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Hello,
My name is Karen Inman. I was
born and raised in St. Augustine, Florida. I have a husband (Randy) of 36
year . . . 5 children . . . 5 grandchildren . . . 1 great grandchild and I
am a Wildlife Rehabber.
One day my rehabber friend
Linda was telling me that lately, several people had asked her, “Who is
behind the camera? We never see the rehabber in hardly any of your
pictures." Linda said, “Well, that is because it is mostly me taking the
pictures.” She then began telling me that she had decided to make a place on
her website to let people "Meet the Rehabber" and learn a little bit about
the person who is caring for the animals. I told Linda that I had not
actually thought about it, but it was a great idea. In my opinion every
rehabber should put something about themselves on their websites.
Well, that was a mistake on my
part because Linda said, “Start writing! We will put a Meet the Rehabber
page on your website." After I got over the shock I started thinking; you
know just about every picture that I have taken shows the Rehabber . . . my
lap with a baby animal sucking on a bottle or getting his little bottom
polished, my head in a looking down position, or my behind stuck up in the
air, or if there is a picture showing my face, I am usually just a pitiful
site with my hair wind blown and my care-giver clothes on.
Linda is right, it is a sorry
sight. I’ll share some of those pictures with you, so you can see what we
are talking about, later.
For now, if you are ready to
hear me babble on? I want to share my experiences with you what being a
wildlife rehabber is all about to me. I’ll tell you what it’s like to stay
up most of the night feeding baby animals. I’ll tell you about the amazing
things I have seen and done. I’ll tell you about the sad things that I have
seen as a wildlife rehabber.
I totally agree with my
rehabber friend, the best way to start is with some of the most frequently
asked questions I hear.
“So Here I Go”
1). Why did you want to become
a Rehabber?
Well, I don’t really know. I
never thought about being a rehabber, all I wanted to do was to volunteer to
help take care of a few animals. My last child had gone off to college and I
guess I was just having that empty nest feeling. I had always loved taking
care of animal as far back as I can remember. My mother has told me all my
life that I had some kind of bond with animals, she also told me one time
that if one more animal followed me home she would ring my neck. I just
never gave it a thought as long as I was raising my family. So, I guess it
was inevitable as I think back about it.
When I was a kid, I’d walk to the store for my mom; I’d always find a cat,
kitten, or puppy, pick them up and bring them home. I was always trying to
save something, squirrels, baby birds, gopher tortoises, sea turtle babies
and even turkeys.
Here are some
stories from my childhood to maybe help you understand. I guess it actually
started when I was about 2 years old. My first animal rescue was two turkeys
and I didn’t even know it . . . more to come!!
Me herding the turkeys trying to get
them to go in the right direction
. . . which was toward the fence.
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The turkeys going in the right direction .
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Here I am showing the turkeys
how to escape. |
Well, I guess it goes something like this …. It was about 6 months before
Thanksgiving and I am not sure if my grandfather bought the turkeys to raise
or if he had won them at a fair all I know is that he made the mistake of
bringing them home and letting me see them. From there on as far as I was
concerned they were something I was supposed to take care of. If I was not
outside every day, following them around, they were following me around like
little puppy dogs, I know all of this, not because I really remember that
much about it “I was only 2 years old” but my grandparents and my mom have
pictures of me and the turkeys. Needless to say we did not have turkey for
Thanksgiving or Christmas that year. My grandfather eventually gave the
turkeys to a friend and he kept them as pets. I even visited them from time
to time.
The
second animal was baby sea turtles. Before I tell you about this story you
need to understand that when I was a child growing up, it was not uncommon
for people like my grandfather to go sea turtle egg hunting, gopher tortoise
hunting, mullet fishing and shrimping. There was no such thing as endangered
species on this type of thing and if you talk to older people these are
things they liked to eat. I found out later that sea turtle eggs were used
in a lot of big bakeries and well known restaurants in New York to make
their cakes and pastries because the eggs were better than chicken eggs. As
for me, I have never eaten any of the things mentioned except for shrimp. My
grandfather would tell me: I didn’t know what I was missing… I did not care…
I wanted to protect them… not eat them! However by him doing this I have
been able to see and do things that a lot of people have never experienced.
For that I am grateful.
Well, now that I babbled on, I will tell you about my second encounter with
wildlife.
I
remember it was a warm summer evening, the moon was full, and we were on our
way to the beach. I had my sand bucket with me. My grandfather had decided
to let me go with them that night. Once we were on the beach you would drive
only by the light of the moon, which is why they waited for a full moon
because the head lights of a car would cause the sea turtle to turn and go
back into the ocean. We drove up and down the beach waiting to see a sea
turtle coming out of the water. Once she was coming out of the water we
would sit and wait for her to find her spot and start digging her nest. Once
a sea turtle starts digging it is like they go into a trance, they will not
stop for no one or nothing. At that point you can walk right up to her,
watch while she is digging. I remember she was the biggest thing I had ever
seen. She was throwing sand everywhere and digging this giant hole,
sometimes she would get so tired she would just lay there for a while and
then start digging again. Then after a while she would start dropping eggs
into the freshly dug hole, I remember my grandfather shining a flashlight
down into the hole and I watched the eggs drop. As she was laying my
grandfather would carefully remove one or two eggs, making sure not to
disturb any of the other ones, then he would wait for her to lay some more,
then he would remove some more. I remember him telling me if he took all of
them, then there would not be any sea turtles left and if he disturbed the
other eggs the babies would not hatch.
I
did not condone this process then or now but this is what people like my
grandfather did. However, I have to give him credit. He would never take all
of the eggs and he would always wait for the sea turtle to cover her nest
and make sure that she made it back into the ocean before he would leave the
beach.
This is where I come in I was young but to me it was all about getting to
see all of this and to be able to save the babies, that is why I had my sand
bucket with me. I would take the bucket, put a layer of sand in it,
carefully place some eggs in the bottom of the bucket, put more sand on top
of the eggs and start the process all over again and again until my bucket
was full of my grandfather’s eggs.
The
next morning I would take my bucket, go to the backyard, and dig a deep hole
just like the sea turtle did. Then I would put some of the beach sand down,
place a few eggs in the sand and do this process over and over again until
my bucket was empty. I was going to make sure the babies hatched, and then I
was going to take them back to the beach to release them back into the
water. Of course they never hatched because they had been disturbed.
I
know that now but then it was just a little girl trying to save something
else.
My
mom would say that my destiny was to take care of animals. Now that I think
back on my memories, I guess it was inevitable because I have been a
wildlife rehabber for 13 years now.
2).
How did you become a rehabber?
I
had been volunteering for a wildlife organization for about a year when the
opportunity came up for me to attend a wildlife seminar. I spent three days
there and meet a lot of rehabbers from all over the country. I took some
basic classes on wildlife rehabilitation and became quite interested in all
of it.
A
speaker from Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission was there, she talked to
us about wildlife rehabilitation, she explained what the guidelines to
become qualified to be a rehabber were and she had applications on a table
if anyone was interested in becoming a wildlife rehabber. I took one home
with me, followed the instructions, mailed it all back to FWC, then waited
for a phone call. A few months later a wildlife officer came to inspect me.
A few weeks later I received my permit. I became an official permitted
wildlife rehabilitator in 1998.
3).
Do you have a favorite animal to work with?
No,
the one I’m caring for at the moment is usually my favorite animal. I enjoy
working with all of them. However, my passion has always leaned toward the
raccoons. To me they are a very fascinating species of animal to work with.
When a baby raccoon reaches up and wraps its little arms around your neck to
hug me… my heart just melts.
4). Probably the most asked
question of all is … have you been bitten?
Oh gosh “Yes!!!” so many
times I can’t even count them anymore. The worst felling bite is from a Grey
Squirrel or a Flying Squirrel. They have razor-sharp pointy teeth. When they
bite, it is like a hypo-dermic needle going all the way to the bone. And
they let go when they are good and ready to and not a moment sooner. All you
can do is say, “Oh, Please!! … Please!! … Please!! … You can turn me loose
anytime,” and hope he gets the hint and lets go of your finger soon.
My scariest bite was from a
raccoon. He was a hand-raised baby but a very mean little fellow. The little
girl that had found him named him Tootsie. He was now 6 months old and ready
for release. One of our volunteers had found a real nice release site for
him, so we scheduled a day, I was going to transport him to the volunteer
and she was going to take him for release, all good so far, yes? “No”. 1st
my husband was called to work and it usually took two people to gather the
animals for release. 2nd I decided I could do this by myself, I
had a carrier set up for him, my heavy gloves on and a big heavy blanket to
wrap him in when I caught him because he was only one animal to deal with.
When it took me over an hour chasing him around the cage and I still had not
caught him “I should have stopped right then, did I”? “No”. Instead I kept
messing with him because everything was set up for his release, so, I chased
him for another hour. Finally I was able to corner him, threw the blanket
over him, wrapped him up really tight and picked him up. “What a mistake!” I
was trying to get him into the carrier and he was very mad and not
cooperating at all. I loosened my grip to try to turn him around “Another
mistake!” he managed to get his head out from under the blanket, sank all
four canine teeth into my arm just below the elbow and just above the
gloves. Well, of course I dropped him, however, being a raccoon; he grabbed
my leg to catch himself and immediately sank two canine teeth into my leg
just above my knee. Needless to say he did not get released that day! As for
me, I had to go to the doctor, was placed on an anti-biotic, got a tetanus
shot and nursed my wounds for over a month.
The truth about being bitten by
an animal, it’s ALWAYS the rehabber’s fault and it’s going to happen sooner
or later. It was my fault with Tootsie because I knew better and he had
given me plenty of warnings. That’s why it’s of utmost importance for a
rehabber, especially one who is caring for vector species, to have
pre-exposure rabies shots. You can never be too careful. Anytime I’m bitten
or scratched, I take it serious. I keep the wound clean and cared for. I’ve
never had an infection from a bite or scratch.
5). Is it sad to do this?
Yes, I can’t agree more with my
rehabber friend Linda. Rehabbing is the saddest thing I’ve ever done. On the
flip-side, its been the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done.
6). How hard is it to do
what you do?
Any person you
talk to who has been involved with animals, domestic, exotic, farm animals,
marine animals, wildlife animals etc., will tell you rehabbing animals is
the hardest thing you have ever done. It’s a sacrifice of many, many things
that most people take for granted. For instance, especially during baby
season, a rehabber sacrifices, sleep, time with friends and family, piece of
mind, eating meals, no time for you, never enough money to do what you need
to do for the animals or yourself, the list just goes on and on. Rehabbers
have seen animals with jars on their heads, a can so tight on the animals
arm that it is almost severed off, severely injured by cars, babies starved
so badly, you can count their ribs, animals poisoned, that list just goes on
and on also. And yet, there is a definite pay-off for the sacrifices. How
many people do you know who have had the privilege of watching a mother
opossum get well enough to take over the care of herself and her babies in
her pouch? Or, have watched a raccoon with three broken legs be able to
stand and walk again? Or, see an animal so severely injured after being hit
by a car, survive, give birth to a beautiful baby girl, then watch while
both mom and baby grow big and strong, released, and walk away together?
There’s nothing like the feeling these animals leave behind in the form of
memories.
So,
you just start all over again and again because even one life saved by a
rehabber is worth all the sacrifices. And yes, it is hard to do what we do
and to see the things we see.
7). If you had it to do all
over again, would you be a rehabber?
This is a question my rehabber friend Linda and I talk about sometimes. It’s
like a double-edged sword, the highs are the highest and the lows are the
lowest and when a low has been hit, there’s not much time to bounce back up.
I have seen things a human should not have to see and all rehabbers will
tell you the same thing. And, I have seen some things I wouldn’t trade for a
million dollars and I mean that. I wouldn’t trade my memories for a million
dollars.
My rehabber friend Linda asked me this very question one day, I think she
thought because I have been a rehabber for a longer period of time, I would
give her a better answer. However, my answer to her was I think all
rehabbers need to have their heads examined. Linda said, “What do you mean
we need to have our heads examined?” I replied, “Yes, we need our heads
examined because any one human that has seen the things that we have seen
and have sacrificed the things that we have sacrificed. And yet, continue
doing this day after day, something must be wrong with rehabbers and they
need to have their heads examined”. Linda said with a laugh, I see your
point. She then said I can see it now, “we will find a psychiatrist, go into
his/her office, sit on the couch together, and tell our story about being
wildlife rehabbers”. Linda then said, I can see it now, the psychiatrist
would listen to us and say, “Ladies, I now need my head examined just
listening to you, Please leave my office!”
I definitely agree with my rehabber friend Linda, I’ve learned more about
life observing animals than I have from observing humans. With an animal you
know where you stand, there is no ulterior motive. They are pure and
unassuming and operate from instinct. If you watch them and listen with your
brain, an animal will tell you everything you need to know about their
needs. And they don’t try to play games and fool you (the exception is a
raccoon … never will figure out a raccoon except to say they are predictably
unpredictable!)
I think wildlife rehabbers have some much love and dedication to helping the
animals, that once you start caring for the animals there is just no way to
stop. So, my answer to the question: “If you had it to do all over again,
would you be a rehabber?” My answer would be: “Most likely, Yes because I am
so passionate about the animals and if there weren’t people like us, who
would help the animals in their time of need”. Just like Monkey-Man he is a
raccoon in Linda’s care and he has been poisoned. His
story is on the website.
Meet the Rehabber on a typical day in the
middle of spring baby season . . .
A typical day for a rehabber
during baby season consists of 18-20 hours a day, 7 days a week for months
at a time, depending on the amount of animals you have in care and depending
on the size and health of the animal. This is usually the way it works: tiny
babies are taken care of first, older babies are taken care of second, and
adults and injured animals are taken care of third (depending on their
injuries or problems). Must stay on schedule!!!
Get out of bed at 7am. Was up at 5:00 am
feeding baby raccoons. They are tiny and need to be feed every 3 hours
around the clock. Start heating milk (Oh good, my husband made coffee before
he left for work, will try to get a sip while milk is heating). Need to
check on Mother Opossum, she came in last night after being hit by a car,
she has 6 babies in her pouch and she is severely concussed. Good, she is
still alive and the babies are wiggling around and warm, will give her
fluids a little later. The tiny baby raccoons need to be fed by 8:00 am to
keep them on schedule. The milk is ready. Each baby has to be potted after
feeding them so they have the chance to eliminate (pee and poo). Try to get
another sip of coffee. Now the tiny baby raccoons are fed again. Wash
bottles; start heating more milk for older baby raccoons. While milk is
heating, take a quick look at all the animals, will feed and clean in a
little while, everyone looks fine. Back in the house to feed older raccoons.
Milk is gone in a flash; these babies are pros at sucking the bottle. Their
bottles are washed, wash my hands, now it’s time to give mother opossum
fluids and check on her babies again. Check on adult raccoon, came in two
days ago with can on arm, can was removed, arm cleaned and stitched up, need
to change her bandage. 11:00 am time to feed and potty tiny raccoons again.
Their bottles are washed out again, wash my hands. 12:00 pm don’t have to
feed again until 2:00 pm. Now is a good time to go outside and get all the
other animals feed, watered and cleaned. Gave up on my cup of coffee for a
while. All outside animals taken care of, doing pretty good today, it’s only
1:30 pm and I don’t have to feed the babies again until 2:00 pm. I think I
will try to find a bite to eat and sit down for 30 minutes. Phone call.
Found a baby raccoon laying under some bushes, no mother around. Give
directions. Still have about 15 minutes before time to feed, try to get a
cup of coffee and maybe a snack. Start heating milk for next feeding, the
new baby raccoon won’t be here for at least an hour. Its 2:00 pm, the milk
is ready, start feeding tiny raccoon babies. Tiny baby raccoons feed, potted
and put back to bed. Wash bottles, wash hands, heat milk for older baby
raccoons. Older babies are a lot easier, milk gone in a flash and they are
put back to bed. Wash their bottles, wash hands again. 3:30 pm and the new
baby raccoon just arrived, he is in good condition and is an older baby,
that’s good it takes less time to feed the older ones. Phone call. A woman
and her sister were walking in a field, almost stepped on a baby skunk, very
tiny, no fur. “Oh my, must be a newborn, another baby to feed every 3 hours
around the clock.” Give her directions. The woman said, it will take me
about 30 – 45 minutes to get here. Set up heating pad and another bed for
baby skunk’s arrival. 4:00
pm, Husband just got home from work, what’s for dinner, well, I don’t know I
haven’t had time to even think about that. I have to feed the tiny raccoons,
give the new raccoon some fluids, give the Mother opossum more fluids and
check on her babies, change the bandage on the adult raccoon’s arm again,
and by the way, a new baby skunk is on the way here. My husband looks at me
and says “Do you want me to go and get take-out tonight, Yes, Please!” Its
4:30 pm, a car just pulled into the driveway, must be the woman with the
baby skunk. It’s a little girl, definitely a newborn. Apologize to the lady,
by saying “I’m sorry I can’t talk to you right now”, my husband is on the
way home with dinner, I need to get this baby on the heating pad and I need
to feed the tiny raccoon babies by 5:00 pm. must stay on schedule. Ask if I
can call her tomorrow and up-date her about the baby skunk. Husband back
with dinner, need to feed and potty tiny baby raccoons before I eat. Eat my
dinner, wash baby bottles, and now 7:00 pm go outside make sure all animals
still have food and water for the night. Give Mother Opossum more fluids;
she is starting to come around a bit, change dressing on adult raccoons arm,
for the last time tonight. Have to feed all babies again at 8:00 pm. It’s
now 10:00 pm, don’t have to feed again until 11:00 pm, will go ahead and
make fresh milk for tomorrow and try to sit in my chair for about 30
minutes. Feed the babies … day isn’t over yet … but I think you get the
picture. This is only a small portion as to what rehabbers do for months at
a time, day in and day out. To top it all off, we are all just volunteers
and don’t even get paid for the hours of work!! Now you can understand why I
keep making the statement “REHABBERS NEED THEIR HEADS EXAMINED!!!!!!” I’m
going to bed until 2:00 am, I’m exhausted!!!
Here are the pictures I promised to share with you earlier …
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Good lap
shot … babies sucking their bottles
. . . or . . .
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Good shot
of my hands … holding two raccoon babies in the air
. . . or . . .
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My head in
a downward position … looking at baby bobcat
. . . or . . .
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A shot with my behind in the air … releasing Mother Opossum and babies
. . . or . . . |
A horrible frown on my face … trying to remove this Osprey out of the
box and don’t forget the care- giver clothes
. . . or . . . |
Let’s not forget the sun
in my eyes, windblown hair or this owl slapping me in the face with his
wings
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This is why you seldom see
the person behind the camera.
If you would like to Meet
the other Rehabber
click here. |
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