Domestics, Exotics and.......Wildlife

I spend a lot of time blogging about the animals that we rescue.....well what else do I have to blog about? Remember the 5 Great Pyrennes dogs that I rescued on the trip with the 3 cows and 40 sheep? 2 of them came back this week. The 3 year old female came back because the sheep beat her up. The 6 month old pup came back because the folks that adopted her realized that they were too busy to have a dog right now. I am fine with both, I want the dogs and the people to be happy. The 6 month old went home with the folks that brought the 3 year old back and will hopefully cut it as a future livestock/farm dog. I think that she will fit. I have another lady considering the 3 year old female who already has another Great Pyrennes. I want this poor dog to have a long term home, no more juggling her around. She is a great dog, if we didnt have 6 dogs already....I'd be tempted. I guess this is why we dont have an open door policy for dogs, cats and horses. Id love to but the funding isnt there to do it and there are other places that just specialize in those species.
Exotics, what are they? I basically define exotics as anything that doesnt make a good pet. I had a pair of unwanted Australian Diamond Doves come in tonight. They are cool, I love the sound of captive bred birds in my house. Especially in the winter when it is so lifeless outside. A Canary, Zebra Finch or these doves...have great vocalizations that dont make you want to move out of the house like many people want to do with many of the noisy hookbills (which I love).
Wildlife....Had a Red Fox kit come in tonight, only survivor of an entire litter that sat by their dead mother in the road while people were running them over on a back road. Someone actually cared enough to stop and pick her up. She is scared, vocal (calling for her mom) but she will be fine and is very releasable.
Speaking of survivors, I had a great lady and her kids bring me a baby coon tonight that was found trying to suckle off of her decomposing mother along the side of a road. I was thinking to myself that the coon was the same age and size as the one that was brought to me last night. I said, " This coon wasnt found by the swamp on the Knox-Gallupville road, near Tabor Road was it?" I record new entries in my DEC Log daily and it was fresh in my head. It was the exact same dead sow coon,this new arrival is the sister of the coon brought last night by another person.....what are the odds? They have to be 2 of the luckiest coons alive. I reunited the coon shortly after they left with her sister and the 2 other coons of the same age. I always try to get a single coon in with one of the other litters that may be here. Orphaned wildlife is almost always better off being raised with others of their own species as most are in nature. An heir and a spare or two. After an arrival inspection, I had to get these siblings reunited and it was the most amazing family reunion Ive ever seen.
There are very few Rabies Vector Licensed Wildlife Rehabilitators around anymore that will take in raccoons. Most that do rehab what is known as Rabies Vector Species such as Coons, Skunks and Bats (3 of my favorite animals) are overwhelmed and often burn out due to the expense, the time involved and the regulations. Coons are neat, they are so emotional and very expressive. They cover their eyes when they are scared, they scream at amazing decibels whenever they think that it is time for a snack.....even if they are watching you make it. They want to cuddle, bite you when they are mad and are masters at stealing, wrecking and making a mess of everything......
The family reunion went well, the siblings actually grabbed one another and rolled around while making the happy coon noise. Then they realized that they were missing dinner. Coons eat every meal as if it were their last, they ate two meals before collapsing into a sleepy pile in their nesting box with their arms around one another...... I really am amazed at what I see on an almost daily basis. What are the odds of these two litter mates surviving near their dead mother for days and both getting picked up by kind people and finding their way to me. If I had any money I would go get a lotto ticket.
LISTEN TO ME, baby animals can be vicious, can carry diseases that can kill you and you should NOT expose yourself to them AT ALL..... I am a strong believer in destiny and I dont want yours to be unfortunate because you tried to do the right thing. If you are going to do your good deed for the day, do it with gloves, do NOT touch any wild animal, esp. ones with fur (mammals) that can carry rabies and/or roundworm . I cant stress this enough, I dont want to have to call the Health Department constantly to ask them if I can save the coon or if we have to kill it to be tested because you touched it. Enough said, sorry I had to ruin a perfect story with that audience warning.....It isnt a story, I am fortunate I got to witness it with my own eyes or I wouldnt believe it. Those coons are Lucky and Charm....I dont name Wildlife....Ive always been against doing it....Spending the last month bottle feeding coons, hundreds of hours, all worth while to witness that reunion.
Last but not least today, another fawn came in tonight. The guy that brought it to me is a good friend. He asked me if all 4 of the fawns I am currently working on are male bucks. Surprised I said yes and asked how he knew. He said that he had heard that all buck fawns have spots in a straight line. I look forward to the first doe fawn that comes in so that I can see if it is true. After midnight as usual....I have to get some zzzzzz, morning comes early around here. Spend a little bit of time to think about the coon reunion, it is one of the most amazing things that I have seen in a long time. It really isnt always about us, sometimes the most simple things in life are the most amazing. Wes