Surrogate parent?

[jesse_3]

Have you ever been a surrogate parent for another animal? I am right now for a bat pup, and it is A LOT of work...

Steph and Chipper

[Argranade]

That means like a parent for an animal or bird and feeding it right?

If so yes and SO many times I have always did it for baby birds but I was a parent for a baby racoon for like a week.

[Chilli]

When I first got two of my rats, Sid & Ophie, they were just about one week too young to be away from their mum (they were separated anyway since they were "just feeders"). I had to feed them soy-based baby formula for one week. I suppose that would count.

Also, we've had to attempt to be a surrogate mother for a kitten once. From the start the little guy didn't have much of a chance, and didn't make it (he was only a few days old when found).
I also helped my friend raise a bottle-feed her six kittens when the mother was killed by a coyote. Glad to say they've all made it are growing like weeds. :D

Its quite obvious that I'll open my arms to any animal in need^^.

[luvofallhorses]

no, but I definately will in the future if they need my help. the only thing that I did was bottle feed a bunny that was attacked by a cat last week. I didn't take him into my care, someone else is fostering him..but it was a good expierience :)

[jesse_3]

That means like a parent for an animal or bird and feeding it right?

Yes it does. I should have posted that, sorry!!!
Did the any of the baby birds make it?

Chilli, that is awesome!!! You have been a surragate parent quite a bit! Those six kitties and your friend are lucky to have you, as are Sid and Ophie:)

[Argranade]

Yes it does. I should have posted that, sorry!!!
Did the any of the baby birds make it?

Well there was one dove with 2 broken wings but she passed just before we could get her to the vet. :(

Other than that all the other baby birds are fine Windigo and Bearclaw the morning doves are to be released soon same goes for that cowbird [Which everyone loves] and I am taking care of a baby robin and a Redwing black bird baby too.

As for my pigeons they can all fend for them selves when I bring them seeds and water. :)

[Flatcoatluver]

So basically your talking about fostering? Sorry, I guess I'm slow :confused:

[k9krazee]

So basically your talking about fostering? Sorry, I guess I'm slow :confused:

I think she means like actually raising a baby animal...

And I voted yes! Kyra was a bottle baby. TONS of work, she had to be fed every 2-3 hours every day and night, she basically took all of my free time that summer (but I'm not complaining, it was well worth the time!!).

[lute]

i really have no idea if i have or not. i don't think so.

[jesse_3]

So basically your talking about fostering? Sorry, I guess I'm slow :confused:

Well, kind of. You raise it, you are its parent, whatever 'it' is. If you found a baby chipmunk that was too young to take care of itself, and the mother was no where to be found, so you raise it, or like Argranade is raising baby birds.

Sorry for all of the confusion!!
Steph

[cali]

yes and no. Spud the guinea pig was born to a litter of 6, he was the runt and hardly got any milk, so I would come home from school at every break I could to bottle feed him. Spud only lived to be about 2 years old though :(

[Sevaede]

Yes. When I was about eleven or twelve, my aunt and two cousins were living with my dad, brother, and myself, we had a Rottie girl named Chyna. Well, they found out Chyna was pregnant about halfways through her actual pregnancy. She had a litter of twelve but only ten survived and then she sat on a couple so I would say only seven or eight survived out of that. They brought them inside and I slept on the floor right next to them and got up every 2 hours to feed them. They just gradually died off. :( A few died right in my hands.

I miss them.

[.sarah]

I haven't (and voted no) but I will probably be taking in some bottle-baby kittens this summer. My parents have said I could do it and I'm going to talk to my boss (I work at the humane society) to see just what all it entails to make sure I'm not getting myself into something I can't handle.

[cocker_luva]

no i havent, but i would definatly do it.

[molucass]

Yes, I have.

About 4 different litters of dogs that I fostered for the humane society when I volunteered there.
Another litter for a neighbor who took in a stray lab that showed up pregnant. The dog got out of the back yard while she was out going potty and got ran over the day she had her puppies, so I offered to bottle feed them for them. They lived with me until they were 8 weeks old, and then I found wonderful homes for both of them.
3 baby kittens.
A litter of baby rats, but only 2 of them made it.

A.J. our pit bull/boxer/? mix was bottle fed from the day she was born until she was 5 weeks old. She is 10 months old now.

I also bottle fed a newborn chihuahua that was the runt of a friends litter. The mom wasn't feeding her, and was pushing her away. She weighed 2 oz. when we got her at 2 days old. She only lived 3 days after we had her though. :(

[dab_20]

I have been a surrogate parent for a baby magpie.

[lv4dogs]

Gosh have I ever. Being an ex-vet tech I was often sent home with orphaned feral kittens, baby birds and the occasional puppy to hand feed & raise. Then to top it off, my ex b/f was a tree surgeon so I often raised baby squirells, (more) birds & racoons. It's a LOT of hard work & sleepness nights but well worth it.