Precious Tiny Boy -Deer

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...

A Vulture Is Born

As promised, and especially for my friend the Grizzled Scribe of Riverdaze, here is the story of the little vulture I've had the chance to care for at the Center.

Three weeks ago a man's doggie brought him something in his mouth, which he was holding very gently. The man was quite surprised to see an unusually large egg -- cream colored with a few spots -- and something was trying to poke it's way out! He rushed it to his vet, a vet who happened to know one of the women who runs the Rehab Center I volunteer for. The kindly vet dropped the egg off at the rehab woman's home. At this point, all she could see was a little beak through the cracks in the shell.

Well, the baby bird spent an exhausting night trying to get out, which was accomplished by 5 AM. What a night that must have been! While the Rehabber discerned by the color of the egg and it's markings that it was a ground nesting bird, she was delighted and surprised to discover the wet little chick that appeared was a baby black vulture. Cute as could be! She brought it in and we've been feeding it rat pups in spades, which he gobbles up with great glee!

Thanks to a long line of caring humans, not to mention one remarkable dog, this little life was protected and now he's thriving.

Here is a top view... he's dozing as it's early in the morning. But once he's up, he's literally bright eyed, eager and just plain adorable.

And yes, his "nest" is a little soiled... 'Twas first thing in the morning and I was opening the top precisely so I could clean it out for him when I snapped this picture. It was squeaky clean moments after, as I am a good housekeeper, if not for myself, for these little animals we care for. When he's awake, he sits up and is very attentive, following our every movements with his eyes. And he's quite responsive -- when I open the tank, all he wants is FOOD FOOD FOOD! I took this on Sunday and when I was back in on Tuesday it seemed he'd grown a third more.

What I think is funny is the little guy in the tank next to him, who appears as a ghostly (if not a little startled) apparition in the window!

I always think of a vulture as big, black menacing, not so pretty bird. They look more like a pet of the Adams Family that this little one. Who knew they started out in life to be so fuzzy, sweet and cute?