Questions for rehabbers(:

[squirrel daddy <3]

If rehabbers viewing this wont mind taking the time to go over these questions and answering them(: I want to be a rehabber one day and I'm doin a school paper on it!
1. What kind of things have you encountered being a rehabilitator?
2. What kind of animals have you worked with?
3. On average, how many are brought to you a month?
4. What kind of schooling do you need to be a rehabilitator?
5. How long does it take to get your rehabbers license? What did you go through to get it?
6. How does it work?
-Who calls you?
-Restricted times/hours to call?
-Limited time to hold/ care for
animals?
*-What kind of funds do you
receive? What kind if donations?
Is their anyone that you report to it does someone else monitor how many animals you have and their health state?
7. What is your favorite part of being a rehabber?
8. What is the worst part of being a rehabber?

[squirrelsrule&bunniestoo]

If rehabbers viewing this wont mind taking the time to go over these questions and answering them(: I want to be a rehabber one day and I'm doin a school paper on it!
1. What kind of things have you encountered being a rehabilitator?
All kinds of things, paralyzed animals, maggots, fleas, worms, broken bones, cat attacs, head trauma, and emaciated babies.
2. What kind of animals have you worked with?
Squirrels, cottontails, opossums, groundhogs, bats, and songbirds, plus fox, weasels, raptors and waterfowl while volunteering at wildlife centers.
3. On average, how many are brought to you a month?
I take in about 200 animals a year, but all come in the spring, summer, and fall, so about 35 animals a month
4. What kind of schooling do you need to be a rehabilitator?
Technically none, but I have a bachelor's degree in Biology and am currently in vet school. The more knowledge you have about anatomy and physiology, the better. Pharmacology knowledge doesn't hurt either. If you want a job as a rehabber, most require a bachelor's degree in a science related field (usually biology or zoology).
5. How long does it take to get your rehabbers license? What did you go through to get it?
About a year. You have to take a course, fill out the permit, find a vet, build the cages. If you want to be a category 2 and take in more than just squirrels and bunnies, you have to wait 3 years, fill out more paperwork, and get inspected. Birds have a separate Federal permit, and for Rabies vector species like bats and fox, you have to take an additional course and it's highly recommended that you get your rabies preexposure shots which cost about $500!
6. How does it work?
-Who calls you? The public who has wildlife issues, the local wildlife center when they need me to take eyes closed babies, or the wildlife officer when they've been called about a wildlife issue.
-Restricted times/hours to call? Nope, people call whenever.
-Limited time to hold/ care for
animals? It changes back and forth from 90 days to 180 days, not quite sure why. If you need to keep them longer like to overwinter, it's usually not an issue, you just have to call the wildlife officer and tell them.
*-What kind of funds do you
receive? What kind if donations? There is no state or federal funding for wildlife, everything comes out of your pocket or through donations. I have a non-profit which has helped with donations, but I still only get about $300-$500 a year in donations and spend over $1000. Pretty much plan to pay for it if you wanna rehab, it's not something you do to make money or even break even, it's something that you do because you love wildlife and wanna help!
Is their anyone that you report to it does someone else monitor how many animals you have and their health state? You have to keep track of all of your animals, when they came in, how long you had them, and what happened to them. The wildlife officer is in charge of keeping an eye on everyone and making sure they don't take things they aren't allowed to (like in my county that's raccoons and in the whole state of Ohio deer fawns). They can do random inspections whenever they want although I have never been randomly inspected, I know a friend who has been though, so it could happen. They inspect my cages and rehab area every other year since I am a category 2.
7. What is your favorite part of being a rehabber?
Taking in little tykes that stand no chance without my help and watching them improve and then go free :).
8. What is the worst part of being a rehabber?
Taking in animals and having to decide if they need to be euthanized or watching them struggle and ultimately not make it

[island rehabber]

If rehabbers viewing this wont mind taking the time to go over these questions and answering them(: I want to be a rehabber one day and I'm doin a school paper on it!

1. What kind of things have you encountered being a rehabilitator? Squirrel pox, mange, broken limbs, head trauma, back injuries, dehydration, emaciation, maggots, lice, aspiration pneumonia, coccidia, giardia

2. What kind of animals have you worked with? squirrels, and one seagull
3. On average, how many are brought to you a month? During two 3-month baby seasons, appx 8-15 per season
4. What kind of schooling do you need to be a rehabilitator? None. You need a good mentor, good reference materials, and the resources to pay for attendance at conferences, quality food and caging for your animals, etc
You should also be computer-savvy. Rehabbing techniques evolve and improve each year; those who do not go online are still doing it the old fashioned way and losing babies that could have lived.
5. How long does it take to get your rehabbers license? What did you go through to get it? In NY it's easy. Send for study materials, take exam (100 multiple guess questions) submit 3 references and have a brief interview at the DEC. That's it. You are on your own as far as studying, attending classes, and getting someone to mentor you so that you can actually take in an animal.
6. How does it work?
-Who calls you? The general public who finds animals in distress; vets' offices; animal control agencies, anyone!
-Restricted times/hours to call? You set your own schedule. I don't answer the phone after midnight or before 6:00am. I once had a woman call at 3:00am to tell me she did a drive-by of an injured squirrel in Central Park "near 105th st by the big maple" and I should hurry up and get down there.....
-Limited time to hold/ care for
animals? If you are not federally permitted to rehab waterfowl and migratory birds, or RVS permitted to rehab rabies vector species, you can only hold for 24 hours and then you must pass them on to a properly permitted rehabber. In the case of those animals you are qualified to rehab, you should release all as soon as they are ready unless they need to be overwintered, in which case you release as soon as possible in the spring. In NY you cannot hold onto any wildlife unless you obtain a 'permit to possess'.
*-What kind of funds do you
receive? NONE. Nada. Niente. ZIP. Bubkis.
What kind if donations? In my case, nearly none. Once a year someone might hand me $20. Normally nothing. People watch "Animal Cops" and think we are all on salary, at least the ones in my state do. To be honest, however, in my urban environment the people I receive animals from often are inner city poor people with enormous hearts, and I would not take their money anyway. :)
Is their anyone that you report to it does someone else monitor how many animals you have and their health state? The governing agency in your state (for NY it's the DEC) can make a spot inspection anytime they please. But nobody monitors youon a daily basis. You submit a log of all your animals taken in and dispersed in December of each year.
7. What is your favorite part of being a rehabber? The joy of returning one of God's creatures to the wild, and therefore being a tiny part of the solution and not part of the problem. :D
8. What is the worst part of being a rehabber?
Frustration and burnout, when you have too many and you are exhausted because there aren't enough licensed rehabbers in your area.

[Chickenlegs]

If rehabbers viewing this wont mind taking the time to go over these questions and answering them(: I want to be a rehabber one day and I'm doin a school paper on it!
1. What kind of things have you encountered being a rehabilitator?

I've met some wonderful caring people and a lot of human pond scum. In the almost three years since I've been legal and the many years I wasn't I've seen head trauma, back trauma, owies of all sorts, bites, fleas, mites and the yuckiest--maggots. I have one baby with Downs syndrome and have had severely dehydrated babies, failure to thrive babies, and emaciated babies. I've seen bunnies with broken bones from weed whackers and a turtle that was thrown in a fire pit (see above human pond scum).

2. What kind of animals have you worked with?

mostly squirrels, possums and bunnies and an Eastern Box Turtle

3. On average, how many are brought to you a month?

I have a limit of no more than 10 critters at a time (space, time and hubby). Sometimes all ten come in a month or I'll get one here and one there. Depends on the need (and that number is kinda flexible but don't tell hubby) I do roughly (very roughly) 20 animals a year.

4. What kind of schooling do you need to be a rehabilitator?

In Virginia you serve a two year apprenticeship under a category II rehabilitator. You are required to have at least 6 (10? I forget) hours of continuing education annually in order to keep your certification and you submit an annual report each December.
There are specifics as to what sort of facility the animals are kept in--in my case, a dedicated room on our house and the game warden inspects your premises before you get your apprenticeship. Since nobody knows everything we work with other rehabilitators to make sure each animal gets what it needs to survive and thrive.

5. How long does it take to get your rehabbers license? What did you go through to get it?

preliminary application, official paperwork, inspection, apprenticeship--working with a licensed rehabilitator for at least two years.

6. How does it work?
-Who calls you?

anybody in the state and often folks who know folks. I have treemen who call whenever they come across orphaned babies

-Restricted times/hours to call?

call anytime but I may not get the call for awhile. I give cards with my cell phone number to any treemen I happen to come across and of course my vet calls--and the pet store

-Limited time to hold/ care for
animals?
each animal has criteria for release--possums--a pound and a half and a foot long with a high gait, bright eyes and shinny fur, squirrels between 12 and 14 weeks if they are healthy-- able to climb and crack a walnut, no maloccluded teeth, etc. but there are some who need some extra time or that need to stay over the winter and bunnies when they are bright eyed, and ready to go. Wild rabbits don't do well in captivity and some need to go when to look at them you'd think "geeez--they're still babies!"

*-What kind of funds do you
receive? What kind if donations?

haaaaaahahahahahaha! Someone gave me $20 once--and one family brought the baby squirrel in a nice cage. Some friends brought some bags of nuts knowing I had squirrels. Ummmmmm--that's about it. Hubby gave me some money for lunch but I used it for Fox Valley. No money in these parts--vet and grocery store has it all.

Is their anyone that you report to it does someone else monitor how many animals you have and their health state?

The Dept of Game and Inland Fisheries is the overseeing agency but they depend on us to do the grunt work and give very little oversite unless there's a complaint

7. What is your favorite part of being a rehabber?

Being a part of the circle of life. It's humbling to know there's a life in your hands and live or die--you do your best and trust nature. I never feel so alive as when I watch one of my babies race through the trees. They take me with them. They accept me into their family. Earning the trust of a wild thing is a divine experience.

8. What is the worst part of being a rehabber?

The grief of losing a special little life. It happens but it's heart wrenching. Still--if we didn't have the hearts to break when one of our babies doesn't make it, we shouldn't be doing what we do

[Shewhosweptforest]

:bowdown :goodpost X3 :bowdown

squirrel daddy <3 you see you came to the right place:Love_Icon

[Garden71]

What a responds
:bowdown to you all

[squirrel daddy <3]

OH WOW!!!! did not expect so many responses. Thank you to the people who took the time and answered ALL of my questions. I realize that they were long but i appreciate you taking the time to answer them for me.(: I think I have everything that I need to know now to become a rehabilitator! So excited to begin the process.:thankyou :thankyou :thankyou :grouphug

[Jackie in Tampa]

I got your email...:thumbsup
so you have what you need?, and I don't have to type?:D :thumbsup
I am not licensed, so was hesitant to participate....
:bowdown good for you, you will enjoy rehabbing...it's very rewarding.:wott

[island rehabber]

I enjoyed answering the questions, and the responses taught us a few things, didn't it? Such as the way some states value wildlife rehabilitation over other states, and have actual requirements of knowledge and experience in order to get the license (Not NY :shakehead)....and how virtually none of us receive donations even though we are completely volunteers ....with the exception of SR&B2 who has a 501c3 organization. :thumbsup It goes to show you that people will more freely give when they can write it off on their taxes (well DUH). Good for you, SR&B2 :bowdown :) I've been thinking of doing the same.