Lately, it seems as if the mammals have replaced birds as the number one patient at the Miami Science Museum's Rehabilitation Center. At about 8 weeks old this grey squirrel is severely underweight and suffering from a broken front leg. Every year, well meaning individuals cost squirrels such as this one their lives from improper feeding and lack of medical attention.
Did you know that it can take days of fluid therapy before a young mammal is ready to be fed a commercial or home made formula. Likewise they must be fed sometimes every 2 hours when very young in order to develop normally. And they must be stimulated to urinate/defecate every time you feed them. Still have time to take care of that baby squirrel you found in the yard? Consider this. If you are lucky enough to feed it the proper diet, AND manage to avoid allowing the youngster to aspirate or inhale formula into its lungs and develop pneumonia, you may want to consider what will happen to this animal later. Without the proper socialization with other squirrels, it will be socially and mentally lost when you try to release it later. It will no doubt not want to leave the safety of your care and be "imprinted" on humans. As a rehabber I can tell you it is disheartening and sometimes infuriating to see these animals end up like this, robbed of a life in the wild because of some human's well meaning yet poorly handled attempts to rehabilitate them. If you want to raise squirrels, why not volunteer at a rehabilitation center? We always need help!
It is interesting however, to note people's responses to opossums. I was recently amazed to hear all the pro opossum discussion amongst my neighbors. People were actually excited about having them in their backyards and felt that they were beneficial to keeping the rats away (they are). It would seem that slowly but surely, the old stereotypes of the vicious opossum is giving way to the actual facts about how amazing they are. As the only North American marsupial, the female gives birth to underdeveloped young that once born, crawl into the pouch and attach to the nipple for several weeks until fully developed. Once they crawl out, they continue to cling onto the mother for a few more weeks until ready to survive on their own. We occasionally receive them after they have accidentally fallen off and are about ready to survive on their own. Unfortunately however, the majority of babies this time of year come from the pouches of dead mothers struggling to cross the road with their heavy load. You can help them by watching out for them out on the road late at night and giving them more time. Also, please make sure to turn on lights for a couple of minutes before letting your dog outside, it may give that mother opossum a little more time to get going before falling victim to a large dog.
It is interesting however, to note people's responses to opossums. I was recently amazed to hear all the pro opossum discussion amongst my neighbors. People were actually excited about having them in their backyards and felt that they were beneficial to keeping the rats away (they are). It would seem that slowly but surely, the old stereotypes of the vicious opossum is giving way to the actual facts about how amazing they are. As the only North American marsupial, the female gives birth to underdeveloped young that once born, crawl into the pouch and attach to the nipple for several weeks until fully developed. Once they crawl out, they continue to cling onto the mother for a few more weeks until ready to survive on their own. We occasionally receive them after they have accidentally fallen off and are about ready to survive on their own. Unfortunately however, the majority of babies this time of year come from the pouches of dead mothers struggling to cross the road with their heavy load. You can help them by watching out for them out on the road late at night and giving them more time. Also, please make sure to turn on lights for a couple of minutes before letting your dog outside, it may give that mother opossum a little more time to get going before falling victim to a large dog.
This is a sad picture I know, but a necessary image to convey the seriousness of the situation. This mother opossum actually survived for several days with a fractured skull and jaw. She was able to survive and give her babies a little more of her milk and a better fighting chance before she passed. Rest in peace mother opossum.
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