Second Chance Wildlife Rehab Center

06/07/2026

Painting a turtle’s shell may seem harmless, but it’s one of the most painful things you can do to this gentle creature.

A turtle’s shell is not like a rock or wall, it’s alive, filled with nerves and blood vessels. It helps the turtle absorb sunlight, regulate body temperature, and even breathe. When paint covers the shell, it blocks sunlight, traps bacteria, and releases toxins into the turtle’s body. What looks like “art” can cause bone weakness, infections, and eventually death.

It doesn’t happen overnight, it’s a slow, silent suffering. Beneath the bright colors, a living creature struggles to survive. Each brushstroke steals a little more of its strength, turning something natural and beautiful into a prison.

So before turning wildlife into decoration, remember - the turtle’s shell is its skin, its protection, its life. Real kindness isn’t about painting nature; it’s about preserving it. If you ever see a painted turtle, report it to a wildlife rescue team. Protect beauty, don’t destroy it.

Wonders Of Animals ~

06/03/2026

I WASN’T A DEAD LEAF ON YOUR PORCH.
MY BABY WAS STILL CLINGING TO ME.

You found me under the porch light.

Small.
Brown.
Folded.
Still as a curled leaf after wind.

Maybe you thought I was dead.

Maybe you thought I was a mouse.
Maybe you wanted to sweep me away before the cat noticed.

But look closer.

There is a tiny body pressed against my chest.

Tiny claws locked into my fur.
A face smaller than your thumb.
A baby who cannot fly, cannot hunt, cannot understand why the sky suddenly fell.

I am a mother bat.

Not every bat lives in an attic.
Some of us roost in trees, tucked among leaves, trusting bark, branches, and darkness.

But storms shake branches.
Heat drains bodies.
Tree trimming breaks roosts.
And sometimes a mother falls with her baby still holding on.

Please do not touch us with bare hands.
Do not pull my baby away from me.
Do not throw me into the air.
Do not give us water or food.

Keep cats, dogs, and children away.

Call a licensed wildlife rehabilitator or bat rehabilitator immediately.

If we are in danger and you are told to contain us, use thick gloves or a towel.
Place us gently in a ventilated box with soft cloth.
Keep the box dark, quiet, warm, and secure.

If anyone touched us bare-handed, or if a pet had contact, call animal control or your local health department before release.

Because I was not a dead leaf.

I was a mother on the ground,
trying to keep one tiny life
attached to mine.

Bat rescue guidance in the U.S. consistently warns not to handle bats with bare hands, not to feed or water injured bats, and to contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator or bat specialist. Nebraska Wildlife Rehab also gives specific guidance for a mother bat with babies attached: avoid bare-hand contact, keep them protected, and get rehab guidance; if she is not injured, a trained/safe rehang may be possible using a branch, but if she remains grounded or the baby is alone, they need rehabilitation help.

05/25/2026

05/22/2026

It's that time of year again! Patio umbrellas are coming out, and sometimes we find a little evening bat (or moms and babies!) seeking shelter there. Check the first comment to learn how you can enjoy your umbrella and keep bats safe, too!

05/14/2026

1,400 Trips Destroyed in 30 Seconds.
She made 1,400 exhausting trips to build that nest, and a broom knocked it down in thirty seconds. On a warm April afternoon, a Barn Swallow returns to a bare porch corner, her intricate mud-pellet nursery shattered on the deck below.

We view these porch nests as messy property nuisances, casually destroying them for the sake of a clean deck.

In reality, knocking down an active nest is a federal offense under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Right now in April, native Barn Swallows (Status: Declining) are arriving exhausted from trans-Gulf migrations. They spend ten painstaking days flying from creek to porch, meticulously mixing mud and saliva to build a safe nursery. As voracious aerial insectivores, a single swallow family forms a vital interconnected ecological shield, consuming up to 60 pounds of mosquitoes and agricultural pests every summer. Destroying their nest doesn't just kill five chicks; it permanently fractures your local, natural pest control.

You can solve the mess peacefully and legally. Simply nail a small wooden shelf or tape a piece of cardboard a few inches below the nest to catch the droppings.

She pressed 1,400 pellets of mud with her own beak to build a family. Give her the porch.

05/11/2026

Successful reunion of Canada gosling with family.

05/08/2026

Each year, millions of songbirds are killed by roaming cats. Here’s how to keep your kitty from adding to the statistics. Cats are hardwired to hunt. Just move a laser light across the floor and w…

05/01/2026

New peer-reviewed study shows 100% of bird nests tested contained residues of flea and tick chemicals from pets. These chemicals were found not just in nest lining made from treated pet fur, but also in eggs and dead chicks. Researchers also observed that higher contamination levels in nests were associated with more unhatched eggs and chick mortality signals, suggesting a clear exposure pathway from pets to wild birds through nest building materials.

In simple terms, wild birds may be unintentionally exposing their embryos and chicks to pet parasite treatments.

This adds a concerning layer during a period of ongoing bird declines, but it is important to note it is not considered a primary driver. Major causes of bird population declines in Europe and North America are still habitat loss and fragmentation, insect decline and food shortages, climate change, and intensive agricultural practices.

05/01/2026

May is here! Bats are fully active and feeding. Females start forming maternity colonies and looking for suitable nursery sites, such as buildings or trees. Males roost on their own or in small groups.

04/19/2026

I get calls every year about bee swarms. Second Chance does not work with bees! Here is the info you need for that situation.

With the bees getting busy be sure to save the Swarm Hotline info both for local call outs and state wide needs. Feel free to share and save this image in other groups/pages too!