Picked up a carrier

[Saviah Wildlife]

Forgot to mention that when I picked up the bird, Keeter, I also picked up an animal carrier.

I'm not going through the trouble of hotlinking since we can't upload here but I picked one that was medium sized, since you never know what you might run into.

I've decided at least for now I'll remain an "unofficial" rehabber. I'm checking into all those resources you all have provided but it seems quite intense. Eventually I'll go official and list my cell number for rehab.

Anyway I think this carrier will be perfect for animals even up to full sized raccoons... on second thought some of the raccoons I've seen wouldn't fit in a garbage can they are so big lol

[MissDolittle]

Listen darlin, you can't just announce yourself an unofficial rehabber and put
your phonenumber up wherever. It is still illegal and you will have to pay a
fat fine if caught.

You don't know anything about wildlife. Just because you had a sparrow for
half a day doesn't mean you know it all now.

What would you do with a raccoon? Put the poor thing in a carrier and leave
it in your garage? Expose your kids to deadly diseases you probably don't
even know exist? You know, the are laws for a reason. Stick to them.

Don't you have a job or something?

[Saviah Wildlife]

Listen darlin, you can't just announce yourself an unofficial rehabber and put
your phonenumber up wherever. It is still illegal and you will have to pay a
fat fine if caught.

You don't know anything about wildlife. Just because you had a sparrow for
half a day doesn't mean you know it all now.

What would you do with a raccoon? Put the poor thing in a carrier and leave
it in your garage? Expose your kids to deadly diseases you probably don't
even know exist? You know, the are laws for a reason. Stick to them.

Don't you have a job or something?

I can [almost] understand why your reply seems rude, but I thought I had told you about myself, my ideas and my mission in life? If not then I suppose this is my fault.

Dealing with the sparrow gives me no confidence, except that I'm no longer afraid of birds, hence my getting Keeter.

I've dealt with, and specialize in mammals. I've rehabbed baby raccoons in the past yes without a license. They were given to us when I worked at a no-kill animal shelter working as a veterinary tech. They were released successfully.

I thought I stated many times that I'm new to birds, I am not new to mammals. I assist others in behavioral training with pets. I study many animals especially raccoons frequently.

Obviously if I were not legit I wouldn't give my number, I thought I stated that in the post?

I'm sad that you've gotten so offensive with my post, and are assuming because I know very little about birds that I'm a complete idiot?

Yes I have a job, no longer with the animal shelter. What difference does this make?

[MissDolittle]

You are right, I was rude. I didn't think while I wrote, I REacted. I apologize.

All of what you described sounds fine, but it still is not legal. And that's for
a reason. I just found it irresponsible of you the way you put it. There are
so many things to know for your own and your family's safety and even more
about the animals.

You explained that you have a garage. Not even a place to release the bird
safely. Mammals need more than birds..more room, more food, more care.

The reason why I asked you if you have a job is that those animals need
around the clock care and that care costs lots of money.

I work from home to support the rescue..spent about $2000 this year already,
not counting the vet costs. That's another thing to think about.

If you would go to the seminars and have a rehabber with experience
standing behind you, no problem..but not like this. This is wildlife we are
talking about, not pets. Major difference and many many many different
needs. And I'm not only talking just about coons.

Have you thought of fostering kittens and puppies for the shelter? That
would be great for your kids too.

[Saviah Wildlife]

Whatever I can't due, due to work my wife can handle for me briefly.

We have the garage and the basement. I don't run into situations where I need to rehab often, but as you saw from a recent post I should have taken in the one coon in the road, at least for observation.

I will get licensed, it just seems like alot to deal with. As far as release spots I'm talking "official" places, while there are many other places available which I wouldn't mention such as forest reserves, etc.

This is how this family is, we're geared around animals. I can't help it. It's a big part of why I won't even eat meat.

Also on getting a license I noticed it recommends I volunteer at a rehabber, problem is there are NONE in my area at all.

I'm thinking of getting another loan, just to start a rehab business. I'm scared though since I know I won't get much as far as money from donations. My life though, is for animals.

I can't foster kittens/cats dogs/puppies because we would never want to give them up lol

[MissDolittle]

Ok, that sounds good. But I really doubt you'll get a permit without outside
facilities. Mammals do need sunlight, which you know if you know your way
around mammals as you said.

A wild bird can get MBD within 3 days with the wrong nutrition and without
sunlight. My first bird in the rescue had it..well that was the reason why I
even started a rescue.

That baby started flying and landed on the ground and broke both legs. Then
the wings started breaking and within 10 hours he was dead.

I had MBD opossums from people who thought they could raise them.

Animals need to learn about the outside first before they can be released.
How are you going to do that?

I don't want to discourage you, rather the opposite..but I was lucky to have
had somebody to put the facts on the table for me, so I knew what exactly
I put myself into. Especially about animals that don't make it and becoming
attached.

And one thing is for sure: I NEVER let children into my house since the
rescue opened. I used to babysit, but no way I am going to expose kids
to the health hazards nor would I expose the wild animals to kids.

I think that was what set me off the most in my previous rude post. Pets
fine, wildlife nope.

[Saviah Wildlife]

Here's the thing though, my kids need to learn about animals... constantly. They are good about it too.

Cages outside? Like I said I'd have to work that out somehow. I haven't got it all figured out just yet.

With what I said before about fostering, as far as my kids go I can justify that a wild animal shouldn't be a pet, but I cannot justify that we can't keep a kitty or dog that they fall in love with.

Even when I am licensed I'll tell you that I won't turn away animals such as skunks, due to my theory that they are totally wrong on their ratio for carrying rabies. It's all a matter of quaruntine (spelling, sorry).

I have a great deal of areas for release, but again I can't list them officially.

[MissDolittle]

I know you gotta do what you gotta do. I didn't mean rabies when I wrote
about health hazards..not at all.

[Saviah Wildlife]

I know you gotta do what you gotta do. I didn't mean rabies when I wrote
about health hazards..not at all.

Yes I am aware of health issues with wild animals. My kids are educated enough with wildlife to know better then to approach them, kiss, touch etc.

Again, I'd prefer to be official, and will work towards that. It's just I've not seen any resources that give me the right path, except for the link you gave me for classes. Classes will help, but alone they don't license me.