Hello

[squirrely steve]

Hello

My name is Steve
I live on a small six acre farm out in Iowa in USA.
I live here with my wife Sheri.
I am a licensed Wildlife Rehabilitator for Iowa.
I got the nick name Squirrely Steve about 10 years ago from taking care of and rehabbing
Tree Squirrels.
They are some of my favorite pick of animals.
I have took care of many Squirrels from very young pinkies to old.
I take care of them and get them raised or back feeling better...then release at a No Hunting State Preserve.

I have also Rehabbed Wood chucks, Coyotes, Skunks, Raccoons, Opossums, Cotton Tail
Rabbits, and Bats.
We also have had some domestic farm animals and some birds.
Dogs, Cats, Sheep, Pot Belly Pigs, Rabbits, Chickens, Guinea Fowl, Geese,..
Some how I work a full time job in a family owned machine shop.
Some days are very busy and long taking care of many animals and daily farm repairs and
running a machine shop.
Last year I experienced some Rehabilitator Burn out and have to not take in as many animals
now.

I am looking to expand my Knowledge and learn more on the Raccoons and other exotics.
I keep running into Questions, and that is how I found this message board.
I can offer some advise and knowledge back on some of the critters I have took care of,
especially on Squirrels.

Thanks
Squirrely Steve

[urofan]

Welcome to the Sybil's Den Forum.

[squirrely steve]

Welcome to the Sybil's Den Forum.

Hi "urofan"

Thanks

[Whisper]

Welcome to the forum! I hope you find the answers your looking for, and I'm sure your knowledge will be appreciate :).

[Ash]

Welcome! It's great to have you here. I'm very interested in tree squirrels--mostly exotic tree squirrels like Prevost's squirrels. :)

[squirrely steve]

Welcome to the forum! I hope you find the answers your looking for, and I'm sure your knowledge will be appreciate :).

Hi Whisper

Thanks for the Welcome.
Thanks I got some questions ready for the Raccoon section.
I hope I can help out.

[squirrely steve]

Welcome! It's great to have you here. I'm very interested in tree squirrels--mostly exotic tree squirrels like Prevost's squirrels. :)

Hi Ash

Thanks for the Welcome.
Cool I was hoping some of you guys like Squirrels.
I never heard of Prevost's squirrels.
I look forward in learning about New Animals.

[Trefoil]

Hi- Glad to have you.

[squirrely steve]

Hi- Glad to have you.

Hi Trefoil

Thanks Glad to be here

[caninesrock]

Hi there. Welcome. ^^ I like squirrels too. I used to help bottle feed young ones at a wildlife rehabilitation center I used to volunteer at. We had red and grey squirrels there.

That's really cool that you get to work with rehabbing raccoons and coyotes too. :) Here in Texas the center wasn't allowed to take in any raccoons or coyotes because of rabies risk laws. :( Same with foxes too which I also would've loved to help rehab.

We mostly had squirrels, opossums, and various birds at the center.

It still exists. I just unfortunately don't have the time to volunteer there anymore with my current work schedule as I was volunteering there while I was unemployed and looking for a job.

[caninesrock]

Forgot to say we also had rabbits sometimes at the center.

[squirrely steve]

Hi there. Welcome. ^^ I like squirrels too. I used to help bottle feed young ones at a wildlife rehabilitation center I used to volunteer at. We had red and grey squirrels there.

That's really cool that you get to work with rehabbing raccoons and coyotes too. :) Here in Texas the center wasn't allowed to take in any raccoons or coyotes because of rabies risk laws. :( Same with foxes too which I also would've loved to help rehab.

We mostly had squirrels, opossums, and various birds at the center.

It still exists. I just unfortunately don't have the time to volunteer there anymore with my current work schedule as I was volunteering there while I was unemployed and looking for a job.

Hi Caninesrock

Thanks for the Welcome.
Awesome glad you like squirrels too.
It must of been cool to volunteer and feed squirrels at the wildlife rehabilitation center.
I have 8 eastern grey squirrels and 2 red fox squirrels right now.

It is real cool to work with raccoons and coyotes.
After I get my raccoon pictures and stories posted I would like to post some pictures of my coyotes that I rehabbed.
I had to get rabies shots to be able to work with the raccoons and coyotes and Bats.
I would like to rehab a river otter and a deer fawn and a Fox also some day.

Sorry that you do not have the time to volunteer at the center any more.
I know well about work schedule conflicts I fight to keep my rehabbing going.
It gets real busy here at the machine shop sometimes and some days are slow.
Its been busy here the last few days.
I just got caught up so time to catch up here.

Thanks
Steve

[squirrely steve]

Forgot to say we also had rabbits sometimes at the center.

Hi Caninesrock

Cotton Tail Rabbits are the hardest animals I have ever rehabbed.
That awesome the center takes them in.

Steve

[Badger]

Hello everyone. I found your forum & I loved reading some of the posts here. Especially about raccoons, since I have raised one into adulthood and now have 3 orphans, 2 boys & 1 girl.
I live in SW ND, where it is illegal to 'possess' wildlife. About 2010 or a little earlier, the last 'license' for rehabilitators was allowed to 'expire' and no one in the entire state as far as I know can help any wildlife at all.
I find this reprehensible. There should be a place to take injured/orphaned wildlife bcs people who are not equipped with the skills etc. will often attempt to 'help' said wildlife, causing more problems.
Anyway, my husband & I ranch on the Cannonball River not far from the SD border. We are very isolated regarding neighbors, so our ranch is a perfect place to raise orphaned wildlife.
We work our cows horseback, so we have plenty of horses. We also have a Bluetick named Annabelle, a 15yo Blue heeler (I used to raise them) named Ranger who is blind.
The 1st raccoon we raised barely had her eyes open and was found in our shop screaming. We raised her & named her Cricket. She slept in our bed with us & was allowed to come & go in & out of the house as she pleased. She was able to open our door. She got bred during her 1st heat cycle and had 4 kits, but I believe she killed 3 of the 4 and the other was small & stressed. They died 4 days after birth.
Then several months later, after she'd gone back to her normal self, she walked off one night to roam, as she always did, and never came home. We know she died. We have a lot of coyotes here. We were heartbroken, as I know you all well know. So 2 months later we got Annabelle.
Now just a week ago a neighbor called us about 3 baby coons wandering the prairie terrified. We went & got them. They were probably about 4-5 weeks old. Terrified & covered in tick, we tamed them the 1st night & now they are fat & happy.
I am so happy to find a place to share my stories & hear more stories!
If you like, you can visit my Flickr page. I am a semi-pro photographer & HS science teacher. I have a LOT of pics of Cricket, but only have put a few online. There are some on Flickr.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/hoherzranch/

[Trefoil]

Hi You should feel right at home here. I was introduced to coons in the same way, many many years ago and have been hooked ever since.