Wild-side Rehab of WKY

07/04/2025

🎆WE HOPE EVERYONE HAS A SAFE AND HAPPY 4TH OF JULY🇺🇲

CELEBRATE RESPONSIBLY AND REMEMBER:

🎇If you are shooting off fireworks please be sure to aim for open spaces not into tree lines or places where native wildlife will be sleeping or taking refuge during the celebrations.

🐰High stress wildlife like deer, squirrel and rabbits are often flushed out in terror because of the fireworks as they run in terror they may run into an area in close proximity to humans(choose compassion not hysterical reactiveness) or run into roadways where they may get hit or cause and accident.

🦇Bats and nocturnal birds often collide with firework displays, are knocked unconscious, fly into windows/vehicles or are disoriented and may be found the next morning during clean up.

🐾If you have any injured or downed wildlife please contact a local licensed Wildlife Rehabber by googling your state + Wildlife rehab.

🦇Do not handle any downed bat regardless of size or condition without thick gloves, thick blankets or some sort of protection between your skin and the bat.

Stay safe!! We are always here to help!! DONT HATE EDUCATE!!

07/03/2025

Some early morning ASMR from Herbie our Non-Releasable Groundhog. Her favorite veggie is corn and she will search her bowl for her corn. If no corn is available she gets huffy and chomps her teeth at us as she "slums" it with the less than adequate(per Herbie standards) veggie selection!

Herbie was brought to us by Ky Fish and Wildlife all the way from Frankfort area and was even seen by the State Vet before being ruled as non-releasable. Herbie has a club back foot that limits her mobility, digging capabilities, ability to climb and normal movement which would allow her to evade predators.

For these reasons she will be with us for her entire life which in captivity can be up to 12 years but average is 8-10.

06/28/2025

This baby hoggie (as our daughter calls them) came in yesterday showing signs of seizures and possible neurological symptoms. Our first thought was hit by car but after a few hours in the air conditioner in the wildling hut, some electrolytes and sub q fluids he perked back up so we are thinking he got separated from his family couldn't find his burrow to nap away the heat of the day and was suffering from heat stroke.

He is eating his veggies and even showed his disgust for our room service by having a solo water fight that required us to change his bedding and housing accommodations 🤣.

We will hold him for a few days for observation to make sure he's doing good and hopefully his amazing rescuer can find his family and family burrow so we can attempt to reunite them.

06/25/2025

We have had some interesting, concerning and sweet moments this week.

A box turtle came in with a lawn mower injury and to our suprise during transport she laid 3 new suprises. With the guidance of an out of state turtle rescue we buried them in a perfect spot in our turtle enclosure their burial spot has been marked and if they hatch they will be returned to the area mom came from.

A water turtle came in with what appeared to be a not so serious shell Crack but when we started cleaning her an entire section of her shell fell off exposing the inside of her coelom, which is a fluid filled sac that protects her organs from the outside world. We talked to our reptile vet who told us an antibiotic to use and the best method to reattach the broken piece to help her regrow her shell. It will be a long road for her and we are taking it moment by moment.

Then we got in 3 baby opies who lost their mom and all their siblings when they were hit by a car. 2 babies are showing signs of neurological deficiencies and one is perfectly healthy.

06/23/2025

Good morning everyone just wanted to remind all of our wonderful followers and people who find us by searching for Wildlife Rehabbers or Wildlife Help. We are not federally licensed to intake, treat/care for, possess or release native birds of any kind. You have to possess state license and federal license because most birds are protected by the migratory bird treaty act of 1918.

For Raptors/Birds of Prey(this includes turkey vultures also), and waterfowl please contact

🦉Broadbent Wildlife in Irvington at 270-547-4200
🦅Raptor Rehab in Louisville at 502-491-1939

For songbirds contact:

🐦Lynn Hazelrigg at 270-889-7107

There are not any federally licensed rehabbers for raptors/birds of prey/waterfowl/Turkey Vultures that are intaking from Elizabethtown to TN and all across that area and only one rehabber is licensed for songbirds...that we know of...so one of these listed facilities will need to be contacted to help our feathered friends.

You can always go to the link below to search for rehabbers in your area:
https://app.fw.ky.gov/rehabilitatorNew/

06/01/2025

Did you know?!?!

When we think of pollinators we think of butterflies and bumblebees but did you know wasp feed on nectar and while searching for nectar they become incidental pollinators and carry small amounts from flower to flower helping with pollination?

Red wasps live in geographically close colonies of up to 800 individuals! They don't share the same nest but they do live close enough to feed, communicate and protect eachother.

Red wasp feed on aphids, caterpillars and other bugs who are harmful to plants and other pollinators.

Red wasps are a yummy meal for blackbirds, sparrows, wrens, orioles, bluebirds, woodpeckers, warblers, common nighthawks, and mammals such as skunks, weasels and sometimes even bear!! When you use pesticides to kill wasp you could potentially poison and kill those animals that depend on them for food.

Wasp only sting when threatened if you encounter a wasp sit or stand still the wasp may bump into you but the bump is just a warning like go away do not swat or act crazy wasp are faster than you and this is what gets you stung multiple times.

When a wasp stings it releases pheromones that enrage and call in other wasps in the area that's why is very important to remain calm.

We all serve a place in the great puzzle of mother nature let's choose to respect eachother and all life!! Don't HATE EDUCATE!!

05/31/2025

Did you know???

Groundhogs can eat 1-3 lbs of veggies, fruits, nuts, grasses a day!

As Groundhog dig their dens they aerate the soil, their underground bathrooms and pantries create natural fertilizer for plants and grasses.

A female groundhog has a nursery area where her spring/summer babies will spend their first hibernation. Her fall babies will stay in her den area with her while she hibernates.

We love our Herby Girl! She is non releasable due to a club foot! Her favorite veggies are Corn, broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage! She loves cantaloupe and apples but isn't a fan of watermelon or berries.

The more you know!! Dont hate Educate!!

05/22/2025

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UPDATE NOLINS RIvER WILDLIFE IS GOING TO INTAKE FINDER IS TRANSPORTING TO NOLINS NOW!
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EMERGENCY TRANSPORT NEEDED
CROMWELL TO BROADBENT
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IS THERE ANYONE NEAR CROMWELL OR ANYONE ANYWHERE THAT COULD TRANSPORT THESE 2 BABIES TO BROADBENT?

These two are the only survivors after mom was hit by a car last night around 10pm. Finder just contacted us but we are not set up for small babies. They need to get to broadbent(who has agreed to take them if transportation can be arranged) were they can be tube fed. The finder doesn't have time and won't be able to get them there until Saturday at the earliest. Sadly by then these babies will likely be dead.

If you can help please text 812-319-3912 so we can get you in contact with the finder.

05/22/2025

05/15/2025

These updates are always hard. I've been told by several that eventually your heart hardens and death becomes just one less mouth to feed, one less cage to clean, one less thing to worry about. I hope I never ever feel that way about any of the beautiful souls in my care.

Aziza passed away around 1 am this morning I was with her until the end but didn't want to update until I had updated her rescuer first. She started having extreme difficulty breathing around 10 pm. Her nose was trying to heal and kept sealing off her nostrils and air way. While opies can mouth breath it is very difficult for them to do so because of what I call the "trap door mechanics" of their tongue against the back of their throat when they open their mouths. Babies and elderly opies struggle the most while learning to mouth breath. Then Last night around midnight her abdomen had started to swell and it was squishy not hard like bloat or to much air from mouth breathing. Squishy usually means bleeding into the abdominal area likely from trauma or an internal injury made worse by her moving around more. At a little bit after 1 surrounded by love, soft lights, and the sound of the wonderful stevie nicks softly filling the air she took one final breath and was gone. Fly high run free sweet girl I'll see you on the flip side!
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05/12/2025

Aziza made it through the night! She had her breakfast(6 ml formula, 6 ml of yogurt, 6 ml of water) at 430am and even though its less than we would like her to eat and drink we know as her strength grows she will get to where she needs to be! Thank you guys for all the continued support and love for this fiercely strong girl!! She is still very fragile and critical so we are taking everything one moment at a time.
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These guys are so resilient and so misunderstood but we just don't understand why. Look at that face so much cuteness in that little face. We got all the fly strike off her and have started cleaning her up slowly but surely. She is in such a critical state it's better to do a tiny bit at a time. We cleaned the gnarly things first and now we are just spot cleaning the left over blood, dirt and grime to help keep her feeling fresh and beautiful!
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We run on donations! If you would like to donate toward Aziza and her care our links are below⬇️⬇️
https://www.paypal.me/WildSideRehabOfWKY
Venmo - (812-319-3912)
Cashapp - $wildsiderehabwky

05/12/2025

Aziza(Arabic for powerful, respected, beloved) came into the wildling hut today after her amazing rescuers found her near death at the bottom of some steps. This little girl has had a rough start to life weighing less than a pound she has more strength than most humans we know. Her foot was mangled, bone exposed, she had severe fly strike, bite or peck wounds all over her back and sides, her tiny nose has a wound and damage but through all this she ate/drank took her meds like a champ and then she laid her head on my palm and wrapped her tail around my wrist. Was it a reflex, was it exhaustion, was it a coincidence some would say yes but I work with these guys so much that I know when they feel safe and comforted they show appreciation and they do show emotions. She is very very fragile and critical right now and can use all the healing vibes and love yall can send her way!! Love and light to all of you guys!!

Wound is very graphic and will be in the comments.