Two captures.....two very different outcomes!

As I was taking care of the crew Friday afternoon I happened to notice a coonie sleeping on one of the tree platforms. OK....a little unusual but given the 50 degree temps. not outright wrong, although I would have expected it to be higher up cradled in the pine branches where I usually find them. 

A closer inspection revealed a very sick coonie. While I was observing him trying to decide how sick, or if he was injured, he proceeded to go back to what he was doing before I interrupted him.....chewing off his foot. Shit!!

 There was no doubt in my mind what I had to do....not with this one. He had also been gnawing on the platform he was on...shredding it! So I trudged up to the house and got the catch pole and net....it was not a difficult capture by any means. Once he was in the net he pretty much just rolled around on his back....

 .....in between trying to continue to chew his foot off. *Sigh*

 It was very sad and I immediately had him euthanized. Not one of my immediate gang thank god...but maybe a grand kid. He reminds me of one of the wild juveniles that used to hang around out there and, although wouldn't come near me, would tolerate my presence and let me watch him when I left a snack out there for him to eat. I am saddened to think it was him. I think it's time everyone out there gets a rabies booster!

 On a happier note.....a local dog rescue had a problem. A new 4 month old puppy that had just been transported up here to go into foster care had slipped its collar and run off. Of course it was one of those petrified pups that ran in fear from people. Kristen gave me a ring to see if I had a trap. It just so happens I had gotten a fox trap.....just in case for my resident foxes! Although we really didn't think it was going to work, I am thrilled to report that the traps maiden voyage  was a total success!!

One very scared, hungry puppy is now safe and sound!!!!!!! Whew! Lost a little sleep worrying about that one all alone out there....the night before the storm that never happened was due to hit!

Mother's little helpers.

Ringer and Belle are pretty much around every night now. As soon as I go out to take care of the outside crew I am greeted by both.... who then immediately begin their quality control inspections of what I am feeding. Sometimes, if I'm really lucky, they help me "rearrange" the contents of the shed. Actually, Gibby and Scrappy are pretty regular visitors as well, and I may have Gibby to thank for the rearranging. Ringer and Belle just take the lids off the food bins, hop in, and help themselves!

I approve of this evenings meal! :)

I love hanging out with my girls! It's such a warm fuzzy feeling seeing how well they have done since their release in 2006.....and they still love Mom! Red had been showing up more often too, and it's great to see she's also done well!

River and the kids are awesome! She's such a good mom and she's teaching them well. She no longer tries to kill me now that the babies are older and she even tolerates me in the pen to clean and feed while they are out. They love the pool!

I am happy to report that Bama seems to be doing better. He is eating again and his neurological signs seem to be improving. He's still a little "uncoordinated" but not alarmingly so. Now, barring any setbacks, it's just a wait and see game to see how he is as he gets older and release time comes around.

Unfortunately the little starved boy didn't make it. He put up a good fight, but his poor little body just couldn't come back from the damage already done. Very sad.....

The big boys are having a blast!

At last...all the big boys have recovered from whatever the heck was making them ill! They are eating formula and puppy chow out of bowls and Rocco has FINALLY got some playmates! Yeehaaa! He is thrilled beyond words!

Even better....they have moved into the outdoor pen! It was total excitement as they raced from the carrier...

...OK....not "total" excitement for all of them! LOL Brim was a little hesitant when it came to stepping out onto those dirty looking lumpy things!

But eventually he made his way out and was climbing the branches like a monkey in no time!

Soldier the Velcro coon.

Spitfire...like an old pro at this.

Brim giving his best pose.

Chowing down.

Sammy gives us a close up.

Rocco and heights were not the best of  friends to begin with......

....while the rest of the boys were climbing all over!

...on top and under the branches.

Rocco still holding on for dear life! LOL

This is the BEST!

Eventually Rocco got over his "height issue" and has no problem going up and down as necessary now.

In the process of cleaning the pen and checking things out in the woods I ran into Red! I didn't realize it was her at first. I thought it was Lexi but she's usually too shy to just come running over to me! It didn't take long to realize who it was when she made it very clear I was to give her some attention....NOW please! Hehe. I obliged her with a good scratching all over and set her up with a pile of treats. She looks great and has babies out there somewhere! It was great to see her...it's been a while!

Ringer and Belle along with Scrappy and Gibby are pretty much nightly regulars when I go out there to feed and clean everyone. Gibby goes above and beyond, escorting me on my rounds, testing all the food buckets and treats to make sure everything is top quality, and annoying everyone in the pens trying to be-friend them all. He just can't seem to understand why these grown coonies keep snarling at him and chasing him when he's just trying to say Hi! Then one scares the crap out of him and he comes running to me and jumps into my arms. "Well if ya stopped annoying them...." I keep telling him! Adult raccoons do not want to make friends with strange, annoying little boys!

Yet another illness has reared it's ugly head. Bama is not doing well at all. He was perfectly normal for an 8pm feeding, then the next feeding at 2am he has a seizure in my lap. He did take his bottle after the seizure, but has been lethargic and somewhat neurologic since. As of right now he is not eating and he has trouble walking normal. All he does when I open his cage is stumble into my lap and want to snuggle up there. For now he's on supportive care and getting sub q fluids but I fear the worst. No other symptoms with him and different from both other issues that have gone on with the rest of the gang.

One other new boy has made his way here. He's pretty emaciated (most likely a sibling to one Laurie got a week ago!)and I'm slowly trying to bring him back around. He's pretty bright and alert and taking a bottle now....I'm ever so slowly introducing calories back into his system. He's getting clinicare and fluids for now in small amounts to jump start his system and if he does well on that I will eventually be able to work in regular formula. I can only hope there was no irreversible damage done if any of his organs had begun to shut down already. Keep your fingers crossed for the little guy and Bama too. :(

An update in pictures...

OK...finally an update with pictures! 3 of the new kids are out of quarantine and loving their new playmates.

Springer the very tan little girl extricated from between the walls in a home is now with her 2 new brothers.....

Chester (from Dorchester) and Bama (brought in by Dave from Alabama).

A very rambunctious crew...this is as still as they get for a pic together!

Then there is Tumbler and Legend....Tumbler being the girl with the head and nose trauma. She's doing great......

.....and no problem eating from the bottle now!

2 new girls from the Animal Rescue League...Rizzoli and Isles. Very sweet and they will join Tumbler & Legend when both pair are out of quarantine...then the 4 of them will in turn join Springer et al....

The ever adorable Spencer...the youngest of the group has finally opened his eyes.

Rocco, the big puffball with legs, is doing great. He reminds me a lot of Michelle! He's still a loner as well until whatever bug is going through all the boys his age clears up.

And the older boys. After going 6 days without eating!!! Brim is finally back on the bottle and doing well. Once he started eating again, Soldier and Spit stopped! Ugghh. There has been no vomiting or diarrhea or any other signs for that matter...just refusing to eat. Sammy remains unaffected and he and Brim are now the 2 maniacs waiting at the door to be fed! Soldier and Spit have also begun to eat again....on and off for Spit. But they only went a couple days without eating. Soldier has eaten his last 4 meals, and Spit 3 out of 4 so I think we're back on track....I hope! Will have to give it some more time to make sure Sammy doesn't break with it also....then maybe Rocco can finally join them?

The mycoplasma twins are doing great. Pebbles is using all her legs pretty normally now and Porcelain seems to have some residual effects on her front leg where it started...but both are much improved!

......and cute as EVER!

Lucky & Ducky are awesome. Hard to believe these are the tiny little critters that could barely fit a nipple in their mouths a while back! They are very sweet and quite playful now...and doing so well with the older 3 that they are in with them permanently now.

Please may I have some more?

Trooper is a little maniac! Once the bottle is gone he's bouncing all over the place...usually up my back and yanking on my hair!

Doc is playing shy....don't be fooled, she and Sis are equal to Trooper on the maniac scale come play time!

Lucky may be smaller but she sure holds her own with the bigger 3....giving Trooper a lesson on such.....

Then it's just coonie mayhem while I go about cleaning up after them!

And there ya have it....the inside group of 20.....I've been tip toeing around here like I'm avoiding the plague with 2 separate contagious issues going on, but hopefully we're over the hump on that....fingers crossed!!

The released squirrels living it up!

Just a little update on the squirrels. They are definitely enjoying the free life! It's fun to go out to the shed to feed the NCIS crew and be surrounded by lots of playful squirrels running amok among the trees and hanging nearby waiting for me to throw them a nut or treat. They are still hanging close by, using the release cage sometimes, but eventually they will melt into the woods and set up their own homes....making room for the next batch of squirrels due in the summer!

Thorny and Thistle are getting sicker as I expected they would. It doesn't look very good....
The NCIS crew is eating puppy chow well now so it won't be long before they are totally weaned. The gang that was with Phil....Michelle, Kinky, Pip, Merry, Tashmoo, Katama, Chappy and Squibby ....are all doing great! No signs of illness or problems like Phil. My guess is it will be about a week before the necropsy results are back...so I'm holding my breath!!
JoAnn is holding on to Little Boy (LB) the baby that was not reunited with the box until we clear this whole mess up...and there are 2 other singles out there being cared for by other rehabbers with no release sites available that will come here eventually also...again all on hold right now!