Mary Cummins Wildlife Rehabilitation Animal Advocates News Los Angeles California: 2005

Saturday, November 12, 2005

Mary Cummins Animal Advocates in IWRC 2005 newsletter, Los Angeles, California

Mary Cummins, Animal Advocates in IWRC 2005 Autumn newsletter, real estate, Los Angeles, California

Mary Cummins, Animal Advocates "how to" squirrel article in International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council.

http://www.animaladvocates.us/IWRC%20Magazine-Autumn%202005.pdf

FORUM: RAISING BABY MAMMALS

Every issue, we invite rehabbers to submit articles on raising babies. These field experiences do not pretend to be the “last word” in any area, but are valuable to new rehabilitators, showing how others do the hands-on job, adding to the information they have received through classes and through monitoring. Even seasoned rehabbers may learn a trick or two! This is the first in our series on mammals.

- The Editors

Raising Baby Tree Squirrels Part 2 From Weaning to Release

by Mary Cummins Founder, Animal Advocates California DFG permitted www.AnimalAdvocates.us

THE WEANING PROCESS (Those are my husband's hands)

Mary Cummins Animal Advocates real estate Los Angeles California

As soon as a tree squirrel's eyes open completely and are focused, generally between ages five and eight weeks, depending upon species, it is time to begin the long weaning process. Often the first step is to begin thickening the formula in the syringe. Some choose to use powdered rodent blocks, others may add baby cereal as a thickener.

TIP: I use a coffee grinder to grind crushed rodent blocks into a fine powder, which makes it easier to mix with formula and push through the syringe hole.

It may be necessary to make the syringe hole larger to accommodate the thicker formula.

TIP: I find the easiest way to enlarge the hole is to heat the tip of a 1mm nail over a burner. (Be sure to use a hot pad or other insulator; the nail will get hot all the way down!) I poke the hot nail through the oral syringe hole on a 3cc or 5cc syringe to make it wider.

Syringe Feeding

When the squirrels have become accustomed to eating this thickened formula, I syringe-feed them through the cage bars. I continually monitor the weight of each squirrel, beginning with five feedings a day, and making sure each squirrel eats successfully.

TIP: If I have to be away for longer than a couple of hours, I put some formula in a hamster-type water bottle or in a shallow ceramic bowl. The formula should not sit out more than four hours or it may spoil.

INTRODUCING SOLID FOODS

Mary Cummins Animal Advocates real estate Los Angeles California

Eating Pine Cones

After each formula feeding, I hold a piece of solid food (such as a bit of apple) dipped in formula in front of the squirrel's mouth. Generally the young squirrels will lick, suck, or even nibble on the solids. They may chew the food, but often will not swallow at this age. Persistence is needed.

A small bowl of solid food is provided twice a day for exploration, while I continue to syringe- feed. Since the taste of the rodent blocks is familiar from the thickener if powdered rodent block is used, it is a good "first food." Once the squirrel is eating the rodent block consistently, bits of other more natural foods are added such as apple, nuts, broccoli, spinach, orange, squash, corn on the cob, and other fruits and

vegetables. The supplements should be nutritious and at this point provide only a small portion of the diet.

TIP: To break rodent block into easily handled pieces, use a nutcracker.

New foods should be introduced slowly and one at a time to avoid abrupt changes in the digestive process. As with the initial solids, the squirrels may just put their mouths on the food, then lick, suck, or start to nibble unfamiliar foods. In just a few weeks, this will progress to the squirrels’ sitting up and holding the food, much as they would in the wild. This is a natural progression.

I add a glass water bottle to the cage at this time, and a small shallow ceramic bowl of water as the squirrels become more coordinated. It's best to watch carefully as the squirrels first explore this water. Some will put their faces into the bowl and suck rather than lap.

FROM THE INCUBATOR TO THE CAGE

Mary Cummins Animal Advocates real estate Los Angeles California

Cage with shelf

The IWRC/NWRA Minimum Standards recommends that a litter of pre-weaned tree squirrels be provided the equivalent of a 20-gallon container, which is 4,608 cubic inches. A 2' x 2' x 2' cage (13,824 cubic inches) is more than sufficient.

There are many ways to furnish housing. One setup that works well for me is to use a row of plastic storage containers, such as can be purchased at warehouse-type stores. Place the incubators on the lower shelves. The pre-weaning cages fit well in the middle shelves. The top shelf can house a cage that can be divided in half for younger squirrels by using the bottom wire mesh inlay as a new floor for an upper cage.

An appropriate substrate is placed on the bottom wire of the top cage to avoid waste matters from falling into the lower cage.

TIP: I use tall ferret cages, which fit easily on storage shelves and are easy to clean.

It is important to move the squirrels into larger caging when crawling becomes a coordinated effort. Squirrels must learn to climb and build muscle strength and agility, the old adage "practice makes perfect" is applicable to squirrel coordination, as well. Natural branches attached to the cage wall and a hammock increase cage c o mp l e x i t y .

TIP: One of the quickest ways to provide a hammock is to remove the side stitching from the leg of a pair of children's fleece pajamas. The pajama leg can be left whole to provide a hanging toy, by stitching up

one end and hemming up the other. Check frequently for raveling of the stitches.

I add a piece of fireplace wood attached vertically to the cage wall and also allow natural hanging toys, such as pine cones or acorns, as this encourages exploration and exercise. I avoid the use of cedar because it may release an overwhelming scent in a small area. Other types of edible tree branches are good: apple and other fruit branches are welcomed! At this time, plastic or rubber items within the cage are removed, since they may also be chewed on.

Mary Cummins Animal Advocates real estate Los Angeles California

Chew Toys

TIP: Most bird stores carry grapevine or natural wood perches for pet birds; these are also great for squirrels. Pet shops carry sterilized bone pieces and animal hooves for dogs. These can be drilled, then hung together by a metal clip or natural fiber ropes. They provide not only valuable toys and add natural calcium, but can satisfy the gnawing instinct.

As the squirrels begin to become more coordinated, their nest is moved from the floor of the cage to a low shelf. These nests can be cleaned when the squirrels are busy eating. Then when the young go to bed after eating, pooping, and playing, I clean the bottom of the cage. This less intrusive way helps to reduce stress to both the squirrel and the rehabilitator.

TIP: Ferret cuddle cups make ideal first nests, as they are simple to clean and easy for the youngsters to enter and exit.

I use newspaper to line the bottom of the cage, allowing some to go up the inside of the cage wall so food doesn't go flying out of the cage. Natural bedding materials are placed over the newspaper as a substrate. Smooth carpet runners wired along the outside back and sides of the cage, with the bottom of the runner bent so food rolls back into the cage keeps things neat.

Mary Cummins Animal Advocates real estate Los Angeles California

Cage with carpet-runner attached to wire, and with tree branches wired into place

TIP: When removing soiled newspaper, I roll it into a tube and fold over the ends of the tube to remove it without spilling out bits of food and poop.

Iwire a wooden nest box into the cage on the upper shelf as soon as the squirrels are beginning to climb well. A second hole should be drilled in the lower side of the nest box. This will allow an escape from predator's paws when it is transferred outdoors.

After the squirrels become accustomed to sleeping in this nest box, they can be easily moved to an outdoor cage by closing off the nest box holes with a gloved hand and detaching the wire from the outside. The squirrels and nest box are moved into the outdoor cage and the box affixed again with wire to the new cage. This gives them a comfortable and familiar home, and reduces the

Mary Cummins Animal Advocates real estate Los Angeles California

Nest box with tenants

OUTDOOR CAGING

The IWRC/NWRA Minimum Standards requirement for a litter of tree squirrels is 4' x 4’ x 8', but bigger is always better. An 8' x 6' x' 8 ' enclosure with a double door allows much more room for exploration and exercise.

TIP: Branches and tree trunks can sometimes be obtained from friendly tree trimmers. A hole drilled in the branch with a wire run through it and attached to the wall provides a safe toy. A loose, unattached branch can be dislodged and fall as the squirrels play, causing injury to the squirrels.

Wire mesh can be used as shelving, for ease of cleaning. The cages can be placed on cement flooring or on cement pavers so that cleanup and sterilization are easy. Carpet runners may be placed over the cage for rain protection.

TIP: I grow vines over all my cages to hide them in my backyard and provide sun and wind protection. This provides a natural cover and natural sounds.

Outdoor cage, with next boxes and branches

TIP: Solid scrapings mixed with the wood shavings can be used as compost. Waste not, want not.

Cages should be cleaned often. Daily scrapings and hosings will reduce the smell, remove spoiled foods, and help to reduce troublesome insects. About once a week, the cage needs a thorough cleaning of all shelves and flooring. As the squirrels have been raised nearly hands-off, they are partially wild at this age. When a human enters the cage, the squirrels should feel threatened and retreat to the nest boxes to hide.

PREPARING FOR RELEASE

Mary Cummins Animal Advocates real estate Los Angeles California

After the squirrels have been in their new outdoor cage for at least a week or more, it is time to prepare them for release. I offer them natural foods such as acorns, pinecones, and wild fruits after making sure nothing offered is poisonous and everything is clean and free of parasites. I leave fruit on the attached leaves and branches when possible, as this will help with identification of the foods in the wild.

I gradually remove small pieces of the artificial bedding and place natural bedding materials such as pine needles, leaves, and twigs scattered on the floor of the cage. During this preparation process, contact with humans and domestic pets should be extremely limited.

RELEASE!

I return squirrels to the native site, if it is safe. (Permission may be needed from the property owner; best to check local regulations about this.) It's important for the squirrels to be released in a proven area where there are known food supplies. There is also a slight possibility of introducing an undiagnosed illness into a second habitat if release is made into a new location.

TIP: Rescuers also appreciate seeing "their" squirrels back home; this sometimes brings in a second donation, which can be used to care for additional squirrels.

When considering a release date, I check the weather forecast for the next several days, supply the squirrels with a large breakfast, and then wait for them to nap in their familiar nest box. I block the entrance with a piece of 1/4 inch mesh wire across the front and sides of the nest box.

comfortable and familiar home, and reduces the stress of being relocated.

Mary Cummins Animal Advocates real estate Los Angeles California

To make a feeding hole for hands-off feedings, I cut one bar out of the wire mesh of the cage above a shelf, taking care that the opening is small enough to prevent escapes. While the squirrels are eating on the shelf, the cage bottom can be scraped.

Using a lightweight ladder to place the nest box as high as possible in an appropriate type of tree, I try to get at least 20 feet up before attaching the nest box. I wrap a wire securely around a solid branch, secure the box to this wire, attach additional short lengths of wire to stabilize the nest box to branches, and finally snip the wires connecting the mesh to the box to provide freedom to the squirrels.

CONCLUSION

Raising baby squirrels can be an incredibly rewarding experience for the rehabilitator and the squirrel. With a few simple tips and tricks, the job can be that much easier. I constantly discover better ways to rehab and love sharing new ideas.

Mary Cummins of Animal Advocates is a wildlife rehabilitator licensed by the California Department of Fish and Game and the USDA. Mary Cummins is also a licensed real estate appraiser in Los Angeles, California.

Google+ Mary Cummins, Mary K. Cummins, Mary Katherine Cummins, Mary Cummins-Cobb, Mary, Cummins, Cobb, wildlife, wild, animal, rescue, wildlife rehabilitation, wildlife rehabilitator, fish, game, los angeles, california, united states, squirrel, raccoon, fox, skunk, opossum, coyote, bobcat, manual, instructor, speaker, humane, nuisance, control, pest, trap, exclude, deter, green, non-profit, nonprofit, non, profit, ill, injured, orphaned, exhibit, exhibitor, usda, united states department of agriculture, hsus, humane society, peta, ndart, humane academy, humane officer, animal legal defense fund, animal cruelty, investigation, peace officer, animal, cruelty, abuse, neglect #marycummins #animaladvocates #losangeles #california #wildlife #wildliferehabilitation #wildliferehabilitator #realestate #realestateappraiser #realestateappraisal #lawsuit
Mary Cummins of Animal Advocates is a wildlife rehabilitator licensed by the California Department of Fish and Game and the USDA. Mary Cummins is also a licensed real estate appraiser in Los Angeles, California.

Mary Cummins of Cummins Real Estate Services has been in real estate since 1983, over 35 years. She is licensed by the Bureau of Real Estate Appraisers. Mary Cummins was an agent and broker licensed with the California Department of Real Estate selling residential income, commercial buildings, raw land and homes for Merrill Lynch Realty in Beverly Hills and Westside Properties in Los Angeles before concentrating on appraisals. Mary Cummins currently provides real estate appraisals, expert witness testimony, historical research, legal real estate research for mortgage brokers, banks, lawyers, factors, insurance companies, financial consultants and private individuals. Mary Cummins was born and raised in Southern California. Cummins attended Beverly Hills Good Shepherd Catholic School and Beverly Hills High School. Besides being on the Dean's list, Mary Cummins was a top ten national swimmer and competed on the men's water polo team. Mary Cummins began college at the age of 15 attending the University of Southern California on scholarship, majoring in Psychology/Sociology. http://www.animaladvocates.us http://www.facebook.com/AnimalAdvocatesUSA

Friday, March 11, 2005

Why You Should Never Use Rat Poison by Mary Cummins, Animal Advocates

mary cummins, rat poison, anticoagulant bait, rodenticide, los angeles, california, poison, human poisoned by rat poison, animal advocates, ground squirrels, mountain lion

Why you should not use rat poison. It doesn't solve problems. It just creates

bigger problems.

Because I rescue wildlife I am very familiar with rodenticide anti-coagulant poisons used to kill ground

squirrels, gophers, rats and mice. Sometimes this poison is eaten by non-target animals who die.

Sometimes animals are killed through secondary poisoning by eating poisoned animals. Sometimes

humans are accidentally poisoned through dermal and inhalation contact. Sometimes children

accidentally eat the poison thinking it is a blue tic-tac candy.

Anti-coagulant poisons cause the animal to lose the ability to coagulate blood. They generally die from

internal and external bleeding which causes anemia and hypovolemic circulatory shock. The antidote is

medical strength Vitamin K which is administered by an injection followed by oral capsules. You cannot

buy Vitamin K at the health food store. You'd have to eat 1,000 pills to get enough Vitamin K to reverse

the effect of the anti-coagulant. Sometimes a blood transfusion is needed.

Here in California it's legal to poison non-protected wildlife such as agricultural pests like pocket

gophers, California ground squirrels, mice and rats. You cannot use poison to kill cottontail bunnies. You

also cannot use it to kill Mojave ground squirrels as they are protected as they are endangered.

The poison must be used according to the label. You cannot allow non-target animals to eat the poison

or the poisoned animals. You generally have to use a bait station to make sure only targeted animals are

poisoned. Below is a pic of a coyote who was eating poisoned gophers and ground squirrels in Griffith

Park. He would sit next to the bait station feeder and grab the gophers and ground squirrels as they went in and out of the feeder. This caused his immune system to be depressed which allowed mites to take over. That is

why he's missing fur. He also has open sores on his paw, flank and head.

In 2004 in Conejo a woman was walking her dog on a hiking trail. Dog ran into a bush and started eating

something. Owner stopped her dog but he'd already eaten a few bars of blue poison. She grabbed a

sample and took it to the vet. She said she saw a pest control company drop the bars around the hiking

trail. Seems a local HOA paid them to poison coyotes which is illegal. Guess who ended up eating that

poison besides coyotes and dogs? A mountain lion who died.

Generally the poison is brightly colored so people can see it and be warned not to touch it. It comes in

pellet and block format. My neighbor was poisoning rats and tossed some big blocks in his back yard up

the hill. One block rolled down the hill into my skunk cage but I didn't know it. The poison tastes good

like peanut butter so the skunk ate it. Next morning he had bright blue poo so I knew he'd been

accidentally poisoned. I took him to the vet for an injection and pills. If your pet or a wild animal

defecates bright blue or green, he has probably been poisoned. After they poisoned the pigeons on the

beach there was bright blue pigeon droppings on the hand rails. That is how I knew they were poisoned.

Anti-coagulant poison is inhumane. Pest control companies try to tell people that the animals just get

tired and go to sleep in their nest. This is not true. They generally leave their nest to find water and die

exposed. It is painful.

In 2003 I was approved to do a "no feed" program in San Buena Ventura beach. People loved feeding the ground squirrels which caused the population of rats, ground squirrels, pigeons and seagulls to

increase. The hotel and a proposed restaurant did not like the bird feces on the railings.

Through the use of signs and polite education on the weekends I was able to get most of the feeders to

stop. Unfortunately there was one feeder who would not stop. She thought they would starve to death.

I told her that I'd do a "taper down to zero" feed program to make sure they don't starve to death.

As soon as there was not enough food the pigeons and seagulls left, so did the rats. Unfortunately the

rats left the beach and went to the hotel and shops. They eventually left that area as well. The ground

squirrels cannot leave as they are surrounded by ocean or cement. They actually lived in the tidal zone.

The goal was to cause the ground squirrels not to produce as many babies. Over a 3 1/2 month period

we were able to reduce the population of ground squirrels by 33%. The city said if I could reduce the

population by 30%, they would not poison.

After I told them about the success and they visited the site they said "thank you" and even wrote a nice

thank you letter. Then they went and poisoned them anyway in secrecy at 4:00 a.m. The homeless

people told me a man with a huge bucket was dumping blue poison pellets in the children's play ground,

beach, sand, tidal zone, off leash dog park. Soon the squirrels were dying. Some tried to give the

squirrels foods rich in vitamin K but that would not be enough vitamin K.

Within a few days the squirrels had open sores on their bodies. The poison caused them to itch and they

were scratching themselves bloody. Their paws were raw and bloody. The pic below is of one of the

dead squirrels. The males had open sores on their testicles. Then they started to die. They did not die in

their nests but on people's beach towels, in the children's playground, on the rocks, sidewalk... Pigeons

and other birds were dying. I found a dead bloody cat. Pic below is of a squirrel which crawled onto the

sidewalk and died in my hand. I contacted Fish & Game who told me to collect the bodies and any evidence which I did along with the ex-feeder. I sent the bodies to the lab. They died of anti-coagulant poisoning. The ground squirrels only had one type. The pigeons had four different types in their system. I picked up a dead pelican and sent that to the lab. It had massive internal bleeding but no other injury. They couldn't detect poison in the pelican because I believe they process it differently.

The city sent high school kids to pick up the dead bodies. I was there for a week picking them up with

gloves. In the meantime it had rained and there was a lot of wind. I believe this is when the pellets

dissolved leaving the poison on the rocks and in the sand. I believe that's how I was poisoned, through

dermal and inhalation contact. I most certainly didn't eat it.

The warden contacted the city and pest control guy. He admitted he did not use bait stations and

dumped it in the sand, playground, dog park, tidal zone, rocks. He said he had to dump a lot more than

usual because the birds were also eating it. Even though he admitted that he scattered it which is illegal

they only slapped his wrist.

Meanwhile the other woman and I who picked up dead bodies started to feel tired. Then that time of

the month came and it would not stop. After a week of the worst period of my life I called the other

woman and said I can't get to the beach because of my period. She then told me the same thing

happened to her and she had to go to her doctor. Then we'd realized we were accidentally poisoned.

I called Poison Control and they said I could not get it from dermal or inhalation contact. I'd have to eat

a handful to be poisoned. I believed them and thought it must just be a fluke.My period would not stop...for 1.5 years! I went to the doctor and they stupidly told me I couldn't have

been poisoned. It was just a coincidence. The other woman was on hormones and her doctor told her to

stop. He also gave her medication. I went to another doctor and he gave me large dosages of birth

control pill which should have stopped my period but it didn't. Then I went to another doctor who gave

me Lupron which puts you into menopause. It didn’t stop my period.

Cut to the chase I ended up getting blood transfusions and eventually needed surgery then it finally

stopped. During this entire time I was very weak, tired and pale. I forced myself to eat raw beef livers

that I threw in the blender with water which I chugged. I also took huge quantities of iron. My iron count

was 4. Anything below 10 and you should be hospitalized. I had to get up slowly so I didn't pass out. I'd

get winded speaking more than a few words in a row. I couldn't leave the house because I needed to get

to a restroom every 20-30 minutes around the clock. I had to change a super tampon and super pad

every 20-30 minutes 24 hours a day! It was a total nightmare which could have been prevented if the

pest control guy had used bait stations. At the very least he could have told us he dumped the poison in

the sand so we would have gotten treatment sooner.

I also blame the poison control center for giving me bad advice. You can be accidentally poisoned

through dermal and inhalation contact. It happens a lot in third world countries. By the time the women

see a doctor they die before being diagnosed properly. The doctors first think it's leukemia.

What generally happens is there is a bag of rodenticide on a shelf. After a year or so the bag

disintegrates and the pellets erode. The poison is so strong that 99.999% of the pellet is food. The other

.001% is the poison. A woman wipes her hand on the shelf and it poisoned. It also happens when they

put the poison in big containers to mix to poison animals. Then they use that same container to make

food.

If you believe you may have been accidentally poisoned, go to the doctor to get vitamin W injection and

pills. The over the counter Vitamin W at health food stores cannot help you as the concentration is much

too low. People should not be using poison to kill animals. I've said this a million times. Poison does not

solve problems. It just creates even bigger problems. It is far better, cheaper and longer lasting to

exclude and deter. Make sure you are not providing nuisance wildlife with food, water or shelter. Lock

up your food in bins so you won't attract rats and mice. I have never used poison and I don't need to. I

make sure I don't attract unwanted wildlife and I exclude and deter.

Please, share this note to warn people about the evils of poisons.

*The article below states they used bait stations. They did not. The city lied to everyone.

Media articles about poisoning in San Buena Ventura beach.

2003. Ventura County Star. Ventura poisons squirrels and rats

Author: John Scheibe, Date: March 19, 2003, Publication: Ventura County Star(CA), Page: B01

Calling them a public health and safety threat Ventura officials have begun poisoning squirrels and rats

along the beachside Promenade. The pellet poisoning comes 3 1/2months after the City Council passed an ordinance making it illegal to feed wild rodents and other animals there.

The city hoped the ordinance would reduce the burgeoning population of rodents plaguing the

Promenade area said Mike Montoya Ventura's parks manager. But some people are continuing to feed the...

2003 LA Times " Rodent poisoning project angers animal activists"

The Region; rodent Poisoning Project Angers Animal Activists; To cope with an infestation on Ventura's

beachfront, deadly pellets are placed among the rocks. One group's leader says she may sue.

City Council members approved the month long eradication effort in January -- at the same time they

adopted an ordinance to ban people from feeding squirrels and seabirds along the Ventura Promenade,

said city parks manager Mike Montoya. To kill the critters, he said, an exterminator has been placing

poison-laced food pellets in small cages in the piles of rocks that line the beach.

Mary Cummins, director of Animal Advocates -- a Los Angeles- based nonprofit group that rescues

squirrels and other animals -- spent much of Tuesday afternoon combing the beach for squirrel

carcasses, which she planned to take back to her rescue center to evaluate.

He insisted that the poisoned food pellets would not harm other animals, because the dose is too small.

Montoya also said no regulatory agencies had to permit the eradication project because rats and

squirrels are considered "nuisance animals."

Los Angeles Times - Los Angeles, Calif. Author: Ragland, Jenifer, Date: Mar 19, 2003 Start Page: B.5,

Section: California Metro; Part B; Metro Desk

Mary Cummins

http://www.AnimalAdvocates.us

http://www.facebook.com/AnimalAdvocatesUSA

Mary Cummins

Mary Cummins Animal Advocates Los Angeles California Wildlife Rehabilitation Real Estate

Saturday, November 12, 2005

Friday, March 11, 2005