Christina's Critters Wildlife Rehabilitation

07/17/2024

07/17/2024

07/02/2024

So true ❤️🦝

It was one bad review, amongst many great ones. I’ve learned to let it go…

This man was upset because I didnt answer the phone right away and he had a baby bird that needed help. Even though my voicemail said we were full and also stated we don’t take birds, he felt the need to blame Newhouse for the situation.

This happens to rehabbers every year. These sorts of reviews, messages and comments cause very overwhelmed, kind human beings to feel really bad about themselves.

Maybe he just didn’t know that facts.

Maybe he didn’t know that rehabbers are not paid by the state or country they live in. That most of them are volunteers and have another full time job to pay their bills. During baby season they are often sleep deprived and have no life beyond the animals in their care.

Maybe he didn’t know that your average single rehabber can’t properly care for more than 50 injured/orphaned mammals at a time - though there are some that take in more than they should because of people like him. People that make them feel guilty and responsible if they say “no.” Our team has run multiple tests to see how many orphaned mammals one person can take care of at a time. Even the most efficient and wealthy person can only do so much.

Each animal requires funding for its needs, cleaning of its enclosures, food, enrichments, care of a veterinarian etc…

We have 82 animals currently in our care and we are a team of 5 caretakers and 2 people answering phones and emails. This is so we can each get the amount of sleep we need and so some of us can work our other jobs or spend time with our children. This is so we can also have time to fundraise for the animals in our care.

Please don’t try to make a rehabber feel guilty for saying no. Do you really want an already overwhelmed rehabber to say yes to the animal you found? Do you think that animal is really going to get the proper care they need, in that situation?

My skin has grown thicker over the years and I know that this person was just frustrated and didn’t understand how all of this works. I know we are not at fault. But not all rehabbers feel that way and I remember how much these comments use to affect me.

All I can try to do is educate. What I am trying to say is - of ALL people, the wildlife rehabber who couldn’t take that animal is NOT responsible for its suffering. They can only do so much. They have literally made every sacrifice they can to do as much as they can to help animals in need.

Please respect their boundaries and understand that they wouldn’t have made the commitment to be a wildlife rehabber if they didn’t care.

06/30/2024

My greatest needs right now are small breed puppy food, xl potty pad and laundry sanitizer.

People don't believe me when I tell them it costs a minimum of $500 per healthy raccoon I take in....here are 2 other Illinois rehabbers breaking it down a bit...my numbers fall in other places but the cost still falls between $500-$600 per raccoon and most people drop off babies and don't donate anything.
Huge thank you to those who have already donated!!!! You are so appreciated 👏 💐 🙏🦝❤️ I could never do what I do without you! I also have an Amazon wish list on my page

06/05/2024

Prayers needed for a sweet baby girl I took in a few days a go. I have named her Ember. Ember came to me with what looks like all of her paws severely burned. Her back feet are so bad that she bleeds every time she is out of her cage. She is being treated with oral antibiotics, oral pain meds, topical pain meds, topical antibiotics and burn meds.
We are always in need of support, thank you to those of you that have already send stuff it is appreciated more than you ever know!
I have venmo, zelle 815-494-0932, Paypal [email protected] and at the top of my page is my Amazon wish list.

06/03/2024

Super great chart about if you find a baby raccoon....we are well over 70 now so again any help you can offer no matter how small would be greatly appreciated!

In the interest of helping the public understand what to do, or not do, when finding a baby wild animal, we are sharing a series of guides on how to assess and handle these situations. Please note: Wild babies are NOT rejected by their parents just because you touched them.

The following information covers what to do if you find a baby raccoon.

Discovering a baby raccoon in need can be both exciting and overwhelming, but fear not.

Remember: Not all wild babies need help! Most healthy babies can be
successfully reunited with their
parents, and each year we receive thousands of baby animals who were mistakenly taken from their parents. Also, wildlife are not pets! It is ILLEGAL for an unlicensed individual to possess a wild animal for more than 24 hours.

For more information, please visit:
https://www.wildlife-rescue.org/found-an-animal/

05/31/2024

Sorry for little to no posts lately....I've been in full blown or should I say over blown baby season!!! As of today I am at 61 indoor raccoon babies. 57 are still on bottles 🤦‍♀️ I am definitely in need of support and supplies. Every dollar counts and is a blessing! High priority items include baby wipes, fox valley raccoon formula, small dog beds, baby toys, honey nut cheerios, bananas, high protein small breed puppy kibble, xl potty pads, laundry pods, bleach, laundry sanitizer....I'm sure there are a million other things I'm forgetting as I'm not getting much sleep lol. I also have need for more outdoor enclosures and a new concrete pad done if anyone has a connection or a company that would love to donate the concrete pad that would be amazing! Pm me if you have any enclosures or outdoor dog runs that are not made with chain link fence (dangerous for raccoons) that you'd like to donate or if you're selling super cheap as funds are pretty much nonexistent currently. Thanks for all the love, prayers and support! There have been a few people who have sent stuff from my Amazon wish list or send a donation THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH! I will post pictures at a later date when things calm down PLEASE know you are so appreciated! I'm just running on prayers, coffee, energy drinks and raccoon kisses ❤️🙏🤦‍♀️
Donations via Venmo, Zelle 815-494-0932, Paypal [email protected] or PM me for mailing address. Thank you in advance and God Bless you!

05/19/2024

EVERYONE..PLEASE SHARE
see below..the 2024 list of all licensed wildlife rehabilitators is ON LINE!
PLEASE.. an injured wild animal may have little time. Your job as a finder, is to get it to the closest facility or rehabber. Required care maybe an immediate need and the longer the drive, the longer the amount of time that the animal is waiting, may be a matter of life or death. There's no reason to drive past other places that are fully capable of taking care of an injured animal to go to some other location. Please keep the Animals best interest at heart..that SHOULD be all that matters.

05/03/2024

I am near capacity I WILL NOT TAKE RACCOONS WITHOUT AN ATTEMPT AT REUNITING WITH MOM! I've been saying this all baby season yet the babies keep coming because someone relocated mom....it illegal to relocate wildlife not to mention a death sentence. Let mommas be mommas. I currently have 44 bottle babies!

05/01/2024

Thank you for your donation Kara!!! The babies and I truly appreciate 💗 you!

05/01/2024

Amen

In the quiet of the night, far past the setting of the sun,
I tiptoe into my office to make sure my days work is done.

Food bowls full, bottles washed, heating pads set.
Formulas are mixed, countertops cleaned and maybe I’ll go to bed after the floors are swept.

But the nights quiet causes me to reflect and see how far we’ve come.
I look around me and marvel at all we’ve done.

Animal after animal has been held by my hands.
Hour after hour giving them all I can.
Leaving parts of my soul and bits of my magic in every tiny paw.
Willing them to live, praying I succeed with every breath I draw.

Watching them grow, giving them my all.
Getting them ready for when they hear the wilds call.

You ask me how I do it, how I continue to fight this war?
I am a wildlife rehabber.
I have heard God whisper,
“This is what I made you for.”

SD

04/28/2024

I can't believe that I am even making this post but...here we are. ☹ Wildlife Rehabilitators ask finders not to feed babies. There are many different reasons for this...babies aspirating formula, giving the wrong formula for the species, improper ways of holding while feeding, etc. But, believe it or not, there are people who feed wild babies human breast milk. 🙄 Human breast milk is NOT appropriate for wildlife. It does not have the nutrients that wild babies require. Their little systems cannot process it. The baby raccoon in this photo was one such baby. His finders thought that because they had it and if their human baby could eat it, well why not. THIS IS WHY NOT...he was extremely underweight. He had diarrhea. And now he has died. PLEASE DO NOT FEED BABY WILDLIFE. Keep the baby warm and in a dark, quiet place and contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator.

04/27/2024

Please contact us ASAP don't try to keep them as pets or play rehabber....this is how babies die sadly. People with the best intentions and the biggest hearts but unfortunately the outcome is devastating for me and for them!

This little raccoon did not have to die. If you find baby mammals do not feed them human formula. Please keep any babies warm and start contacting rehabbers. It is much easier for us to help hungry babies than babies that have been fed the wrong thing or when they are cold.

04/25/2024

04/25/2024

Anyone interested??

04/23/2024

I'm filling up fast!!!! Please Please please.....let momma be the momma! I have a humane wildlife removal service if you need help. He will keep mom and babies together ❤️

04/14/2024

Well we are up to 12 babies....we got 4 tiny two day old babies 3 girls and 1 boy. They are all very small the first 2 feedings have not gone well but it can often be ruff at the start when they come in this small. Send your prayers our direction it will be a long couple nights.
On a positive note our little Gabby with the swallowing issues is doing a bit better. She's still not suckling 100% normal but she's trying now!!!

04/13/2024

Please 🙏 we really appreciate anyone's help! With all our animals in need and with lack of donations and prices just going up without grants not sure what's going to happen to us in the future 😢 🦝🥰

Good morning! We are searching for an experienced grant writer with proven success that can help us grow our rescue and be able to expand our services in the Rockford community. If you have the time, experience and interest; please send me a private message. We will not reach out to people who are "tagged" in this post but rather by private message only. Thank you!

04/13/2024

04/11/2024

Little update as of today we have 8 baby raccoons... our first 2 babies are almost 4 weeks old and have there eyes opened and today moved into big girl cages! Their names are Angel and Breanna. Then we have 4 babies almost 3 weeks eyes are still shut. Clearance (boy), Dinky (girl), Elizabeth (girl) and Frankie (boy injured arm). Then 2 little ones about 2 weeks old Gabby and Hugo. Gabby is struggling quite a bit and having a difficult time eating. Everyday is a battle for her and I hold my breath every time I open the incubator door hoping she will still be with us! Any prayers for her are greatly appreciated...I'm really not sure what's wrong with her she's very small for her age so I believe she is the runt and may have birth defects that I can't see. We're taking it slow and feeding more often and just giving smaller amounts. She's also getting some supplements and extra cuddle time. She's been here since the 7th so every day is a blessing! I keep praying that as she gets older she may develop more or adjust in some way to make it, only time will tell.
If your interested in helping out check out my Amazon wish list or venmo, zelle or PayPal or pm me for other ways to help ❤️🥰🦝 thank you in advance