Simba and Sister go free, a turtle leaves and another one arrives. Plus, two surprise birds!
A soft release
Simba and Sister, who came in months ago, spent an extra 3 weeks here to grow a little bit more and hone their skills needed for life in the wild. Recently they were moved to a soft release cage on a friend’s property in middle Georgia. They will spend time in there to adjust to the smells, sights and sounds of that location. Then the cage door will be opened and they can come and go as they please. They may stick around for a while.
Hard versus Soft release
I’m rethinking my release protocol and will be planning more soft releases next year. A hard release is when they are set free into an unfamiliar area. Soft release is when they spend time in an enclosure on the property where they will be released, to get accustomed and to leave on their own time frame. This means I need to build portable enclosures and find people willing to host and care for them while they adjust. Right now all my releases except this one was a hard release. I can’t soft release on my own property although that is the ideal! I live on a highway and it isn’t safe.
Littler T goes home
Littler T (to distinguish him from the previous turtle named Little T) healed completely from his ear abscess and was released exactly where he was found. Their range is small and deeply rooted in their brains. If relocated, they spend the rest of their life trying to get home. That’s one reason why taking an injured turtle home to “fix” yourself or release in your yard is harmful. As is moving a turtle off the road back to the side he came from. He’s going to be frustrated with you, and will attempt once again to cross the road.
Big T
Mere days after Littler T was released, a slightly bigger injured Box turtle was brought to me. He was found at the side of the road with a serious injury to his right eye. The finder took him home and attempted to raise him. Big T ate once- but never again for three weeks. The finder didn’t provide any medical care or reach out to a rehabber until the situation got dire. Please don’t try and “help” wildlife, even if you think you know what you’re doing. Consult with a rehabilitator first. Google is not a substitute for professional intervention. Big T is dehydrated, his eyes are sunken and shut, and he has a foreign body or infection inside his mouth. We are having to force feed him. His condition is very guarded.
Birds
I received a call about an injured bird that showed up in the finder’s yard, as if by magic. This white and black bird didn’t seem outwardly injured, but couldn’t fly. It was assumed it was picked up and dropped by a hawk. The funny thing is that this is a domesticated bird, likely a fancy quail, probably belonging to a neighbor! I suggested that the finder offer the bird to his friend who already has domesticated fowl.
Pigeon
A racing pigeon was found on the University of Georgia campus, hopping around on one leg. The bird was tame enough that the finder could place a sheet over it and contain it. Racing pigeons have identification bands on their leg or legs and this one had been crushed, damaging the leg. I was still able to read the information on it and contacted the owner. After using pliers to open the band up, but not remove it, I treated the superficial wounds.
If you find a banded pigeon, you can go to this site to learn how to care for the bird, read the band, and contact the owner. https://www.pigeon.org/pages/lostbirdinfo.html
