Helped save a life today; UPDATE Pg 2 Post 29

[K9karen]

Luckily, Mz Logan is sleeping..and I'll never tell.
Looks like, what we call a groundhog. Mz Logan's favorite pasttime (besides catching moles) is to corner them and harrass them. She lets them get away because she can outrun the fat suckers anyday.

You did a really good deed. I'm glad you weren't injured. I guess it sensed you were helping.

How'd ya get it in the carrier, anyways????

[Pam]

WOW!! You are very brave. I would have been way too afraid to touch him. Let us know what happens!

[Freedom]

Yes, groundhog, woodchuck, same thing. (I had to google it and check, wasn't sure myself!)

The photo is misleading, he was small, maybe 2 pounds at most. Definitely a youngster.

Woodchucks are rodents and are 'rabies vector' mammals. This means they can carry the rabies virus on their fur and transmit it to our skin, so you aren't supposed to touch them directly. I wasn't thinking about that, all I thought about was fleas, te hee. Turns out rodents, except for squirrels, are very clean animals and don't have fleas, ticks or mites. Woodchucks clean themselves and each other regularly. They would only have those things if they were ill and staying still in one place for a length of time. (As you can see, I learned a LOT yesterday! Didn't know ANY of this.)

How'd ya get it in the carrier, anyways????

Being a dog owner, I always have plastic bags -- in my car, in my pockets. First I gently nudged him with my foot. But he was totally stunned and in shock there in the street and didn't move. I didn't want him biting me out of either fear or pain! So as he didn't budge, I put used the plastic bags picked him up and put him on the floor on the front passenger side. Turned around and headed for home. On that short drive is when he started to recover and moved around to face me. That's when I started to really THINK about what I was doing. I left the car in the driveway because I didn't want him loose in the garage if he escaped as I transferred him to the carrier. Ran in and got the carrier, and used the plastic bags again. Now the carrier was on the front passenger seat and the door wouldn't remain open so I had to pick him up with one hand. That was a bit awkward, and he was feeling a bit better and wriggled once; but only once. Not sure if he was sore or what. So in he went.

Now for the REALLY nutty thing. I put the carrier in the garage (shady), went in for my camera, and had to open the carrier door again to get a photo as I KNEW all my PT friends would want to see! At this point, I was just asking for him to escape, but he didn't move a muscle even when the flash went off. Just blinked his eyes.

When I got him to the clinic, I asked about him being so still in the carrier. They said he is feeling "really crappy" just now, because that is not at all normal for a wild one. Oh they also said for an adult I would have needed a much larger carrier, would never fit an adult in this size carrier.

When they tried to get him out (wearing those thick leather gloves) he held on with all his claws, he did NOT want to leave, he hee. They put him in their carrier with a blanket and wrapped a towel all over it. Then that went into a "bin" which has heating lamps in it. That is where he was to wait for the vet to arrive.

BTW I keep saying "he" but have no idea if it is male or female.

[columbine]

I always think of woodchucks as "he" because I never met a Chuck who was a girl! Anyway, thank you for helping out this confused little critter, and for keeping us posted.

Love, Columbine

[DJFyrewolf36]

Good for you for saving this little guy. Definately a youngin, Ive seen Groundhogs that looked to be about 40 lbs
I hope he/she is ok! Keep us posted!

[ramanth]

Awww!! Good for you!!

I was on my way to my parents when I saw a dead raccoon and three babies milling in and out of the road around her.

So I gathered them up and called the local wildlife rehab and they told me to put them back where I found them and that they'd get along on their own.



Guess if they are not injured, they don't take them.

[lizbud]

Awww!! Good for you!!

I was on my way to my parents when I saw a dead raccoon and three babies milling in and out of the road around her.

So I gathered them up and called the local wildlife rehab and they told me to put them back where I found them and that they'd get along on their own.



Guess if they are not injured, they don't take them.

Sounds like the janitor of the wildlife rehab is answering their phone again.

The dead momma is sure not going to come back to life on her own. I hope
the babies were old enough to survive on their own.

[Muddy4paws]

wow!!


I've never seen one before! they sounds pretty wild too lol! Trust you to go into action without thinking :P Thats the rescuerer in you!

I'm glad you managed to catch him! I dont think I would of been able to lol

[Freedom]

Just phoned for a report.

Dr Chan checked him over on Friday. No fractures, no injuries that she could find. They fed him and let him loose and . . .

he RAN like the dickens into the woods!

I am happy for him, and relieved he didn't decide to RUN while loose in my car!

[Kirsten]

Glad to hear he's fine! He's probably happy to be back in the woods.

Well, hope he knows that you saved his life! LOL

Kirsten

[CathyBogart]

What a cutie pie! I'm glad you found him.

[jazzcat]

Aww, what a cute critter. You were very brave to save him.

There used to be a groundhog/woodchuck that would come into my neighbors backyard and play with the kid's basketball. He would roll it around in the grass. Sure wished I'd had a video camera back then.

[Randi]

You're a hero!! So glad you got him to a vet to be checked out. I hope he's OK and will be put back where he belongs - far from any roads!