Alabaminal

All Creatures Small is a private, small-scale rescue for small pets, exotics, and fish located in Central Alabama. This blog features our rescued animals, informative/public awareness posts, and Alabama wildlife.

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Okay, well, turns out I don't know how to add a video to a reblog, so I'm making a separate post. Here are morning bird sounds on our property. There is some distant road noise, unfortunately, but it's still very peaceful here.

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This is just audio since it was taken at night, but if you turn up your volume, you can hear the insects, frogs, and owls that live on our property. I have a daytime one of the morning bird sounds I'll be adding as a reblog of this post.

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No time or energy for detailed posts still, but I love this picture of two of our alumni. Just a peaceful, lazy rainy day.

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Earlier this week, we brought our 12 year old resident cat Rhodey to the vet for an ear cytology after two different courses of treatment failed to address what we thought was a reoccurring ear infection. She was so poorly behaved for her ear exam that she required mild sedation, and when they finally got a good look, it turned out she had good reason to be sensitive about her ear: a large polyp that had formed behind the right ear drum had ruptured through. She had it surgically removed the same day, and is already feeling much better. It was an unanticipated expense, but one good thing about no longer doing intakes is that our emergency fund for our resident animals is much more robust now, so she was able to be treated same day without having to scramble to balance the budget.

It seems unanticipated cat surgeries are the theme of July. While not one of our personal cats, one of our alumni, Tiresias (L) who was adopted by my queerplatonic partner, had a very rough week that began with strained urination and snowballed into a week long hospitalization, repeated catheterization for two blockages, and culminated in an emergency PU surgery. Perineal urethrostomy is a major procedure that involves the amputation of the penis and the creation of a new, wider urinary opening from the pelvic urethra. It is a measure taken for male cats who either have a life-threatening blockage that cannot be treated, cats who block repeatedly, or cats with strictures or other damage to the penile urethra. This is the same procedure Varys (R) had in 2016 shortly before becoming one of our permanent residents. While PU drastically reduces the chances of future blockages, both cats will remain on specialty urinary diets for life.

Tiresias is recovering well from his procedure, and we are hopefully that this will be his last surgery for a long time. He has already needed an enucleation for complications of microphthalmia, as well as a revision procedure because the first was botched.

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Sorry for the lack of recent posts, folks. I've had several ideas for posts, but not really the time or energy to actually write something up. My day job is extremely physical, and currently half of the AC units are out in the building, so we are dealing with temperatures indoors getting up around 90*F with outdoor temps hotter still. There is a lot of heavy outdoor labor involved, and there is no way to cool off when I get back inside, so it's really been very taxing and I'm too exhausted most evenings to do much other than care for the animals and try to catch up on hydration.

The warmer temps and longer days mean that all of the parrots are hormonal and acting up. Ripley, pictured, has laid an egg on the floor of her aviary, and to discourage her from continuing to lay, we are permitting her to continue "incubating" it (the egg is infertile). Right now, her "clutch" consists of the egg, plus two foot toys she's decided are also her babies. She is protecting them aggressively, making it difficult to work in the enclosure.

Egg laying can be dangerous for captive parrots, putting them at risk for egg binding and deficiencies, so it is best to discourage the behavior. Removing soft toys and materials that encourage nesting, rotating toys frequently to create a less stable cage environment, cutting back on calorie-dense and fatty foods and encouraging foraging/effort to obtain food, and decreasing the photoperiod are all beneficial. If the eggs have already been laid, allowing the bird to sit on the eggs (or fake eggs) until she loses interest should discourage repeating laying. You should also monitor weight carefully during this time.

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ACS's ten resident pigs are currently hitting the time of year I call "the summer uglies." Over winter, they develop a thick coat, and just like a dog might, they blow that coat when temperatures rise. You can see that Okja's excellent winter comb over (top) is on its last legs (bottom), and she's also losing the rest of her hair.

More exposed skin in summer puts pigs at risk for sunburn - especially light skinned animals, so it's important to offer your pigs protection. You can apply certain sun lotions if they will allow it (the belly in particular is vulnerable if they doze off laying on their side). For less tame pigs, keeping a mud wallow available at all times is similarly protective, as well as providing shaded areas where they can get out of direct sun.

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I know the tone of this blog isn't typically memes, but I had a moment of inspiration. And while it isn't actually funny when you reflect on it, it IS true; all of the animals above are disproportionately represented in surrender requests while also being incredibly difficult to place. For some, it's the aesthetic; people don't want a "boring" or common looking animal. For others, it's the husbandry demands. And for some, it's straightforward overpopulation.

Obviously the last thing I would suggest is getting an animal with care requirements that exceed your resources and comfort. That's why these animals are surrendered to begin with. Rescue animals may also have health or behavioral issues from their prior home, and you should never get an animal with management needs you cannot meet. However, if you are in the market for any of the species/breeds above and don't mind a mature or imperfect animal, please consider seeing if your local rescues have any for adoption. The only way more animals can be helped is if existing animals find placements.

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PSA prompted by a conversation with a coworker yesterday who was causing his dog a great deal of discomfort and harm by applying peroxide 2xd to open sores caused by suspected mange: PLEASE do not use hydrogen peroxide to clean your pet's wounds! While once used regularly for wound care because it will indeed kill bacteria, we now know that peroxide is a powerful oxidizer and also kills healthy cells, which can cause pain, worsening inflammation, and delayed wound healing. Minor cuts and abrasions on pets can be flushed with saline and monitored at home, and there are some over-the-counter antimicrobial rinses/sprays that may be appropriate, but injuries that are infected and wounds or sores that are not improving with home care will require veterinary intervention. Skin irritation caused by ectoparasites also requires treatment of said parasites in order to heal. Delaying veterinary attention will often result in more costly care and worse outcomes, so it is better to address wounds and parasitism promptly before complications arise.

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Yesterday, we had a leisure day, because my parents were in town (they live back in NY where I grew up) for my father's 75th birthday. We visited the Birmingham botanical gardens, where the various turtles, fish, lizards, birds, and frogs pretty much stole the show, because my parents are also animal lovers. Alabama has such natural beauty and abundant, diverse wildlife that it is always a treat for them to visit as nature lovers.

My relationship with them is in some ways complicated, but one thing they very much did right was recognize from a young age my interest in animals and nature, and went the extra mile to nourish and foster those interests. I was given so many opportunities to engage with things that fascinated and excited me, and having a deep connection with animals and the natural world has brought me a great deal of joy in life.

I do think getting involved in rescue even as a young child exposed me to some harsh realities that were too frequent and too intense for a very sensitive and compassionate child, and while I ultimately had to step away from active rescue work/intakes in my mid-30s due to accumulated trauma, I do not regret having been a part of it.

Of course, you can never fully get away when you are driven by compassion, which is why I ended up with the stray kitten last week. He is flea free and feeling better. I am happy to report that pending a negative combo test, he has a home lined up with a qualified adopter and should be going to his new home Friday. Normally I do not place animals without them first being altered, but the individual in question is someone we know personally, a reliable and responsible party who will follow through with all future vetting needs and shares our stance on spay/neuter, diet, declawing, and remaining indoors.

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To say that I am exhausted and heartsick and furious about the ever-worsening crisis of stray, feral, abandoned, and free-roaming cats and kittens in the United States would be a vast understatement. We are so far beyond the breaking point in this country where cats and their welfare is concerned, and we need to stop pretending we can TNR and adopt our way out of it. The "no kill" movement is a miserable failure that has shifted the burden of managing unwanted pets onto a general public that is not prepared to shoulder it, thereby increasing abandonment, and TNR is a band aid on a bullet wound that ultimately still leads to cats suffering and dying on a mind boggling scale (not to mention the environmental impact).

I don't know what the answer is, but I know at least part of it is something no one wants to talk about: the prospect of resuming shelter euthanasia as a form of population control, because there ARE fates far worse than never waking up, and I watch cats suffer them every single day. I also think we need a massive cultural shift and the legislation and funding to support it: widespread, affordable, accessible spay and neuter; spay abort for every shelter and rescue intake; penalties for abandonment; restrictions on free roaming animals; restrictions on intact cats; regulation of rescue organizations to discourage warehousing and hoarding, etc.

I don't see any of that happening with the current direction of rescue culture or cat ownership culture in the US. In fact, I bet a fair number of people reading this post will think I am monstrous and come after me in the comments (spoiler alert: I'm not responding) for daring to suggest solutions like spay abort and euthanasia for population control. I don't care. If you have a better solution than I've arrived at after decades in rescue, then by all means, I will pass you the torch and you can start your new organization with this kitten for your first intake, because I'm supposed to be closed. But how could I look at an abandoned animal in obvious danger and say, "Sorry, kid, I'm out of the game?"

This tiny kitten was screaming on the curb near my workplace at 9pm last night, its sibling dead in the road a few yards away. He is friendly and affectionate, so not born to a feral mom; someone dumped them there. He is so flea covered he is anemic. I have no idea what I'm going to do with him, because I still have 4 kittens (who are now cats) from last year that proved impossible to place, and our local shelters and rescues are turning away intakes because they are out of space. If I try to surrender him, they'll offer the same "solution" they do the general public: TNR. Then he'll be back out in the elements getting parasitized to death and at risk of being hit by a car or torn apart by roaming dogs (which are also a big problem here). The colony cats in my town are lucky to make it a year even when they are being "managed."

The tone of this post is more negative and more blunt than I would usually dare to post on Tumblr, but I think a dose of raw reality is needed from time to time. I am going to do everything I can to get this animal into a safe placement, but wish us luck, because we'll both need it.

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This week we were without power from about 3pm Monday night until 2am Wednesday morning after strong winds caused considerable storm damage in the area. Thankfully, we had no damage on the property, and the interior temperature only reached 78*F despite it being quite hot out - something I mostly credit to the tremendous amount of tree cover that shades the house (though it also makes storms like this pretty scary). All of the animals made it through fine, though with our misting systems down, there was a lot of spraying down enclosures with pump sprayers by headlamp.

I'm hoping the weather this coming week is cooperative for getting projects done, as my last day off was aligned with the storms so outdoor work was impossible (or at least certainly ill advised). Hopefully by this time next week I'll have some photos to share of work done at the rescue.

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🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️Happy Pride Month from ACS!🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

All Creatures Small is a queer-owned and operated rescue. In the current US political climate, we feel it is important to state our support for and solidarity with our community, and give visibility to Southern queers, who are under attack with terrifying new legislation popping up throughout the Bible Belt. Stay safe, friends!

If you read this post and went, "Ungh, why does a rescue have to get political?" I would remind you that we did not choose to politicize our very existence and would love nothing more than if politicians and lawmakers would stop trying to demonize, criminalize, and disenfranchise us. If you don't support the queer community, or are "tired of hearing about it" in a time when our civil liberties are under attack, you are encouraged to unfollow.

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Apparently today is National Alligator Day, so here is a picture my spouse snapped in Eufaula, AL of an alligator with her hatchling. Did you know that alligators are great mothers? They defend their nest for a ~60 day incubation period, help the young crawl free when the eggs start to pip, and will remain with and protect their offspring for 1-3 years. We are thrilled to share our state with these ancient, complex, and magnificent predators.

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After several days of nonstop rain (which we needed! Most of AL is in a serious drought!) it's finally a fair-weather afternoon, so I've been puttering around the property doing animal chores at my leisure rather than racing storm clouds. I am looking forward to my PTO at the start of June to work on some projects, one of them being to move our resident RES, Tapestry, into a 300g stock tank finally. Tapestry is very growth stunted from prior neglect, so a 100g stock tank has been an adequate home for him, but frankly I just want everyone in the larger tanks and spent accordingly last month. All we need to do now is mesh it so it is predator-proof, hence waiting until June even though the tank is purchased.

The turtle pictured is not Tapestry because he is incredibly shy, but rather Browning, who came to us about 8 years ago, along with a massive goldfish that we also still have (now housed with our other two resident goldfish, also in a 300g stock tank, incidentally). Both animals suffered from improper husbandry despite the owner loving them and refusing to leave a DV situation without first placing them, which you can see from the deformities of Browning's shell and the scarring on her leg. Improper husbandry is unfortunately the norm rather than the exception for slider turtles in the US pet trade, often due to misinformation and deceptive vendor marketing. If you search the turtle tag on this blog, we have many posts about turtle husbandry and prior rescue cases.

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Bolt, the feral dog we trapped in 2012 who has been a resident of ACS ever since, went to the vet today, and as you can see from this picture, he was feeling very done with everything by the end of his appointment. He is 15 this year, and while he has been highly active and in good health up until recently, he began showing signs of senility around 9 months ago, and over the past two weeks has been showing symptoms of discomfort in a few areas (ear, teeth, hindquarters). We took him to the vet today and predictably found age related explanations for most of his issues, aside from his ears which had a yeast infection, and we've started him on a few medications to make him more comfortable in his twilight years.

Bolt is very special to me, and I know that losing him is going to be incredibly painful; just thinking about it makes me tear up. I was extremely anxious all week that they might find something serious during his exam, and I was more stressed by his appointment today than he was. I know I'm going to be fretting nonstop until I see signs of improvement. I think the fact that I'm having such strong emotions surrounding this dog is actually a sign of healing, though.

At the height of my compassion fatigue, just before I halted intakes about six years ago, I became completely numb and detached about death. It was such a constant during my years in active rescue that the only way to survive the relentless exposure to suffering and loss was to stop feeling it. In fact, one of the things that most alerted me to the fact that I was in serious trouble psychologically was how non-reactive I grew to the deaths of even my personal pets.

The animal deaths I've had over the past year, however, have all hurt. I went through a process of grief each time. I rediscovered the raw emotionality of losing something I loved. And it sucks, but it's so much better than recognizing that you should be feeling something, and feeling nothing instead.

It took almost five years to claw my way back to feeling human again. Please, if you are experiencing compassion fatigue, step back and give yourself some time to heal. Too many rescuers and people in vetmed send themselves to an early grave because they allow themselves to be consumed by compassion fatigue.

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Another Duckweed update, he's learned to walk on a leash and his foster says he's thriving. People have already expressed interest in adopting once he is fully vetted. Honestly maybe more stray dogs should find themselves in A Situation on my property if this is the kind of outcome they get. (Dear universe: I am kidding, please no).

Speaking of strays, Bolt is coming up on 15 this year and for the first time in his life is having a health issue. His teeth and right ear are bugging him, so he's going to the vet Tuesday. I'm stressed about it because he will be stressed about it, and may require sedation for a proper exam, but I very much trust the vet team at the clinic we are using to do right by him. If I could do things all over again, I would have pressed harder on his socialization so he might be more comfortable in these situations, though having said that I do believe he's had a very good quality of life for a feral street dog in the almost-14-years he's been here.

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I just received an updated photo of Duckweed, the stray puppy that nearly drowned on our property. He is thriving! He was so shut down, miserable, and fearful when we found him, but he has warmed up to humans quickly, and I'm sure he'll have no trouble finding a home considering how stinkin' cute he is.