Injured red bat getting a drink of water Amphibiansunrise 2019-04-19 | This little red bat was found with puncture wounds and wing injuries.
Big brown bats Eppie and Chira eating mealworms Amphibiansunrise 2019-04-19 | Eppie and Chira are big brown bats that both have permanent wing injuries. Since they cannot be released back into the wild, they are educational ambassadors. Their names are taken from the scientific name for the big brown bat: Eptesicus fuscus, and from the name for the order of bats: Chiroptera
Baby big brown bat exam Amphibiansunrise 2019-04-19 | This big brown bat baby was born in captivity, after her mom was found with a wing injury. Unfortunately mom could not be released due to her injury, and is now an educational ambassador, but her baby was healthy and was released back into the wild when she was old enough.
Big brown bat (Eppie) eating mealworms Amphibiansunrise 2019-04-19 | Eppie is a big brown bat who was brought in with a wing injury that unfortunately turned out to be permanent. Since she is not able to fly, and wouldn't survive in the wild, she now has a home as an educational ambassador. Her name is from the scientific name for the big brown bat: Eptesicus fuscus
Big brown bat (Eppie) with newborn baby under wing Amphibiansunrise 2019-04-19 | Eppie is a big brown bat that was brought in with a wing injury, which unfortunately turned out to be permanent. While in captivity, she gave birth to a healthy bat pup. Since the baby was releasable, it was transferred to another wildlife rehabilitator with another bat baby when she was old enough, and was eventually released into the wild. Mom Eppie stayed in captivity as an educational ambassador.
Evening bat eating a mealworm Amphibiansunrise 2019-04-19 | This little evening bat woke up during a warm spell and is being overwintered until she can be released in spring.
Evening bat vocalizing Amphibiansunrise 2019-04-19 | This evening bat was found on the side of a house after a warm spell, very dehydrated but otherwise uninjured. She was not very happy about being rescued! She'll be overwintered and released in the spring.
Feeding red bat Amphibiansunrise 2019-04-19 | This red bat woke up during a warm spell and is being overwintered until he can be released in spring. He must be hand fed around 15 mealworms daily.
Red bat monitoring camera Amphibiansunrise 2019-04-19 | This red bat is being overwintered until he can be released in spring. A surveillance camera helps keep track of what he gets up to at night.
Big brown bat getting a drink of water (Chira) Amphibiansunrise 2019-04-19 | This big brown bat has a permanent wing injury, and is an educational ambassador. A monitoring camera got footage of her getting a drink of water and grabbing a mealworm snack.
Baby bluebird swallowing a June bug Amphibiansunrise 2018-05-13 | Accidentally startled mom bluebird out of the nest box right after she delivered a snack, and took the opportunity to peek - caught this baby in the act of swallowing a big mouthful of June bug!
Eclipse shadows Amphibiansunrise 2017-10-01 | From the solar eclipse of August 21 2017 - viewed from central Indiana.
Hungry baby opossum Amphibiansunrise 2017-05-31 | This little guy is part of a litter of 13 baby opossums, orphaned when their mother was killed by a dog. Here he is very excited for his evening feeding!
Mom raccoon and her two babies Amphibiansunrise 2017-05-31 | Heard baby raccoons squalling outside this morning and went outside to find the babies on the end of a tree branch and mom jumping from the fence below trying to reach them. Mom saw me and ran away, so went back inside - checked again a few minutes later just in time to watch mom heading down the tree with one baby in her mouth and another following behind.
Rescued domestic rabbits Amphibiansunrise 2016-11-25 | These four pet rabbits were dumped in my park last weekend, and are temprarily staying with me before they go to a rescue.
Hermit crab by the ocean Amphibiansunrise 2016-11-25 | On a trip to Texas, came across this little crustacean just chillin'
Groundhog rescue eating a carrot Amphibiansunrise 2016-09-09 | This groundhog was brought in after she was found walking in circles in a yard. She also had some ticks and skin infections, but was fine being examined once we gave her a carrot. We were able to gently roll her on her back and remove the ticks and check out her other skin issues - she just ate her carrot the whole time!Circling like this in groundhogs is often caused by infection with raccoon roundworm, which can cause progressive brain damage. Her prognosis is questionable, but we will watch her for a few weeks to see if she improves, holds steady, or begins to get worse, in which case humane euthanasia may be our best option if her condition is progressive and incurable.Update: As of February 2018 "Whistle Pig" the groundhog is doing great! We still don't know what caused her neurological issues, but her condition is stable and has not shown signs of getting worse. Although she can't go back in the wild she seems otherwise happy and healthy, and is now living as an educational groundhog helping to teach people about these amazing animals.
Oliver the opossum scent-marking Amphibiansunrise 2016-01-09 | Oliver was born with his front feet bent so that he walks on his wrists. Since he would not survive in the wild he lives at a nature center as an educational opossum. To provide enrichment, we give Oliver new things to sniff and explore - the behavior he is displaying here is opossum scent marking, or "slubbing," where the opossum licks and slobbers on an object (wood, rubber or leather shoes, and paper bags seem to be favorites) and then rubs its cheek glands in it repeatedly. This is probably a way of marking territory.
Wolf spider feeding time Amphibiansunrise 2016-01-09 | This young wolf spider on display at a nature center gets regular meals of crickets. This time. It managed to nab a second cricket while still holding on to the first. Wolf spiders typically stalk or ambush prey rather than building webs.
Garden Spider and egg cases Amphibiansunrise 2015-10-19 | Garden spiders build large webs with a zigzag down the middle, and bounce up and down if disturbed. They will die off with the first hard freezes of fall, but their eggs will survive to hatch out next year.
Funnel Weaver Spider Amphibiansunrise 2015-10-19 | Funnel weaver spiders are common in late summer and early fall in Indiana. They quickly retreat to the base of their funnel web if disturbed, and are not considered dangerous to humans - their venom is mild, and bites are rare. They are no relation to the more dangerous Australian funnel web spiders.
Baby raccoon release part 2 Amphibiansunrise 2015-10-01 | After about an hour, the five orphaned raccoons are still having a great time climbing trees and exploring their new forest home.
Baby raccoon release part 1 Amphibiansunrise 2015-10-01 | By mid September these five orphaned raccoons are ready to return to the wild, although we will provide supplemental food for several months as they learn to find natural food sources. Although some of the babies were orphaned at only a few days old, living outside for several months other raccoon playmates and only limited contact with a single human caretaker has led to a successful release, with all five displaying appropriate avoidance of other humans since release.
Baby raccoons playing with waterfrom hose Amphibiansunrise 2015-10-01 | Although these five orphaned raccoons were fascinated by the water, it softened the ground by their cage so much they started digging holes under the fence, so there was no more hose time after this.
Baby raccoon licking water from hands Amphibiansunrise 2015-10-01 | Even though there is a water bowl and water bottle available, this orphan raccoon prefers finger water!
Whats in the pan?! Baby raccoons investigate Japanese beetles Amphibiansunrise 2015-07-15 | All natural pest control plus baby raccoon enrichment and life skills training - can't beat that!
Growly baby opossums Amphibiansunrise 2015-07-10 | Baby opossums in the same litter can have very different personalities - some may be calm and curious when handled while others may freeze or play dead. This litter was old enough when they were orphaned that some of them were suspicious of humans - and these two have always been particularly growly and aggressive. Handling is kept to a minimum so they do not become tame and can be successfully released back into the wild - in this case I was transferring them to another container so I could clean their larger cage. Fast movements would probably have resulted in a bite - painful even at this age - but by going very slowly and approaching from behind/above they reverted to freezing rather than attacking.
Whats in the pan?! Baby raccoons investigate minnows. Amphibiansunrise 2015-07-09 | More new things to explore - they did great at catching the minnows but haven't gotten the hang of actually eating them yet.
Baby raccoons play with fresh leaves Amphibiansunrise 2015-07-09 | I try to put something new to explore in the baby raccoon pen every day - in this case, a trimmed branch from an ash tree. One baby decided my camera phone was worth investigating, too!
Baby raccoon puts head through fence to get a drink Amphibiansunrise 2015-07-09 | This little guy is still somewhat smaller than the other baby raccoons, and is able to stick his head through the fence - hopefully he'll figure out when to stop doing that before he gets stuck!
Baby raccoon drinking from bottle Amphibiansunrise 2015-07-09 | This is the little orphan raccoon that arrived emaciated and nearly dead. He was also about half the size of other babies of the same age. It took him awhile to begin eating well, but once he did, he gained strength very quickly, and now he's doing great!
Whats in the pan?! Baby raccoons investigate sugar snap peas. Amphibiansunrise 2015-07-09 | Out in the wild, raccoons use their sensitive hands to feel for food items (snails, worms, crayfish, etc.) in creeks and pond edges. These baby raccoons are getting some important practice at this behavior, and having a great time!
Older baby raccoon drinking from bottle Amphibiansunrise 2015-07-09 | At around three months old, this baby raccoon is almost ready to be weaned but still hasn't quite gotten the hang of solid food yet, so he is still getting a daily bottle. He's come a long way from the nearly-dead three week old orphan he was when he first arrived!
Baby raccoons playing with rocks Amphibiansunrise 2015-07-09 | Baby raccoons are very curious about their environment, and learn by exploring with mouth and hands - to help their development they are given new things to investigate in their crate. Even rocks can be fascinating and fun!
Recovering baby raccoon playing by himself Amphibiansunrise 2015-07-09 | Only three days earlier this little raccoon was non-responsive, emaciated, cold, and covered with fleas. His sibling did not survive, but this one has been gradually gaining strength, and here is feeling well enough to roll around in his crate and play a little. Once he is strong enough he'll be introduced to some other babies of similar size and age.
Very hungry baby raccoons Amphibiansunrise 2015-07-09 | These three week old orphaned raccoons are very vocal about demanding their next feeding!
Baby raccoon drinking from bottle Amphibiansunrise 2015-07-09 | Once they get the hang of it, baby raccoons are usually very eager and greedy feeders, and it is sometimes hard to keep them from overfilling!
