2What every kid wants growing up, at least those I have met, is a dog. Or a cat. Or a lizard, tarantula, rabbit, fish, just something they can care for. If you've ever had a pet, then you know that most times it's more than you figured.
I've had some crazy animal experiences, I've seen some pretty weird things, as a pet owner/caretaker. The thing is, you learn something from each pet you have and no pet has the same personality. They're all totally different. So, for once, I am going to write something a little closer to home than usual. I'm going to tell you about some of my experiences.
I wouldn't trade most of my memories of pets because they have helped shape me, helped me in ways I never expected them to.
So here's to all the pets I've met and come into contact with: Thanks for all the memories.
Let's start with the wild creatures. These are encounters with animals that aren't tame. The first creature that comes to mind is Sassy.
It was high summer and hotter than snot in our hometown. The heat seems worse simply because the humidity makes everything sticky hot and that's not fun at all. While we were cleaning up the warehouse my dad rented, he had opened the sliding doors to get some air inside the stifling building. We were finishing up for the day when we heard a buzzing above us that we hadn't noticed till we prepared to leave.
Looking up, we saw a tiny little hummingbird trying to get outside. It was late and we were more than ready to head home but we couldn't leave the poor little bird up there on her own all night. She'd die for sure the next day in the heat.
So, we got a butterfly net fixed up to a pole and Dad attempted to get her down. Unfortunately, the poor little bird didn't realize we were trying to assist her and fled from one end of the building to the other.
Finally, exhausted and several feathers less, she landed in the net. She was barely moving, just lying in the bottom of the net, breathing hard.
Dad had a revelation. "Bring her inside and we'll give her some sugar water."
Now mind, the warehouse had an air-conditioned unit and we had food supplies inside if we had to stay overnight. We had sugar and fresh water, perfect for an overheated bird that was sort of freaking out. My sister Frank, the animal magician that she is, held the hummingbird in a small towel to ensure that she didn't hurt the tiny bird and also to ensure that she didn't hurt herself. (Names have been changed to ensure proper security measures, before I forget.)
The water and sugar were mixed but then another problem presented itself. How do you feed a bird that's as big as your thumb without killing it? Hummingbirds are fragile little things, despite their reputation for having vicious dogfights in the garden or over food. And this one was scared.
Frank tried a spoon and a straw but the bird didn't move. It just lay there, breathing in and out. So Frank dipped a finger in the sugar-water and let it dribble down the hummingbird's beak.
A long pink tongue shot out, licking up the sugar-water. If you have never seen photos of a hummingbird's tongue, then the length with surprise you. Quicker than a thought, the sugar water droplet on the end of my sister's finger was gone.
She dipped her finger in the mix and then held it out for the bird. Again, the droplet disappeared down that tiny beak.
All told, the hummingbird probably drank around an eighth of a teaspoon of sugar water. But it was night and we couldn't release the bird. So we took it home in a plastic container with air holes and a stick to perch on.
The hummingbird didn't let us touch her, only Frank could do so. We called the bird Sassy because she had an attitude and glared balefully at us for wreaking such havoc on her.
The next day, after feeding her once more, it was time to let her go. We couldn't keep Sassy, much as we wanted to. She was wild, she wasn't meant to be in a plastic container for the rest of her life. So Frank and I took her outside and- camera in hand- we took her out of her enclosure and waited for her to realize she was free.
Sassy stared up at the sun, blinking, for two seconds. Then her wings opened and fluttered. She was gone.
Now, we probably did some things wrong- if there are any experts on animal rescue reading this- but it was only in the interest of the bird. Wild things are meant to be free and even though we had rescued her and could keep her, there is something inexplicably demeaning when a free animal is contained. Though we saved Sassy, it was a traumatic experience for her.
But we know she's alright. About two months later, we saw a hummingbird with missing tail feathers at our feeders. She comes back every year but still hasn't forgiven us for ruining her tail, she'll hover in front of the window to let us know she's back before she goes to eat.
With luck, next year we'll see Sassy again.
No worries, there will be more. Keep an eye out for updates.
Ink