Back to Nature Wildlife Refuge is located in Bitho Florida. It is a native animal hospital with a focus on returning animals back into their native habitats. In this blog I will log in my work there to support their goal.
5/24/11
Red Tailed Hawk
Just a few days ago I was wondering why the hospital never gets any Crows. Well I went in today and there are two Crows there. One is big and bold acting, the other small and shy. I took a turn feeding the baby birds, they always act as if no one has ever fed them before. Even if I just fed them, then another rehab worker walks by they cry out, "I haven't ever beed fed in my whole life!" We seperated the Grackles who were getting agressive, now its the Blue Jays that are the yard bullies. One Blue Jay even bit me because I fed another bird first.
I held an adult Red Tailed Hawk as Debbie the head rehab worker, changed dressings on the bird's feet.
I have done this before and this time the Hawk was very calm despite the fact we were pulling scabs off of it's feet, which I know hurt. Even releasing the Hawk back into its cage went smooth, that park of the handling can be a little scary. Birds can remember who you are and how you have treated them.
The Iguana is doing better, it is an old one and health issues may be more frequent. People do interact with it, but it does not like to be picked up.
They took the one Red Eared Slider turtle with bad shell damage out of the water to let its wounds dry out. I fed it some tangerine and water hyacinths, it seemed happy to see me, coming over to me when I came over to the drying pool. They will put some topical antibiotic on the wounds to ward off infections.
5/22/11
Water Hyacinth Plants
Today I went to Blanchard Park and collected some exoitc/invasive plants (48 Water Hyacinth Plants, 15 Water Lettuce Plants). I brought these to Back to Nature to feed to the Red Eared Slider Turtles. At BTN I took all the old plants from the Slider Pool and replaced them with new plants. I did witness one slider eating the leaves of a Water Hyacinth Plant. I had been wondering if they were just trampling the plants or actually eating them. To my suprise the Spur Thighed Tortoise also ate a Water Hyacinth Plant.
I took a turn with the baby birds, spent some time wtih Zema the Western Couger, took out the trash and took a pile of carboard and a bag of plastics for recycling.
We tooked at the large Green Iguana too. It has swolem limbs, some dirarea and has been spending a large abount of time in water. I've had Iguanas before and suspect Metabolic Bone Disease. I'll be researching this this week.
5/20/11
The Chelonian Insitute
Today I made an unannouced visit to Peter Pritchard PhD. He was very friendly and showed me all sorts of things about Turtles and Tortoises. I learned so much I had to think about it for a while to absorb it all. I helped him care for a Austraian Eastern Snake-necked Turtle (Chelodina longicollis) that had a broken piece off of its rear shell. He does not do relocations of Red Eared Sliders, so I'm back to searching for a way to send them home.
Later at Back to Nature
(The above picture is of a baby Loggerhead Shrike Bird)
Today I fed the three Red Eared Slider Turtles, the African Spur Thighed Tortoise (Geochelone sulcata), the South American Red Foot Tortoise (Geochelone carbonaria) and several of the Florida Gopher Tortoises. I changed the water in the Turtle pool too.
I took a turn with the very cute baby birds (Loggerhead Shrikes, Cardinals, Blue Jays, Mocking Birds, Flickers, Doves and Grackles). We don't seem to get any Crows.
I spent some time with Zema the Western Mountian Lion. This Cougar is friendly and like to purr. It is shedding some fur as the Florida days become hotter. This giant kitty is one of my favorite animals.
5/19/11
The Red Eared Slider Population Increases
Today I went in and went right to work with the Turtles and Tortoises. There is now 3 exotic/invasive Red Eared Sliders. I've been calling the local Turtle expert Richard Pritchard PhD, but have not gotten through. I'm going to visit his Turtle Research Facility on Friday. I'm looking for a home for the sliders, or some way to mail them back to the Missisipii River. I'm considering building a Red Eared Slider colllection/holding facility at my house. Collect a whole herd of them, then drive or mail them back to their home range.
I took a turn feeding the baby birds (Flickers, Grackles, Blue Jays, Brown Thrashers, Grey Cat Birds and Brown Thrashers. Often I help care for animals I've never seen outside of the hospital. For example even though I've fed many Brown Thrasher birds, I've never seen one in nature.
I packed up a bunch of recycling cardboard and took it home.
I worked some more (second day) on the big pile of yard waste. I want to get rid of this big pile because it is both a fire hazard and makes the hospital looks less professional. Another volunteer has donated a large trailer to pile it all in.
I've been collecting exotic/invasive Cuban anole (Anolis sagrei) for years. Today I brought two in to feed to the soon to be released yound Raccoons. The sooner they can get off of dog food and back on wild food the better. Back at my home where there are no cages and where there are many Raccoons and Opossums being rehabed, thier main diet is road killed animals or exotic/invasive animals and plants I've found.
5/16/11
Red Eared Slider Turtles
Today I fed two Red Eared Slider Turtles some water mellon. These Turtles are native to the central part of the United States and an exotic here in Florida. I am working on finding a way to send them back to their native territory. One of the Sliders will eat right out of my hand the other is more shy.
I took a turn feeding the large collection of baby birds too. Blue Jays, Grey Cat Birds, Mourning Doves, Northern Flickers, Grackles, Cardinals, Brown Thrashers and more. I find the Grackles to be the most aggresive, they sometimes push the other birds I'm trying to feed out of the way.
I spend an hour moving a large pile of brush into a large trailer.
I sat outside the double fencing of Zema the Western Mountain Lion. She likes me a lot and comes over to the fence and begins purring like a giant 100lb kitten.
5/24/11
Red Tailed Hawk
Just a few days ago I was wondering why the hospital never gets any Crows. Well I went in today and there are two Crows there. One is big and bold acting, the other small and shy. I took a turn feeding the baby birds, they always act as if no one has ever fed them before. Even if I just fed them, then another rehab worker walks by they cry out, "I haven't ever beed fed in my whole life!" We seperated the Grackles who were getting agressive, now its the Blue Jays that are the yard bullies. One Blue Jay even bit me because I fed another bird first.
I held an adult Red Tailed Hawk as Debbie the head rehab worker, changed dressings on the bird's feet.
I have done this before and this time the Hawk was very calm despite the fact we were pulling scabs off of it's feet, which I know hurt. Even releasing the Hawk back into its cage went smooth, that park of the handling can be a little scary. Birds can remember who you are and how you have treated them.
The Iguana is doing better, it is an old one and health issues may be more frequent. People do interact with it, but it does not like to be picked up.
They took the one Red Eared Slider turtle with bad shell damage out of the water to let its wounds dry out. I fed it some tangerine and water hyacinths, it seemed happy to see me, coming over to me when I came over to the drying pool. They will put some topical antibiotic on the wounds to ward off infections.
Water Hyacinth Plants
Today I went to Blanchard Park and collected some exoitc/invasive plants (48 Water Hyacinth Plants, 15 Water Lettuce Plants). I brought these to Back to Nature to feed to the Red Eared Slider Turtles. At BTN I took all the old plants from the Slider Pool and replaced them with new plants. I did witness one slider eating the leaves of a Water Hyacinth Plant. I had been wondering if they were just trampling the plants or actually eating them. To my suprise the Spur Thighed Tortoise also ate a Water Hyacinth Plant.
I took a turn with the baby birds, spent some time wtih Zema the Western Couger, took out the trash and took a pile of carboard and a bag of plastics for recycling.
We tooked at the large Green Iguana too. It has swolem limbs, some dirarea and has been spending a large abount of time in water. I've had Iguanas before and suspect Metabolic Bone Disease. I'll be researching this this week.
5/20/11
The Chelonian Insitute
Today I made an unannouced visit to Peter Pritchard PhD. He was very friendly and showed me all sorts of things about Turtles and Tortoises. I learned so much I had to think about it for a while to absorb it all. I helped him care for a Austraian Eastern Snake-necked Turtle (Chelodina longicollis) that had a broken piece off of its rear shell. He does not do relocations of Red Eared Sliders, so I'm back to searching for a way to send them home.
(The above picture is of a baby Loggerhead Shrike Bird)
Today I fed the three Red Eared Slider Turtles, the African Spur Thighed Tortoise (Geochelone sulcata), the South American Red Foot Tortoise (Geochelone carbonaria) and several of the Florida Gopher Tortoises. I changed the water in the Turtle pool too.
I took a turn with the very cute baby birds (Loggerhead Shrikes, Cardinals, Blue Jays, Mocking Birds, Flickers, Doves and Grackles). We don't seem to get any Crows.
I spent some time with Zema the Western Mountian Lion. This Cougar is friendly and like to purr. It is shedding some fur as the Florida days become hotter. This giant kitty is one of my favorite animals.
5/19/11
The Red Eared Slider Population Increases
Today I went in and went right to work with the Turtles and Tortoises. There is now 3 exotic/invasive Red Eared Sliders. I've been calling the local Turtle expert Richard Pritchard PhD, but have not gotten through. I'm going to visit his Turtle Research Facility on Friday. I'm looking for a home for the sliders, or some way to mail them back to the Missisipii River. I'm considering building a Red Eared Slider colllection/holding facility at my house. Collect a whole herd of them, then drive or mail them back to their home range.
I took a turn feeding the baby birds (Flickers, Grackles, Blue Jays, Brown Thrashers, Grey Cat Birds and Brown Thrashers. Often I help care for animals I've never seen outside of the hospital. For example even though I've fed many Brown Thrasher birds, I've never seen one in nature.
I packed up a bunch of recycling cardboard and took it home.
I worked some more (second day) on the big pile of yard waste. I want to get rid of this big pile because it is both a fire hazard and makes the hospital looks less professional. Another volunteer has donated a large trailer to pile it all in.
I've been collecting exotic/invasive Cuban anole (Anolis sagrei) for years. Today I brought two in to feed to the soon to be released yound Raccoons. The sooner they can get off of dog food and back on wild food the better. Back at my home where there are no cages and where there are many Raccoons and Opossums being rehabed, thier main diet is road killed animals or exotic/invasive animals and plants I've found.
5/16/11
Red Eared Slider Turtles
Today I fed two Red Eared Slider Turtles some water mellon. These Turtles are native to the central part of the United States and an exotic here in Florida. I am working on finding a way to send them back to their native territory. One of the Sliders will eat right out of my hand the other is more shy.
I took a turn feeding the large collection of baby birds too. Blue Jays, Grey Cat Birds, Mourning Doves, Northern Flickers, Grackles, Cardinals, Brown Thrashers and more. I find the Grackles to be the most aggresive, they sometimes push the other birds I'm trying to feed out of the way.
I spend an hour moving a large pile of brush into a large trailer.
I sat outside the double fencing of Zema the Western Mountain Lion. She likes me a lot and comes over to the fence and begins purring like a giant 100lb kitten.
5/15/11
Soft Shell Turtles
Soft Shell Turtles
Today I released a large Softshell Turtle for BTN. I own a property that is bisected by the Big Econlockhatchee River. So I took the Turtle home in a big pet carrier, carried it down to the river and set it free. Sometimes turtles I release make a fast run for freedom, sometimes they take their time and allow me to get a good pitcture.
Earlier today I saved another large Softshell Turtle off of a gravel road and put it into a pond. It must be nesting season because a lot of Turtles are being found crossing roads. 
4/10/2010
An Red Rat Snake is Rescued
In the evenings snakes start hanging out on the roads trying to stay warm. I'm driving home and find this six foot Red Rat Snake stretched across the street. I was able to drive over it without touching it with any tires. I pulled over and stuffed it into a snake bag. I carry snake bags, a snake stick, pet carriers, small jars, leather gloves and an aniaml first aid kit in my car to rescue animals.
In the evenings snakes start hanging out on the roads trying to stay warm. I'm driving home and find this six foot Red Rat Snake stretched across the street. I was able to drive over it without touching it with any tires. I pulled over and stuffed it into a snake bag. I carry snake bags, a snake stick, pet carriers, small jars, leather gloves and an aniaml first aid kit in my car to rescue animals.
Today I brought the snake to work to show people. I do this to teach people all about native animals and build their appreciation for them. I fed this friendly Rat Snake two mice then released it back into the swamp.
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