11/27/2025
HAPPY THANKSGIVING, EVERYONE!!
I've got a crazy "tale" for you that does end well. Unfortunately, I didn't have my GoPro so not sure if I'll make a video for this one but I can show the PG photos...so here we go..... First I get a call from concerned citizen who has often had a keen eye for wildlife issues. She reports that several squirrels are somehow joined at the tail(s). I rush over with some gear for what I thought could be sorted out on scene. Wrong. With all the foliage, I couldn't really tell what was going on. There was 5 adolescent fox squirrels that were very tangled and quite frustrated which caused the nest to fall. Mama squirrel, you can see on the tree was also pretty upset. Somehow she kept them alive. I told mama squirrel that I'd fix this and return them. Ended up taking all 5 and the nest to Prairie Oak Vet Center. They got me set up in a surgery room where I put the entire cluster into a tote we use for anesthesia. Once they were sleeping I was able to sort out the tails, sticks, leaves, maggots ...and a drawstring. Before anyone asks, yes, I do actually have a veterinary background. After separating them all we came to the conclusion that the tails were necrotic. They were tangled too long without blood flow and the bones were also broken. So, Dr Fraker, and some techs and myself commenced to amputation,.. assembly line style. Now amputation is never fun or funny, but I must say all of us working together to save these squirrels had a heart warming "family" feeling. It was like a Thanksgiving vibe for me. So, Dr Fraker did 5 sweet tail dockings in a row. Then the squirrels were given pain meds and antibiotics. They had to be under observation for a few days, so they went to a special acclimation/quarantine type habitat that I built. They all did great. But how was I going to get them back to their mother as promised. Well, inside said habitat, there was a squirrel house and they all learned to sleep and hide inside it. So, I covered the hole with mesh and detached the whole house. Then, went back to the tree they came from. Screwed the house to the tree and removed the mesh. Now I'd have loved to see Mama squirrel meet up with me and her babies, but wildlife doesn't usually cooperate with my cinematic vision. I did, however, check in Tuesday and was told they seem to be doing great. I'm sure the neighbors are wondering why there are so many nub tailed squirrels in one location. Sorry for the long story but I hope it can bring you some joy.
In other news, thank you all for your vigilance and support. Can't happen without ya. We have recently reached the 65% mark of the annual goal. Thank you so much! Remember to call/text 309-242-2123 for your wildlife concerns. Have a safe and happy holiday weekend, y'all!
https://gofund.me/fdf17d34
