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WILVOS
Four-Step General Care
Improper rescue can hurt both the animal
and you! Which is why we train all our volunteers in
correct, confident, and calm rescue techniques. Native
animals are not used to being handled, and are very
susceptible to stress. If handled improperly, they will
struggle and may even hurt themselves even more. It is
therefore important to take the utmost care in the rescue of
native wildlife, and to reduce this stress as much as
possible.
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Evaluate and remove any immediate
threat to the animal. This could mean locking cats & dogs
away to alleviate stress until a trained rescuer arrives.
Keep an eye on the animal so the rescuers can quickly find
it if it moves on and keep other people well away from the
animal. |
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For your safety check the information provided below
Step 4 which is specific to the injured animal.
If the animal is able to be picked up
minimise stress by placing the animal in a soft towel or
cloth, and then gently place the animal in a box. Put the
box in a warm dark quiet room, away from pets, TV, radios
etc, and please DO NOT DISTURB. The stress associated with
human contact can result in death. |
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Sunshine Coast
Residents: Call WILVOS on 5441 6200. This
number is manned 24 hours per day 7 days per week. We
will then assess the animal, and, depending on that
assessment, either take the animal to a vet or a wildlife
foster carer.
Other
Australian Residents: Contact your local wildlife
organisation or council. Some of these contact numbers
can be found on the Contacts page. |
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Make
yourself a tea or coffee, pat yourself on the back and read
through extra information about caring for animals on
this website.
You are
on your way to giving the animal the best chance it has
towards a speedy recovery, and to take it's place back out
in the wild again as soon as possible. |
Possums
It is advisable for you to wear long pants, closed in shoes and have
a long sleeved shirt in the car if required.
Always take extreme caution when handling any mammal. They all bite.
Beware of their teeth and claws.
If you are bitten, clean any open wounds with either soap and water
or antiseptic rinse. Always have your tetanus shots up to date.
Everyone who gets bitten once finds that the next time it will be
quickly forgotten because you are more concerned about the animal.
You must understand that it is natural for them to try and bite and
if you take control of the situation you will not be bitten.
Most mammals can be picked up by using gloves and a towel. The best
way is to grab behind the head first with your dominant hand, then
use your other hand to grab the base of the tail firmly.
You can also use a pillowcase as a glove and scoop the animal
inside. Then put the pillowcase inside a box or a cage. Please
ensure that the box or cage is secure, otherwise they will escape.
Small mammals should be placed in a warm natural fibre (no
synthetic) bag secured at the top. This can then be placed in a mesh
laundry bag used for washing ‘delicates’. That way they can’t
accidentally escape! They should not be put into socks as their legs
can get caught in the knit material.
Gliders
Generally we get gliders rescued as barbed wire victims, cat
attacks, tree felling or as orphans. Gliders are also known to
accidentally fly into houses and get disorientated. The big thing
about glider capture is that they are slippery characters.
Firm fingers around the shoulders are needed. Encouraging them
to role into a ball will decrease the chances of them escaping.
The sugar and squirrel gliders are known to bite although generally
it won’t hurt or pierce the skin.
Feathertail gliders are usually the ones who will accidentally fly
into houses. In this situation it is very much like trying to catch
a moth. Both hands quickly going for it. One trying to block forward
movement while the other hand gets a grip. Wrap your hand around the
glider so your hands make a ball and go outside. Place the animal
onto a tree trunk. The tree must have bark that is coming loose in
sheets. The glider will be able to hide under this until nightfall.
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