Fortunate Fox

For wildlife getting trapped is a major issue because if unnoticed and unable to get food or water their condition will quickly deteriorate.

An adult male Red Fox was fortunate to be found and rescued by an RSPCA Animal Collection Officer. He had slipped and got himself stuck by the neck in a gap between a fence and a wall.  As well as becoming weak and dehydrated, the fox sustained some nasty wounds and bruising trying to free himself.

A female fox who had also got herself wedged in the same position was not so lucky and unfortunately it was too late for our officer to help her.   After some carefull maneuvering our very scared fox was freed and transferred to Stapeley for urgent medical attention.

Once at Stapeley fluids were given and all wounds treated before being left in a isolation cubicle with a heat lamp and allowed to recover, what a day for this poor fox!!  Initially he was not eating and so was syringe fed and given more fluids to rehydrate him.   This made a huge difference as within 24 hours he was much brighter; he was on his feet and had already begun to feed himself.  After a week in one of the isolation cubicles he was moved to an outside run and given more space to exercise.
                                       










He was then assessed for release a few days later by the team and it was all agreed that he was now fit to return him home. A great success and a very lucky fox.

                                           

For more information about foxes and advice how to help trapped or injured wildlife see the link below

http://www.rspca.org.uk/allaboutanimals/wildlife/inthewild/foxes/-/article/WLD_Foxes

Sponsors of Stapeley Grange Wildlife Centre and Cattery

To donate to Stapeley text: STAP70 £2 to 70070

3x Wildlife Assistant Summer Placements

'We are currently advertising for three summer wildlife assistants and we are listing it at StopDodo online at www.environmentjobs.com and on the RSPCA website http://bit.ly/1454kBG

Stapeley receives its first fox cub of the season

Stapeley has received its first fox cub of the season via an RSPCA inspector from a park in Birmingham. The little female weighed in at only 221g.  She had been observed for several hours before being termed 'abandoned' and on closer examination she also was found to have a wound in her right arm pit - help was therefore needed.  Estimated to be 9 days old her brown coat resembled more of a domestic puppy than fox cub.

Contact with all our foxes is kept to a minimum and staff are well aware of the need to keep the noise to a minimum - it is essential that we avoid imprinting and keep them wild - which can be hard at times but it is in the cub’s best interest.  A CCTV camera links in to our education room so we and our visitors have a great opportunity to observe the cub without disturbing her.  Check her out feeding on U-Tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvjBWwacKqk

She is syringe fed six times a day with a puppy milk formula which she takes eagerly. A damp piece of cotton wool is then used to imitate mum stimulating her to pass urine and faeces.  To heal the wound we clean it and apply treatment as well as giving a course of medication.  It is then back to the incubator to snuggle up to a soft toy and nap until the next feed.  In the next couple of months we expect the arrival of many more fox cubs a few of which she will be grouped and eventually released with.   

Sponsors of Stapeley Grange Wildlife Centre and Cattery

To donate to Stapeley text: STAP70 £2 to 70070

Mothers Day Mice

Mothers day can bring cards, flowers and chocolates but at Stapeley I received an un-traditional but some-what fitting for the day four baby wood mice. A member of public had found the nest in a tent whilst clearing out their garage to move home. Even though they were found inside they were easily identified as wood mice with their long back legs, mid brown coat colour and a white belly.  

I weighed each orphan and moved them into a new, luxury incubator with a towel. Once they had warmed up a little I gave them their first feed, a few drops each of a special milk formula, enough to just fill their tiny tummies.  They are now fed every 2 hours and after each meal are encouraged to go to the toilet - as unable to urinate or defecate without the assistance of their mother stimulating them. This is done with a damp cotton bud lightly and quickly wiping around the genitals. Not the nicest of jobs but there is a sense of achievement when you can get them to go! 

Despite their eyes still being closed they are still very fast and wriggly. Back in their incubator they snuggle up together and just like most babies nap until it is time for their next feed.  We will care for them until they are old enough and can be released at an appropriate site. Until then at least we do not have to cope with sleepless nights and tantrums! 

                                                   

   Sponsors of Stapeley Grange Wildlife Centre and Cattery

To donate to Stapeley text: STAP70 £2 to 70070

Feeding a fallen feral pigeon

With the weather getting warmer and the arrival of spring Orphan Room will soon be full of nestlings all requiring and demanding specialist care. Walking into orphan room today I noticed an incubator had been set up and inside were two feral pigeon nestlings squeaking at me expectantly. 

Unfortunately they had fallen from their nest outside a supermarket in Chester, possibly a bit too keen to start exploring. In this case they could not be returned to the nest and would have been vulnerable to predation if left alone so they were brought in to us. Normally they would get pigeon milk which is regurgitated food from their mother- they don’t complain about eating their greens!

Not yet old enough to eat solids on their own we need to crop tube them which is syringe a specialised formula directly into their crop. At the moment they are fed 4 times a day but as they grow this will be reduced to three times then twice daily at larger quantities. The orphans will be tube fed until they start pecking and eating seed on their own.  Each time before tube feeding their crop is checked to see if they have digested the mixture from the previous feed or have started eating so they are not given too much.

                                        

Once they are ready they will be released at a suitable site with plenty of food resources and shelter to give them a good start and a better chance of survival.   

                                                   

   Sponsors of Stapeley Grange Wildlife Centre and Cattery

To donate to Stapeley text: STAP70 £2 to 70070