Licensed Wild Animal Rehabilitation Center * Permit # L5B10 * State of Indiana
This is Vladimir approx. 3 days old on the night we found him. June 1997.
This is Vladimir two weeks later in July 1997. What a big improvement in such a short time. Up to this point, he had his "bottle" every 2-3 hours all night long. Greg and I took turns just like with our boys.
This is Vladimir on August 30, 1997. We lost him the next morning to a virus.
This is a red bat found north of Linton. We kept him overnight. Partly to observe him for any injuries, partly to feed him, and a little "partly" because he was our first red bat experience and was very fascinating and different from the big browns that we usually see. My dad went with me the next night to release him, but he wouldn't leave my glove so we released him the next morning. Watching him fly towards his home with the sun shining through his transparent wings was a thousand times more exhilarating than keeping one.
This is a young Raccoon that we named Willow. A lady called me and said her husband stumbled over this raccoon that had wandered onto their doorstep and appeared sick or injured. Lisa [the lady] loaned me her cat carrier to transport it, so I took it to a local vet. When he realized it was wild and not a pet, he wouldn’t touch it. I couldn’t get any local vet to touch her so I called Wabash Valley Animal Hospital. Both doctors were very willing to help, but they’re an hour away so I decided to “troubleshoot” over the phone. One local doctor gave me some antibiotics and they seemed to be the best thing available, but nobody would see her. For the first 4 or 5 days we saw many signs of hope. She walked around very weak, but her “potty” functions were still normal and she drank lots of water. This is always a good thing. By the 8th day she could no longer walk, but she still drank, ate a little, and did the potty routine. By the 10th day we were surprised that we still had her, but she could no longer drink or eat. She was just breathing. She finally died on the afternoon on the 11th day. It sounds cruel that we prolonged her life for so long, but we really thought we could pull her through and release her back to the area she was found in. What is really cruel is the fact that someone hand-raised her and when they discovered that wild animals do not domesticate in the same manner as a cat or dog they have thrown her out to die. She got sick and did just that! People keep wild animals to be cool and show off to their friends. Then when a wild animal starts growing up and showing its “wild” side, its not fun anymore so out they go! When you keep a wild animal for a pet, remember you are also determining how it will die. And it will be YOUR FAULT! Are you really that kind of a person? Call a local rehabber or DNR. They can help you make the right decision when trying to save an orphaned or injured animal.
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Our sons, Beau and Blake, share our love for creatures. They are 2 and 4 years old here with some bullfrogs they found at Grandma and Grandpa's house.
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The Buzbee Bat House Temperature Plot !
