Monty's House Wildlife Rehabilitation

06/13/2026

You can tell it is a hot day when the squirrels in the release pens do not finish their food, much like humans when the weather gets warm, so my neighborhood raccoon friend, who is a confirmed nursing mama, was plenty happy to enjoy their collective leftovers this evening.

This is the third time that I have had a mama raccoon on the property, and while I do not know where her den is, do you know what I am going to do about her roaming the property, being up on the deck eating from the squirrel's seed and nut bowls, and drinking from the community water bowl? Not a darn thing. I am going to leave her alone, let her raise her babies, and allow them all to move on and forge their way in the wild when the time comes.

Many rehabbers receive intakes as a result of situations that finders create themselves; they trap and rehome a mama (illegal by the way), they kill the mama as they find them to be a nuisance, or they drive too fast and hit a mama in the road.

The phone rang off the hook this week and I have many more new intakes as a result. Three intake incidents from hit by car opossums, and one from someone who did not want an adult rabbit in their yard/garden, and took measures in their own hands to eliminate that "problem," thus leaving a nest of orphans. It was a long week that came with some releases, some losses, and some new intakes.

Let them be. Let them raise their babies. Let them all move on. Drive slower. Seal up a point of entry to a space after they have moved on. Support them with a bowl of fresh water if you feel so led. We are on their property, not the other way around.

06/08/2026

We have had so many new intakes that it's been a while since I have given updates on some critters who arrived earlier this season so let's get updated on some of our rehab friends who have made big housing moves!! Tap on each 📸 to see all their cuteness.

🩶 The Nuts About Space Crew (Astronaut, Peanut, Rocketship, Walnut, Orion, and Cashew) have been out in the backside release pen for almost three weeks, so when we have a three day stretch of good weather coming up, it will be their time for lift off to the trees.

🩶 Rosie, the southern flying squirrel, has been moved to the release flight cage on the deck as she gets ready to make her nocturnal debut in the trees. She has a couple of more weeks to go, but she is enjoying the outdoors for now.

🩶 The Friendly Friends Gang (Gary, Laurie, Ben, Jerry, and Brad) were moved to the frontside release pen last week so they too have two more weeks until they are eligible for the treetops, but they have settled in nicely outside.

🖤 Sodapop, Rumi, and Lelia have moved on up to a double decker big kid cage in the rehab room and are loving the extra space for funtivities, rope toys, wood ledges, and a hammock!!

🤎 Lieutenant Dan has settled in like a pro into his housing and is the kindest and friendliest chipmunk I have ever had in rehab (they are typically notorious biters!!), and is enjoying his log hideout, enrichment toys, and snacks of course. He will likely be released later this month.

Whew - it's been a whirlwind few weeks, but you are now caught up with all the musical cage moves that have been made around here!!

06/07/2026

⭐️⭐️UPDATE⭐️⭐️ Thanks to amazing transporter, Debbie, who is part of the Monty's House Community, the opossums have secured a ride!! Thanks to all who considered helping them, I appreciate it!

Hoping someone from the Monty's House Community might have time to give some baby opossums a ride here for care. Finder lives in Rutland Town but can meet in Danby if needed. Thanks so much for any consideration 💗

⭐️⭐️UPDATE⭐️⭐️ The opossum gang has secured a ride thanks to the kindness of wonderful transporter, Debbie - thank you 💛

🚨🚨 TRANSPORT NEEDED 🚨🚨 for 6 baby opossums that sadly lost their mama to a vehicle strike. Transport would be from Danby to rehabber Karen in Shaftsbury. The finder lives in Rutland Town but can meet a transporter in Danby if more convenient.

If you are able to assist with a ride, please contact Laurie at 802-236-9583 to coordinate pickup, and then reach out to Karen at 802-681-8201 arrange dropoff.

This is a photo of the opossums who need help with a ride. Please share, and comment on this post once transport has been secured.

Again, the opossums need to get from Rutland Town/Danby to rehabber Karen, and we thank you for any help you can offer 💗

06/05/2026

Next up for introductions is a little grey squirrel who arrived at Monty's House all the way from Springfield, VT after her kind finder Stephanie found her just hanging out in her yard not moving around or scurrying away. Stephanie advised that she had a bloody nose, and was kind enough to make the entire trip for her transport.

During her intake exam, I confirmed the bloody nose which was causing quite a bit of difficulty for her breathing, she also had a decent gash in her lower lip, and most troubling of all, she had no use of her hind legs and was dragging them when she tried to move, all of which makes me suspect she was clipped by a vehicle.

Now, the dragging/no use of the hindquarters is concerning as it often means there is a spine/back/pelvis issue, and if a squirrel does not have use of the back legs, it cannot run or climb sufficiently to evade predators, and this makes them non-releaseable and sadly, a humane euthanasia case. In other cases, we can be dealing with a pinched nerve or some swelling that is causing the immobility of the legs. I never jump to the worst case conclusion immediately, but rather let the squirrel tell me and show me what is happening with the hindquarters by something I call a "pinch test."

I administer the pinch test by taking hemostats and using them to pinch the toes. Hemostats allow for a much stronger "pinch" and subsequent reaction than we can with our fingers. In pinching the toes, I am looking for two things, first, for them to pull the feet and legs up/back as a reaction to being pinched. If this happens, it is a good sign, but can also be merely the reflexes, the same reaction as when a doctor strikes your knee with a little mallet and your leg kicks out involuntarily. The second thing I want to see while pinching, is a reaction in the their face or demeanor; a true "knock that off lady, the toe pinching hurts!!" The first reaction tells me that there is still nerve connection down into the legs and feet - I pinch, the legs pull back. The second reaction tells me that the pinching is connecting with the nerves and sending the signal to the brain to wince/wiggle/yell at me, and that is the one I really want to see. Both of these reactions tell me that we have a shot at recovery, and we need to give that some time.

Thankfully for this little girl squirrel, she had BOTH of these reactions and has made some really nice progress in her recovery over the last week. I had been syringe feeding her for the first few days because she was unable to hold herself up to eat, but she is now self-feeding, with banana being a favorite food. I am also keeping her in a smaller cage for now to limit her space to move, although I have caught her several times climbing on the sides of her cage, and when placed on the floor to gauge her mobility, she is now able to partially use both of her hind legs and feet. All of these are really good signs and I am very hopeful that she will make a recovery that will allow her to be released to the trees.

She receives her name from the Greek goddess of strength to overcome obstacles, so please say hello to Bia - Welcome to Monty's House 🩶

06/04/2026

⭐️⭐️UPDATE - Stephannie P. steps up again and is on her way to Monty's House with the chipmunk. Thanks for always offering to help critters get where they need to be, we appreciate you Stephannie 💛

Monty's House Community - might anyone have some time this afternoon to give a very young cat caught chipmunk a ride from Rutland to Shaftsbury? Details are in the GMAD post and thanks so much for any consideration 💞

⭐️⭐️UPDATE - the little chipmunk has secured a ride thanks to amazing transporter Stephannie. Thanks so much, we appreciate you 💛

🚨🚨 TRANSPORT NEEDED 🚨🚨 for a cat caught young chipmunk from Rutland to rehabber Karen in Shaftsbury.

If you are able to assist with a ride, please contact Christina at (802) 342-0566 to coordinate pickup, and then reach out to Karen at 802-681-8201 arrange dropoff.

This is a photo of the little chipmunk who needs help with a ride. Please share, and comment on this post once transport has been secured.

Again, the chipmunk needs to get from Rutland to rehabber Karen, and we thank you for any help you can offer 💗

06/02/2026

We are going to interrupt our intake introductions to acknowledge the generosity and kindness that so many of you folks in the Monty's House Community have visited upon me and the critters over the past couple of months.

For the items pictured I want to thank Liz & Matthew, Greg & Leah, and Kirsten & Jake for selecting items from the Amazon wish list for the gang. Laura H. dropped off some 1 ml syringes for me and Tara from VT Wildlife Science Station Main, and Courtney L. donated several birdcages (not pictured) that also have been brought to Tara for non-protected bird species intakes this season. And speaking of birdcages, Patti S. donated a birdcage that is not pictured as it is currently in use by some feathered friends that you will soon meet.

The critter crew has received generous financial support of late, and for that I would like to thank Andrew H., Patti S., Mercedes H., Bob C., Kayla W., Kristin M., Natalie C., Brenda N., the staff at NewStory Center, Donna C. who named Monty's House as the recipient of her Facebook birthday fundraiser, all the folks who donated at my presentation at The Martha Canfield Memorial Free Library in April, and a donor who wishes to remain anonymous. Donations in memory of Erica Rogers were received from Diana C., John R., and Lisa L., and Gail K. selected Monty's House to receive a donation to celebrate and honor her 30 years of employment service at The Vermont Country Store.

I am fond of saying that although I have the license for wildlife rehab, you are all an integral part of the success of this little rehab tucked away in Shaftsbury, VT, and your generosity in all forms allows me to intake the number of critters I do all throughout the year. I hope you all know how grateful I am for the incredible Monty's House Community - thank you 💗

06/01/2026

Two more intakes who are finally ready to make their debut after settling in and stabilizing over the last couple of weeks.

The first little grey squirrel girl was discovered of 5/16 in Woodstock on the side of the road by kind finder Kate who refused to leave her in her precarious situation. She was transported to rehabber, Cheri, for an overnight, and then came to Monty's House for care with Paprika and Pepper the red squirrels. Based upon the location of where she was discovered and how she presented upon intake, I concur with Kate in that she was likely hit/clipped by a car. She had a significant nose bleed for several days which made breathing and eating very tough for her, and also had what appeared to be signs of some head trauma. After some rest, recovery, and medical treatment, she has turned the corner, and is active and acting like a squirrel; she is featured in the two photo collage.

Our second new intake in the three photo collage arrived on 5/19, and was found in the middle of the road by TJ & Ginger while walking their dog. She was incredibly lethargic upon intake although I do not believe she suffered any injury via the road. She slept the sleep of a thousand sleeps for days on end, and initially seemed to have little interest in any kind of food at all, formula, or solid big kid food. After a week of allowing her to decompress and seeing her become a bit more active, I introduced her to our 5/16 intake friend and installed them in a larger cage..

To see these little ladies out and about in their cage, enjoying their food selections and evening treats of nuts, climbing around their cage, and wrestling with each other, you could not image that they were the same squirrels from their intake situations - what a difference time, rest, and care makes!

TJ & Ginger named their discovered squirrel Baby Squirrel, and I have been calling the squirrel from Woodstock, Mountain Girl (you know there will be at least one Greateful Dead inspired name each season 😉). Their next stop will be a larger double-decker decker cage when one becomes available for more squirrel funtivities, but until then, please welcome Baby Squirrel and Mountain Girl to Monty’s House, we are glad you are here 🩶🩶

05/31/2026

It is the last day of the month and I want to start posting an acknowledgement of some amazing folks who work behind the scenes for the benefit of wildlife, and those are the volunteer transporters.

Often times when folks discover injured or orphaned wildlife and reach out for help, I am fortunate that those same people are able to bring them here themselves for rehab care. However, in cases due to distance, species, rehabber availability, and a finder's own personal situation, we need to engage the services of volunteer transporters to get critters some help. Sometimes a transport is needed from a neighboring town, and other times, a round trip transport is a 2+ hour roadtrip.

Volunteer transporters not only give of their time in collecting the critters(s) with a finder and delivering them to a rehabber, but also give of their vehicle and gasoline to get wildlife from point A to point B.

I want to acknowledge and thank the following folks who during the months of April and May made sure wildlife who needed a ride for rehab were afforded that trip and brought to Monty's House for care.

■ Avi - 1 grey squirrel, 1 American Robin
■ Flower - 2 grey squirrels
■ Donalee - 1 grey squirrel
■ Wendy - 2 red squirrels, 1 grey squirrel
■ Stephannie - 1 red squirrel, 1 grey squirrel
■ Christina - 1 starling
■ Brenda - 2 cottontails

Thank you all so much for your time and gasoline funding; there are many critters at Monty's House on a rehab journey who are better for your efforts and kindness 💞

If you would like to help wildlife rehabbers with transport, please follow Green Mountain Animal Defenders as requests across the state are posted there when needed. I will also cross post many of those requests that are local and/or needed specifically for critters to get here on the Monty's House page.

05/30/2026

Please meet Nevaeh. Nevaeh is a 6th grade student at Mount Anthony Union Middle School in Bennington. Yesterday afternoon, Nevaeh was playing with friends after school at Bennington Elementary School when a little chickadee landed beside her, but then seemed unable to fly away. Nevaeh sent her mother, Gail, the photo here (posted with mom's permission), and said that she was going to bring the bird home because she was concerned about it not being able to fly away.

Shortly thereafter, Gail reached out to Monty's House for help for the little chickadee, and after getting some information, I advised that based upon the behavior of the bird, it was likely a fledgling, and that as long as the parent/parents were still around, it would be best to bring it back to the school, tuck it under some cover, and allow the parents to still care for it while it was learning the ways of the wild world.

After Gail picked Nevaeh up at home and they were heading back to the school to attempt to reunite the fledgling chickadee with its parents, Nevaeh told her mom the second part of the story. True, the bird was a fledgling and learning to fly so it was unable to fly away after landing next to Nevaeh, but there were also some other kids at the school, that prior to it landing near Nevaeh, were not being so kind to this little bird who could not sufficiently fly away to escape that group. After hearing this, Gail called me back, told me about this incident, and said that both she and Nevaeh didn't feel comfortable leaving the little bird at that location with those same kids present. Even though I would not normally intake a fledgling who is learning how to fly and self feed with parents around to help and care for it, this situation was different, so we deferred to caution and safety for the bird, and the ladies brought the sweet chickadee here for care.

This little chickadee is singing up a storm, doing really well thus far with feeding itself, can fly up to a low branch to perch, and within the next few days, they will likely be moved to a larger cage to hone those flying skills. They will be here for a few weeks to be sure all flight systems are a go, and they can be cleared for takeoff to the wild world.

I want to thank Nevaeh for her kindness and compassion toward the little chickadee who is just starting out in the world, and for her honesty in telling her mom of her concerns about bringing it back to its original location. Qualities such as those will serve Nevaeh well in life, and I was proud to have met her in person yesterday when she and her mom delivered the bird here.

Nevaeh has given our new little chickadee friend their name, so please say hello to Raelynn - Welcome to Monty's House 🤍🖤

05/29/2026

⭐️⭐️UPDATE - the Monty's House Community does it again, and in less than an hour, the bunnies have secured a ride thanks to amazing transporter, Brenda - thank you so very much 💛

🐇🐇 Coming back to the Monty's House Community to see if someone might have some time today to give two bunnies a ride here for care. Contact details are in the GMAD post, and I thank you for your consideration 🐇🐇

⭐️⭐️UPDATE - thanks to amazing transporter Brenda, the bunnies have secured their ride. Thanks so much Brenda, we appreciate your kindness 💛

🚨🚨 TRANSPORT NEEDED 🚨🚨 for a pair of baby cottontails, one cat caught, from Rutland to rehabber Karen in Shaftsbury.

If you are able to assist with a ride, please contact Christina at (802) 342-0566 to coordinate pickup, and then reach out to Karen at 802-681-8201 arrange dropoff.

This is a photo of the little bunnies who need help with a ride. Please share, and comment once transport has been secured.

Again, the bunnies need to get from Rutland to rehabber Karen, and we thank you for any help you can offer 💗