Tomorrow = Sleep

Only 4 days in a row of this job and I already feel burnt out. The main rehabilitator explained to us that he made 31 cents an hour the first couple years of doing this work. He made around $23,000/year for working 364 days out of the year, 105 hours/week. It's 9:30pm and I just got off work, unless someone calls or brings in an animal. No wonder the burn-out rate is 5 years on average.

I was trained in the education program and front desk stuff today, which was a nice break from chopping fruit and trying to feed squirmish squirrels with eye droppers.

daily bear food

My hands are destroyed. I have developed the habit of applying Neosporin to them about every 20 minutes and every time I get my hands wet. The combination of the squirrel scratches, constant washing of the hands, dish washing, citrus juices, Virkon disinfectant spray, and latex gloves have done quite a number on my already-not-so-eligible-to-be-featured-in-hand-model-photo-shoots paws.

Jason, a much better squirrel-handler than I, feeding a red squirrel


I much prefer to watch them eat their food themselves.

Dive bomb

We got in a very sad Bald Eagle last night. He was cut up in a few places, was missing some primary tail and wing feathers, and his feet were incredibly deformed. Mark looked at him today and decided to put him down, which was no surprise to us. It was a sad little ending, his body was fighting the injection pretty hard there for a couple seconds.

I'm going to glove-train a resident animal so we can use it in future education programs. That's pretty exciting to me. I already got a chance to try it out with our Long-Eared Owl, Leo. He is a stubborn little guy, but he is pretty cool, I think.

Leo

I have a love/hate relationship with the birds. Chimney Swifts eat by flying through the air, catching things in their open mouths. So, it is hard to feed ours in its little cage. We need to pry its mouth open and stick in the worms. Everyone else seems fine at it, but my sausage fingers have a hard time prying open its mouth and keeping it open long enough to get the worm ready. It takes me about 15 minutes to get it to eat 5 worms, and I feel like I crush it while I do it.

The Chimney Swift prepares for a drawn-out force-feeding.

I love the Red-eyed Vireo. When I come out to the bird food stand outside, he flies onto my shoulder, chirping madly and opening his mouth. I'm trying to teach him to pick up his own worms. He's doing better but I think he'll be staying in the backyard a bit longer. During 2 tours today the Vireo landed on people. Grace, an intern, was giving a tour and the Vireo came onto her shoulder, begging for food. When Andy, another intern, was giving a tour, the Vireo landed on an old lady's head and she started freaking out. It upset her granddaughter and the kid began to cry. Mark told them to carry some worms on them so they can feed the Vireo in front of the guest. Butter them up so they're greasing their palms at the donation box at the end of the tour, I suppose!

Waiting for service

Free-loading

Here are pictures of some other patients and residents:

The Green Wing Teal wants to be in the water - even if it's his drinking water.

TJ, the resident Kestrel, and his bad eye

This poor li'l coyote has mange.

I've been cleaning out this big guy's cage - while he's still in it. He is not pleased.

If you are interested in sponsoring a resident animal or helping fund the hospital, find info on how to do so here: http://www.northwoodswildlifecenter.com/general/memberships.htm