Oakey Care, Rehabilitation & Release Of Wildlife.

There is only so much that my fighting can do when they give up and don't fight at all. We lost Popeye today. 💔💔💔

If anyone is heading down to Brisbane in the next few days, (actual area will be confirmed lol) pom needs a lift to his new home. His new mummy's cater has stopped working.
*edit* he needs to get to ferny hills

This little boy is breaking my heart. He looks so defeated and doesn't want to fight. He's healthy but seems to be giving up. I will fight for him while he takes a moment. I literally had a cry earlier when I had a think of what he's been through. His mum was hit by a car with injuries so bad that she needed to be euthanised. He was then taken away from her. When he got home to me, I sat with him for hrs to build a tint bit of trust and he will get there but it's slow. The reality is we've taken an exclusively breastfed on demand baby and said, here...drink from this teat that's unfamiliar, drink this milk that tastes different, drink this amount on this schedule and if you get hungry in between..just wait. We are forcing him to trust myself, a human who he had (rightly so) learned that I am a predator and all I want to do is cause him harm. Imagine the terror and stress he is going through. I will give him time. I will give him love. I will be his fight while he can't be his own and I will put his needs above my own until he is comfortable and feels safe.

Everyone meet Popeye. His mummy was hit by a car and had to be euthanised due to her injuries. This little boy is very scared (understandably) and it has taken 3hrs of having him next to my heart beat to get him to trust me enough to take some milk and a grape....as long as I moved very slowly. My heart hurts for everything he's been through today.

Gotta love possum season... another baby on the way. This time, mum sadly had to be euthanised because her injuries were too severe.

Mr Pompom is doing AMAZING. This tint little kitten, that I expected to not even survive an hour, is now doing everything a kitten should do!!! Miss Leela has a new name, Lynx, and when she is bigger, will be going to her forever family... Pompom is yet to find his forever family. This boy is so incredibly sweet, if I could, I'd keep him forever!!

Olive moved into a cage tonight!! She's very uneasy but I think she will thrive in there!!!

This poor little girl came in tonight, her name is Olive. She was found beside the highway without mum (although I think we found mum a bit further down the highway)
My guess is that she was backriding, mums been hit by a car and Olive has been thrown. She is missing skin from her hand, has a nail that's been slightly torn, she is preferring to hold her rear leg curled up and her bottom jaw is swollen and bloody. I'm not liking how her jaw is moving so I've given her pain relief for the night and she is going for some xrays tomorrow. Despite being in as much pain as she was, I put the teat infront of her mouth and she bit it defensively...then realised there was milk in there and she drank a good 7ml. She is incredibly weak and I don't like how her lungs sound, but I will fight with her while she fights!!!

Gotta love when one of your best friends is a vet. Apparently I've been getting too much sleep. Everyone meet Leela. She will NOT be staying with us lol. She is with me because she's only 3weeks old (at most) and needs her eyes to get better and gain some weight. I promise she isn't s permanent resident here lol. Thankyou for everyone being patient with me the last few days. My days have been so hectic, chaotic and just busy busy busy.

Tonight is one reason I never judge someone for hitting a kangaroo or a wallaby. I was driving with my family and we'd just had a conversation "everyone keep an eye out please because this time of day and the area, there is bound to be kangaroos"... I was not distracted, I was not speeding (actually, I was doing 80 in the 100km zone) and I was watching... then in my peripheral I saw an ear move in the long grass and I just knew. In that split second I started to slow down without slamming on the breaks, I assessed my options and we were about to cross a bridge. If I swerved left, I would have gone off the bridge, right and I would have gone into the oncoming car. All I could do was break as safely as possible but it wasn't enough. Mummy wallaby jumped right infront of me. I'm grateful that the knock was very quick for her but I then had to take her joey to the vet to go to sleep as she was too small to be viable. I have pulled many joey's from pouches and I've been to many roo shootings that have been hit by cars. Every one of them breaks my heart but nothing like the heartbreak of tonight where this happened at My hand. I'm trying to find the positives in tonight and the only one I can find atm is that, if I didn't hit her, the car coming towards us would have and there is no guarantee they would have checked the pouch. Then poor little dragonfly (named by my girls) would have had a much slower and traumatic ending.

Up at first light to reunite a magpie fledgling with its parents.... anyone who knows me, knows this means I'll do what it takes... I would totally be a morning person if morning came around midday...
Anyhow, we could hear mum and dad calling for their baby and so we popped the basket at the bottom of the tree, opened it and stood back. Within minutes, baby was returning the calls and standing on the edge of the basket. The parents flew down to baby and fed her. Immediately, she followed them and off they went!!!!! Here's hoping that Clover goes on to live her best life!!

Oh my gosh... what a morning it's been today.... had a noisy miner come in after getting into a fight with a cat, luckily he's just missing a few tail feathers and will eventually be released. We also had a Galah come into care. This isn't uncommon except for the fact that this "wild galah" happily stepped up onto my finger, nibbled my nail polish and then said a word to me. When I checked him over, he happily went into his basket and went to sleep. He is obviously someone's pet. The sad part is that he has a very badly broken wing, but it's an old injury and has calcified. He has been on the ground for a while as he is covered in his own muck. Im not posting a photo of him as I'm going to try and find his original home. With his broken wing, I'm working with a vet as to options. If he was a wild galah, sadly the only option would be euthanasia but as a pet, he has more options. The downside to this is that all of the options come out of my own pocket.
This brings me to another point. In the last month I have been asked again and again and again for someone to keep a wild bird if it can't be released. This is not an option. Im not being mean to you all, it's actually illegal to do so and I can lose my licence and there is big fines for all involved. Not only that but imagine the mindset of a bird that could fly free and is suddenly kept in a cage for the rest of its life with an incorrectly healed injury because we felt bad about it going to sleep. Please know, death is not the worst option for alot of animals. If there is a chance, I will do everything in my power to give them that chance (trust me, I've annoyed other carers because I taken on cases that they wouldnt) but im not going to allow an animal to suffer needlessly if the outcome is already known. Im sorry if this is harsh. But also, I don't enjoy in saying goodbye to ANY animal.

Omgosh it's been a busy few days... I apologise to those I was unable to help while I was with my daughter at the hospital, but my family will always come first. Along with the 4 possums (Delilah is only a few hundred grams off making her way to her release site for slow release!!!) I now have the cutest ball of fluff...this Tawny frogmouth fell out of his neat and was then found by a dog. Luckily for little Honk, there are no cuts, or wounds but he did receive some head trauma. On arrival he had 1 dilated pupil and the other like a pindrop. He's had a restful day and is now eating like a champion. He will be with me for a week to make sure he's recovered well (yes, I'm working with a vet) and then we will try and reintroduce him to mum. Of that doesn't work, then I'll see if someone needs a friend for another tawny in care. Did you know though, a tawny frogmoith can be reintroduced back to it's parents for 6 to 8 weeks afterwards.
We've also had a galah that needed to gp to sleep after he looked like he'd fought with a barbedwire fence. A baby galah that was happily given back to his parents. I've actually had to ask a couple of vets to find another carer for a couple of animals as I only have so much space!!

Good morning amazing people!!! If you need me of a morning, please ring me... and then ring again. I have small kids that don't sleep well. This means that early in the morning, im sleeping and I won't wake up to messages.

My favourite part... let's go release a lorikeet!!

Biggie came in after being shaken up by a dog. Somehow he escaped broken bones and there wasn't even broken skin anywhere. The black on his beak shows he's not a fully fully grown adult but he's definitely old enough to be away from his parents. After a couple of days of calm and quiet rest, the shock is gone and he has recovered completely! He's been talking to all the lorikeets around so we're going to go an release him in the same area he came from...

Omg omg omg only 76 sleep until Christmas... I wish I was a millionaire and I'd buy all the lights!!! Im trying to convince my husband to let me buy a 5m Reindeer.....

Does everyone remember Delilah? My not so little girl anymore

Hi guys!!! Just remember that of I am unavailable, (because I have a family, commitments and atm am unwell) you can always utilise Wildlife oakey or the RSPCA on 1300ANIMAL. Have an amazing day!! Here is a photo of Mr Snuffle doing so well!!! His wrist is healing great and he is now using it and slowly building strength. He has another xray and check on Wednesday where he will either get the all clear to move into a cage (which I think will happen because he's come so far) or he will be deemed unable to release, in which case he will go to sleep. I don't think that will be the case though... but my gosh he is the prettiest possum I've seen in a long time.

Does everyone remember Jasper? He has been released for a while now and I got this photo the other night, of him!! I am so beyond proud of this boy!! From "he is in such a bad way that I dont think he's going to survive the hour until you get here" to being so healthy!!!!!

Yesterday was not a great wildlife day. I had another call out to a male wallaby that had been hit by a car and had a VERY badly broken leg. I'm talking, bone through the skin...not nice. Driving home last night we also came across another male wallaby that had been hit and had broken legs and was on the Rd.....the first one, the police (Ryan, although I wish we could meet in better circumstances) came and shot. The 2nd, as Dan was putting on his high vis and waiting for a safe passage, another car accidentallyhit him and sent him to God.
It seems harsh that they need to go to God and more so that it's done by the side of the road....but let me explain. An adult macropod (Wallaby or roo) can die just from stress... to heal a badly broken bone, they would require immobilisation for many weeks... that is not possible but also the time they would be in care, they would likely die of stress before the break healed. Not to mention that they are animals that are fight or flight. If they can't "flight" they will fight. A gun shot by the side of the road makes US uncomfortable. We prefer the idea of a comfortable room with a nice needle and the animal being asleep. To get an adult macropod into that environment would be nothing but agony, stress and unnecessary torture for them....just to make us feel better. In that moment, it's not about us. It's about helping that pour animal end it's suffering in the quickest and most humane way possible. Usually that is with a gun. For them it is INSTANT relief when shot correctly. The brain dies instantly and they feel nothing, they know nothing. It can take time for the heart to stop beating and for the muscles to stop spasming....but again, they aren't feeling this when done correctly. Everytime I have been at a shooting (with the exception of yesterday as I had a small child in the car but there was nothing I could do and the policeman stayed) I will sit with the animal after the shot, until their heart stops. I won't check pouches or anything like that before their heart stops. I will usually pat their back or side and talk to them, say a little prayer and wait for the heart to stop. After that, I will check for a pouch and then I do not remove the body. This seems harsh to people but I can't bury an adult in my yard (I live residentially and I rent!!) I would have to lift this animal (and they can be heavy!!) And take it to the dump to be disposed of, and that would cost me everytime. By leaving the body off the road, the other animals can make the most of a free meal. Giving back to nature. I know this is any uncomfortable topic and I'm sorry for the unpleasantness, but I've had a few of these lately and wanted to explain why they need to be euthanised, why it's done then and there, and also why I don't remove the body. I hope you all have the best fathers day!!!!
Happy Father's day everyone. Xx
As a bit of cute, here is Sir Button McCleod enjoying some bottle brush

Mr Snuffle is using his hand more and more. He's even starting to open his hand to use it to climb up to my shoulder!! This is a great sign. Now, there has been some talk and questions about why he wasn't euthanised when I thought he had a broken wrist. My answer to that is, he is a baby. There is a chance that it will heal. I am working with a vet and we are making these decisions together as a team for the best outcome. If he didn't have a chance of healing and being able to release, he would have gone to sleep. If his wrist doesn't heal and allow him to be released, then as heartbreaking as it is, he will be eithanised.... but he deserves a chance. I understand that not every carer is in a position to take on some of the harder, intensive around the clock, may or may not be successful, cases.... and that is ok. But if there is a chance, and the vet agrees with me, I will give them a chance. Mr Snuffle is doing better with his wrist every single day and still has another 6 weeks of minimal use before he can even think of moving to a cage. Yes, he is going to be bigger than he should be when graduating to a cage, and that's ok... as long as he is given the best chance possible!!!!!

Yesterday was one of crappiest days I've had in a long time due to personal stessors, but it sucked a little more when I picked up a little kangaroo Joey. This poor boy had been in mums pouch when she was hit by a car and he was left there. The moment I saw him, I gave him pain relief because even though I knew he would make a one way trip to the vet, he deserved to be comfortable while we waited. This poor boy had a shattered leg but worse than that, you could see all the scratches and gouges from the birds trying to get to him, including, during this time he had had his tail ripped off about 2/3 of the way down. Im not talking, broken. I'm talking ripped off between vertebrae. You could see everything and the end of the tail was nowhere to be seen. This poor boy (named knobby by the amazing woman who found him in mums pouch) was in such a state and so scared. Driving to the vet with the little boy tucked securely into a pouch in my shirt so he could feel my warmth, you could tell the moment the pain relief kicked in and he calmed and went to sleep. I will try and give any animal that wants to fight, a chance to fight for life IF there is even a tiny chance that they could heal enough to live wild and be released in the future. I would rather try (as long as they aren't suffering and they want to fight...) and have to make the hard call later down the track after giving them a chance, than not give them a chance at all. This little boy though, he didn't stand a chance. As a kangaroo, he NEEDS his tail. Not to mention the leg alone, that you could see the multiple breaks in. I did for him what I could. And that was to make him as comfortable as possible until the vets helped him go to sleep. I won't include pictures of this boy as they are quite graphic. It's another reminder though that if you hit an animal, check them!!!

Mr Snuffle had his xray on his wrist on Wednesday and great news...we think... there is no break which means it's likely ligament damage. For the next 6 to 8 weeks, he will stay in a snuggle basket, rather than progressing to a cage in that time, to allow him to still build strength by using it but not strenuously by climbing and jumping around a cage just yet... the vet will review him again at that time and hopefully it has healed. As we all know, if it doesn't heal, he won't be able to climb properly or care for himself properly. If that is the case, then he would be unfit for release, and it means he will have to go to sleep. I personally don't think that will happen as he is improving every single day. For eg, tonight he held his bottle with both hands open, rather than fist bumping his bottle haha. He is not in any pain, he is happy as can be, feeding great and even exploring his small basket in a safe/padded environment lol.

Flash back to some of the first babies I ever cared for when I first started caring, more than a decade ago!!!!! My VERY first baby was a galah named Gerald who needed crop feeding. As scared as I was, im glad I got thrown in the deep end as crop feeding is a skill I have needed a few times over the last 12yrs

I'll be doing some baking for the bake sale and my girls will be registering for the colour run! This Kindy is amazing. My eldest daughter is an amazing little person with asd and we decided to give her an extra year before primary school, to build her social and emotional skills... the ladies at this kindy have done wonders and for the first time ever, I am less scared about her starting school next year! She's a totally different kid. So please, come along and offer your support in any way you can!!!! There are raffle tickets available also!!

Check out the orange tinge this little man has... he is beautiful...and yup, definitely a boy!!! Thankyou for the cuddle Mr Snuffles