Very little has happened in the last 18 days. Almost no photos were taken. This post is to let you know we are still alive, although hibernating.
A male Purple finch who was found fluffed up on the ground was here for a few days before heading to our friends at Wild Nest Bird Rehab in Decatur, GA. An injured male opossum came in as well, but he did not live very long. That’s it for intakes.
I have one overwintering female opossum named Elsa, here from another rehabber to get more accustomed to strange places and challenging situations. She only comes out of her well packed house at night so I don’t have any photos of her! But here is her nicely packed nest.
Biggler and Littler are doing great! Here is a short video of them enjoying apple slices while in their cozy tire nest.
I have been moving The Boys every 2 weeks between the three large enclosures for changes of scene. Each enclosure has different challenges- lots of hidey holes in one, ramps and baskets in another, and lots of logs and branches (The “Portable Forest”) in the third. Every night they get a different enrichment. Forage box- a large cardboard box filled with leaves and straw, with treats mixed in. Smears- soft foods like canned cat food, avocado, mango, and banana, are smeared across the branches and furniture. Not something I’d recommend for someone with small children. Puzzle feeders- I have a large selection of feeders they have to move, turn, and open to get their nightly kibble. Hide and Seek- treats like quail eggs or mice are hidden either in boxes or tubes, and then sealed shut, or buried deep in the pine straw substrate. There are multiple variations on the “hide” theme and it’s fun coming up with more and more challenging activities. I’m working on an Opossum Enrichment ‘zine to share with fellow rehabbers and pass out at the National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association annual Symposium in February.
2025 Sabbatical