Wildlife Rehabilitation in Utah/Second Chance Wildlife Rehabilitation: Boo Boo is finally free..........

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Boo Boo is finally free..........

Things are starting to pick up around here. It's still pretty cold and things are thawing out a little bit, so MUD is everywhere. The ducks are loving it, but WE don't!

One of the Great Horned owls, Boo Boo was finally released the other night. We drove back to his old 'neighborhood' and released him. He flew for quite a distance and then landed on the ground. He spent about 20 minutes looking around and then without anyone noticing, he took off. I hope he does well. On the next post I'll include those pictures.

We are still waiting to have Willow's eye surgery done; it's just a matter of raising enough money. As soon as that happens, we will take her into Salt Lake to have it done. The eye is still getting smaller, so it has to come out. Donations can be made on this site to help get that done.

If everyone just donated a little we could accomplish this for her. She's eating well and has a mew all to herself.

We moved the little Merlin outside until he goes to New Mexico. I hate these transfers as they can take a ridiculous amount of time. I'm sure he will enjoy the change of scenery for awhile.

Well, Crash went back to the vets office yesterday. The surgery site was concerning me a bit and he started keeping weight OFF that leg, which of course isn't good. Part of the leg is looking very good, but the distal portion still has inflammation and now, some heat. The vet took some more x-rays and switched his antibiotics. We also put him back on his pain meds. Hopefully we will see some improvement in the next week or so. I sure would like him to start eating on his own; this force feeding is getting old, for both of us! In most cases, a patient going through what he is would already be eating on their own, but pain medications and pain itself can cause one not to want to eat.

Our little Sharp-shinned hawk is doing very well. We need a name for her, so if anyone reading this has a suggestion, by all means, email me and we will chose from the submissions.

I just can't think of one that fits. Here's your chance to name one of our patients!

She is eating on her own and is full of fight!

Miss Moon, our little Screech owl was moved to a larger and taller enclosure to see if she could reach the high perches and sure enough, she's up there and loving it. I'm thinking she is going to be our next release. She came from the Moab area in Grand county, so she will need to go back there, possibly next month.

And our little dove is progressing wonderfully after the cat attack. Feathers are growing back and her tail is now about two inches long. At this rate, she can be free in a matter of three or four weeks. She was in terrible shape and I wasn't sure if she was going to survive, but she pulled through and the drugs did their job as well, preventing infection from spreading and killing her. What a sweetie!

Teasdale, the newest Great Horned owl is doing well. I'm including close ups of his injury

and the wound around it.

It is healing slowly, but at least it's healing. He's not thrilled with either Connie or me.

Usually, after they 'get the routine', they enjoy a head scratch here and there. Not this

guy! Maybe we should change his name to Oscar the Grouch! You ought to see the mess he makes in his enclosure. You would think he was part parrot. He chews EVERYTHING in site.

We have given him pinecones to keep his amused and busy, but no, he'd rather chew on his perch and the carpeting lining his enclosure.
ARGH!

Thanks for checking in, oh, and THANK YOU to Katheryn for another donation. You're one of OUR angels.

Remember, clicking on any of the pictures will allowing you to see them much larger and in more detail AND it's warming up so get those bird baths cleaned!
Debbie

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ATTENTION

Spring is a very active wonderful time for all animals. Babies are born and learning what it takes to be wild from their parents. Unfortunately, many may end up in trouble and often times humans may try to intervene, whether or not it is necessary. The inexperienced human finding a baby bird, for instance, more than likely cannot tell if the bird is truely in need of help, or is learning to fly, something that can take a few days to master. Leaving the baby to learn what it needs is something an experienced birder can spot, but taking that baby home, thinking you're helping, when in fact, it is the worst thing possible for that baby, has now changed it's life forever.
Call a rehabilitator for answers. Yes, we want that baby to be safe from predators, but give that baby a chance. The worst thing that happens in these situations is an improper diet being fed by the 'rescuer'. This will result in death, if not right away, then in time, due to improper development. Different birds require different diets and different amounts of food at different times. Here is where a wildlife rehabilitators knowledge and experience makes all the difference. Don't try to do this yourself, only to attempt to find a rehabilitator as the baby is dying due to your 'efforts'. When they are at this stage, there is very little that can be done AND it is also illegal to attempt raising wildlife. Only a permitted wildlife rehabilitator can do this legally, for we know how to keep them wild and ready for release as well. Making them pets, besides being illegal is very selfish and is not what's best for the wildlife. They need to be free and have learned how to find the food they will need to survive in the wild and know what to avoid and learn the language of their species. There is a lot that goes into a successful rehabilitation and the orphans out there deserve the best chance possible. Don't you agree?

DID YOU KNOW...........

Wildlife rehabilitation is a profession borne of a love and concern for wild things everywhere. We wildlife rehabilitators have taken this many steps forward, increasing our knowledge, skills and techniques into a career that most people do not know exists. Most people assume that the work that a wildlife rehabilitator does is something all state wildlife agencies perform as state employees. This could not be further from the truth.
The reality is, all wildlife rehabilitation is done, in all 50 states, by us, wildlife rehabilitators. State and federal officials MAY occasionally pick up the patients that come to us, but they bring them to us at our homes and facilities, not their state or federal offices or vets offices.
Ours is a specialized field that primarily involves vet/medical expertise. No, we are not veterinarians, but many of us have extensive backgrounds in medicine (people and animals).
We also have vast backgrounds in the natural history of the patients we care for. Our work involves many fields. State and federal wildlife folks just don't have that training or background.
The other aspect of our work that is not known, is that we are not paid by anyone. Our patients don't 'belong' to anyone. They are wild beings. So when they have medical needs, there is no one to step up to this challenge except wildlife rehabilitators. Most of us work basically 24/7. Holidays are no exception. When an animal is hurt, it needs help now!
To top it all off, whatever expenses these patient incure, the bills are paid by us, for vet care, surgeries, medications, all of it. We build their homes and repair them as needed. All of our patients need something. They are not here to visit, they are in trouble. So imagine if you will......going to work everyday, driving your own vehicle to do that work and never getting a paycheck. OK, so maybe you can do that.....now imaging having a source of income from somewhere, now, this is where things get really different. When you get that money, you just turn it over to other people to pay for what your patients need, regardless of your financial needs!
This is wildlife rehabilitation.
We also are constantly pursuing continuous education of the latest finds in our field. We strive to be the best we can for those entrusted to us.
So please, support your wildlife rehabilitator in your area. They need it and believe me, it is very much appreciated.

Wildlife Rehabilitation in Utah/Second Chance Wildlife Rehabilitation

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Boo Boo is finally free..........

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