Good late morning! I am new to the board, although I have been rabidly reading posts and threads (lurking, haha). Thanks from the bottom of my heart for providing time, support, and priceless care information. I started helping rehabilitate critters of various kinds when I was an older kid through Girl Scouts with a local wildlife park in Florida. When I got out on my own, I was the local lady who would nurse post hurricane squirrels or bottle feed/raise kittens who lost their mother, etc. I loved it and still do. I took a hiatus when my daughter was a kid as she tried to help feed a squirrel without asking and it developed aspiration pneumonia. Now that she's in her 20s, I find myself experienced, albeit rusty, with a baby squirrel that needed me. He was cold, screaming, and there was no nest in site. He stumbled up to me, cried out loudly again, and I scooped him up as I was at a friend's apartment. His eyes weren't quite fully opened (one was, one partially open). It was near evening and a big rain squall had just come through, so I took him in for warmth, rehydration, and rehab. He had a couple of fur chunks missing from his tail, and we suspect a predator had him, but dropped him when he screamed and I went to look. I resisted naming him for about a week as I don't want to get attached (I'm attached, I failed), so I call him Cotton Eyed Joe as I don't know where he came from, and one day I won't know where he'll go! I have turned into the mother of a newborn with this guy, and he has become my 24/7 focus, haha. I talk like the mother of a newborn, fussing over bottles, pottying, and his general growth and milestones. My husband and daughter think he's adorable, but I handle his care, and they're probably tired of hearing about him all of the time.
So much has changed since I started caring for critters almost 30 years ago! Again, I just wanted to say hello, thanks, and keep soaking up all of the knowlege I can. When I scrape off some of the rust, hopefully I can help others and give back. I am in North Central Florida and willing to help where I can. Until then, me and Joe are doing our best!