Animals and Pets

[Image description: a very wet and very weak squirrel rests in my gloved hand]

This morning while doing garden rounds I heard a squeak from an area near our duck run as I walked past. When I looked down I found this bedraggled looking squirrel who was covered in flies at the time. Moving around the area uncovered no additional squirrels, but I was also not yelled at by any adults.

Having donned gloves, I went back to them and began scanning for any obvious injuries (visual appraisal at first, "no touching!" clear in mind) when it crawled into my hand next to it of its own accord. Trying to place it back on the ground made it cling harder, and I still hadn't heard any adults so I brought it closer to our animal medical supplies and began working. TW: animal rescue

spoiler

Before drying it off, I donned nitrile gloves and some small forceps to remove fly eggs from its ears and anus and removed a worm that had begun to make its way into the squirrel's ear. I also checked it over for any cuts or lacerations and checked its limbs for any disfigurement or avoidance response that might indicate further injury

After that was taken care of, the little tyke was dried gently and placed into a tub with some fresh dry fabric before the whole thing was placed part way on a small heating pad. It accepted some milk replacement before resuming a nap in the warmth.

Mr. Nutley got a little rambunctious just shortly after I started typing this all up, and the two of us went back outside together to feel it out. The warm bedding fort was option 1, and the rest of the outdoors was option 2. Thankfully, he chose option 2. But not before running up my arm and around my torso a few times, then pausing with limbs outstretched and looking up at me. Then he went bounding off into the night.

ETA: my wife took some video of us hanging out: https://imgur.com/a/mEDSU7r

Animals I Didn’t Know Existed

People in the Middle Ages did keep pets – dogs, cats, birds, monkeys and many other kinds of animals. Although they often had particular duties – i.e. hunting or catching rats – there are many accounts that showed affection and love between these pets and their owners.

[Image description: a blue Merle Australian shepherd and a Russian blue rest against each other on a couch]

These two generally don't rest this close to each other unless I'm underneath them, but the crash after the excitement of a family event and the comfort of the familiar got the best of them.

Wherever you exist in the spectrum of 'my dude'hood

[Image description: a ¼ inch long green frog hangs out in my palm]

Ignoring the click bait-ey smarter than title, the trainer’s instagram has fascinating videos of the birds’ communication skills.

[Image description: a child holding a four week old Muscovy duckling]

She has named her "Gerald"

Legs

I love this video so much 😂

Link to the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2Ca3gnZ5As&ab_channel=TheDodo

he's got hip and knee problems, so he's being referred to an orthopedic surgeon. i think it may be why he was dropped off at the shelter in the first place (the former family may have realized how expensive it would be to get him healthy again). fingers crossed we can get a treatment plan started next week. ❤️‍🩹

One of the new juvenile peppered corydoras I just brought home.

It's been a hot week here in southern Ohio, and since the humans have spent so much time out there building a Poultry Palace, our golden boy Jaskier ("Kiertings" for short 😂) wants to be out there, too - for about 5 minutes, and then the air conditioning appeals more than company. We had gotten kiddie pools to use as brooders for the chicks who have since outgrown them, and this little bog dog knew exactly what to do when we filled it for him. As soon as the coop is done, we're taking a beach day!

Image description: An image collage showing Jaskier, a one-year-old Golden Retriever, happily enjoying the cool water in a royal blue kiddie pool in a shady spot on a lawn. The featured image is of Jaskier smiling and panting while laying down in water that reaches his shoulders, and the other 4 images are a series showing him dipping his face into the water for a drink and coming back up with another smile.

i swear this dog is a lab in a border collie suit.

I'm cat sitting for my brother and sister in law and had a great time playing with him this morning. He can actually do a backflip, which surprised me because he's huge. Sorry for the kind of fuzzy quality but this is the only picture I managed to get with his ultra magnificent tail on full display.