Ok, we know this is weird, but knowing this not-so-fun fact can save an animal’s life! If you ever see a wild animal and it has what appear to be grains of rice stuck on its body, that’s a do-not-pass-go, do-not-collect-$200 emergency in need of a rehabilitator. Get ready for some nightmare fuel: those rice-likeContinue reading “Rice-Like Grains on Wild Animals are an Emergency”
Author Archives: ForFoxSake
Tennessee Coyotes: Natural Mutts
Happy National Mutt Day! Did know that coyotes in Tennessee (and everywhere else east of the Mississippi River) are naturally-occurring mutts? After humans killed off most of the red wolves and gray wolves that once dominated North American forests, wolves were left with so few available mates that they had no choice but to cross-breedContinue reading “Tennessee Coyotes: Natural Mutts”
Oops! Opossums Don’t Actually Eat Ticks
We goofed. Like many organizations, we’ve spent several years claiming that opossums eat a large number of ticks, and that they help to combat the spread of tickborne illness. We had fact-checked our information— we always do!— and claims about opossums as tick-eaters were supported by credible sources like the Cary Institute of Ecosystem StudiesContinue reading “Oops! Opossums Don’t Actually Eat Ticks”
Snapping Turtles Aren’t Dangerous
Lots of people are terrified of snapping turtles. We get calls throughout the summer from people who want snapping turtles relocated, or even killed, because they’re afraid that these peaceful dinosaurs will eat their kids or pets. But a snapping turtle in your yard isn’t anything to worry about! Snapping turtles don’t eat kids orContinue reading “Snapping Turtles Aren’t Dangerous”
Native Bird Nests are Legally Protected
We received a frustrating— and all-too-common— call yesterday. After barn swallows chose an apartment complex in Red Bank to raise their young, management hired a crew to pressure-wash the nests away, resulting in the deaths of many innocent baby birds. The few survivors were picked up by a caring tenant, who we referred to aContinue reading “Native Bird Nests are Legally Protected”
Wildlife Rehabbers Can‘t Help Domestic Animals
We wildlife rehabbers love animals of all kinds! We understand how upsetting and frustrating it can be if your dog is hurt and you can’t afford a vet, or if your canary escaped, or if your cow rejects her calf, or if your chicken has to be tube fed. But as much as we’d loveContinue reading “Wildlife Rehabbers Can‘t Help Domestic Animals”
Happy World Snake Day
It’s World Snake Day! 🎉 🐍 We love the sneks, danger noodles, and noperopes of the world and have had the honor of rehabilitating two of them (and also hosting several wild noodles on our properties)! This fellow, Raphael, was a kingsnake admitted earlier this year after being tangled in garden netting and getting himselfContinue reading “Happy World Snake Day”
Skunks Spray at Death— Killing them Won’t Help
Common sense isn’t always common. 🤦 So many of our skunk patients this year were orphaned when their mothers were killed by people who didn’t want themselves or their pets sprayed. And of course, most of the people who killed the mother skunks got sprayed while doing it. Being sprayed by a skunk isn’t theContinue reading “Skunks Spray at Death— Killing them Won’t Help”
All About Cooters
After we admitted Opal, our second river cooter patient, we saw a lot of incredibly immature, suggestive, and even offensive comments. We loved all of them. Yes, there really are turtles called cooters. That’s their actual name. Tennessee has tons of cooters. Specifically, we’re home to the subspecies known as the Eastern river cooter. It’sContinue reading “All About Cooters”
Don’t Give Breast Milk to Wild Animals
Yes, this is apparently necessary to say. 🤦🏻♂️ Every wildlife rehabilitator has at least one story about a baby animal that arrived critically sick after being fed human breast milk. And yes, some people have fed it right from the tap. 😳 Breast is best— as in, human breast milk is best for human babies,Continue reading “Don’t Give Breast Milk to Wild Animals”
