Busy, Busy, Busy

The hairless bunny didn't like the bottle very well
So Hannah's pet rabbit, who had babies three weeks
ago, cooperated beautifully so the baby could nurse.

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I love days like today. I started in the morning with animal calls and feedings with BOD members Kelly and Gayle. Ran around like a lunatic all day, basically from one injured or hungry critter to another. Didn't get much time to work with my high school workforce today; thank God for Andy. Got a lot of paperwork and computer work done this morning, until I sent too many emails letting everyone know about our Open House and got tossed off line by my web provider....

Very few people can out work me. I start early and go to bed around 2am every day. These young adults (I hate calling teenagers kids and they are not all my students) are getting things done around here. The college supervisor Andy is awesome, keeps things going and covers for me when I am answering the phone (which never stops) or trying to figure out how I am going to save the next box that arrives. Kind of like Xmas but you can't forget about it when you are done playing with it.

It has been a slow fawn year (not that I am complaining). I love bats. I hate to admit it but I am really getting attached to my little pup (baby bat). I didn't think that he would live when I looked at him in the box a week ago. He now rules my life with his feeding schedule. They are so naughty, have a high pitched voice and try to bite you even when you are feeding them. Bats get a bad rap. 20% of all the earth's mammals are bats. You would be paying a lot more for food if it weren't for bats eating lots of bugs all night. I don't like what is going on with the white nose disease in bats right now. What is going on with honey bees bothers me also. Bats just have a bad rap because of all of the stupid vampire movies. They don't fly in your hair, few species will suck your blood and they are not the rabies infested demons that people think that they are. I've done lots of bats. I have 2 in the bat-cave right now. One is an older brown bat, don't know why it was found on the ground yet but it is eating and coming back from death. I still have to get some mites off of it but the maggots are gone. Capstar is an amazing drug. It is expensive but I use it all the time and it is awesome. The pills are tiny. When given orally or rectally they get rid of maggots, fleas and ticks within about 30 minutes. I actually put one in a ziplock bag, and slipped a little piece in this bats mouth ... no maggots.

Speaking of maggots, I got a baby coon tonight transported by North Country, came from DEC, what a mess. I've seen just about everything with a baby coon. This little guy is a mess. He had a paw caught in a foot hold trap. He has an infection in his foot, the maggots are bad. I should be the poster child for Capstar. Will someone call the folks that make those pills and ask them to send me a lot of the 2-25 pound pills. I am almost ashamed when I go to the vet, like a junkie, begging to buy more. I don't know if I can save this little coon, but I will give him 100% effort. Wish that he wasn't so cranky.

I got a Bluejay in that hit a house, I really don't know what he was thinking when he did that. Kelly got his wing wrapped up while we fed the orphans this morning. He will probably be ok. Just need some R and R which isn't easy for a Bluejay that has things to do.

I got a cottontail baby rabbit in tonight that is lucky to be alive. He got half of his ears and part of the top of his head taken off by a lawn mower. I've seen a lot but this was a first. He should have hidden a little lower. I give him a 50/50 but we are working on him. I hope the other rabbits don't make fun of him for being earless.

Had another rabbit come in tonight ... a little one. Hairless. I'm tempted to try to sneak it in with one of my daughter's rabbits new litters. I've done it before. It has worked but the risk is the mother could kill him if she realizes that we have snuck one past her. We will see tomorrow. The same person (and same bad dog) brought me a Garter Snake that looked like he had been hit by a lawn mower. I couldn't help that little snake, it was nearly in half ... I helped him get to sleep.

Speaking of getting to sleep (no not me), the sheriff's department called me today. There was a call for a cat at my bank dragging its legs on their lawn. I hate these calls. Like the dog that Kelly and I watched die a couple of days ago (hit by a car). It won't be killing my sheep anymore but I didn't want to see it dead, I just wanted it to stay home. Got in the truck with Nicole (former student, present volunteer) and got down there in a jiffy. I've caught a lot of road hit animals. This cat was feral, angry and the fastest thing that I've ever seen move on half of its legs. All I could think of was Oscar the Bobcat. I grabbed my shoulder length padded gloves from under the seat, my catch-pole, and we eventually caught the poor thing. The deputy had arranged transport to Howes Cave Animal Hospital, it never went....

Back to happy things.

As if the cosmos weren't already testing me. Another person holding a box showed up with "baby birds". I like birds a lot. They want it, want it now and don't really care about you for another 30-45 minutes (if you are lucky). A quick peek and I blurted out-loud.... "Ohhhh no, Chimney Swifts". They are tough enough to live in nest inside a chimney but a real challenge to do. They vertically perch, like to hang on sides of their container. They scream until you go to feed them then clamp their beaks shut with super glue. I tried to get them to put them back, they are here and I am going to give them 100%.

Last but not least (today) I got in a baby dove. Doves are a totally different type of feeder: different food, different equipment.... It's eating great, I like this fledgling.

Wow, really busy day. Lot to do tomorrow. Time for some Craig Ferguson Late, Late Show and a nap.

Till tomorrow,
Wes