Other pets (pics and discussions)

[Foxrun402]

Today while at a friends house a boy came in the house freaking out about "what he found".


I'm not sure how old this little thing is... But I assure you its back in the wild in a safe location. I told him that he wouldn't be able to care for it properly without researching how to care for a baby bunny. This thing was very small and too scared to move. I offered it a very small baby carrot piece and it wouldn't accept. I didn't have any hay or lettuce to try but most smaller rabbits start out eating softer food. I'm not sure if it would have been wise to try and keep nursing it in captivity or not, so I advised to place the baby back near where the mother was.

It broke the kids heart because he really wanted to keep it, but I'm certain it was the right thing to place it back near the nest... It was able to hop short distances and would try to stray away from us but was very slow. Leading me to believe the kid probably saw it and ran up on it and caught it, which to me seems wrong to do to a baby bunny.

I dunno what to think

[Didymus20X6]

This is what happens when they leave the nest without a good supply of ACME products - anvils, TNT, portable holes and such. Don't these youngsters ever learn?

[d_virginiana]

Depending on the age, a lot of small mammals will die of infection in captivity. They get their antibodies from the mother's milk, and often need supplemental antibiotics (idk if that one would be on solid food yet or not). It's difficult even for experienced rehabilitators to raise them when they are still nest babies, so you did the right thing. There's no way a kid could do it.

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

my family found 3 of these exactly this size a year ago and we were sure they were too young. Knowing wild rabbits will usually die in the average person's hands, I told my parents to take them to our local wildlife rehab. Then we got some news that was quite surprising. At this age and size, they are more than capable of fending for themselves and living on their own and to simple release them back where they were found. I had no idea they could start independent life so small.

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

having said that I'm going to move this thread to the "other" thread now.

[ConcinusMan]

Looks to be right about the age where they wean and leave the nest

[guidofatherof5]

Tank want to go out and find a girlfriend or two or three.

[Foxrun402]

haha! ata boy Tank!

[guidofatherof5]

Here's a little Tank story for you.

Tank love his new sized(larger) trout chow pellets I feed him. They are just a bit smaller then a sweet pea. I'll toss in 5 or so at a time and he usually grabs them all in one gulp. Sometimes he does miss a few and I don't want him to waste them.
Here's what I do. Using my finger I'll push the pellets he missed into a pile right in front of his nose. While I do this he watches but never takes the food until I've moved my finger well out of the way. He has many opportunities to grab the pellets I've put together but doesn't. He knows fingers aren't for eating so he doesn't bite them. How's that for a smart and considerate turtle?

[guidofatherof5]

It's been over a month since Tank (Chelydra serpentina - Common Snapping Turtle) has slept outside his water. Today, he came out and I found his leg sticking out from under his blanket. He's on his cedar filled pillow and covered with his blanket. He is such a funny little (23+ pounds) turtle. He'll probably sleep there until tomorrow morning.