Basically when the other rehab intern and I went downstairs we started 8am feedings. We managed to feed all the raccoons and squirrels, and then worked on charts for all the critters. I personally fed raccoons and had help carrying out bowls. We had three volunteers in today because one normally helps feed mice and doing cleaning tasks while the other feeds/waters residents. She was helping out the third volunteer by teaching her the ropes of feeding, watering, and charting everything when it comes to our residents.
Once 8am feedings were finished, the other intern and I grabbed a flamethrower and head out to the mammal enclosures where we proceeded to flame throw two cages. All the wood chips had been scrapped out since the raccoons were moved to the ORC so the flame throwing process was next to 100% disinfect the cage so that more animals could be put inside. I must say, flame throwing was awesomingly fun and I know for sure that I have a touch of pyro to my nature haha
After this we honestly were not sure what to do since the rehabber was not quite around yet. He had to run some errands because he was trying to get our truck phone fixed. There's been some difficulty involving verizon so hopefully it will get taken care of soon. We basically went inside and looked for jobs the other two volunteers had not covered. For example doing dishes, cleaning off counters, and doing whatever feedings when necessary. The rehabber showed up but I cannot recall what all we did by then. Eventually lunch rolled around so we finished 12pm feeding and took lunch for an hour.
Once finished we went back downstairs and since the rehabber was not back from lunch yet because he had to pick up a squirrel near his home. So we came back down and I grabbed a bucket with soap water, a trash bag, and some plastic gloves then went out to Errol the Great Horned Owls enclosure and started picking up any feathers, feces in his gravel, owl pellets, and scrubbed at some dirty spots when necessary. I wasn't able to 100% finish because by 2:20pm I rushed back inside because the Snowy Owl had a vet appointment. However when I returned inside it turned out the vet was on vacation so the appointment was cancelled.
Instead of cleaning more owl enclosures I head into the Raccoon Isolation Room (RISO) instead and started scrabbing and disinfecting any cage I could. The trays were removed and were meant to go outside but I ran out of time because the other intern needed help with the snowy owls daily maintenance. I managed to finish all the interior parts of the cages but the doors still need work and the trays till need washed. The carrier inside needs removed and washed as well but either I will get to it when I am back on rehab or someone else might end up washing the stuff but who knows.
After helping with the snowy owl we eliminated 4pm feedings, did our closing tasks (sweeping, mopping, dishes), and just before we were about to load up a Bald Eagle that came in earlier in the day (due to being caught by a leg hold trap) a call came in about a goose with a broken wing. So instead of going straight to REGI the goose situation had to be taken care of first. I drove to it with a box and everything by myself and it turned out the goose was actually a Mute Swan. The rescue was unsuccessful since it went straight into the water but afterwards I was able to take the Eagle to REGI. I didn't arrive until roughly 10:30ish but Eagle was taken care of, I got to watch the initial examination and process after, then I got to see a juvenile red-tailed hawk before heading back to the center. I didn't get back to the center until 12:30am. Shortly after I went straight to bed. 5 hour drives are becoming easier to me but still are very tiresome!
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