Category: “Rescue”

Leucistic Fox Squirrel

Two days ago, we had some interesting intakes! Take a look at this super amazing baby fox squirrel (Sciurus niger).

This little dude has a genetic mutation called leucism, which is a condition characterized by reduced pigmentation in animals caused by a recessive allele. Unlike albinism, it is a reduction in all types of skin pigment, not just melanin. Albino have red eyes, lucistic have darker eyes. And yes, he is as yellowish as he looks! He may turn white as he gets older.

You can see below how he stands out from other squirrels around the same age in our incubator. Typically, animals with this kind of genetic mutation do not survive long in the wild. They kind of stand out. This guy will be destined for a life of education programs pending state approval.

While we do not name rehab animals, we are looking for name recommemdations since this guy will be destined for education. Mario wants to name it Ear Wax. Ew for short…. please help!

Nesting Materials for Birds

**warning: graphic photos at the bottom of this post!

Bird rehabbers have been battling for years the idea of putting things like hair, string, yarn, etc…out as nesting material for birds. Another perfect example of why that is a horrible idea. Two mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) chicks brought to us last night. One dead, one alive (cat found them, but that is a whole different conversation). Tied together at the knee by some kind of string. Lower leg completely dead. Had to be euthanized for a few different reasons. By permit, any bird that has to have a leg amputated has to be euthanized. We have no say in that matter. One legged birds develop all kinds of problems. Yes, we have seen one legged birds in the wild too.

Bird nest made with various materials such as string, yarn, etc.

Anywho… If you must put something out as nesting material for birds, use grasses, hay, etc… makes a much better and safer solution. Plus it’s natural, and in most cases free!

Fun fact: the mockingbird is the state bird of Texas (1927), Florida (1927), Arkansas(1929), Tennessee (1934), Mississippi (1944), and is the former state bird of South Carolina (1939-1948).

Horned Worms = Everyone Loves Them!

Before the cold snap, Symton Black Soldier Fly made sure to get us out some horned worms for some of our guys. Turns out they are like crack to the crows. We already knew the owls loved them. Same for the copperheads. This one has been a stubborn eater since it came in. But it eagerly gobbles large horn worms. All part of a varied diet!

Mario and Brandi

(Excuse Moon Pies beak. She started laying eggs and we didn’t want to mess with her and stress her out. Eggs are not fertile and were disposed of.)

Zilla Products are the BEST!

Zilla Products are the BEST!

Open a large package to find this!
Thanks to our friends at Zilla Products for the donation of dehydrated food. Just in time for baby season! To learn more about Zilla and their products, visit their website: https://www.zillarules.com/

Needing a Rescue Vehicle

Needing a Rescue Vehicle

The rescue is in need of a new vehicle. To say we put a vehicle through it’s paces is an understatement. The Suburban we have now is a 2005 and has 230,000 miles on it. The repairs are beyond starting to exceed the value, and will cost too much to make it pass Texas vehicle inspection. We use 4 wheel drive on a regular basis, haul stuff (including a trailer), travel to education and adoption events, picking up supplies and animals, and let’s not forget the occasional use as an emergency ladder to get birds out of trees.
We are hoping one of our followers has an in with a used car dealer in the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex.
We need a large SUV, 4×4, in good shape and trustworthy. And let’s not forget price range. We are not looking to break the bank.

Found a Baby Squirrel?

Found a Baby Squirrel?

Well baby squirrel season started already. We currently have 6 baby fox squirrels (Sciurus niger) in our Baby Warm incubator. One has a minor injury from falling from the nest. But what I really want to talk about is what to do, and what not to do if you find an orphaned baby.

But first let’s put a myth to rest. Mom will absolutely take her babies back even if you touched them. There, that’s a thing you know now. 

  • See if you can locate the nest it came from. Mother squirrels usually have a backup nest already built so reuniting is very possible. The smaller the babies are, the easier it is for mom to take them back to her nest.
  • If reuniting is not an option due to injury or other reason, put the baby in a box with a lid, keep it it quiet and warm, and do NOT try to give it any food, milk, water, etc… This is for a few reasons. Baby has to be at proper temperate, so does the formula, and they have to be slowly introduced to formula so they do not get diarrhea (see picture). Diarrhea causes dehydration if not dealt with first. It’s also pretty messy!
  • Contact a permitted rehabber. ANY small mammal rehabber. If they can not take it, most will help you find a rehabber close to you.
  • Be patient. Lots of calls coming in about babies right now. Leave messages if you get voicemails! Do not hang up and call right back. We could be either working with animals, on another call, or at our day job and not in a position to answer a phone.
  • Did I mention to not offer any food or water?

As always, thank you for your support.

Best Easter Pets

Best Easter Pets

Spring is almost upon us and that means Easter. Baby ducks, chicks, and rabbits galore. Rescues will start getting calls about 3-4 weeks after that from people looking to surrender their animals.
These are the only ducks, chicks, or rabbits you should buy for your kids as gifts for Easter.

Slow Motion Rattlesnake Rattle Another View

Made another video on just the rattle moving from a few different angles. Enjoy.Mario and Brandi

Posted by Nature's Edge Wildlife and Reptile Rescue on Friday, February 8, 2019

Slow Motion Rattlesnake Rattle

A quick video on a couple of prairie rattlesnakes (Crotalus viridis) we took in today. Enjoy!

Slider Turtles as Pets

Slider Turtles as Pets

We have all seen them. Those cute little red-eared sliders and yellow-bellied sliders being sold either from a roadside stand or one of those gift shops in Florida. Well this is what that cheap little $10 turtle turns into. These are both yellow-bellied turtle (Trachemys scripta scripta). Adult shell vs hatchling. The hatchling was bought and later surrendered, with a second one, when the owner realized how big they get.

Road side sellers love to tell people they will stay small if kept in a small tank. Sure, because they get sick and die before they can reach full suze.
Aquatic turtles need a minimum of 10 gallons of physical water per every inch of shell length. PER TURTLE. The more water the better. Strong filtration is a must to keep their water clean. They also need room to get out of the water and bask, as well as strong UVA/UVB lighting.
So for example, the large one would need a minimum of 160 gallons of water and a 2 foot by 2 foot area to get out and bask.
A varied diet to include live native fish is also a must. Pelleted diets can be lacking the proper nutrition. NO GOLDFISH. They do eat a lot.


Aquatic turtles as a whole can make great display pets. But they must be set up properly. Red-eared sliders and yellow-bellied sliders are the number one surrendered pet to reptile rescues. A lot of rescues have even stopped taking them in due to already having way to many of them. And no, they can not just be returned to the wild or dumped in your neighborhood pond. It is illegal to do so for a few different reasons.