This morning was feeding; I fed the squirrels again today since the other intern wanted raccoons. The three babies are getting so big. So far only two of the three red squirrel babies have their eyes open still and they are also approaching 30 grams really fast. They feed/eat like champs too. The rehabber fed the other red squirrel we had. Last night he wasn't doing so hot, laying on his side, but today after some medication he perked back up and was fine for the rest of the day. Sadly I think I caused him to aspirate. This means formula could have been inhaled into his lungs while feeding; which can cause pneumonia if untreated. It was treated though and as said he did fine for the rest of the day.
Once feeding was done I helped make raccoon bowls for outside raccoons while the other intern was feeding raccoons in the Raccoon isolation room (RISO). He fed outside guys once the bowls were made and since we released two gray squirrels and three red squirrels we no longer had to make squirrel trays for outside squirrels. I then started on chores since the mice were being fed and we did not have to prepare food for residents since we had two volunteers. I started to clean the cooler in our back room. Some nasty stuff was built up from some produce that went bad so I scrubbed down some shelves, walls, and made it look nice. Bleach killed whatever may have been growing in there and soap took care of the rest (okay it wasn't that bad but just in case). Afterwards one of the volunteers and I grabbed some bags and head outside to one of the squirrel cages.
The volunteer removed old wood chips while I gathered new ones into a bag and carried it back. To my surprise she was finished when I arrived with the new stuff so asked her to virkon the walls, ceiling, and logs inside the cage while I took the trays and washed them at our outside wash area. Once they were washed I came back and once again she was finished so I filled the trays with new woodchips and we were done in a matter of minutes! We had back in to look for more stuff to do since a lot of the list was stuff for after lunch or projects involving the other intern. I started to make more disinfectant and intended on filling bottles through out the place (only filled one) while the volunteer did dishes. Once that stuff was taken care of I started working on protocols with a rehabber and eventually the volunteer left.
Protocols ended when my help was requested by our rehabber involving a muskrat. Since it's a rodent we are allowed to legally rehab it. The muskrat was hit by a car and so we bandaged its wound, gave it pain killer, anti-inflammatory, and then hydration in hopes it would survive. Sadly later on in the evening it was discovered on its back and barely breathing which later resulted in having to euthanize it due to possibly pain / internal bleeding. We did our best through out the day and the end result seems sad but honestly death may have been the best option. After all, it's either a painless death or suffering in pain despite any help given due to injuries. As said, we tried our best but the animal arrived in bad shape and remained in bad shape no matter what we seemed to do.
Later after we originally bandaged the muskrat I believe I may have had squirrel feeding again so I tried to quickly take care of that. I also fed our other red squirrel inside. We did not go to lunch as anticipated though because a fawn came in after being hit by a car. Part of its leg was severed off, it had a dislocated back leg, road rash, and bloody stool/feces. Internal injuries rather possible as well. After being granted permission from other advanced license we were able to put him down. Any efforts made would be long term and out of out current capability until we are 100% able to rehabiltate deer. We could have given the deer a possible fake leg but this would require her to grow up to adult hood before being released due to needing a new limb upon mature growth. Since it was out of our control, the deer was suffering, and we were able to put it down we had too. It sounds like we offed two things in one day thanks to car hits but it was necessary to prevent continued suffering and pain to the animal despite any efforts taken. Sometimes even the best are is not the greatest simply because the injuries are too great to even consider rehabilitating.
I started squirrel feeding, 2pm, while two others buried the deer. Once this was done one of the two grabbed the snowy owl and I mostly watched. I washed some dishes then ran off to join the two rehabbers, the intern, and snowy to go next door for her appointment with a vet. Due to finections in her foot they had to remove the scab, remove dead tissue in the foot, and then wash it out with saline solution. The vet also medicated it and then we brought the snowy back to northwoods and bandaged her up. After this was finished we were finally able to take lunch.
A rehabber, intern, and I went to Subway in Walmart where we also bought some candy. We returned to the center eating candy after enjoying our subs and hung out for a bit before returning back to lunch. I started closing tasks, fed squirrels (4 reds), and then we were called to a rescue. Two grays quirrels and their nest were found inside a vehicle at a car dealership down the street. They removed the squirrels, place them in a box, and then we picked them up and brought them back. We gave the two rehydration fluid and overall the two seem to be doing fine. These grays do not have their eyes open yet but are no where near as tiny as the small red squirrels. They were roughly 80-90 grams in weight while the reds are 20-30 grams. After they were taken care of I helped the intern outside working on setting up an enclosure that we wanted to move our raccoon patients too. Den boxes were added, they have a slide, logs, and walls to climb around on, a a tub with water constantly rubbing from a hose (a drain is in the tub so the enclosure does not get wet). Below are some pictures of the new enclosure they were moved too! I consider it the ultimate enrichment room.
Later that night, after work was finished up, I did 6pm, 8pm, and 10pm squirrel feeds. 8pm included the three baby reds, one juvenile red, and then the two grays. Besides this the interns and I played sardines. This like backwards hike and seek. One person hides and everyone had to try to find them. Once they find the person they have to hide with them until everyone is hiding with the person; by then the round is over and the first person who found the hider then gets to hide. Never heard of the game but it was actually really fun. I kind of hope we can add empty outside enclosures to the fun besides the main floor of building (not including basement and upstairs).
Overall I am sore everywhere, cannot keep my eyes open, and am thinking bed. I had a good day no matter what but am going to embrace my day off tomorrow as much as possible. Goodnight everyone!
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