wildlife rehab volunteering report: dull version
it's pretty dull right now! a few seagulls, pigeons, owls, and leftover raccoons... one bat (that I didn't get to see), one flying squirrel (that I very quietly worked around while cleaning the nursery/ward), the usual half-dozen raccoons (in their silo outdoors), and the hibernating bear cubs and bobkittens are doing just fine. a few other assorted small birds, but that's really about it.
wildlife rehab volunteering report: dull version
I usually sign up to clean the ward--I dunno, I've just fallen into the habit of that being my task, and it's satisfying and sometimes interesting--but yesterday it was extra-interesting; the ward is being refurnished, fitted with new shelves and cabinets. the ward cages are in three large banks on wheels, so the occupied bank been taken into the nursery for the night while work was being done around it.
wildlife rehab volunteering report: dull version
there were just enough birds for that one bank, and after they got meds/tube-feedings/checkups they were transferred to the set of cages still in the ward, which left the empty bank in the nursery for me to clean. so far, so good; but the nursery doesn't have any ventilation...
by the time I was done I was very concerned about air quality for the flying squirrel (who's in the nursery for initial caretaking).
wildlife rehab volunteering report: dull version
I was coughing and wheezing from the fumes (not to mention sweating like crazy). so I found a floor fan, propped the nursery door open, stuck the fan in the opening, and let it air out for a half hour. the vets praised me for thinking of the critters, and setting up the solution. ^___^
other than that... I did dishes, helped catch a pigeon (in the flight pens outside, he needed to come in for an exam), and--that's about it. slow day!
wildlife rehab report: sad version (animal death, not graphic)
Smallest Bear had to be euthanized earlier this week. he was continuing to not improve, and his health had started to backslide a bit. since the vets were unable to figure out what was wrong to fix it, the decision was made to let him go. he was sent off entire for necropsy, and they're waiting to hear back results. initial report was as expected--nothing obviously *wrong*, just... overall Not Good. :/
wildlife rehab report: sad version (animal death, not graphic)
whatever it was at the root of his issues, it was cascading into other problems, not least of which was "failure to thrive"--he wasn't gaining weight or growing the way he should have been or needed to. it's important to try to figure out what was wrong; most likely, it was just a one-time set of unlucky circumstances. worst case scenario--it could be something we'll be seeing *more* of. :( *very* unlikely, but still--need to know.
wildlife rehab report: sad version (animal death, not graphic)
@green I'm really sorry. I know this wasn't how we hoped things would go.