Feeling Like Cinderella

Feeling Like Cinderella

Remember all those little mice in the cartoon Cinderella? Yes, those little singing mice. 

Growing up, I think I can safely say I watched Cinderella every day after school, and no, I'm not even kidding. I loved that movie! 

Thinking back, to all my favorite childhood movies (that, *ahem* I may or may not still like..), all of them had to do with either outdoors, animals, or both.

Big surprise right?

I believe Cinderella (and Pocahontas) had a huge influence on me growing up. They instilled in me from a tender age to show love and compassion to even the tiniest of creatures. And a sense of adventure to explore and roam the wild blue yonder.

And I mean honestly, she even made little clothes for them; how adorable is that?!

 

And what spurred this odd post topic you ask?

Answer- This:

What is it you ask? A baby rat.

Finished screaming in horror yet? Good.

Yes, I know what you're thinking; "Why on earth are you trying to rear a baby rat??????" 

Simple. It's a creature in need, and as long as I am able to help, I will. My conscience wouldn't allow me to do otherwise (says the person who also fishes bugs and flies out of the livestock water...).

Actually, I'm blaming my Mom for giving me this little ratling. 

She had been outside that morning and saw Rusty messing with a baby rat, but assumed it was already dead and didn't think any thing of it. Several hours past and she just couldn't get the baby rat out of her mind, so she went to check on it and found it still alive and blindly trying to crawl around in the grass. She scooped it up and brought it in to me. I fed it some luke-warm cows milk and wrapped him up in some towels to get him warmed up, then I tracked down Bessie and got some fresh cows milk and mixed up a homemade formula for the ratling. He eagerly drank (with only minor protesting), and did well for several days. Meanwhile, I contacted a wildlife rehabitor and asked if she could give me any tips and advice for raising this young one, she did and I followed them as best I could, which included ordering some very expensive milk replacement formula, made exclusively for small baby rodents. I also did a bunch of research online about raising rats, and learned all sorts of things. Such as after each feeding, using a Q-tip or something else soft and wet, you have to encourage them to use the bathroom. Too much information? Sorry.

Baths were also essential in keeping him clean.

So for several days my life revolved around bottle feeding the baby ratling, keeping him warm, stressing over him, waking up at all hours of the night to check on him, feed him and just make sure he was OK, and doing other interesting mother duties, and sending pictures to my brother's girlfriend and keeping her updated with him, because she was the only one who didn't question my sanity...I think?

But despite my efforts the little one passed away. R.I.P little one, <3 Who knew a little baby ratling would bring so much joy to my life and teach me so much!

I am anxiously awaiting the day I can finally apply for my wildlife rehabilitators license this fall:

 

Blessings - 

~ Cinderella

 

 

A Rescue

A Rescue

Last Sunday was potluck, so we always stayed several hours longer to visit, eat, etc. The man who I'd helped plant lavender several weeks ago, came up to me and started asking me poultry questions. I am known as "The Crazy Chicken Lady" for several counties around you know, there's a good reason for't. ;)

Anywho, he then told me that his son had been mowing down in one of the lavender friends when he stumbled upon a wild momma turkey who was sitting on a nest in some tall grass underneath a mesquite tree. She ran off and abandoned her nest. They had counted twelve eggs that she'd been sitting on. They came back the next day and found only six eggs remained. They assumed a snake or some other predator had been eating the eggs, and asked if I wanted to try and hatch them. 

I told him I'd drive over that afternoon and pick them up. I did, and we hiked out in the pasture and I gathered them up in my shirt and took them home. I thought to myself driving back, "Wow..how many people drive around carrying wild turkey eggs in their lap?!" But I got them home, safely tucked in the folds of my skirt to help keep them warm. I set them in the incubator and hoped for the best. I candled them the next day, and by the looks of it about five of them are about 10-14 days along, I could see the silhouette of the poult inside but I couldn't confirm I saw movement. But one for sure, which looked like it was the youngest egg, just now had veining and I could see the heart beat, so I'm keeping my finger's crossed for the little ones. I'll candled them again at the first of the week and see how they're doing.

Have you ever rescued wildlife of any sort? Do tell!

Blessings - 

~ Aspen

There's A Snake In My Boot

There's A Snake In My Boot!

I had just woken up, brushed my tooths, pulled back my wild mane of frizzies, and clambered into my barn clothes. I trudged through the house half asleep, heading to the back door where my boots are kept. I pulled one on and reached down to grab the other boot when I saw a huge snake coiled up 3.573" away from me with it's head reared up. Your not gonna believe this, but I screamed like a girl.

Yes, I know. Your shocked.

 I pride myself on being tougher than most girls, but when it comes to snakes, I scream every time, it doesn't matter how big or small they are. Heck, they can even be the size of a worm and I'll scream and go into hysterics. But the main point is here, I. Hate. Snakes. With a passion! 

So there I am, screaming by the back door with a snake. If me and Jessica (from The Man From Snowy River) had been in a screaming contest, I would have won. My ears are still ringing. 
I don't know who was more scared..me or the snake!

I quickly ran out of the room, and into the kitchen, lugging my one boot along with me. I nearly ran into Carolina, who had jumped out of bed when she'd heard my frantic screams. When Mom got on the scene she asked what the matter was, between my frightened squeaks and spasms, I was able to mutter "Sssnake!!"

After some inspection on Mom's part (I wasn't going near that thing!), she was able to determine it was not a rattle snake like I thought it was, but rather a large bull snake that was probably looking for mice. I still say he tried to bite me..causing me to almost die from fright! If it were left up to me, I'd kill ever snake I clapped my eyes on...but alas, we have several snake lovers in the family and that is not possible. 

I'm just going to be honest and come right out and admit it right here and now...every morning since my 'venture, I inspect my boots and turn them upside down...just in case.

Blessings - 

~ Aspen

Midnight Madness

Midnight Madness

picture from Google

I woke up in the wee hours of the morning and silently felt my way to the bathroom and turned on the light. All was silent...but wait..what is that noise on the back porch? Something is banging on the metal signs I have laid over the buckets of chicken feed. I bet it's a rat. I dash back to my room, blindly take my phone off it's charger and race back to the bathroom. I silently breathe,"3,2,1..." and jerk back the curtain over the window to see.....a racoon rear-end.

He'd found my bucket of fermented chicken feed on the back-porch, and was slung over the side of the bucket, using his hands to gobble it up just as fast as he could. I shut the curtain and poke my head through Mom & Dad's door, "Dad...Dad..." No response. "DAD!! There's a coon on the back-porch!!" He sleepily comes out and together we pull the shotgun out of my room (yes, I have a shotgun by my bed...) and head to the back door. I get ready with the light as he loads the gun and we prepare to burst out the door and take down the bandit-striped intruder.
We quickly open the door and turn on the porch light, but before we can even get a foot out the door the coon's gone in a flash and out into the night. We ran after him, but he got away. The next morning I found coon tracks all around the turkey house...sucker. We'll get ya next time!

What about you, have you ever had any midnight escapades? 

Blessings - 

~ Aspen