Monthly News & Updates

 

Date | Issue

 

Meet Some Of The Critters!

Meet Lil Girl!


I know, I know. Not a very original name but it's what I have been calling her since she got here.


This poor girl was first taken in when they assumed she was their an orphaned baby when she was found in a chicken coop but after being removed from the coop the home owner realized it was taking HOURS for her just to cross the yard.


She was very lethargic and curled up near in the snow. This was not a surprise, being February we are getting in a lot of lethargic and frost bitten opossums that are struggling with the winter weather but we also realized she was VERY pale so we checked for blood in urine and stool and blood was in both. Now we had to switch gears into rodenticide poisoning treatment!


She went on a bunch of meds and hydration protocols to reverse the damage and she is now recovering quite well. Her initial vitamin K was administered through injection since she was so weak but is now taking it orally with some fatty foods like avocados and sardines to help it metabolize quicker.


Vitamin K1 is the main treatment that is VITAL to reversing the anticoagulant in rodenticide and needs to be administered for a minimum of 21 days, often 30 or more depending on how severe!


Besides that due to the blood loss, hydration is another big concern. She had to have subcutaneous fluids for several days and now having electrolytes in her water and still monitored for hydration levels.


She is just now finally starting to eat well and hoping she is feeling better.


The saddest part is she might have been pregnant when she was poisoned since it was during their breeding season but there were no joeys in her pouch at least but we will check her on the 2nd to make sure she has not given birth.

 

Past Rescues

 


 
 
 

BABIES ARE COMING


As of March 1st we are still awaiting our first baby call of the year BUT... we have heard from surrounding States that they have already received intakes of orphaned pinkie squirrels.


Please spread the word to family and friends that although baby wildlife are adorable, they need and deserve professional care. What you find on Google is not always the correct information. And just because you can watch a Youtube of a brain surgery does not qualify you to operate on someone's brain.


We want to remind everyone that if you find and orphaned animal please DO NOT feed it or give it anything to drink. We need to take MANY steps BEFORE giving any nutrition to babies.


The #1 things you should do if you find an orphaned animal is keep it WARM. Use a rice sock, heating pad on low, put hot water into a old soda bottle and wrap that in cloth, anything to give it external heat.


Many people think that wrapping an animal in a blanket will keep it warm and this is not true of hairless "pink" animals since they do not generate their own body heat at that age and rely on mom's body eat to keep them warm.

What's Happening

This Month?

AUCTION TIME IS HERE

We have been working hard at taking pictures, organizing and getting everything set up for the auction which starts at Midnight (Friday going into Saturday) March 7th!!! The auction will run for two weeks and end at midnight on March 21st.


Rememeber to check back often since we add more items daily until the Thursday before it ends to give everyone a few days to catch up on their bidding.


1) Please do not over extend yourself!!! We appreciate your want to help us out and support us but do not do so if it puts a financial burden on yourself! Many times we have auction items that are over $100 for the person and we never hear from them, likely because they bid more than they could afford and that doesn't help anyone.

2) After the auction ends, please keep an eye on your SPAM folder as sometimes the auction emails end up there!

3) It takes 3-4 days at least to get everything sorted out and organized for people to pickup. Keep an eye on Facebook for updates on when things are ready and you can always message us your mailing address if you are one of the many that are too far away for pickup. We have no problem shipping all over the US but remember the winner pays for shipping!

3) Once the items are ready for pickup please pick up ASAP!!! Since I started doing auctions in 2017 it has been a huge issue with people not picking up their items even if they are paid for. We really need the space, not the clutter of hundreds of bags and boxes all over the house. On top of that, for those that don't know already, I not only love doing the auction as a fund raiser but it brings me personal great joy to know that people are bidding on things they really want and enjoy and I want people to get their items! I want you to love what you get! There is always a "Donate" option on the auction for people that don't particularly want to bid on anything but still want to support.

4) Once the auction ends we will post that it is time to pick up or make mailing arrangements once everything is sorted, after a month we will give ONE more shout out for people to pick up or make arrangements to get their stuff. If they are not picked up by the next auction they will be assumed to be gifted back to the rehab for future auctions even if already paid for.

I hope you all understand, I always try to be accommodating but it is just becoming way too cluttered and hard to manage and upsetting the household to have stuff everywhere. I am a people pleaser by nature so I hate having to make this a thing but it is a need apparently.


Funny Side Up!

We all have those days, be kind and support each other!

March is:

  • Poison Prevention Awareness Month

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  • National Animal Poison Prevention Week - March 17-24, 2024 (Third Full Week of March)

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  • March 1 - National Horse Protection Day
  • March 1 - National Pig Day
  • March 3 - World Wildlife Day
  • March 10 - Wildlife Rehabber Appreciation Day
  • March 14 - Learn About Butterflies Day
  • March 14 - Save a Spider Day
  • March 15 - Buzzard Day
  • March 15 - International Day of Action Against Canadian Seal Slaughter
  • March 16 - National Panda Day
  • March 19 - National Poultry Day
  • March 20 - World Frog Day
  • March 20 - World Sparrow Day
  • March 21 - National Farm Rescuer Day
  • March 22 - World Chipmunk Day
  • March 23 - National Coyote Day
  • March 23 - National Bear Day
  • March 27 - Manatee Appreciation Day

Have You Purchased Your 2026 Calendar Yet???


Every year we offer a fun fundraiser of a Misfits Rehab calendar. Every year we use memorable photos from the previous year to be the spokes models for our calendar so they are always unique animal photos.


We also tried to think of something more appealing than what Google Calendar offers so we add in a bunch of National Animal days like January 21st is Nation Squirrel Appreciation Day, etc,

Picture is of the March page of the calendar!

All other items can be found on our Linktree Site which gives you access to EVERYTHING Misfits!


Merch, Media Sites, Ways to contact us and ways to donate!


Let us know what we can do to help make our newsletter better!


We are always ready to improve!


People Say: Rehabbers just think they know it all and want to hog all the fun!


As much as we love our baby wildlife, I can promise we are not trying to hog all the fun!


Quite the contrary! That if why we offer volunteer opportunities and try to train up more rehabbers.



We want to share the passion but also the knowledge needed to do it CORRECTLY!


And if you are interested in learning more about wildlife rehab here in Maine you can check the State Website to start your application to become a rehabber OR fill out an application to volunteer and become part of the Misfits Crew!

 

TIPS FOR WILDLIFE ENCOUNTER

 

Don't Cut Down That Tree!!!

(Photo by Linda Bergman-Althouse)


Cut Trees in Dec/Jan/Feb

No time is really a GOOD time to cut trees but some are better than others. Trees are also cut for many different reasons. Maybe you need wood for your wood stove to heat your house for the winter. Maybe it is in a dangerous area that may tip over onto a structure like your house or barn. We get it! Sometimes you HAVE TO cut down trees. Even though animals inhabit trees year round it is unlikely that Dec-Feb you will end up disrupting a nest with BABIES in it.


Keep your eyes peeled

Over half the orphaned squirrels we receive every year are due to tree cutting. A good arborist will do a THOROUGH investigation to look for holes in the tree and drays in the branches PRIOR to cutting.


Oops

If it happens that even when trying your best, you HAVE TO take down a tree during baby season and you did your BEST at trying to be sure there are no nests in the tree sometimes life happens and you still end up with babies displaced.


Don't panic YET

Luckily squirrels are pretty smart and are really good mothers. They usually make 2-3 or sometimes even MORE nest sites for this reason. Even in nature trees get blown down so they have to be ready to move the family if something happens to their nest. You can usually gather up the babies and put them in a shallow box, something deep enough to keep them contained but shallow enough that mom can come and retrieve her babies and move them to one of the other nearby nests. If they are tiny little pink babies you can add that soda bottle filled with hot water to keep them warm.


Look at things through their eyes

It is likely going to take time for mom to feel safe enough to come back to get her babies so give it time! Expect to leave the area for a few HOURS before she will come back to investigate the devastation and assess the situation before gathering up the babies, one at a time, and transport them to the new nest.


If any of the babies are injured or if mom does not return by night fall you will want to contact a wildlife rehabber near you. You can use the link below to find whoever is closest to your location.

 

Be Part of the Misfits Village of Supporters!

 
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