08/06/2024
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We are asking for help to RESTOCK WildCareOklahoma's PATIENT CARE PANTRY.
It's been the busiest baby season on record at WildCareOklahoma. We've admitted and cared for 6,415 patients representing 187 different species so far in 2024. And we've gone through a lot of supplies keeping up with this unprecedented demand—medications, vaccinations, food, formula, feeding supplies, and cleaning supplies.
Due to our high patient load this year, we're running low on the essential supplies we’ll need to get us through the remainder of baby season and into the fall and winter months.
Will YOU Help Restock the Pantry for Small and Medium-Sized Mammals like this Virginia Opossum? Below is a list to help us in the mammal nursey. All of the following items (and more) are available on our Amazon Wishlist: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/S5NN8PLP7218?ref_=wl_share
● Cat food – pate wet and dry: Although our animals receive a varied diet of vegetables, fruits, fish, and eggs, cat food provides added protein for many of our animals.
● Baby food – chicken, beef, and sweet potato: We use baby food as a supplement and in slurries we make for very young or critical care patients.
● Paper boats: For diets to help with disease mitigation and eliminate time spent on washing dishes. Saves water, too!
● Non-tipping stainless steel water bowls: Proper water bowls for our mammal patients (both 8oz and 16oz would work)!
● Supplements to mammal diets including Probiotics, Lactase, Calcium Carbonate, and Missing Link: This ensures our growing or recovering patients are getting all of the nutrition they need.
● 106 quart Sterilite latching storage box (4-pack): With a little modification, these become bassinets for all small mammals at WildCare!
● Miracle ni***es: These ni***es attach to syringes allowing us to safely feed formula to infant squirrels.
● Small swimming pools: Kiddie pools and plastic pools are helpful with young raccoons, allowing multiple raccoons to drink and get in the water on hot days! (These can also be picked up locally!)
● Small animal transport box: We love these baskets for holding small animals in incubators in admissions and animal care rooms.
● Red fleeces: When some animals are new to WildCare or they are ill, they go to isolation. Having red fleeces for these patients helps ensure their laundry is kept separate.
● Green fleeces: We keep laundry for raccoons separate from the general animal laundry due to the potential for disease. Having green fleeces only for raccoons simplifies this process.
● Incubators: Incubators can be lifesaving for animals that are weak, cold, or too young to control their own body temperature. These incubators provide a warm, quiet, and safe space for orphaned and injured wildlife.
● Feeding tubes – 5 Fr 16” and 8 Fr 20”: We use specialized feeding tubes to feed formula to cottontail rabbits, Virginia opossums, and northern raccoons to prevent aspiration and minimize stress on the animal patients. These are available at: https://www.squirrelstore.com/clear-feeding-tubes/ (We need 100 of EACH!)
● Contributions for formula: All of the orphaned mammals we care for require specialized formula. Every year, use hundreds of pounds of formula we purchase in 20 pound containers from Fox Valley Animal Nutrition. https://www.wildcareoklahoma.org/donate/
Thank you for caring about Oklahoma's incredible wildlife and WildCareOklahoma!
Photo credit: Jesse Pline, CWR, WildCareOklahoma
