Half Way!!

Can you believe it?!!! 

I can't believe it! 

I am half way through my internship! I feel like I only started yesterday, but I also feel as If I have been here forever! It's weird to think that in two and a half months I will be done...this experience will be over......

....but I'm not done yet!

The last few weeks have been immaculate! Who knew one could love a fifteen hour shift so much??? It sure beats a seventeen hour shift, let me tell you! This place is actually slowing down a bit, which I honestly thought would never happen. It is so much more enjoyable now, because I can actually slow down and appreciate the experience. Before I was always trying to frantically organize what needed to be done in my head. Here are some of the animals I have had the pleasure of working with the last few days!

We have three swans right now! Before I came here I had never handled a swan, and rarely ever saw one! (They're not native where I come from in Ontario) I actually thought the swans would be a little tricky to carry, but its kind of like carrying an over sized football (that bites!).

We also have some young turkey vultures right now! I never knew that turkey vultures imprinted easily on humans. They just didn't seem like that kind of bird to me. Anyhow, because they do, we have to wear sheets so they don't think we are human. It might be a little hard to move in the thing, but it is definitely worth wearing to watch the little vultures gobble down their meat!

 We also have a porcupine  right now, who is the cutest little bugger ever! I haven't been quilled by her yet, so we are still at good terms with each other!

And last but not least the opossums! I didn't know they existed in Canada, but apparently they do! They are also way bigger then I had imagined! I thought they would be the size of a muskrat, but they are more like the size of a young raccoon!

And boy do they stink!

They smell so bad, almost as bad as skunks! However, despite the smell, I have the pleasure to say I have handled an opossum! (How many Canadians can say that?)

Looking after the animals isn't the only part of the intern experience though! I introduced Lucinda to the Terry Fox run this past week. I thought Terry Fox was common knowledge, but I guess not in other parts of the world. Anyhow, we had a lot of fun walking 5km together in support of cancer research!

During the summer Sue took some of the other interns and I to Melon lake! It is absolutely beautiful and I had a lot of fun this summer exploring the landscape around it!

And last night Sue took us to a local barn dance that was raising funds for Sandy Pines! I am quite used to the country atmosphere, so the dance wasn't strange to me, but the other girls were truly having an experience! I was glad that they had the chance to hear some traditional Canadian fiddle music, and get a good taste of the country culture! I think we all had a fabulous time, and I wouldn't trade these girls, (or Sue) for the world!

And last, but not least, I love every second with Sue's horses! Over the summer I have formed a bond with them. They may not listen to me all the time, or be polite, but we trust each other now! They have become more like friends then anything, and sometimes I wish there was an extra hour during the work day where I could work with them too!

Cookie is quite the chore to clean, and to make it worse she rolls in the dirt right after! However, you can't help but love the little bugger!

Saffy and I happy to be out for another ride! (well...at least I am!)

Summer is over and fall is here! More of the animals will be leaving soon, and I am really looking forward to the cooler weather!

This summer was far too hot!

The Intern Life

The intern life is definitely different from that of everyday normal individuals. This past weekend I went home to visit my family and I realised how much this experience has changed the way I see things and how people see me! I was only home for about a day and I got a message from my neighbour saying he needed advice about bats in his attic! Mom says I'm known in town for having experience with wildlife! I guess that means I'll be expecting quite a few more phone calls in the future!

I've also realised that I no longer care a whole lot about parasites, or bugs. I was petting my cat back home and my sister exclaimed, "He has fleas Jay, you might not want to pet him!"

" I don't care!" I replied, "Considering half the animals we get are flea infested, I probably have fleas myself!"

I was doing the meal worms the other day, and was amazed that I wasn't cringing! When I first came here, I couldn't stand the site of them. Now they don't even phase me! Heck, I even had one in my hair once! I can't say I particularly enjoyed that, but I feel my stomach is a little more hardy now!

I also wake up at 6am every morning, even on my days off! It's just a habit! I also woke up my first night back at home at around 3am, and I was convinced I had a squirrel night feed until I clued in that I was at home...

 and there were no squirrels to feed!

A few weeks ago we were buying corn and discussing how much the raccoons would love It! A lady near by gave us the queerest look ever, then walked away. I laughed! We must sound crazy sometimes!

Here are a few other things that make me feel us interns are different from typical individuals.

• We wake up at 3am to feed squirrels
• We discuss animal feces at the dinner table
• We might shower every 3-4 days
• We eat a lot of pasta!

We are such a great group though, and we all get along! It was one of my worries that we wouldn't, but when you work as hard as we do, and struggle together I believe it helps form positive relationships! We are all very different, yes! But we all use are differences to get things done and keep the animals happy and alive!

The new intern, Alex, and I chilling at the riverside park in Napanee after biking for awhile!

Lucinda and I ready to learn!

Releasing turtles

Chilling at the drive in theatre

Working together is fun even after 10pm!

We are a cool bunch!

Hello and Goodbye

Hard to believe, but another month is almost over! It really doesn't feel like I've been here that long! I can hardly believe summer is over already....

and with that comes a lot of goodbyes and hellos.

Goodbyes

Unfortunately it was time for...

 not one...

 not two...

 but THREE of our interns to head on home! So absolutely terrible!!! All three were a terrific part of the team, and things just won't be the same without them here. It's weird at the dinner table now. We aren't crammed together like sardines anymore. It's also a lot more quiet!

Some happier goodbye's have been the releases! So far we've released the following animals

Fox

Killdeer

Skunks

Bats

Raccoons

Hello's

Out with the old and in with the new! So there have been a few things to say hello to as well! Number one our second wave of squirrels!

Secondly, we've been saying hello to all the turtle hatching's! Over half the totes are hatched and there have been successful hatches for pretty much every species of turtles we have here!

Musk turtle

I've also been saying hello to hellish hours thanks to the lack of interns, and the influx of baby squirrels! My bed is now my best friend!

I've also migrated to the bedroom upstairs, so I've said hello to a much more comfortable bed! Before I was sleeping in a bottom bunk, and was constantly hitting my head off of things! Now I have avoided a constant headache each morning! Plus I share the room with the fabulous Lucinda! It's just the two of us right now, but not for long!

We get a new intern this week!

There is always something to anticipate at Sandy Pines!

The Wave

I'm not sure if I should say that I just went through four days of heaven or four days of hell? My body is so tired it feels limp, but I love every second I spend syringe feeding baby squirrels! They are so cute! Probobly the cutest things I have ever had the pleasure of working with here.

Since I've been here I've learned that squirrels come in waves. One big wave in the spring and then a another one in the summer. It's no joke either when its referred to as a "wave"! This past week I was put on squirrels four days in a row, which I was actually pretty happy about. (I was getting a little sick of raccoons!) Anyhow, day one there was maybe two totes with one or two eyes closed squirrels in them....

 But by day four I had about six totes with eyes closed! That didn't even include the adult squirrels that came in too, or the squirrels that have their eyes open, but still need to be fed. The little eyes closed need to be fed every three hours, so I would go through my six totes, then do the every four hours, feed the adults, maybe have a little bit of time to clean the syringes, and then the cycle would begin all over again! It was a little tiring, but I also found it really enjoyable! I feel like a mother, and the little squirrels are now like my babies! They reccomemd here not to get attached to anything, but to be honest I believe everyone here gets attached to at least one of the animals! I won't lie, I feel slightly attached to the baby squirrels. But just like a mother I realize that I have to be prepared to let them go. 

Baby flying squirrel

Chippies!

All our evening feed totes! The babies get fed every three hours throughout the night as well!

This is why I am so tired! lol

The Stable

Days off.....days off are a dream! It's all that twirls around in my mind as I tiredly tidy up the clinic in the evening. Luckily they are a dream that comes true......eventually! Don't get me wrong I love the work here......

But I don't think my physical or mental self would last if days off weren't a thing!

So what can I possible do here on my days off ?!!

 Plenty!!!

My number one go to are the horses. I have always been a big equestrian lover, and one of my worries when I applied here was that I would have to leave that passion behind during my stay. Thankfully I have more then enough equestrian activities to occupy myself with! Sue has two horses, one pony, and two donkeys that I can work with.

 Here is a brief summary for each of them.

Saffy!

Saffy is a quarter horse draft mix. She is the three B's to me. Big, beautiful, and a bitch! She loves attention, and she loves the treats! But get on her back and you're off for a wild ride! Luckily, Sue and I were able to solve some tack issues, and I can finally ride her!  She is tough, but she still has potential I'm sure!

Phelix

The second I looked into Phelix's eyes, I knew we would get on just fine. Sue told me, he might try to buck me off, but so far it has been all good! I can't do anything crazy on him, because he has weak front knees. Still, it is quite enjoyable sitting on his back and watching the sun set. He is so sound with me. I can stand on him, kneel, lay down and he doesn't even care! I have even been teaching him tricks and he seems to be enjoying it! Or maybe he's just enjoying the treats?!

 

 

Jossey

Jossey is one of Sue's donkeys, but I'm inclined to say she's a mule. She had very little training when I got here, which makes her a bit difficult. But also a good challenge! I have never worked a donkey from scratch before, so she has been a good learning experience for me! So far I can make her move, which is a start, because the only way she would move before was backwards!

Jenny + Cookie

Jenny is Sue's other donkey, and she is Jossy's mother. Unfortunatly I can't ride her because she is too old, too small, and very nervous! She is warming up to me though. Cookie is Sue's pony. I also can't ride her because of size and she is also blind! However, she has amazing hair and I love braiding it!

To be honest, the horses are probably my favorite part of being here. I'm not sure why.....horses just make me excited to get up early, and working with them doesn't even feel like work at all! It's been really exciting lately, because the other interns have been getting up early on their days off, so they can work with the horses too! Its been really fun giving them mini lessons. It's made me realize that I know more about equine stuff then I had even realized.

Lucinda and I riding together

Getting Saffy used to other riders.

Hatchlings!!!!

You know, never in my wildest dreams did I imagine I would get excited over turtles! Now, I can't stop smiling out of joy and amazement when I look down at our tiny hatchlings trying to escape their eggs! It's magical really! Yesterday I was on turtles and I was having a really hard getting back to work, because all I wanted to do was sit there and watch the little hatchlings emerge!

A little blandings turtle beside its sibling that is emerging!

Painted turtle hatchling!

Snapping turtle hatchling!

We also released some of the hatchlings yesterday! Sue gave us part of our break during supper, so all us interns could go release them together! It was a magical moment, and lots of fun! 

 

 

Can you spot the babies?!! They blend in well!!

 

 

The turtle crew! 

Sleep vs Suprises

What is sleep? Does it even exist?!  Every work day I get about five hours of sleep..... but it feels more like two. At the moment all I want for Christmas is sleep wrapped up anyway you want! As long as I get it! 

Despite this though, I am super excited to get up each morning! Day on, or day off. Around here no day is the same.

It's like each day is a kinder surprise!

For example, one day while we were cleaning up the clinic, we were surprised to discover that some of our turtle eggs had hatched early!!!!

Another surprise was a litter of kitten someone brought us. Apparently their mother had been killed by a coyote. We don't normally take domestics here, but the lady didn't know where to go! So (long story short) we had the kittens for two days, and they were so adorable!  I got to syringe feed them every three hours, which was tiring, but totally worth it!

I can't believe it, but I've already been here a month! Time really flies when you are working hard! Anyhow, since I started this blog late, here is a sum up of the coolest admissions this month!

My favorite being the coyote pup! He is so cute! I didn't think we would ever end up with one. I am so happy I got to work with him!

We also got two loons, although one died. We still have the other one though, and she isn't looking too bad. It's the coolest thing ever to hear loon sounds while you are working!

Someone also brought in the most adorable baby skunks ever! I had never seen skunks that small before! They are so small we have to syringe feed them, which they don't like too much, but at least it's helping them gain weight.

We also got several ground hogs in the last two weeks. I wouldn't say they are super exciting, but they are really cute!

 
And lastly we got a baby raccoon! I was so disappointed at first, because although I was on raccoons, I couldn't handle it! It was too risky, since I could of past on something from the other raccoons... like the raccoon round worm. Thankfully, not long after, I was put on birds, and was able to bottle feed the sweet little thing before it left for a foster home.

Anyhow, I'm pretty excited heading into my second month here!The first one flew by, so we shall see how fast this one goes. Sadly we are going to be losing some interns this month, but at least a few of us will still be chilling together for awhile!

 

We are still pushing through, even though it sometimes feels impossible! Four more months to go!! Yah!!

 

Photo creds

Lucinda Plowmen (meg and I, kitten, skunk, baby raccoon)

Ginger Elliot (ground hog)

Morgan Lemieux(coyote pup)