North Country Wild Care

10/13/2026

Nature is keeping us on our toes this year!

These three gray squirrel babies were found at Moreau State Park, and we have to admit, nature seems to be messing with us a little!

By this time of year, young gray squirrels should typically be out of the nest and learning to navigate the world on their own. These little ones, however, still have a long way to go before they are ready for life in the wild.

Thankfully, they are now in the care of NCWC rehabber Laura after rehabber Lynn stabilized them, Laura will provide them with the specialized care they need as they grow and develop and get ready for release.

Wildlife rehabilitation is all about meeting animals where they are, even when Mother Nature doesn't seem to be following the calendar!

10/10/2026

Meet Timber! 🐿️
Timber came to rehabber Kim at about 4 weeks old after taking a tumble and needing some help. After growing strong and learning all the skills she needed to survive on her own, it was finally time for her to head back home!

Kim was soft releasing two other squirrels, Dozer and Aussie, when Timber decided to sneak back into the cage for a quick walnut snack. Apparently, she remembered exactly where the good food was! 😂

Soft releasing is an important part of squirrel rehabilitation. Instead of simply opening the door and sending them on their way, the squirrels are given time to adjust to the outdoors while still having access to their familiar enclosure, food, and a safe place to return to. This gives them the opportunity to build confidence, practice finding natural foods, and learn to navigate their surroundings while knowing they have a safety net nearby.

Timber clearly knew exactly what she was doing and exactly where to find a snack!

10/09/2026

Good luck to all of our future wildlife rehabilitators taking their NYS licensing exam today! We’re rooting for you!

New York State desperately needs more licensed wildlife rehabilitators, and every new rehabber makes a difference for the animals in our communities. We’re so excited to see more people stepping up to help our wild neighbors!

Didn’t get registered in time for this exam? No worries! There will be more opportunities next year. As soon as we have the next exam dates, we’ll share them here so you can plan ahead.

If you took the exam today and passed, drop a comment below so we can celebrate with you! We’d love to welcome more future rehabbers into the wildlife rehabilitation community.

Good luck, everyone! We’re cheering you on!

10/08/2026

TODAY IS THE DEADLINE! THIS IS YOUR REMINDER TO REGISTER!!! EXAM IS TOMORROW!🦉🦆🐦‍⬛🦇🐢

TWO WEEKS LEFT to register for the next NYS Wildlife Rehabilitator Exam! 🐢

Have you ever dreamed of helping injured and orphaned wildlife? Your journey could start right now!
The next New York State Wildlife Rehabilitator Exam is October 9th, and there are just TWO WEEKS LEFT to register!

If you’ve been thinking about becoming a wildlife rehabilitator but keep telling yourself, “I’m not sure I could do it…” we’re here to tell you: YOU ABSOLUTELY CAN!
Every licensed wildlife rehabilitator started somewhere. They were once the person wondering if they could do it, with a love for wildlife and a willingness to learn.

Once you register and take the exam, we would love to have you join us at an upcoming North Country Wild Care meeting! You’ll have the opportunity to meet experienced rehabilitators, ask questions and connect with others who can help guide you through the licensing process and prepare you for your first patients.

And the NYS DEC provides free resources to help you prepare:

📖 Study Guide:
https://dec.ny.gov/docs/wildlife_pdf/rehabstudyguide.pdf

📝 Practice Exam:
https://www.dec.ny.gov/.../wildlife.../rehabpracticeexam.pdf

✅ Register for the October 9th Exam:
https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/7887495/NYS-Department-of-Environmental-Conservation-Special-Licenses-Exam-Registration

Whether you dream of caring for squirrels, songbirds, turtles, raptors, fawns or other native wildlife, it all starts with that first step.

Wildlife rehabilitation isn't always easy, but it is incredibly rewarding. And you don't have to figure it all out on your own. North Country Wild Care is here to help you along the way. ❤️

Are you registering for the exam? Tell us in the comments! We’d love to cheer you on and welcome you into the wildlife rehabilitation community!

10/08/2026

We had such a great time last weekend at the Warrensburg Garage Sale! It was the perfect fall weekend, and we were so happy to be there.

A huge thank you to our members Barb and Chris M, who knew Derick and connected us with him. Derick generously gave up his entire front yard to NCWC for the weekend, completely free of charge. We are so grateful for his kindness and support!

Thank you to all of our members who helped make the event a success, and to everyone who stopped by to visit, learn, shop, and support NCWC.

If you took any photos of our educational animals while you were there, we’d love to see them!

10/07/2026

When this little house mouse arrived for care with rehabber Devinne, she was carrying a surprise. Less than 24 hours after admission, she gave birth to 6 tiny pink babies.

While she was nursing her own litter, additional orphaned mice began arriving in need of care. Devinne had previously read about the ability of female mice to adopt and nurse babies that were not biologically their own and decided to carefully introduce a few orphaned babies into her nest.

Mama Mouse accepted them immediately.

She began nursing, grooming & caring for the orphaned babies alongside her own. At one point, she was caring for 12 babies simultaneously.

As her biological babies matured, opened their eyes, and began eating independently, they were gradually separated from her to continue growing. Their places were filled by younger orphaned mice that still required a nursing mother.

Over approximately 5 weeks, Mama Mouse successfully raised 18 babies: her 6 biological offspring and 12 orphaned babies.

Her foster babies represented 3 different species. House mice, Deer mice & White-footed mice

Despite the differences in species and the staggered arrival of the orphans, she continued accepting each new group, providing warmth, grooming, and nursing until they were old enough to wean.

Her behavior highlights the remarkable maternal instincts and social structures of mice. In the wild, female mice of some species live in cooperative family groups, sharing nests, nursing one another’s offspring, and helping care for their young.

Mama Mouse demonstrated these natural maternal behaviors in a rehabilitation setting, successfully raising orphaned babies from multiple species while caring for her own litter.

All 18 babies were successfully weaned, completed rehabilitation, and were released back into the wild.

After her final foster babies were weaned, Mama Mouse also completed her rehabilitation and was released back into the wild, where she belonged.

In total, 19 mice were returned to the wild because of this extraordinary little mama and the care she provided.

Amazon : www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/MQ3X84Y4G6XD
Chewy: www.chewy.com/g/north-country-wildcare_b149428010

10/06/2026

Today and tomorrow are Amazon Prime Day, and some items on our North Country Wild Care wishlists are available at special prices right now!

I’ll also be sharing our Chewy wishlist so you can check out ways to help support our local wildlife rehabbers.

As baby season begins to wind down, it’s important to remember that wildlife rescues don’t stop. Winter brings its own challenges, and our rehabbers continue to receive injured animals that need food, medical supplies, warmth, and specialized care.

Taking advantage of these special prices is a great way to make your donation go a little further while helping the wildlife in our own communities.

Every item donated makes a difference, whether it’s formula for an orphaned baby, supplies for an injured animal, or food for a patient recovering in care.

Thank you for supporting North Country Wild Care and the dedicated rehabbers who work tirelessly to give wildlife a second chance. Your generosity helps us be ready for whatever comes through our doors, in every season.

🛒 Amazon Wishlist:
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/MQ3X84Y4G6XD
🛒 Chewy Wishlist:
https://www.chewy.com/g/north-country-wildcare_b149428010

10/05/2026

A little compilation of some of our rehab patients, just for your viewing pleasure. ❤️
We hope these little faces brighten your day as much as they brighten ours!

10/03/2026

Meet one of Victoria from Critter’s Caretaker, Inc. newest red foxes!

This is their third fox from Burnt Hills, and let’s just say… this little guy has given Victoria TROUBLE from the very beginning! He came in with a BIG attitude and has made it very clear that he has absolutely no intention of making her job easy.

When he first arrived, he had some pretty severe eye infections along with pressure sores on his backside. But one thing was for sure: this boy is a FIGHTER!

Getting his medication into him every day became quite the challenge. Between breaking out of his cage almost every night and flat-out refusing to take his medicine, he definitely gave Victoria a run for her money!

But NOW, look at him! You can see just how much better he looks! Despite the challenges, he has made progress, and seeing that improvement makes all the hard work worthwhile.

Wildlife rehabilitation isn't always easy. It takes patience, dedication, and a whole lot of determination, especially when your patient seems determined to outsmart you at every turn!

We’re so happy to see how far this little guy has come and are looking forward to following his continued recovery.

Keep rooting for this little troublemaker!