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View Full Version : A mistake & lesson for others. Careful cleaning babies cages and blankets!



Coralreefer
12-14-2016, 12:57 AM
I was cleaning the cage of two of our babies a few days ago.

I looked and saw one peeking out of their nest box. I thought they are always together so in a rush to get to work I just assumed both were in the nest box. I put the nest box up against a wall so they'd both be sealed in there while I cleaned the cage. As usual I shaked out their fleece blanket outside and returned inside to now feed them. Well I reach in the nest box and only 1 baby is there. :eek

I immediately know what happened. One of the babies was in that blanket I just shook out in the front yard.
I'm sick..... Completely sick immediately and run outside. How am I going to find this baby. She's too young, cats are everywhere and a cold front is coming in tonight. Did I mention I was physically sick from the stress of knowing I just dumped this poor baby out? I'm on my hands and knees going through planters and bushes. Mailman and Fed Ex guy come by and I'm sure they thought I was mentally unstable crawling around the yard on my hands and knees calling out a name.

Over an hour in the yard and I decide to switch from looking in bushes, trees and planters and walk the open lawn step by step from front to back. Lo and behold by some miracle I see the back end of a baby squirrel sticking out from under a clump of grass. Poor thing has tried to literally bury herself under the grass from fear. Sheer miracle I found this baby and got her back.

Lesson here is simple. Don't assume because you see one or a couple of your babies that they are all going to be in the same place. They may very well be in another area of the cage and without knowing it you could lose them. Before feeding or cleaning your cage visually look for each and every one of them. I will not make that mistake again I can assure you.

HRT4SQRLS
12-14-2016, 06:21 AM
:eek Oh no Tom. I was panicking for you. I'm so thankful that you found the baby. Thanks for sharing this warning.

Nancy in New York
12-14-2016, 06:41 AM
Lesson here is simple. Don't assume because you see one or a couple of your babies that they are all going to be in the same place. They may very well be in another area of the cage and without knowing it you could lose them. Before feeding or cleaning your cage visually look for each and every one of them. I will not make that mistake again I can assure you.
Excellent reminder.:w00t
I've had pinkies "stuck" together in their fleece when I take them out to feed.
Thank goodness I realized it while they
are still over the bin and not the floor! :shakehead

island rehabber
12-14-2016, 06:42 AM
Thank you Coralreefer for this very valuable warning to us all! :bowdown :great

I have my own "flinging baby story" which also, thankfully, came out ok: I had five pinkies - 1 week old or less -- in a little Critter Keeper tank and, in a hurry just like you, I pulled out the stinky top layer of fleece and shook it. Then I took the fleece with me to throw in the wash. Something CMfairywas watching over this baby, and made me turn my head so that from the corner of my eye I spied a tiny pinkness scrambling blindly over the countertop; yes, I'd flung a baby when I shook out that blanket. She was so light (20g) I never felt her on there. What "could have happened" to her, on a cold bathroom countertop for hours, alone -- made me shake the rest of the day.

stosh2010
12-14-2016, 07:05 AM
O.M.G.--

Great Search & rescue------------


281867281868281869281870

Carreegirl
12-14-2016, 07:19 AM
So glad you found your baby! Just FYI as a former mail carrier let me reassure you they didn't think anything. Seeing your customer crawling around calling out would be a welcome sight compared to some things we have seen customers do!

HRT4SQRLS
12-14-2016, 10:37 AM
So glad you found your baby! Just FYI as a former mail carrier let me reassure you they didn't think anything. Seeing your customer crawling around calling out would be a welcome sight compared to some things we have seen customers do!


:jump I can only imagine. :grin2

stepnstone
12-14-2016, 10:55 AM
Well this puts a whole new twist on throwing the baby out with the bath water.... http://www.sherv.net/cm/emoticons/shocked/jaw-drop-smiley-emoticon.gif
Glad you found baby. :grouphug

lukaslolamaus
12-14-2016, 11:44 AM
Thank goodness that you found the little girl :grouphug
I can only imagine how panicked/worried you were :grouphug

SQUIRRELSAREME
12-14-2016, 02:27 PM
So glad you found your baby.:Love_Icon

Jen413
12-14-2016, 03:29 PM
I was chanting, "Please have found that baby" over and over in my head until I read that you had. I can only imagine just how sick you felt. I'm so glad you found her.

Shewhosweptforest
12-14-2016, 04:19 PM
This is my greatest fear with my little flyers....they are so small and light....and they have so many pouches in their cage :eek I always reach in their cube when I clean and feel around counting.....but I'm always in a panic as I take the stuff to the washing machine....I'm feeling around in every nook and cranny in their pouches :facepalm they are just sooo fast :crazy1 anyway, good to see that all my worrying is valid :eek I'm so thankful you were quick on discovering only one baby....and also that you were so diligent in your search :bowdown you, also, IR :Love_Icon

Chickenlegs
12-14-2016, 04:46 PM
Somebody was watching out for that little angel (besides you and your panic button)!

Mel1959
12-14-2016, 08:09 PM
Oh my! I love a story with a happy ending. :hug:Love_Icon

Shewhosweptforest
12-14-2016, 08:15 PM
[B]Excellent reminder.:w00t
I've had pinkies "stuck" together in their fleece when I take them out to feed.
Thank goodness I realized it while they
are still over the bin and not the floor! :shakehead[/B

Oh my....thankful for you too Nancy :Love_Icon these lil ones can take years off our lives :eek thankfully, their squirrel magic probably saves us in the end :please :serene

Delo729
12-19-2016, 03:42 AM
Wow I'm so glad you wrote about this experience. I thought I must be the worst flyer rehabber because I did something very similar with my flyers. It was in the house but still scary when I realized there were only 4 flyers back in the cage. Thank the Gods you found that baby. Hope you didn't freak out to much.