Tidbits, possibly of value only to me, about just what the title says. This one is so much fun! Please subscribe or follow me, and comment to your hearts content... it's half the fun!
Oh I feel wonderful and my heart is full (as my stomach was yesterday). Why? Because I finally got a chance to run up to The Center to volunteer for a few hours, and saw the two Fox squirrels that I wrote about last post. Last Friday I had to go out of town so I took them both in Thursday afternoon. It helps me to give them back if I get to be the one to settle them into their new tank, and put in some of the little things I know each squirrel needs... one might like a bowl to sleep in, another, fuzzy fabric, and yet another might need favor apples or avocado to chew on. I can make sure they have that, so the first night in the strange new place with it's strange new sounds won't seem completely foreign. I also get to give them the last feeding of the day, again to normalize their adjustment to new surroundings... I go home feeling OK to leave the little ones I've cared for night and day...
But within a few days, I see their pictures and begin to wonder how they are. As soon as I got back, I had out of town company and much holiday prep, so I just couldn't go in. I really found myself missing them, which I try not to do. My job is to be a foster mother, getting them from point B to C (A being that they are born and D being that they are big enough to eat on their own and begin the process of soft release).
But after I waved to my step-kids as they each drove to Austin and San Marcos and dropped my sister off at the airport, and I raced up to The Center... All the squirrels were gone but my two foxes. I was so happy to see them! They were still together, had just transitioned to eating only solid foods, and for the first time, I felt like they really knew me... I know we are not to imprint but I picked up the female and she curled right up under my neck and put her little nose to my chin and mouth to say hello.
She even posed with me for a self-pic of the two of us. And then I picked up the male and also took pics. I gave them each a pecan, which they heartily accepted, and I took some movies of them both eating them... marvelling how far they'd come in just a weeks time.
I got to check in on them over the next two hours, and that just made me feel good. Instead of wondering 200 times a day how they are, I can just look over and see. It will carry me for a good long while now.
After finishing their pecan, they curled up to take a nap...
And just before I left I looked in and there they were, sleeping on top of each other, just as they always had. I was so glad to know they were still close and have each other. Wonderful little beings...
Some of you know I had a very sick set of baby fox squirrels about 2 weeks ago, a male and a female, eyes closed. They both came in, as many did, with some kind of terrible virus. Both had very stuffed noses and the female had it really bad. She was wheezing and clicking, though it was not the clicking you hear in their lungs that's associated with aspiration or pneumonia. Though I gave them each a drop of liquid benadryl 15 minutes before I went to feed them (to help them breathe easier while nursing) and had them on an antibiotic twice a day, it would not do much to relieve the symptoms.
The little female got worse as the night came on. I could take her back to The Center in the morning to see the vet, but was very concerned she would not make it though the night. I'd have been happy to pay anything for a vet in the city to see her that night, but when I called one of the expert rehabber ladies who run the center for advice, she said most vets are not familiar with wildlife and would not be able to do much more than we were doing.
Knowing I could get help in the morning, I prepared myself for a very difficult night. The little girl was gasping and her rib cage would jump with each breath due to the effort involved. I tried to set up a steam tent and sat under a towel holding her sleeping body. I tried to prop her up in her little bed in case it would make breathing easier, but squirrels are just too flexible and jumpy. So I sat upright in the chair in my bedroom with her on my chest for over two hours hoping it would make breathing easier. I kept falling asleep sitting there with her, but I was determined to not let her down. So I did something I rarely do -- I prayed and prayed hard over her... And I got online and asked my blog friends to pray for her, send her healing thoughts, or keep her health and wholeness in mind... whatever they felt comfortable doing. I have known this kind of thing to be very powerful, and thankfully, it wassuccessful in the case.
She indeed made it through the night, and the next morning I got trained to give her very powerful medicine... one I had to wear gloves to measure out and administer, as it would do something to me if it got absorbed through my skin (tho safe for squirrels). It took a lot, but I finally got her on the mend. And then her little brother, who was never as bad off as she, started to get more congested and wheeze a little! So I started him on the heavy duty medicine. After several long days and nights they both got better. I think the experience made them very attached to each other. Unlike other squirrels who sleep then spend several hours exploring or playing, they spent most of their time together sleeping in dozens of uh-dor-able positions.
Maybe the medicine was the reason, or perhaps it was the cozy cereal bowl I stuffed with soft fleece fabric! But even days after they opened their eyes and were beginning to chew on nuts and apples, they were so attached that when I'd take one out to nurse, the other would cry after about 10 minutes of being alone. It was a heart wrenching sound and I'd rush to the tank, holding the other one happily feeding on milk, and the crying would stop. Sweet babies. Look at them!
But below is a hysterical photo of the female who grew stronger and healthier every day, fast asleep, hopefully soooo relaxed because she felt safe and secure. Nose always tucked under or against something... and look at those little feet!Click on any picture to see them enlarged.
Last Thursday, the morning I had to bring them back, I saw something unusual. The female was awake and in a very quiet mood. With her little buddy still curled up beneath her, she stared out at me. I don't ascribe thoughts to squirrels, but after I shot this and looked at it days after I wondered, did she know I was going to have to give her back that day? Did she know that she was all better now, brought back to health from a very serious illness? Did I catch her reflecting in her squirrel way in that moment of transition, the ones we all have spent just before our lives are about to change? Did she know that she was moving on to the next stage of her little life?
Lol, probably not. But for a baby who would most likely have died, she did have a second shot at life. Fat, furry and bright eyed, maybe she was just saying thank you to her foster mommy and to all her unseen blog pals who prayed for her to get well. I think that's it. And I heartily join her in deep and sincere gratitude for all those who cared about her when I reached out (via e-mail and Jackie's Blog) and kept vigil with me through your good thoughts that night.
I hope it's gratifying to see these pictures and know you made a difference.
One of the few squirrels I actually named was a female Gray. You don't want to think of the wildlife you are rehabbing as pets, or get too attached as you are returning them to the wild as soon as you can get them well and big enough.
But this one got a name kind of by accident.
She was so delicate and feminine. Instead of the usual rambunctious scrambling that happens when it's feeding time with squirrels, she'd settle into my hand to eat. When I needed to refill the syringe with milk, instead of the usual panic that food seems to be going away and the frantic hunting all around as I try to reintroduce the nipple that's standard behavior, she'd stay in my palm and calmly accept the next course. The little pumping motion they make with their paws was extra cute because she pushed very gently with the pads of her paws, her long, thin little fingers held up like a little lady with a new manicure. I found myself calling her Lil' Sweetie and it stuck.
Here she is as a weenie little babe.
THAT is a lil sweetie if I've ever seen one... don't you agree?
There was something else that was special about her. If I scratched her on her neck, she'd pull her shoulder back and lift her chin at an angle to get the most out of it. It is too hard to get movies of much of the adorable things baby squirrels do. I have only two hands and they are very active... and when they are sleeping, you have to snap quick, since they jump in their sleep and move 360 degrees at the slightest sound. Not to mention shooting through the glass of their tank, etc.... so I figured I'd never record this phenomenon.
But this was so much a part of Lil' Sweetie that to my surprise she even did it when deeply asleep. Here I was just filming her and went to give her a little love and... well, see for yourself.
BTW, squirrels jump and startle in their sleep like she did when I petted her paw whether you are touching them or not. I have no idea how they get any rest. They must have wired up little nervous systems that later account for the antics that amuse us when we watch them scurrying around trees or leaping from branch to branch.
I've since had a few who like their chins scratched... though it usually sets into motion an automatic scratching motion with their back leg. Don't dogs do that?
One last picture of her sleeping. I just love their little paws. When they put them on your hands, it feels just like a human hand... cat paws are more fur than skin and dogs paw pads can be a little rough, so when a squirrel puts it's little hand on you, it is always a big of a shock to feel the soft and warm skin against yours.
I haven't had time to write a whole post for this but I'm just going to load it. This is more of the little girl gray, my 14th little rehab baby (see last post). Not a squirmy little squirrel. Some sit right in your palm like she does. Others get so excited they can't keep the nipple in their mouths and frantically hunt around for what they just spit out. Or they kick with their big back feet, a little like babies kick when you hold them in those chest harnesses... it's cute but it can make it a little tougher to feed them. Not my baby #14. She was easy.
Oh those bright little almond shaped eyes looking right at you!
It's hard to feed a squirrel with one hand and shoot a movie with the other. I figure the subject matter is so engaging you'll forgive me.
And when they shut their eyes because they are in bliss nursing! Only the hardest of hearts would not melt into a puddle....
I just took her back to The Center yesterday and stayed to feed her and be the one to see her go into her new tank with two grays who are a little bigger than her... and make sure that they all got along. Which they did. No problems whatsoever. I stayed to give her the last feeing of the day as well, and that always makes me feel better about returning them.
Today I went back and saw someone else feeding her and she is still the same sweet little love as she is here.
I've got a new squirrel I'm nursing for a few days. That would be #14 or 15 I think, since August. Didn't expect to have any more since baby season is long over, and the ones people may be finding and turning in to The Center are juveniles (between 5-10 weeks) who are half way weaned. We will care for them until they can be given to at-home rehabbers who have the room for outdoor cages and can oversee their several month process of transitioning back into the wild (called a soft release).
But I went in Thursday and there was a little girl with her eyes still sealed shut. She would probably need a late night feeding -- long past the hours at The Center --and I was way too happy to do it. I stopped to consider that I was just over the problems my allergies gave me from the last bunch -- eye infections, a terrible cough, a raspy voice-- and just getting back to normal in my life routines. I'd cleaned, put away all the squirrel stuff and started to get to sleep when I was tired and get up when I wanted without the babies needs ruling my life. With Thanksgiving just a few weeks off, and guests coming in, I thought better of it. But when I checked her chart I saw that she also hadn't --- TMI alert!!!--- pooped for the 2 days since she came in. And she was a really fussy eater. Not every volunteer at The Center is good with squirrels so I was concerned about her feeding too. I knew a few days of my attention and the added security of the quiet and dark I could provide at my home would get her past the shock of whatever had happened to her, and she'd be normalized in no time. Sure enough, by Friday night she was eating more easily and her systems became regular. Yay. I like to think she feels secure now-- here she is sleeping after milk in the pocket of my flannel pajamas. She looked so blissful, I let her do that for a bit before I tucked her in in her tank. If you click on the picture you can see that sweet little face and outstretched paw close up. (SO worth it!)
Her eyes opened Saturday and she's gotten more active, climbing up the little fleece fabric I put on one wall of the tank, developing muscles and learning to hang upside down by her back feet. She began doing the instinctive gesturing for holding and eating nuts before her eyes were open, so I introduced a raw Macademia nut (the softest, for baby teeth) for her to chew on, and later put some walnuts and pecans in her tank. Those are soft and too big for her to pick up but she won't get anything lodged in her throat if I'm not around either. In the morning I find she's chewed on them... and quite adorably, has collected and stored them all under the little tree branch I put in.
All in all, I think she's going to be a fine, healthy squirrel!
A few nights ago the sky from our patio awed us once again. It's getting to the time of year that the sun has moved across the horizon and sets in a place that peeks out from the side of our apartment building. The building we lived in before is is just across the street. We faced west and while only on the 8th floor, we were just above the tree line, with nothing else blocking the way, and had a spectacular sunset view each night. We'd mark the calendar and the seasons by the setting position, which shifted slowly across the horizon line from left to right then back again once we hit solstice. It was our own sundial.
Now we face east and south, bringing us an magnificent sweep from the skyscrapers downtown past the Zoo to Rice University Village. The Mecom fountain, and beyond it, The Park's reflection pool and the blue lake sparkle back at me from my windows -- a refreshing break amid streets and low lying buildings. Some days we can make out clear to Galveston and the ship channel.
We always see the sunrise and the moon rise, but the sky on the west side only looks like this for a few months in winter.
As much as I have struggled at times with living in a city that doesn't offer much of what I thrive on, I think I need to focus more on things that I have been brought into my life that I would not necessarily find elsewhere. For all the "big sky', the gulf breezes and the storms that run fast and furious through Houston, we always have uniquely changing cloudscapes and air texture... and they make for some of the most beautiful skies, changing in every moment as dusk descends.
Whether or not our conditions in this moment are ideal, there is beauty to be found, and a wealth of extraordinary in the ordinary to be mined if we only can take it in. What are those things in your day, where you live? Whether it's a bit of nature, moments with your child or pet or aging parent, your health or the fact that you have this thing called a car and it takes you places, are there small miracles around you which don't register enough?
It's not often that I use footage or pictures that I don't take myself but commenter Becky brought this to my attention and I had to share it with you. I can't imagine what someone did to get this footage. It's totally in focus (unlike mine) and is such a random moment, I don't know how it could have been captured except for an extreme case of being at the right place at the right time. Commenter DonnainAL suggested it might have been a camera mount in the forest.
Then commenter SIZZIE found a link on YouTube that apparently is the guy who took it. I subscribed to his "channel"right away.
So thanks to all those commenters who participated in YOU seeing this post, and especially to David Neils whose footage I think this is, and especially to the Elk and Mother Nature, who are responsible for the giant smile I hope you join me in wearing after seeing this!
One morning I was at the zoo and I actually caught an early bird getting a worm (and if you look closely you'll see her snatch a little insect or something as an appetizer just before digging for larger fare).
Looks like a Robin Red Breast to me, though I am not a birder. Anyone know if I'm right or wrong on that one?
I have two new blog posts on the Houston Zoo website, and they happen to be back to back. CLICK HEREor go to http://houstonzooblogs.org/zoo/ to read them. This is part of a whole campaign with the gorilla that I helped develop, and includes pretty funny movie clips that will continue on the next few blog posts I write next week.
The first is at least somewhat in what I feel to be my style -- a little humorous/tongue in cheek -- a contest to name a Gorilla and an interview I wrote up to help promote a great annual event at the zoo called Feast with the Beasts.
If anyone lives in the Houston area or wants to come in and visit for the Feast, they are giving away 2 free tickets to the event, so feel free to enter the contest!!! It's such a beautiful zoo, especially at night, and it's a rare thing to go visit with the animals then, so many of whom are nocturnal. And it's one of the few events that is adult only there. 50 area restaurants are participating, from simple to swanky and there is beer and wine, keeper chats, animal encounters and a live band and dancing -- this year it's a fabulous swing band called BIG VOODOO DADDY.
Directly beneath that is the second in my Volunteer Extraordinaire Series on Dale Martin, a long time volunteer at the zoo. As with all blogging, comments are always encouraged! :-)
And I wish you muchgood luck if you enter the contest!
The first orphaned squirrel I got to rehab at home came in about half hour before The Center was closing. A man from an animal shelter brought him, in a little cardboard carrier. I saw it coming in and wanted to know: What is in the box? I remember that now and smile. Little did I know then that destiny was unfolding...
Once the paperwork was done, I took the baby to Triage. I hovered nearby while he was checked out; I always do that as I want to learn all I can. But when squirrels come in I'm especially interested (quel suprise).
You never know when they come in what they've been through, but there are some signs. You look for bruises from falls, cuts, listen for wheezing, look for mites, etc. If you pinch the skin between their little shoulder blades and it stays pinched when you release it, that's your clue they're dehydrated. While subcutaneous fluids can be injected and will work it's way into their system, there are some circumstances where it's not the best thing to do. This little one was definitely dehydrated and had a few ant bites, but overall seemed OK and would not have to stay for a vet. I eagerly asked if I could feed him. When I was done I went to put him in with the rest but realized he needed to be fed at least twice more that night. I called out, "who is going to take him home?" and much to my shock and delight, the bosses said, "YOU ARE!"
I had filled out my own paperwork to be sub contracted as a rehabber with Texas Parks and Wildlife under The Center's boss's license, but I didn't think about when I'd take something home.
They knew I had an affinity for nursing squirrels. They set me up with all I needed and sent me packing with my precious cargo. I must have driven 10 MPH with my hand on his little carrier the entire way. I was excited and scared. I had a little baby to bring home!
I started him on a program of warm Ringerswith a little esbilac for taste. Here's a picture of his scrawny little legs and his ribs still visible AFTER I'd been feeding for him for over 24 hours....
(click to enlarge any photo)
The next day I went 4 to 1 Ringers/Esbilac, then 3 to 1 then 2 to 1, the normal strength. That gave his system time to cleanse while hydrating him and getting increasing nutrition in there. For days he showed interest in the first half cc but the lay limp in my hand while I painstakingly gave him another 2-3.5 cc's, 6 times a day. It was like he was asleep, but I saw that his little throat was swallowing, so I continued, literally one drop at a time. The whole time I affirmed him -- that he was strong, and would grow and be furry and get to play in the trees and chase little girl squirrels and have babies one day. It was not by design that I did this; It was more like my inner monologue turned outward.
Soon he looked like this -- still small but much, much better. I was officially hooked.
In noticed he had a few little bumps on his back, on his right ear... and you can see one on his knuckle above. And the skin on his tail, chest and thighs was flaking. I took him in to The Center and he was given a little drop of something between his shoulders for parasites (internal and external), and a mild steroid cream for his skin, which, over the next several days, I continued to apply at home. They say if you find bugs or scabs on a squirrel get them off, and they took off the his ear, leaving a an indentation.
I didn't yet have a tank with a heated top yet, and he was too small for that anyway, so I had himin a long shoebox with holes on the top over a heating pad that never turned off. I heated a rice sock in the microwave and put it in with him among fresh fleece and soft cotton cloths, which I changed every day for my boy.
After feedings, I put him back in his box and watched him use all his might to push his little nose under the rice sock. I didn't know then then that most squirrels like to have their nose under something to sleep. When he was still weak, I'd help him out by denting the underside of the thing with my index finger and lifting it up so he could get his nose under. He'd completely relax into sweet dreams. Here he's got his sniffer nestled under his bedding.
Unsure if he'd make it, and keenly aware that I was responsible for this little life, I kept vigil night and day. I must have looked in on him with trepidation 100 times every 24 hours, but each peek filled my heart to the brim with gratitude and joy. Not only was he breathing, I literally saw significant growth each time I lifted that lid. I kid you not. It was like high speed photography or something. And his poses grew to be so amusing I started taking pictures. I kept the camera next to his box because squirrels leap a lot when dead asleep, and hence never hold a position for long. It's amazing they don't wake up but I figure it's a byproduct of their wired up systems.
I did a whole post HEREon his positions. It's hilarious so please check it out. Guaranteed to make you smile.
There we were on Martha's Vineyard, sauntering around the docks in Edgartown. It was near dusk. Private boats were coming in from the day out, and we saw a guy gutting the daily catch off the back end. I'd never seen such a thing, but then I don't fish much. And in New England, I'm quite sure it's quite common.
I'm not sure if it's official, but certainly the mascot dog of the island is the black lab, made famous by the Black Dog cafes and shops that dot the tiny map. So it was no surprise to see this one standing dutifully beside these guys, having a good dog day. To me, any day in the Vineyard is a good one, dog or otherwise.
What caught my imagination was how, little by little, the dog grew more intent on the guy cutting the fish. He edged closer -- and closer still -- while all the people were distracted by the knife and this guy's technique.
The process was mesmerizing. One after another, said guy pulled out what I could only guess were cod, catfish and bass and deftly sliced each's belly. Within a few strokes, and no apparent show of blood, he'd have filleted the entire thing, tossing some goo into the water in between. Scales were gone, bones were lifted clean from the flesh and voila! someone had their succulent dinner ready to dress and grill. I could barely see it happen --the entire process took less than a minute. But SOMEBODY certainly saw it all .... Click on this pic (to enlarge it) and take a good look at that dog's face!
I guess that black dog knew somethin' I didn't because he got tossed some nice juicy chunks, wolfed it down and was lazer-fixated on "more" the way only a dog can. My camera never quite captured the exact moment of the snatch. But I got something here... think he's mid-gulp.
Here's a closer crop, but it might not be close enough to see on Blogger, unless you click the picture to enlarge it.
As promised, the story of Big Al. He was the littlest that came to me, a title held until him by the precious Lawnmower Girl.
When you first get them you're not sure what really happened to them -- were they hurt by a fall from the nest or a scramble with a predator? Were they a runt of the litter, or born with some defect and the mother left them behind? Were they fed something by well meaning people who found them before they got them to us that unwittingly caused problems? It's hard to know, but you learn to look for signs, and often there are signs you can't read. You take the baby on and in my case, observe, call for advice, wake up 10 times a night to check on them, use available medicines if needed, and celebrate the victory of each gram gained and each day of healing until you have a rambunctious, bright eyed little critter, ready to go enjoy their life in the wild. This process has brought me such joy, even though I have paid a personal price -- which I'll write about at some point. For this post, I intend to share the joy... as that is what I had in abundance in rehabbing baby squirrels.
Besides being tiny when I first got him, he moved in s-l-o-w motion. I certainly expected this to mean he was weak. But I was quite AMAZED at the strength with which he held on to my thumb with both his little hairless paws. And that will to live is worth any lost sleep, and all that it took to get him well. Oh please click on any picture to see it bigger. I"m sorry it's a bit out of focus but I am not a great one handed picture taker.
His skin was kind of yellow, like my dad's (who was Mediterranean), and he was strong as a bull, even with his eyes closed and in a vulnerable state, which was exactly how I'd describe my dad in his last three years of his life (he had some neurological problems that did not allow him to open his eyes). And for some reason he had a thick lower lip, which became more pronounced when he was sucking down his milk. You guessed it, Dad did a little of that too.
My dad's name was Albert, and sometimes guys who dated his daughters would refer to him as Big AL, as he was quite intimidating back in the day. Perhaps because this one was so teeny, I thought Big AL was totally fitting.
When I picked him up from his little bed to bring him to the chair in which I fed him he would hunt around jerkily with his little nose, looking all over "mom" for the source of the milk. It just endeared me to the baby even more. Here is a little video of it.
I just love seeing that again.
He had a sensitive digestive system that I worked hard to balance. He was not an easy eater. Though he clearly had an appetite, he often would not open his mouth when the syringe nipple was right at his lips. It was a real trick to get him to open up. Once he finally latched on, he'd try to swallow the whole thing, always straining toward it instead of just relaxing and settling in to nurse. And just as I did get him drinking -- by which time I was often contorted into some really painful position but was not going to move till he was done -- he'd inexplicably pull away from the nipple after only half a cc, then hunt wildly for it again!
I aimed for 3-4 cc's every 4 hours but he would only drink 2cc's -- at best. So I began feeding Al every two hours to compensate experimenting with different strengths of formula and temperatures to see if it would help. Nothing really did. *Sigh*
It was always tough, but eventually he'd have his fill and snuggle up in my hand, content. And I would feel relief and satisfaction -- for at least a few hours before starting all over again. This went on day after day but indeed, he put on weight. and the hair on his back began to grow, which looked different (as did the color on his nose) from the squirrels I'd been raising. His fur looked silky (see above pic) but was more coarse than soft like the others. And I still couldn't explain the yellow skin.
After three days it dawned on me that he was yellow instead of pink because I had a Red or Fox Squirrel here. Sure enough his little forearms began to sprout reddish hair, followed by a little tuft of red on his chin. I had never had a Fox who was so young before ... and this is how you learn, lol.
Big Al made me better understand parents who love their good kids and the ones who cause trouble/heartache/incredible sacrifice. The good ones are, well--good. Easy to love. The ones who are tough you have to work harder with,. They may tax and vex you but you don't give up on them. And that makes you realize how much you love them too. Hopefully that love is felt and taken in. Every time I looked down at Big Al finally asleep in my hand, I hoped somehow, in his little squirrel way, he indeed felt loved.
It's called Snuggle Safe and it's a microwaveable heating pad for pets that won't burn them but will stay warm for about 12 hours. She endorses it, and that's enough for me. I have put rice into an athletic sock and heated it up to travel with baby squirrels that can't regulate their body temp when young... It also feels like an adult squirrel so I have put those in with solo baby squirrels so they don't feel all alone in a big, dark world. But that only lasts about 45 minutes. This looks ideal for elderly as well as newborn pets of all kinds, and everything inbetween.
Thank you to commenter Laurie for her expert research. One common Pet store has them for $39 but she found them for only $24 at THIS SITE... or see the link below.
http://www.entirelypets.com/snugglesafe.html
Thank you to both of you! Keep those tips comin' please.
Microwave pic is from entirelypets.comPic of disc alone is from Amazon.com
I got to The Park, finally. For the first time in a long time I went for a walk by myself and reveled in all the things that have always nourished me there. I used to go several times a week and enjoy the water, the trees, and all the critters. I've been so busy -- and adding rehabbing baby squirrels at home has barely left me energy to brush my teeth let alone get "me time" like a meandering hour in nature. But it is just the thing to revive a tired gal, and I will try to go again very soon.
To spare you seeing only squirrel pictures for the next few thousand posts, I took a picture of three new ducks I'd never seen before. They made a handsome trio and if I were a duck I think I might want to join their little gang.
Too bad you know who wasn't standing in the middle and we could come up with all kinds of nicknames for them like The Reverse Oreos or Piano Keys or something like that. I guess the latter could still apply....
I love the little poof of feathers on the top of the black one's head. Such a Dandy that one.
The newest baby squirrel, who I've had for about 8 days, is a little girl Gray. Half her tail and half her left foot was cut off by a lawnmower when she was just past the pinkie stage... barely an infant. I just had to show you her sweet little face... I can tell you how much she looks like a little puppy but this one shows it I think. A tad blurred, as she's so small I couldn't even get my macro setting to fully focus!
And my blog pal, commenter Margo, sent me a stuffed dog toy that made a realistic squirrel mommy for this orphaned little one to snuggle up to. Since she's so small and has these injuries, I don't want to take a chance putting her in a box on a heating pad as you can with little critters. I am keeping her in a tank that's got an expensive heat regulated top, but that leaves a REALLY big space for her to fumble around in. NOT the secure, warm, cuddly feeling squirrels like. And with no little squirrel sibs or buddies to curl up to, I'm telling you this was the perfect thing. Every time I look now, she's curled up to the squirrel you sent me Margo.Thank youso much.
Here she is with her nose tucked under "Mom's" tail.
And kind of spooning against "Mom's" belly. Just two of the many ways I've peeked in and seen her curled up to this toy. As she's gotten a little stronger, she's crawled up and over and even completely under it. You can see these are later pictures because she is certainly bigger and has the start of white fur on her chest.
But here's how small she was when I got her. Notice the wide smooth baby belly, pink skin, no fur on her arms or tummy at all. And that white stuff is wound medicine on her tail and foot. This is one to click to enlarge. :-)She made little kicking motions with her feet and tiny little squeaks and noises of content when I fed her. It amazes me how much she resembles human babies in this way. I don't have any kids, but boy, I think I am getting my fill of all those maternal, I'm-in-love-with-my-baby feelings.
It's been so much fun watching her grow every day, and develop the ability to suck, attempt to crawl and see her ears pop off her head, then develop. First her chin got some fur, then the littlest coating of it covered her little arms and legs, then her some sprouted on her tail, and finally, I am seeing a little white fur coming up on her chest. The tummy gets fur last. She smells so sweet, she's warm, and so incredibly soft -- really, there are no words to describe it. And she is completely innocent and vulnerable. How can you not be in love with all that?
Sleep tight little girl, you are safe, and warm, and cared for. Sleep and heal and grow.
I fed this one little Fox/Red some and he devoured it with all the attendant snorts and wild grabbing at it with his little paws. When it was over, this is what I saw:
Notice the green, sticky fingers. This could be any kid with chocolate ice cream all over them. YOU MUST CLICK ON THIS PIC TO ENLARGE IT TO GET THE FULL MONTY!!! After this, I learned to buy the ones that are less ripe and give it to them in cubes that were not so messy.
It's the tail end of baby squirrel season, and my new role as a temporary in-home rehabber, officially sub licensed, has been both a joy and a privilege. It has also hijacked my life and worn on me the way only motherhood can. *taking a moment to bow to all mothers*
I at least would have posted more pictures with short little hellos but I ran into some technical difficulties that I have now solved.
Squirrels amuse me to no end. And gobble up my heart hook, line and sinker. They are just so darn sweet AND funny. Here are some glimpses into what I've seen over the last 18 days raising this little Gray. He started out weighing 55 grams, and ended up at 130 g over the course of these pictures.
To start with, a normal looking pose..... a few days after I got him. Here was already putting on weight and eating more vigorously. Sleeping like a little angel.
Sometimes I'd open the lid and see him just plain crashed out. Zzzzzz
Fuzzy white belly full of milk. He grew so much between meals that clearly his cells were doing important work when he slept like this inbetween. I literally would see his tail hair had grown longer, his ears had suddenly popped up from being pinned to his little head, see the pads on his paws get fuller from morning to the noon feeding. Having just stretched his little legs waaaaay out... like an adolescent boy, his feet got big first. If you saw the little yawn that goes with this kind of thing, you'd keel over from cuteness overload.
Love the pads on his foot. I call this the Keith Haring pose.
One of my favorites. The ankles crossed, the big tootsies. His pink little mouth, how soft and furry his little chest and chin and forearms are. And we won't make any other comments about visible body parts.... lol
From his box, he grew to being in a tank. Since he has no buddies, I put a stuffed kitty in there with him. Clearly, he liked it. The squirrel isn't in the middle of climbing here. No, he's fast asleep.
I have been giving him nut eating lessons (as Sizzie said, that needs to be a whole post of it's own), but he just doesn't seem to understand the stuff in the bowl is to eat. I died laughing when I found him passed out with his face in the food, like a drunk in his beer. You can click on any picture to see it larger... This one might be the one to do that with.
Lastly, just this morning I went over to look and this is what I saw. He opened his eyes a little as I snuck the lens under his "roof". I lied, you need to click to make this one larger too.
If they are this funny when asleep, no wonder they are so entertaining when they're awake. I hope this has made my case, or at least, made you smile today.
I usually post every day -- or every other day-- but I've come down with some kind of flu and just have not been able to post... Will be back in a few days I hope, so please keep checking in. Hope you ALL are well. I hear this thing is going around.
I have mentioned someone who I volunteer with at the Rehab Center that we affectionately call Uncle Bill. Not because he is like an uncle to us... no, to the animals he cares for.
I adore Bill myself. Just took an instant liking to him. He comes in and works hard... took on the outside stalls called mews where we keep all the little ducklings that come in, the songbirds that are transitioning from fledgelings to adulthood, gulls, herons, geese, etc... and further back in the yard there are a few fenced in pens, that can have anything from the baby goat and little pigs to alligators. Uncle Bill cares for them all no matter how scorching it is, no matter that he is sloshed in duck poop and slimy fishy water. He takes his time and he is gentle with the animals. We are not to treat them as pets, so as not to imprint them to humans... but Bill spends time with each animal as he goes about his chores. He delights in them -- as many are quite amusing... like this black crown heron that he named Mr. Personality. There are 5 in this pen, but you'll know which one he is.
Before I knew of this name, I had gone in to help clean up the fish they'd had for lunch, and had no idea why that one was going on. I mean, I heard him going on while I attended to the ducks in the pen close to this, so he's not reacting to a person in the pen. At some point I thought to myself, maybe he fell or flew into a window to get to us, and he has suffered some kind of brain damage, lol.
We figure the other ones have no idea what he's going on about, and possibly want him to just STOP. The poor guy to the left is not related to him, but they came in together. We figure he just thinks: "Somehow I got stuck with wacko over here."
If you view it again, U.B. also named the three who stand regally at the top left as the Three Magi's because they stand so stoically, looking upon it all. I think the names are perfect.
What a crack up animals can be. Have you ever seen a black crown heron? And why, I wonder, aren't they black?
BUSY LITTLE HANDS: A little video I forgot I shot -- oh these little digital snap cameras with their mini movie capability. When I zoom in it takes it's time to focus and makes a strange noise at times. But I get the shot -- there are countless numbers of antics going on every day that I don't catch. I can hardly post the ones I do, so filming quality gets pushed even further down the list...
That said, I still hope to brighten your day. I am finding lately that when I give a squirrel a hard nut, like an almond, 3/4 of the time they bury it. When I give them something soft like a pecan or a walnut, they stay close and chomp it, keeping their eye on me, hoping for another as soon as they can chew it up.
I did catch a little one hopping around to find a spot, digging, pushing the nut in with his mouth and doing a very hearty job of packing down the soil, with one last whiff to either be sure where it is, or maybe be sure no other squirrel could detect it and steal it away....
BIRD UPDATES: Also -- a vulture update. I told the story of the baby black vulture HERE. Last week I learned he'd gotten so big he was transferred to a big boy cage. Another woman was taking a quick pic so I joined her and did the same. This is for the Grilzzled
Scribe in particular.
In other news, the Chimney Swifts I guess got big enough to be returned to the wild. I have not yet found out how that happens... but I am so glad I got the pictures I did. Don't know when I will come across those again.
IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN:
And I have gotten my sub-contracting license that allowed me to take home a very sick baby squirrel who came in to the Center Thursday near closing. I had just managed to get a cc of lactated ringer’s solution down him (the fluids that they give for dehydration) and asked who was going to take him home for the evening feedings. The answer was -- you are!
I drove home probably with more care than I have in years, as I had very precious cargo. I am happy to say that he has gotten stronger with each passing day, and watching his progress on an hourly basis, for several days has been an amazing and most rewarding experience. I got him at 55 grams and unable to eat and now he's 73 grams, and quite a joyful eater. I hope to raise him just until his eyes open. Then I feel I can turn him back over with confidence that he will live.
He completely cracks me up, as he conks out in the craziest positions. I will do a little photo post of some of them in the next little while. Until then, here's the little munchkin. I swear these little guys just KILL me! Click on it to see it bigger. Those feet! So CUTE!
We're coming into baby squirrel season so I will have a lot more to feed when I go in to the Center. I just hope nothing happens like last year, where we were struggling to feed over 1200 of these due to Hurricaine Ike. Are you a fan of squirrels?
I have some good news to share. I've begun to write for the Houston Zoo's website, as they have recently started several blogs. I'll be writing some pieces as a docent would for the educational blog, and will be interviewing and profiling other volunteers and staff alike-- there are so many interesting people who are drawn to contribute to the world of animals...
I'm really excited about it, as it's such a natural fit. I have many ideas, and will be looking forward to hunting down new stories, learning and sharing about more animals, and taking photos and BETTER video than I post here to go along with it!
Though I will link here the posts that may be of more interest to you --mainly the ones about cute animals, conservation efforts, habitats, Keepers, etc -- I did want to share this one with you just because it's the first. It's just a little roving reporter bit. That said, you should definitely click on the name TOBY that I mention in it though. He is the brand new red panda at the zoo and he definitely earns the title of Cutest Animal in the World! (after your own dog/cat/hamster/fish/bird that is!).
After a fair amount of experience feeding baby birds, I was asked to go to the area what we move them to once they become fledglings and clean and feed those in there. It turned out to be a most enjoyable task. There were only about a dozen tanks in there, filled with birds unfamiliar to me, save the few Blue Jays. The last one on the end held a group of half a dozen soft ash-y black birds, who were making the biggest racket!
I opened the top of the tank and was greeted by an unusual sight: Instead of perching on a branch or standing on the ground, these guys were vertically clutching on to fabric that had been placed along the left side of the tank wall. Their chirps swelled to a crazy cacophony and their mouths opened as they vied for position when I came at them with their soaked science diet cat food on my fake mother's beak -- the kind of scissor handled tweezers I've mentioned in previous posts.
As soon as I was done with this feeding on the end, it was time to replenish my coffers and start a second feeding on those in the first tank. By the time I got to the Chimney Swifts again, one who'd been stuck lower down last time flew forward and attached himself to the pocket of my apron, much like a woodpecker would, where he apparently felt nice and comfy because he was very well behaved.
When I came at him with the food he began flapping his wings to get "Mama's"attention... but otherwise, he sat very patiently and in truth it made it much easier to feed him and the others in the tank. Just adorable these little beings! Maybe not when they are squawking in your chimney. But when not being fed, you might never know they're there.
These little guys are the color they are to obviously blend in with their environment of choice... the smoky ash-encrusted inside of your chimney. They obviously breed at a time of year when there are no fires burning, and this explains why they grip upright. Yes, they make some noise but they are there for such a short time. And they do you the favor of catching thousands of pesky-to-humans insects.
They used to build in hollow trees but they now choose chimneys due to loss of habitat... and with all the new gas fireplaces, that alternative is also dwindling. If you have any in your chimney, please think twice before you hire someone to shoo them out. They usually just remove the nests and discard these helpless babies! Oh no, that just won't do!
If you click HERE, you can read more about that. Among other useful info it says: "Chimney Swifts are protected by Federal Law under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act." and if you hire a company to clean your chimney, you need to find a reputable company whose policy it is to protect the little dears.
I am very curious to know if any of you have ever had or seen them before.
When I lived in Greenwich Village in New York City, there was a great big white dog that I would see on a side street, maybe 4th and 11th, sitting on the top stair of a brownstone, on a leash that was connected to the doorknob INSIDE.
There he could enjoy the breeze and watch the people go by, but would not get away. A good solution for a large and gentle dog. Apartments are small for the most part in the village, and it can be hard on large dogs. And backyards are few, so here he was. And he became a mascot in my mind.
So on my last visit in June, I was sitting in Le Pain Quotidien on Hudson and I saw him! I leapt out of my seat and ran out to get a picture for my own sake. He's got to be seen to be appreciated. A happy face, no? And somehow he manages to stay snow white in this city. A very special dog indeed (possibly a very special groomer too).
And a second snap of him in all his largeness (pls. Click on the pic to enlarge). He's just about the size of those bicycles behind him, but this angle doesn't do his stature justice.
It was cool this day, but I remember seeing him on sweltering days and thought, "How does he handle the heat with all that hair?"And so, it was time to say so long to my very furry friend, for now at least. I'm so glad I caught him on film... otherwise he'd just be a memory. .
I have no idea as to his breed and have been looking on the internet to no avail. It's probably just easier to ask you -- do you know what he is?
I mentioned a few posts back that I got to feed a tiny baby deer for the first time. Well here he is. His little legs and hooved were so delicate. I have never seen a deer this small before, but I hear this is small as baby deer go.
I know, I could have filmed so much more. And who doesn't want to see more baby deer getting fed with a bottle? Remember my videos are quick because I have work to do. It's a privilege to take a quick shot for my own memories of all these extraordinary experiences I've been so blessed to have, but the animal's care and comfort is paramount. So a little rather than nothing adds to my descriptions, however rushed they have been in the last many months. I gave this little guy a bottle, but he wasn't eating so well. He didn't feel good this day. I was taught that it's good to stand them up rather than feed them on your lap or held between your legs while you sit on the floor. And that the bottle has to be raised just so, so that his neck will be outstretched as he drinks, and that I should lightly cover his eyes with my free hand (I needed at least three arms to do all this), as all of that would imitate his normal nursing behavior... poking his nose under the leg or at the belly of his mother, who in the wild, would be standing and even moving around.
I was about to write that this was the first time I've been this close to or fed a deer, but I have to remind myself of things I did which seem like a lifetime ago. I have been close to and fed a deer in an entirely different way. I was visiting Japan -- may have been in Kyoto, near all the temples. I can't even remember when but I'd guess it was about 18- 20 years ago. I was in a park and was told that the deer were tame, that you could offer them something to eat and they would bow to you (it being Japan). Well, all I had was a cookie, something I would not offer an animal now, but as I mentioned, this was like another life.... Sure enough an adult deer came shyly up to me, and indeed bowed both before and after I gave it the treat.
I was blown away then, and was again in awe to be assisting this sweet little fawn. Sometimes I can't believe what I get to do when I go to help these creatures we share our lives with. I may be cleaning poop and scrubbing cages and doing dishes in addition to giving away hours that could be spent in many other ways, some of them income earning. But it never fails that I always feel I get more than I could ever give. I know you know what I mean. And in that sense it's a common equation, but for me it still holds as one of the great mysteries of life...
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She even posed with me for a self-pic of the two of us. And then I picked up the male and also took pics. I gave them each a pecan, which they heartily accepted, and I took some movies of them both eating them... marvelling how far they'd come in just a weeks time.
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