Bruiser's Buddies Wildlife Rehabilitation

09/05/2024

09/04/2024

New intake, less critical than I originally thought , although still pretty dehydrated, and full of enthusiasm for the syringe!
He'll probably have to go elsewhere for a better age March but I'm enjoying the time I have with him. One eye has juuuuuuust barely begun to open, it's such a fun stage to see them transition through. 💗🐿️

09/03/2024

Freckle update! I'm not going to lie, when she first came in, I was pretty sure we were going to have to euthanize, her symptoms just seemed so severe. But I'm glad I gave her a chance, and grateful to my rehabber village for reminding me that head trauma needs a good amount of time to show improvement. She still needs time to improve, but I think it's safe to say she'll make a good recovery and be able to go home soon! 💗🐿️

09/03/2024

I'm going to post about all of my current six individually over the next few days, because they're at the age where their personalities start to come out and it's one of my favorite parts of this whole process. I'm going to start with Iggy, the newest and smallest of the group. Iggy was without his mama and siblings for at least five days, which is a lot when you're just a little squirrel! He's on antibiotics because he was lethargic with poor appetite, and those can be symptoms of aspiration pneumonia, which wouldn't surprise me since he was probably out in the damp grass and it takes so little... He's finally gaining weight but he's significantly behind and has very little energy. I'm hoping he keeps gaining and we see some real progress here soon, but it's possible he'll end up needing to stay here for the winter to bulk up more. Sniffit was in about this bad of shape last year and the combination of two extra days away from warmth and food put her behind and she didn't grow a winter coat.
But he's a very polite, sweet baby and I think he'll be fine, sooner or later. 💗🐿️

09/02/2024

Ok SO, we're finally unpacked and back to what qualifies as normal after a lovely vacation in Canada! We have lots of updates, some good, one not so good.
So for the bad news first...while we were gone, Paige from LittleFoot Wildlife Rehab babysat for me, and was kind enough to take Hurricane down to Cornell to assess his jaw and teeth issues. Ultimately, they determined that his teeth were so badly misaligned that euthanasia was the kindest option, as he would need his upper teeth extracted and his lowers trimmed every 2-3 weeks for the rest of his life. Squirrels in captivity can live up to 20 years, and it seemed like a fairly poor quality of life with 18 sedated tooth grindings a year..not to mention that at $50 a visit, that's $900 a year in teeth treatment. And so, just shy of a year of losing Bruiser to malocclusion, we said goodbye to Hurricane for the same thing. It's possible that his inappropriate diet (human baby formula....) for the first few days after he was found contributed to his jaw being underdeveloped, or it's possible it was genetic and he never had a chance to begin with. We can't know for sure but we do know that he didn't have to die painfully in the wild or live a stressful life in captivity, which is unavoidable with a squirrel who has no major physical or mental deficits.

But on to better news! Lava also went to Cornell, they flushed her abscess and said to keep on with the antibiotics, it's finally looking better and she's gaining weight!
Tornado, Earthquake and Tsunami are all extremely active and coming along very nicely.
We also took in Mabel (extensive flea bites on intake) and Iggy (siblings were found over several days, he was found last, after 5-6 days without mama) from Littlefoot, as they're closer in age to the disasters.
Iggy is the worst off, after five days without food or warmth he was nearly dead and extremely emaciated, but I think we turned a corner today and he's now maintaining his body temperature in the pile as opposed to needing a hotter incubator.
So we're at six fairly healthy babies, and one recovering adult, Freckles, who appears to have narrowly escaped death by car, although her progress will likely be slow, like Hilda's was.

I guess that's about it for now, aside from a a big fluffy tailed THANK YOU to everyone who sent us wishlist stuff, it was so nice to come back to, you are all the best squirrel supporters we could ask for 💗🐿️

08/31/2024

Critical intake as soon as we got back from vacation. This one was found on the side of the road and has some obvious balance issues, just starting my exam now.

08/24/2024

Our new girl, Lava, is settling in nicely. I drained and flushed the abscess earlier today and treated the entry point with some Medihoney, which was purchased off of our wishlist by Jen, who also hosted Maple and Merryweather! People who help squirrels are my favorite 😊
Anyway, I'll be continuing the antibiotics for several more days but as of this evening there was very little refilling of the abscess so I think we're in good shape. She's still not eating great but it's only day 2 and she's not feeling her best just yet.
I also took a singleton from another rehabber to mix in with mine, but it turns out she's a bit older so she'll be joining Silvia over at LittleFoot Wildlife Rehab
But her face reminds me of Merle, who was let out of her pre release enclosure last week and is living her best squirrel life!
Last for updates, Earthquake FINALLY had the tiniest peeking peeper of an eyeball ever, so he should have a whole one tomorrow.
💗🐿️

08/23/2024

I think it's safe to say the introduction went well 😍💗🐿️

08/23/2024

An interesting intake. The finder saw this little girl fall down onto the top of their hot tub, then fall again to the ground. She tried to reunite, but mama squirrel just looked at the baby from above and never came down to get her. When she got here, she looked pretty good overall, then I noticed some fly strike and in checking that out, found a small puncture wound on her back with a bit of an abscess! She also had the bloody nose typical of fallen squirrels. She's been cleaned of the fly strike, her nose is pristine again, the abscess drained a bit incidentally during cleanup, I've cleaned it with chlorhexidine, gave her pain meds and baytril and oral hydration. I'm going to sit with her in my carrying pouch for a bit then put one of the others with her for starters. I don't anticipate any problems, at this age they warmly.embrace any and all foster siblings. It's one of the most endearing things about squirrels. I think this little girl will be ok, and I'll start her on the feeding a bit later, but I'm not sure what caused the wound and if it doesn't continue to dry up, she'll have to go down to Cornell to figure out why. But for now it's snuggle time!

08/22/2024

Took this last night then fell back asleep without posting. Night feeds are so awesome 🤣😭💗🐿️

08/21/2024

Breaking news! TORNADO RIGBY almost has an eye open! I've been hoping to catch one at this stage and it finally happened! Eye development in squirrels is fascinating and I could go on all day (those of you who've met me in person know this is true!) but one of the most interesting things to me is HOW the eyes open. It's not all at once. The lids are sealed shut until around 4-5 weeks, at which point the eyes begin to protrude more noticeably, and then you know you'll be seeing peepers imminently. You'll also see them doing the exaggerated blinking face, which strengthens those muscles and loosens the membrane. At this point it's thin but still connected but it allows them to see light and shadow passing by. The lid cracks a TINY BIT, usually in the middle, and for a very short time, you can see the tissue thin membrane separating to allow the lids to open. They are both very curious at this phase, but also get tired more quickly as they process the visual input for the first time. I believe it opens slowly to allow them to ease into it. By then end of today, she should have one whole eyeball open! Both don't usually open on the same day so there's lots of head flailing about as they continuously try to get things in front of their open eye. Imagine your eyes were closed for over a month and suddenly you can see! It always makes me a little sad that they don't get to see their warm soft Mama, but I know I'm doing my best in her stead.

💗🐿️ 👀

08/21/2024

I considered not posting this because I have crazy squirrel lady face and hair right now and didn't realize it until I rewatched, but really, this is the reality of this worl and the little bonus at the end is cool enough for me to suffer mild embarrassment! Enjoy some info and some babies!

08/20/2024

The Fantastic Fall Four are all doing well! Bob has insisted on a forces of nature naming scheme, so we've got some minor name updates. Tornado Rigby and Hurricane Diesel both arrived as singles, Diesel was with some different babies at LittleFoot Wildlife Rehab but he was closer in age to Tornado Rigby so we paired them up for me to start a new group. Body contact is SO crucial to their development, we try to pair them with others as quickly as possible. Earthquake and Tsunami are biological siblings, found wandering in a yard after the storms. There was a third sibling but unfortunately it wandered off while the finder was getting something to put them in. They are keeping an eye out and will bring me any others that they find. Everyone has stabilized nicely, Tornado was the worst off of them and she's finally gaining some strength and responding more to stimuli. Only Diesel has his eyes open, but I expect more peepers to be peeking at me any day now! People ask how I can tell them apart, to me they just all look so different! Here's a bunch of baby pictures to brighten your day 💗🐿️

08/18/2024

Last but not least, I've finally just about finished the cleanup of the rehabbing room, still rearranging things to streamline my processes. I also took stock of what I'm low on and have just updated my wishlist with quantities and priorities, and a few items to support my transport volunteers.
Someone asked me a few weeks ago why I still have ni***es on the list when I already got some, so I took a picture of what happens to a ni**le after enough squirrels have been at it. I do NOT envy mama squirrels at that point at all!
There WILL be a fundraiser sale coming up in September, with a few items made by me, and also sticker and magnets, I'm hoping to offer a couple of different designs on those. I'm also considering a T-shirt but haven't figured out the finances on that yet, maybe I'll do them by pre order? I don't want to order a ton and be stuck with them! Anyway, thank you all for the support, you're best Buddies I could ask for!! 💗🐿️

Venmo: squirrelCasey (Casey Wright)
Amazon wishlist:
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/381N8GTAQESE?ref_=list_d_wl_ys_list_1&filter=unpurchased&sort=default&viewType=list

08/18/2024

They are so cute together.
My heart needed this.
💗🐿️

08/18/2024

I guess we're back in business! Welcome Rigby to Bruiser's Buddies!! Rigby is about 4-5 weeks old, and I don't have a ton of info about her history. She had a good amount of fly strike on her, and some internally unfortunately, but Paige helped me triage and she's now resting comfortably with Diesel, who's on loan from LittleFoot Wildlife Rehab so Rigby doesn't have to be alone. Diesel has one eye open already and when he got here tonight, his second eye started to open while Bob was holding him! The eye opening is a fascinating process, and they don't open all the way all at once, and not always on the same day. Welcome babies!!!

08/16/2024

Sharing this from a rehabber colleague, I was not directly involved but have been communicating with those who were in the last few days. I don't have words to express how angry and sick this makes me. If you have ANY idea who may have done this, please report it. SOMEONE in Rochester did this, and I can't believe that anyone dumb enough to do this wouldn't also be dumb enough to run around and brag about it. This is a federal offense but worse than that, this beautiful hawk, which appears to have just hatched this year, had to SUFFER for days, rotting from the inside out, because some worthless POS thought it would be cool to shoot it with an arrow.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/cgxv3dXgUVvQsfzM/?mibextid=oFDknk

08/15/2024

We're now in mid-August and theoretically, sometime in the next few weeks, our snapping turtle eggs will hatch! We check them every few days and mist as needed, while also watching out for mold. Mold forming above an egg indicates that it has not developed correctly. We had two mold spots so at the advice of the Cornell wildlife hospital, we checked ALL the eggs and found five that had turned brown. Apparently there was a miscount, so we had 30 to begin with instead of 29, leaving us with 25 after culling the "dud" eggs. I did open them out of curiosity, but didn't take pictures, but there was nothing much to report anyway. The shells were thinner than chicken eggs but still brittle, and the inside of all five was a thick yellow yolk with almost no albumen. Two of the yolks were slightly more solid. The rest were covered again, misted, and we'll continue to watch and check them.

08/14/2024

A few folks have messaged asking if I'm ok.
I am.
Mostly.
I said I was ready, I waited until I felt ready, and being ready in this kind of work means not just being ready with food and medicine and an incubator, it means being ready to lose them too. So I'm sad that I couldn't save them, but they were very cold when they were found, and I don't have a definite protocol that brings them back from that. There isn't one. No one has the resources to research this stuff in squirrels. I'm also limited by access to medications, equipment and training.
But today I also stabilized the Red-Tailed Hawk, and she's on her way to Cornell, updates to follow. She may not be saved, I believe her right wind/shoulder was broken, and possibly her pelvis or left leg as well. But if she can be, they will, and hopefully one of the raptor rehabbers I know will do me a favor and get her back to condition. Maybe she'll be a candidate for an education ambassador. Today I hydrated her and managed her pain and fed her. And then lost the squirrels. And it puts in such sharp contrast the difference in how I feel about squirrels from how I felt rehabbing birds. Because I'm satisfied with the work I did for the hawk, but not too stressed about what may happen with her, but I'm not satisfied with not being able to save the squirrels. Their death bothers me. The hawk would bother me too, but it's a different feeling and I'm still exploring what it means.
I digress.
Please enjoy now my amazing songwriting skills.

08/13/2024

Update 2142 (9:42pm)
The girl just died in my hands as well. She was quiet and calm, just like he was. A breath out... but none back in.
She did enjoy a long round of armpit and ear scritches a couple of hours ago, I was hoping the stimulation would give her some good endorphins and perk her up. It didn't, but at least I know she felt some comfort before she went.

Update 1920 (7:20pm)
The boy just died in my hands a couple of minutes ago.

I finally decided I was ready for squirrels and almost immediately got a text from another rehabber about two very critical greys around 3-4 weeks old. They're bio siblings, the boy was found yesterday and the girl today. They are both unlikely to make it, but I'm going to do my best now to save them. Will post updates as I have them.

08/13/2024

Another very temporary guest, a fledgling Red-Tailed Hawk. This poor hawk got hit by a car while he was trying to fly off carrying his lunch. Hawks have no peripheral vision, so if they fly perpendicular to the road (which they often do while hunting in the mowed grass on the shoulder) they can't see the cars coming. The car that hit it just kept driving, which I will never understand. Luckily a friend of mine was driving by and was able to catch it and get it into a box. I'll be handing it off to a raptor rehabber later today and then it's off to Cornell for X-rays and hopefully, treatment.

08/12/2024

This is a frightening and unfortunately continuing and escalating situation.
Although birds are no longer the only carriers, this is a large part of why I'm not taking birds this year, and why I'm not seeking to renew my federal bird rehabilitation license. It depresses me greatly to imagine the future of our biodiversity.
https://news.mongabay.com/2024/08/animal-apocalypse-deadly-bird-flu-infects-hundreds-of-species-pole-to-pole/?fbclid=IwY2xjawEnFqFleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHTw4_swk_7aqtqleyfEQ1EN3-L6kgLRZDPBLl1lFAIg576gKpak7q2jSsg_aem_tPq4xJMIgMyP2BcoHKWUAA

Brown skuas and south polar skuas, two gull-like species that nest in Antarctica, are sometimes called the “pirates of the Southern seas.” These migratory seabirds are fierce, competitive predators that hunt or scavenge anything, from eggs and adult birds to seafood, mammals or garbage. “They....

08/09/2024

Not much to report here, handed off the pinkies to another rehabber and now I'm just continuing to clean up the squirrel room and prepare for fall babies for when I'm ready. I did order and install a marker sign for Minerva's resting place, and attached it to a branch that was in her cage. She came to me the day we lost Athena, and now they're resting together. Coincidentally, a walnut tree is sprouting right next to them, which was probably buried there last year (we have an English walnut tree in the yard) by a visiting squirrel. I'm going to let it grow there until next year then move it to the yard. That way both Athena and Minerva will have contributed to it, and it can grow strong and tall and provide walnuts for squirrels for generations to come. And in turn those squirrels will incidentally plant more, and so in that way Minerva and Athena will continue on in the great shining circle of squirrels and trees. Beautiful, fluffy-tail- blanketed gardeners sowing seeds for gardens they'll never see, forgotten (or intentionally placed?) nuts buried with careful little pitter pats of the front feeties, just so, until they're satisfied and move on in big bounding leaps to the next, or perhaps back to their drey to curl into a ball and cover up with their tail blanket, nose tucked under their clever paws, that do their good work. 💗🐿️

08/07/2024

Meet our other pinky and see them meet for the first time, which led to immediate snuggling and passing out 💗🐿️

08/07/2024

Update on our tiny guy 💗

08/07/2024

15.2g and still had milk in his belly when he was found, but as far as I know, no one tried to reunite him with mama. He's got a lot of bruising around his mouth so feeding is a little tricky. I just have him the teeniest tiniest dose of Meloxicam to help with the swelling. He's crying on and off and it's heartbreaking. Not sure I can keep him long term but he's here and safe for now.

08/04/2024

Something a little different!

08/04/2024

It's always ups and downs when you do this kind of work. On the upside, yesterday I got a call for a hawk about five minutes from my house. I went over, and luckily Paige from LittleFoot Wildlife Rehab came to assist. We got him in the net and I called upon my years of experience at Bay raptor research to remember how to wrangle a hawk! It's a hatch year Cooper's Hawk and has been delivered to a licensed raptor rehabilitator.
For the downs, our little Pinky Wesley has passed, as the days went by his bruising wasn't getting better and he began to look jaundiced. It's likely his liver was damaged and couldn't keep up. Also Paige received a squirrel that was hit by a car but lived, and we had to euthanize him as well.
And on a less serious but still annoying note, I locked my keys in the car....again. You never really know what any given day will bring you.

08/02/2024

Wesley has three bigger siblings over at chipchloesquirrel !
Based on his umbilical cord and general unfinished look, Wesley was probably born yesterday. The next biggest one here is about ten days old, and the other two a bit older, so you can really appreciate how quickly they grow and develop. I know he's in great hands, and I know that I made the right choice in not keeping him. Grief is a complicated thing. I'm cleaning up the rehab room today, after finally releasing my last squirrels last Sunday. Minerva died a week ago today almost to the hour, and I'm still caught off guard when I find something that unexpectedly reminds me of her. Today it was her harness, and her snuggle tent, with seven carefully hoarded nuts, hidden under the cushion.
I miss my girl. ❤️🐿️💔🐿️