Salt Grass Flats - Celebrating Gulf Coast Birds
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Wildlife Rehab
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The Sibley Guide to Birds contains marvelous illustrations originally drawn by the author using watercolors. This is a great identification guide, not only for adult birds, but juveniles, also. |
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| Wetlands Adventures |
| Wildlife Rehabilitation |
| Don't do this at home! |
Home taught wildlife rehab is not just a poor idea, it is against the law!
In most states the law requires a wildlife rehabber to be either licensed or permitted. There is generally a fee required and almost always a requirement to demonstrate a working knowledge of accepted rehab techniques and practices. |
| Wildlife rehab is very gratifying but it is not a commitment to be undertaken lightly. When an orphaned or injured wild animal is accepted for rescue they usually demand a great amount of specialized care, a sizable commitment of time and the recognition that they are NOT pets. |
| When taking in an animal for rehab one must do so with the goal to as soon as practical return that creature to the wild where they want to be and nature deserves. Most rehab animals do NOT want to be pets and will not respond to you the way typical pets do. |
We constantly hear sad tales about someone taking in a cute, adorable, little, orphaned whatever. (All baby critters are cute.) In most cases well meaning adoptive, but untrained, care givers are unfamiliar with the animal's dietary needs and watch in horror as their cute little charge starves in front of them over a matter of days.
In some cases the little animal gets most of the needed nutrition but the "cuteness" soon wears off. These critters are wild, they hiss and snarl and try to bite. That soon grows old and the care giver finally calls a rehabber in disgust and frustration. Unfortunately, by the time that happens the small creature may have already suffered long lasting damage. |
Don't disappoint yourself and endanger an orphaned or injured animal.
Call a rehabber as soon as you find an animal in need.
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| Since there seems to be some fascination with the things rehabbers do we will provide a brief diary of a typical rescue. |
| Here on the Texas Gulf Coast it seems orphaned opossums and spring time arrive together. Most of them come to us as a result of mama being hit by a car. Opossums are the only marsupial in North America, they carry their young in a pouch. When a possum mother is killed by a car the young either remain in the pouch until extracted by a samaritan or if they are old enough they will crawl out of the pouch but usually stay close by. If they are lucky enough someone finds them and calls an organization like Wildlife Rehab & Education, 713-643-WILD. |
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14 April |
Brought home orphan from Wildlife Rehab & Education meeting,
Challenger 7 Park
@ 4 " nose to rump, gums nice and pink, well formed, some small teeth
seems healthy, well filled out
very alert, eyes bright
Likes to hiss and show mouth
hand fed small amount Espilac (1:2) lapped small amount |
| 15 April |
7:30 AM - tspn Espilac (1:2) lapped bowl clean
6:00 PM - T Espilac (1:2), lapped up about half
good quantity of fecal pellets, well formed
some urine stains on papers |
| 16 April |
7:30 AM - T Espilac (1:2), lapped up about half
few fecal pellets
6:30 PM - T Espilac, lapped up about half
typical quantity of fecal pellets, half well formed, half rather soft and gray
some urine stains on papers
7:30 PM - T Espilac (1:2), lapped up about half
few fecal pellets
6:30 PM - T Espilac, lapped up about half
typical quantity of fecal pellets, half well formed, half rather soft and gray
some urine stains on papers. |
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| 17 April |
7:30 AM - T Espilac (1:2), lapped up about half
few fecal pellets
6:30 PM - T Espilac, lapped up about half
typical quantity of fecal pellets, half well formed, half rather soft and gray
some urine stains on papers. |
| 18 April |
7:30 AM - Panic!!! No possum!!!
How does one call one's rehab mentor and announce the possum was released early, somewhere in the house.
1:15 PM - Have learned a lot about looking for possums in one's house. Have looked in and cleaned out areas normally untouched. Finally found the little bugger sleeping soundly in guest bed. How presumptuous!
1:30 PM - 2 tspn Espilac (1:2) with small amount of Max Cat kitten food. Lapped the bowl clean.
10:30 PM - 2 tspn Espilac (1:2) with small amount of Max Cat kitten food. Lapped the bowl clean.
typical quantity of fecal pellets, well formed |
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weeks of
19 April
through
11 May |
Most of possum foster parentage is rather routine. Gradually increase amount of cat food per serving mixed with 2 tspn Espilac (1:1). Over a few weeks the amount of formula is steadily decreased until only cat food is the primary diet. Supplemental fruits and insects are added in every few days for variety.
Papers in the bottom of the cage need to be changed once, often twice a day. Although not a particularly pleasant task it allows for monitoring of the possum's stools, an important health indicator.
Measured @ 6 1/2 " nose to rump, Tuesday, 20 April. Measured 7" nose to rump, Sunday, 25 April.
It is extremely important for the future well being of a rehabbed animal that turning it into a "pet" is guarded against throughout the process. If you do your job well the possum will let you know it is about ready to be released by trying to bite you when you work in its cage. When you start wearing leather gloves to handle your cute little critter "freedom day" is near at hand.
Measured a little over 8" nose to rump May 8. A bit of a tricky operation since the possum has decided he is definitely a wild animal. |
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12 May |
Took Mr. Possum to the weekly rehab meeting so he could be checked out prior to release. Since he was so healthy, ready for freedom and we had a location picked out we were asked to take three more with us and release them as well. Left home with one possum, returned with four. What's wrong with this picture? |
| 13 May |
So much for release plans. Typical spring storm along the Texas Gulf Coast. Two inches per hour for three hours. All possums have been moved into the garage. |
| 16 May |
Liberation day is here at last.
Possums need a good, reliable source of water and plentiful food supply. We are taking them to a coastal wetland setting where they will have plenty of food, water and good cover.
It is surprising the amount of concern for their future well-being. Although it has been planned for weeks we still feel some trepidation for the little critters. We have done everything we could, now it's up to them. |
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