Skunks and Raccoons!!

[1Vista1Grey]

So... I just recently finished up an internship at a wildlife sanctuary... and now I find myself in complete skunk and raccoon withdrawl.... Baby season is starting and wildlife is finally coming out after a long winter and I find myself very sad that I wont be going to work every day to baby raccoons and skunks screaming, playing, clawing, biting and pouncing..

Is anyone else as fond of skunks and raccoons as I am? Has anyone had their heart melt when a baby skunk tries to "tell you whats up" by pouncing at you? Or saved magazines and TP rolls specifically to see your favorite baby raccoon go nuts with them?? Do you ever go to throw something away and hesitate because it would "make great raccoon enrichment?"

Ive definately been bitten by the wildlife medicine bug...

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[philomycus]

I privately run a personal rescue, 'Squirrels Gone Wild'. I'm severly going to miss rehabbing babies. I've got two juv's right right now, they will be the last ones I take in this year, because I'm preparing to move either to Oklahoma or (hopefully) G'ville. I will miss it too, but it's a temporary sabbatical

 

[ZooNose]

I've never had experience with either, but your post is so cute, I want to look into it!

 

[Pandacinny]

Awww, what sweet sounding experiences! I've never worked with wildlife, so I don't know much about it, but baby squirrels and raccoons sound ADORABLE!

 

[1Vista1Grey]

Its awesome! I love it.... seriously contemplating opening my own sanctuary after I graduate.. the vet I used to work with is going to go for it with me.. we just need a third partner who can raise millions of dollars to support our dreams... anyone interested??

 

[cuitlamiztli]

Working with wildlife is definitely an awesome experience. I do miss the baby squirrels (the Wildlife Care Clinic at Iowa State doesn't work with raccoons or skunks), but I think I miss working with the raptors the most.

I can't wait to get back up there this fall

 

[TangerineKik]

Oh that sounds great! I'm volunteering at a Wildlife Rescue this fall but I haven't started yet. I'm really looking forward to it! They take in lots of raccoons, skunks, birds, and other small wild animals so it should be good. Can I ask, what were your responsibilities? Did you go through much training? I know for this place I have to go to two or three training sessions and then the rest is all during your shift. Does that sound about right?

Oh I can't wait for next spring

 

[Trilt]

Not a skunk or raccoon, but I seriously miss working with the possums at my hometown wildlife rehab. People look at them as pests, but they program animals we have are the sweetest things ever. Not to mention a pile of baby opossums is like... joy in a box.

We also had a baby flying squirrel with a broken leg at one point... adorable. absolutely adorable. He also recovered well and everything.

 

[1Vista1Grey]

Oh that sounds great! I'm volunteering at a Wildlife Rescue this fall but I haven't started yet. I'm really looking forward to it! They take in lots of raccoons, skunks, birds, and other small wild animals so it should be good. Can I ask, what were your responsibilities? Did you go through much training? I know for this place I have to go to two or three training sessions and then the rest is all during your shift. Does that sound about right?

Oh I can't wait for next spring

You will love it! My responsibilities started off as just animal care, which included bottle feeding, tube feeding, cleaning, administering medications, going on rescues and releases, fluid therapy, answering the hotline, preparing food etc... Then after 2 months I became the vet assistant intern and worked full time in the vet room cleaning wound, surgeries, medicating, triaging, taking x rays etc. Initial training for animal care was two and a half weeks. The vet assistant position was new so there wasnt much training, just kinda figured out how the position would help the vet the most, but i guess they are going to do at least a weeks training from now on.. they were lucky that I already had the experience I needed to mold the position. Each place is different so I am sure your training will be enough.. Just depends on how many animals you work with and such.. I remember we had pretty much a full day training on each type of animal (opossums, raccoons, skunks, song birds, rators, doves, squirells, waterfowl, deer... and so on)

 

[bunnity]

I am definitely in baby cottontail withdrawal.

 

[crewgal]

I've been in skunk withdrawl for the past few months but its ending shortly!!! I 'exercise' the animals at a living museum near where I live by taking them out on the 'playground' when its decent weather. Since it's just now starting to warm up, I get to look forward to taking them out shortly!! There's one skunk that I definitely miss because he has such a personality and loves to get into trouble. He's definately one that likes to pounce at you and he also loves to run all over the place. He can be a pain in the butt to work with though because he hates being caught. He usually accepts luring in with treats, but if you try to grab him he takes off running around for another half hour. He decided when he's done and he makes sure you know it... or get a good workout.
I don't really work with the racoons much, but there are some and they are amazingly smart animals and I always love interacting with them. The oldest raccoon is our resident artist and loves to paint. The younger raccoons prefer to sleep, play with the hose, and eat. They're so entertaining to watch!
I was never really fond of opposums though. Not only are they horrible to clean up after (anyone who has smelled an oppossum's cage knows what I'm talking about) but they prefer to scent mark everything in sight rather than exploring. Woodchucks on the other hand are quite entertaining although they love to eat anything in sight. Infact one supposedly ate through the wall of our museum at one point and was crawling around in the ceiling!!

 

[sofficat]

I missed raising squirrels so when we got a pair into the clinic I offered to take them... during my first semester of vet school. Won't do that again! It was so much fun but vet school plus feedings 6 times a day doesn't go too well for me. I really like the SE Raptor Center we have nearby. In my "free time" I go and volunteer there- those birds are awesome!!

 

[1Vista1Grey]

I privately run a personal rescue, 'Squirrels Gone Wild'. I'm severly going to miss rehabbing babies. I've got two juv's right right now, they will be the last ones I take in this year, because I'm preparing to move either to Oklahoma or (hopefully) G'ville. I will miss it too, but it's a temporary sabbatical

That is so awesome.. How did you get started doing that? Well, if you end up going to OkSU and I get off of their waitlist we should def find a rehabber to work with there :-D