Zombie raccoons aren’t rare. You may see a raccoon that is staggering, grunting, standing on its hind legs, and periodically collapsing into an unresponsive coma. It may even have glowing green eyes that appear blind. It looks terrifying, but there’s no need to hoard canned food and ammo. This “zombie syndrome” is caused by canineContinue reading “Dealing with Zombie Raccoons”
Author Archives: ForFoxSake
Never Paint a Live Turtle’s Shell!
Painting a turtle’s shell, whether the turtle is a pet or a wild animal, is an act of cruelty that causes the animal very serious harm. Turtle shells are not “dead”— they are part of the animal’s living organ system. Turtles absorb sunlight through their shells and convert it to vitamin D. When the shellContinue reading “Never Paint a Live Turtle’s Shell!”
Why Raccoons Wash Their Food
Raccoons are famous for “washing” their food. In fact, in many languages, the term for raccoon translates to “washing bear!” But raccoons actually don’t care about hygiene much— they’ll often choose to use the same body of water as both a latrine (communal toilet) and as a place to fidget with their food. Raccoons haveContinue reading “Why Raccoons Wash Their Food”
Red Foxes: Omnivores, not Carnivores!
The red fox is the most widely distributed member of the dog family in the world. Part of the reason for its success is its ability to thrive on almost any diet, ranging from nearly nothing but meat in some areas, to nearly nothing but fruit in others. Here in East Tennessee, a fox’s typicalContinue reading “Red Foxes: Omnivores, not Carnivores!”
Why Do Rehabilitated Animals Have Ear Tags?
A lot of people are uncomfortable when they see ear tags on the animals here at For Fox Sake. And, believe me, I understand why. Animals in rehabilitation are not pets or livestock; they are meant to return to the wild one day. And it would be horrible to cause unnecessary pain to an animal.Continue reading “Why Do Rehabilitated Animals Have Ear Tags?”
Melanistic (Black) Deer
This gorgeous buck was born with a mutation that causes melanism. Animals with this trait are extremely dark in color and lack all the characteristic shades of white and brown typically seem in white-tailed deer. Black deer can be seen in any part of the country, but, for reasons not fully understood by scientists, theyContinue reading “Melanistic (Black) Deer”
Rehabilitators Don’t Do Wildlife “Removal” or Pest Control
A surprising number of calls that wildlife rehabilitators take have nothing to do with wildlife rehabilitation. They come from people who want a healthy, safe, happy animal removed from their property because they simply don’t want it there. “Removal” of healthy wildlife is the opposite of what rehabbers do. Relocating an animal rarely ends wellContinue reading “Rehabilitators Don’t Do Wildlife “Removal” or Pest Control”
Found A Baby Raccoon? Don’t Touch!
Every year, wildlife rehabilitators, game wardens, and veterinarians are forced to euthanize hundreds of healthy raccoons. In most parts of the country, raccoons are considered rabies vector species. This does not mean that it is likely that they have rabies; only that they are at a greater risk than, say, a rabbit or goat. BecauseContinue reading “Found A Baby Raccoon? Don’t Touch!”
Swan Decoys Deter Geese and Ducks
Ducks and geese native to the United States are protected species— they can’t be killed, removed, or have their nests destroyed, unless you have a permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. So what can you do when you’ve got geese and large ducks wreaking havoc and harassing pets and humans? The most importantContinue reading “Swan Decoys Deter Geese and Ducks”
Suburban Coyotes Save Lives
In the entire recorded history of the United States, coyotes have killed exactly two people. While these deaths are horrific tragedies, they are extraordinarily unusual… especially when compared to the 150 Americans who die every single year as a result of car accidents involving deer, and the dozens of people who are attacked by bucksContinue reading “Suburban Coyotes Save Lives”
For Fox Sake Wildlife Rescue 