BABY FOXES
These fox cubs came into the sanctuary at the
beginning of the month. We believe that their Mother
had been killed on a road. Three of the cubs were
found cold and starving near the den, and the fourth
one came in later, after it was found outside the den, suckling on a dead pigeon. Life can be so hard for these little creatures.
Clare, our friend who works for the RSPCA, got called out to a mother fox that had been snared, she must have had cubs either just before or possibly AFTER being snared! She still had the afterbirth around her.
Fortunately she was not too badly hurt. Clare rushed her to the vets for a check up, and some
antibiotics and released her
within the hour. What sort of person could inflict such suffering onto an animal? I fear for these poor little cubs that we are rearing, I know that they will be running from danger for the rest of their short lives.
Shortly after the fox cubs arrived we received five tiny baby squirrels at the
sanctuary. A builder that was doing some roofing work on someone's house deliberately cemented them into a roof space, but the owner got them out a few days later. They are so cute.
ARNOLD
This baby blackbird is the first of many orphans
which will be brought into the sanctuary this
season. A ladies cat brought him into her house.
She managed to get him out of the cats mouth and
phoned the RSPCA who brought him to me.
He had apparent puncture wounds to his body which had bled quite a lot for a baby bird, I think bleeding must have taken the toxaemia out of his body, as cats cary a toxic poison on their teeth which will kill a bird, after leaving even the tiniest of puncture wounds. I treat him with appropriate anti-biotics and fed him on the usual mixture of liquidised dog food, water and vitamin supplements.
He is now a VERY noisy member in the sanctuary and I am not looking forward to a multitude of other orphaned black birds this summer. Every year we get in-undated with apparently orphaned birds, if you think that you have found an orphaned bird, the best thing to do is place it in a cardboard box with holes in, or a bird cage near to where you found it, leave it there and watch to see if
a parent bird comes back. If a parent appears, put the baby bird in a safe place where
the parent bird can get to it, and keep all cats & dogs away from it.
If a parent bird does not appear, either take on the job role yourself or take
the bird to a Wildlife Sanctuary or Wildlife carer. Be warned it is VERY hard
work! Baby birds are VERY demanding. For more info click
here.
HERON
This grey heron was brought to the sanctuary after
he was found collapsed at a fisheries, who actually
didn't mind him being there at all! He was terribly
emaciated and weak, unable to stand, his feet
looked crippled and clamped tight.
After 24 hour fluid treatment and a infra-red heating lamp placed over him to keep him warm, he started to stabilise and come round quite rapidly, but now was the time to start and build up his strength. He was too weak to feed himself so we needed to force feed him, I gave him a one off vitamin B injection, to increase his appetite and promote a feeling of well being.
To force feed Heron, I poked three wet day old chicks down his throat one by one, and gently squeezed them down
his neck into his stomach. Herons are masters at regurgitating, so if he did
regurgitate he wouldn't bring all three chicks up and some would stay down to be
digested.
After a while he gained enough strength to feed himself, and was released 3 weeks later, feeling much fitter, fatter and healthier. The fisheries even phoned to see how he was doing, and said that they would be happy to take him back, apparently he is a frequent visitor
there... I wonder why?
HEDGEHOG
RELEASE
These hedgehogs were successfully released after
being hand reared at the sanctuary. They were
some of the last ones to be born last year and did
not make the weight for hibernation over winter, so
they stayed with us until spring.
The photo shows them ready to leave, having enjoyed free board and lodgings with
us for several months. Within a few seconds they were away into the big wide
world.
Hedgehogs should never be given bread and milk, as this is an old wives tale. Milk causes all sorts of digestive and bacterial problems, but they are very partial to a dish of water with meat based (not fish) cat or dog food with cat biscuits.
HELP NEEDED!
The work we do at the Cedar Wildlife Sanctuary would be almost impossible
without the kind donations we receive from people who understand and appreciate
what we do.
We desperately need help with funding to build new pens, and for the everyday running costs of the sanctuary. If you could make a donation, no matter how small, it would be gratefully received.
Please send any donations to:
Cedar Wildlife Sanctuary (UKS),
25 Cedar Avenue,
Kirkby-in-Ashfield,
Notts,
NG17 8BD,
England.
Tel: +44 (0)1623 750979
Fax: +44 (0)1623 468112
Please make cheques payable to: "Cedar Wildlife Trust".
Site Created and Maintained by UK Safari
© 2002 - G. Bradley
News - May 2002