can be transported to the wildlife center in Birmingham (or humanely euthanized if that is what's best).

I'm betting he crawled up in a car for warmth like cats do.  I can't think of any other logical explanation for why he would be in the middle of a Wal-Mart parking lot in the daytime like that.  Poor thing.

Said goodbye to my oldest possie today.

Said goodbye to my oldest possie today.  Rest in peace, my beautiful, bug-eyed Nelly Belly.

It's been a rough week.  Last weekend I noticed that she was having a hard time getting around.  She wasn't going back up her ramp to get in her bed.  So I knew this day was near.

We spent the week feeding her all the things that are so bad for her, but that she loved.  Her favorite:  Oreo's.  Grapes.  Yogurt with superworms.  Ham.

The last few days, things worsened.  She wasn't moving to use the bathroom or grooming herself.  She wouldn't eat last night (not even an Oreo) so I took her to my dad's today and he put her down for me.  No suffering for my sweet girl.

This is the first time I've had to make that decision, but I'm sure it won't be the last.  I do feel that it was the right thing to do.  In all honesty I am quite surprised that she lived and got around as well as she did, for as long as she did.  Opossums generally only live to be about 2 years old and and she would have been 2.5 in July.

Thanks to the ignorant staff and neglectful care she received at the Anniston Museum of Natural History this girl had advanced signs of Metabolic Bone Disease the day they gave her to me - at 5 months old.  It is a crippling bone disease that is completely preventable with a correct diet.  Opossums with this disease usually have shorter life spans and don't survive if released back into the wild.

Though the damage done was irreversible I corrected her diet and tried my best to give her a good life.  She had a comfy bed and got treats often.  I loved it when she came out and walked around and marked all the shoes she could find as her own.  It was less great when she went in the cat litter box for a treat.  😂  I hope she knows how much I learned from her.  She changed my life.  ❤

Though the weather was rainy and crappy today by the time we made it to Munford, a beautiful rainbow had appeared and the sun came out to kiss her goodbye.  I love you, Nelly Belly.  Time to go return you back to the Earth.  ❤❤❤