Little Z’s Wildlife Rehab, INC

02/29/2024

Oh so handsome! W***y From Wheatland 🐿️🧡
He was enjoying his dinner food block and wishing I would go away.
He hates me, but at least he has stopped attacking my hand and arm when I put food in, for the most part.

W***y was the last squirrel of the season, coming into rehab in October of 2023.
Soft releases will begin hopefully in April.

02/28/2024

This is a wonderful explanation of why the vast number of rehabs, use names.

Here’s a really good question some of our supporters have asked… and it’s our favorite kind of question, because it means our audience recognizes that our patients are not pets!

A lot of rehabilitation facilities make the decision not to name their patients, and we respect the reasoning behind that. After all, an animal in proper rehabilitation will never hear its name spoken out loud and will never form a bond with a person. And when our audience sees that we have a raccoon named Dawn, they might imagine that she knows her name and that she’s being pet and played with like a cat. For many facilities, it makes more sense to avoid the pet-like association of names by identifying animals only by a number.

We do things a bit differently, not because we treat our animals like pets, but because we enjoy sharing our patients’ stories with our supporters, with emphasis that each of our patients is an individual with its own history and personality. No animal here is just “an animal,” but a soul. We believe that by sharing these individual stories with our audience, we can help people understand that wild animals are more than just bodies and numbers.

As an example of this impact: our supporters might recall, even two years later, that Erich was an orphan red fox who was heartbreakingly lonely after losing his mother and bonded strongly with a stuffed animal. They might recall his foster sister, Polly, who lost her own mother and cranky and a little antisocial. When people who have seen these posts encounter a red fox in the wild, they won’t just see a fox, but will think of it as an animal with a story and a personality. We think that makes a difference.

Had we only shared that our red fox kit 5-08822 is cagemates with 5-08922, would the impact be the same? Would people see photos of the two of them and recognize which one is the cranky one and which one is the friendly one? We don’t think so.

Our patients are not pets. They’re will never know their names or even hear them spoken out loud, because they belong to the wild. But we choose to give them names to emphasize their individuality and to help our supporters see and understand the personalities of the animals they are helping us save.

02/25/2024

We undoubtedly will have early baby season due to the extremely warm weather.
Please check for buns and don’t move the nest! Momma will not be able to find the babies.
A couple extra minutes of checking can save some lives.

02/25/2024

There was no slip inside the box from Amazon that had 5 cube beds in it!!
Thank you so much whoever sent them!!!🧡🐿️🩷🧡🐿️🩷🧡🐿️

02/22/2024

Huge thank you to those that sent beds for the Littles!!!
We greatly appreciate your help!! 🧡

The serial bed killers say thank you!!!! 🐿️🐿️
Penny and Maple

02/22/2024

Please don’t feed wildlife bread.

02/16/2024

This is why rehabs plead with people not feed or keep animals. Keep them warm and find a rehabber. These are squirrels and they’re in critical condition from being fed the wrong formula.

This is why we plead with the public DO NOT FEED. Keep them warm and find a rehabber. The finder has had these girls for a week, feeding them KMR. They are dehydrated and in critical condition. They weigh only a third of what they should. If you’re reading this PLEASE share and ask your friends to share.

02/15/2024

THE REAL REASON WILDLIFE REHABBERS ASK YOU NOT TO FEED THAT BABY…

It’s not because we want to hog all the fun for ourselves, I promise. It’s because wild orphans aren’t typically healthy enough to digest food, when they are found.

Many are hypothermic. The body can’t even handle water when its temperature is too low. All energy is going to crucial body functions in that state. If the body has to divert energy to digesting, it will likely be fatal.

Many are very dehydrated. Animals can’t digest properly when they are dehydrated. The body pulls water into the intestines to aid with digestion. If there isn’t any water to pull from, this could cause a domino affect of problems.

All wild baby animals require a specific diet and that diet generally isn’t available in local stores. Feeding the wrong milk could cause an upset stomach or worse.

All baby animals need specific amounts of formula calculated by their body weight. The percentage differs depending on the species.

Not every animal can drink from a bottle. The correct instrument must be used to prevent aspiration and over feeding.

Bring me a thin, dehydrated, hypothermic animal and I can probably save it. Feed that same animal before you bring it to me…there’s likely nothing I can do to bring it back.

So please, don’t feed any wild orphans that you have found this baby season. Keeping them warm is a huge help until you find a licensed wildlife rehabilitator.

Picture: Baby otter, Emmet.

02/12/2024

My yearly post at the beginning of baby season every year. It's so true and PLEASE READ! Click on it to see the whole page.

02/12/2024

I am a little bat. I do not suck your blood, and I definitely don't want to get stuck in your hair - that's just gross. If I should accidentally fly into your house, please don't hit me with cricket bats and brooms. It really hurts, and I am so scared. It was an accident; I didn't mean to scare you. I am just as scared as you are. I am fighting for my life, and you are just scared; it is not a fair fight.

Should I land on the floor, I can't get up again; I will need your help. Just use a towel and take me outside. I promise, I will fly away immediately. I eat mosquitoes and a lot of other pests that can harm your garden. Our homes are being torn down for more buildings, and we have limited places to go. So, if I do accidentally fly into yours, switch off your light and leave the outside light on with the door open. I promise, I will be out in a flash.

Kind regards,
Your tiny, little, harmless bat.

02/12/2024

The more you know ❤️

Opossums never actually play possum! The opossum’s famous defensive method is known scientifically as thanatosis or tonic immobility. It isn’t a voluntary act, but a completely uncontrollable response to extreme fear. During an an episode of thanatosis, an opossum is not able to “snap out of” this state no matter how much it might want to. It can take an hour or more, in some situations, for this reflex to wear off. If you find an opossum that appears dead but may still be alive— such as one brought to you by a pet— don’t rush to dispose of it! If you see signs of life, contact a rehabilitator promptly.

02/12/2024

Massive, giant, humongous shout out and THANK YOU to Isaac Beckman for bringing a big haul of antlers for the squirrels!!
They and I, appreciate it very much!!!

02/10/2024

💙💛

We’ve got our party hats on, happy birthday to us! The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service turns 153 years old today! 🥳

Our history began on February 9, 1871 with the creation of the United States Commission of Fish and Fisheries. The initial goal was to determine why and how fisheries were declining off our nation’s coast and inland waters.

Over time, this mission evolved into an agency dedicated to facing conservation challenges through science-based management to restore and safeguard fish, wildlife, and their habitats. We’re ready to see where the next 153 years take us!

Graphic by USFWS.

02/06/2024

Helpz! Is it April yet??!! Freedomz!
Dis is crap! Lets us out!
~Penny🩷 and Maple 🍁

April brings the beginning of prerelease time in outdoor cages!
The squirrels will have 4 weeks of outside adjusting to sounds, smells and environment before their cages are opened to explore during the day! It is up to them if they choose to come back, hang around or leave.
This is called a soft release and extremely important especially for squirrels that have spent all winter yet in rehab. This gives them a period to ‘wild up’ and let their instincts guide them and forget about needing me to take care of them.

They’re driving me crazy and I’m sure I’m driving them crazy too. 🤪
Varied food and playtime helps, but winter is rough on everyone.

02/06/2024

🧡

🦌🐿 Get ready to make this Valentine's Day WILD! 🦫

Encourage your kids to spread the joy of wildlife with these wildlife-themed valentines, perfect for any valentine card exchange. Just download and print this PDF to share the love of Wyoming's wildlife this Valentine's Day: https://bit.ly/3SwWg9B

02/03/2024

This is the updated wish list for the rehab.
Baby season is coming soon and syringes; ni***es and formula are top priority! 🐿️🧡🐰
I need y’all’s help to make sure I have enough to cover this year!
One ni**le usually lasts one squirrel, one week. The syringes can be used over and over because they have o-rings in them.
🧡

02/01/2024

The rehab is in need of a LARGE dry erase board. I wanted to ask here before buying one.
I can’t afford a lot right now, but if you have one for sale, let me know and maybe I can get $ rounded up.

01/27/2024

No. You can’t keep them.

01/27/2024

It’s a good thing that it is ‘One Nut Friday’ because I came home and began feeding everyone, and had an escape. A little, fluffy, redhead named Mush.
She and her sister Foxy, are the youngest Littles. They came from Casper, late last year after falling from their nest, then no sign of momma.
‘One Nut Friday’ is the day that rehab squirrels get a nut, in a shell.
Squirrels in captivity are prone to metabolic bone disease, with nuts and poor diet the cause. Nuts are fine for wild squirrels, but for rehab squirrels, they must adhere to a very strict diet of one nut a week.

Mush is back in her cage with Foxy. She was very pleased with herself 🤪

01/26/2024

01/18/2024

I’ve been sick, and haven’t been to town in days, but I had to stop today and see if the Wild Littles faired the past week okay. We had -60° wind chills here.
Rain showed up immediately, and although she is thinner, and is missing a fair amount of tail fur; she appears to be good.
I believe the other squirrel, that often shows up also, is her daughter. She is a much younger squirrel and I’m positive she was born last year. Rain is in charge.

01/10/2024

My Chapter 45 Permit is renewed for 2024!!
April will begin squirrel releases and will bring baby season!

01/10/2024

🧡🩷

🏆 And the award for fluffiest recovered endangered species goes to: Delmarva fox squirrel.

If only there were tiny mic stands and tiny awards to give out. Until then, we’ll dream about their acceptance speeches.

From the squirrel: Today, I stand not just as a squirrel, but as a symbol of what can be achieved when we join forces for the greater good of our natural world. I’d like to thank my parents for believing in me and the humans that came together to protect our habitat. To other endangered species, you got this.

Humans with your cameras, if you want a picture you might see me or my friends and family members at Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge (Maryland), Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge (Virginia) and Coastal Delaware National Wildlife Refuges (Delaware).

Photo of Delmarva fox squirrel in study site by DNREC, Division of Fish and Wildlife

01/05/2024

Imagine supporting your local charities the way that Starbucks cup has been supported.
$45 feeds one squirrel for 2 or 3 weeks!