Inside the Wildlife Clinic: Snakes

NAPLES — Three snakes were among the 33 new wildlife patients admitted to the Conservancy of Southwest Florida Wildlife Rehabilitation Clinic during the past week.

Some of the bird admissions included a red-shouldered hawk, four chimney swifts, two brown pelicans, and two blue jays. Reptile and mammal admissions include two red rat snakes, a black racer, a peninsula cooter, two opossums, a Brazilian free-tail bat and a grey squirrel.

Snakes in Distress

Most people have an unfounded fear of snakes, which makes people less included to help when one is found injured. That’s why it is unusual to have three snakes admitted in one week.

One of the red rat snakes was found by a Conservancy staff member. The red rat snake suffered abrasions when it was caught between some rocks that were being moved. Muscle damage occurred when the rock tore off some skin but the snake is active and alert. Rehab will take at least a month in this situation.

The second rat snake, found off Weber Boulevard, had gotten caught in wire screening and each time it moved, the wire cut into its body causing severe lacerations.

An experienced clinic volunteer went and helped the homeowner free the snake and then transported it to the clinic for treatment. This snake required stitches that will take several weeks to heal. The wounds are near the skull, making the wounds a little difficult to clean.

The black racer was noticed as it was trying to cross a side road near the Conservancy. The body looked intact, but it was unable to move properly.

A landscape truck had just pulled onto the shoulder of the road to park and the snake had most likely been injured by the truck. The snake’s jaw looked damaged and it had blood in its mouth but it was still alive. It only took a few minutes to get to the Clinic, but the snake had died by the time it arrived.

Safe Handling

We are very grateful that people are so willing to help wildlife in distress, but people must take their safety into account and should always use the proper personal protective equipment in every rescue situation.

“Rabies vector species” or “RVS” means those wildlife species that have been identified as the most common carriers of the rabies virus. Primary rabies vector species in our area include skunks, bats and raccoons.

Several of the mammals admitted this week are considered “RVS.” If injured, all of these animals deserve help; people just need to take extra caution when attempting a rescue.

Wearing gloves is a key part of a successful rescue. When well-meaning rescuers fail to wear gloves, a rescued RVS animal may have to be euthanized and tested for rabies if there is a possibility the rescuer was exposed to the animals saliva. It is especially disheartening when an animal is euthanized because of a risk of exposure and the rabies test comes back negative.

Please contact the Conservancy wildlife clinic staff prior to any rescue so we can offer advice on how to safely contain an animal without putting yourself at risk of injury or disease.

The man who brought the Brazilian free-tail bat to the clinic handled the injured animal in an appropriate manner. He had found it near a window outside of a business in Naples where bats have been known to roost throughout the years. He was careful while containing the bat in a box and made sure his bare hands never came in direct contact with the bat.

We were unsure of the cause of injury to the bat. It quite possibly could have sustained head trauma from hitting the window. The symptoms exhibited were consistent with neurological damage or head trauma: The bat was active but kept turning in circles and its head was constantly tilted to one side.

Pain medication and an anti-inflammatory drug were administered, but the bat’s condition deteriorated rapidly. Within hours, it became unresponsive. After 24 hours of no improvement, the decision was made to humanely euthanize.

Two young raccoons found on Marco Island were admitted within hours of each other. In both situations, the rescuers did not call the clinic for advice on how to properly handle the animals. Unfortunately, they handled the animals without gloves.

Although the babies appear perfectly healthy, they are a rabies vector species. We must always make human safety a priority. Clinic staff notified the Collier County Health Department to determine whether there was any possible risk of exposure to rabies. Luckily, after talking to the rescuers, the health department determined there was no possible exposure.

Keep housecats --- and other wildlife --- safe.

The first baby grey squirrel of the season arrived this week after being attacked by a cat.

The woman who rescued the squirrel from the cat had left the baby outside in the hopes that the mother squirrel would retrieve the baby. The baby was still there in the morning, and the woman suspected her cat may have gotten the mother as well.

She didn’t think the cat had injured the baby, but a physical exam showed the squirrel had bruising all over its body, it was gasping while breathing and there was a large laceration on the left leg. The baby died within the first two of hours of being admitted.

Any time a cat has an animal in its mouth, bring the attacked animal to the clinic for treatment. Bite wounds may not be noticeable, but injuries still may be severe such as with the baby squirrel. At the very least, antibiotics are recommended.

Please do not let house cats roam outdoors. Even if a cat is well fed, it still has the instinct to hunt. Baby birds and mammals are common victims of attacks by feral and free roaming cats.

It is also safer for the cat to be kept indoors. If you want to take the cat outdoors, use a leash. That way, the cats are less likely to be hit by cars, attacked by predators and less likely to come in contact with wildlife that may carry communicable diseases.

Going Home

Wildlife releases this week include two American crows. They were originally found at different locations but were raised together while at the clinic.

Both were admitted as orphans, one uninjured and one had sustained head trauma during a storm. After two months, both were old enough to fend for themselves.

A peninsula cooter that had extensive shell damage after being hit by a car in February healed well enough to be released. It took several months for the skin to heal where the shell had been torn off the body. The turtle was taken back to a safer place in North Naples, near where it was found.

To help

The Conservancy of Southwest Florida is a non-profit organization relying on memberships and donations to support our work. The Conservancy wildlife clinic treats more than 2,500 injured, sick and orphaned wildlife every year, and we need your help to continue our work. Please visit our Web site at www.conservancy.org for more information.