RobinTN
03-04-2015, 07:08 PM
When I walked off my job last May, I had no idea which way my life would turn. I only knew that the phony smiles of my professional career made me sick to my stomach, and I felt like I needed to be doing something more, making a difference somehow. I looked at some education options, and really started searching my soul, trying to decide what direction I wanted my life to take. Thankfully, money isn't a concern. Donnies Social Security Disability check covers our monthly bills, and thanks to some very wise investing by my grandfather (who passed away last year), we don't have any housing expenses and can live modestly off of investment returns.
Then Cassie Squirrel came to me, and changed my heart. Well, maybe not changed, but rekindled... As long as I can remember, I've always been one to help an animal in need. From the litter of possums my (other)Grandpa collected from their roadkill mama when I was seven and fed cat food til their release, to the orphaned fawn who stayed on my dad's porch and we all took turns bottle feeding for several months, and many many critters in between, I could never turn away an animal in need. But Cassie was my first squirrel, and just when I was looking for that direction, there she was.
From the first day, the first hours even, that she was with me, I started researching, absorbing every bit of info I could find on baby squirrel care, overwintering, soft release, and every thing in between. I've learned so much here on TSB, and will continue learning. For the past seven months, I've eaten(not REALLY:poke), slept, breathed, and lived squirrels. I've studied squirrel nutrition, learned about the calcium & phosphorus content of vegetables I wouldn't otherwise even be able to identify, and purchased more fresh produce in the past months than my entire 40 years combined!
Now Cassie and her overwinter buddy Sly are on their way out. Both are robustly healthy young adults now, and will be moving into their prerelease cage very shortly. And Donnie and I have empty nest syndrome... Cassie was an unexpected visitor, but she made me realize I want to dedicate myself to helping squirrels from here on out. So I've contacted the East Tennessee Wildlife Rehabilitation Council and formally volunteered my time to apprentice with a state permitted rehabber. In TN, it takes 200 hours of sponsored apprenticeship to become permitted. I've got the space, time, resources, desire and drive, so as long as I'm going to be doing it anyway (which I don't think I could NOT do it now LOL) I may as well do it right!
I know I've got the best of the best squirrel people here to help :grouphugThank You TSB:grouphug
Then Cassie Squirrel came to me, and changed my heart. Well, maybe not changed, but rekindled... As long as I can remember, I've always been one to help an animal in need. From the litter of possums my (other)Grandpa collected from their roadkill mama when I was seven and fed cat food til their release, to the orphaned fawn who stayed on my dad's porch and we all took turns bottle feeding for several months, and many many critters in between, I could never turn away an animal in need. But Cassie was my first squirrel, and just when I was looking for that direction, there she was.
From the first day, the first hours even, that she was with me, I started researching, absorbing every bit of info I could find on baby squirrel care, overwintering, soft release, and every thing in between. I've learned so much here on TSB, and will continue learning. For the past seven months, I've eaten(not REALLY:poke), slept, breathed, and lived squirrels. I've studied squirrel nutrition, learned about the calcium & phosphorus content of vegetables I wouldn't otherwise even be able to identify, and purchased more fresh produce in the past months than my entire 40 years combined!
Now Cassie and her overwinter buddy Sly are on their way out. Both are robustly healthy young adults now, and will be moving into their prerelease cage very shortly. And Donnie and I have empty nest syndrome... Cassie was an unexpected visitor, but she made me realize I want to dedicate myself to helping squirrels from here on out. So I've contacted the East Tennessee Wildlife Rehabilitation Council and formally volunteered my time to apprentice with a state permitted rehabber. In TN, it takes 200 hours of sponsored apprenticeship to become permitted. I've got the space, time, resources, desire and drive, so as long as I'm going to be doing it anyway (which I don't think I could NOT do it now LOL) I may as well do it right!
I know I've got the best of the best squirrel people here to help :grouphugThank You TSB:grouphug