Original Article: https://blog.theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/rehab-baby-skunk/

Wildlife rehab centers have given a lot of help to the environment and helped maintain different animal populations. Instead of leaving young ones to fend for themselves in the wild, rehabbers provide them with a place to stay. They serve as their maternal figure and, when they’re ready, teach them survival skills like hunting food for themselves. Their daily routine is well-planned and is strongly based on proper animal care, depending on their species. When wild animals are older and capable enough to survive, rehabbers are responsible for returning them to their natural habitat. The sanctuary will still be open for them so they can come back and visit whenever they want.

Leslie Greene is a licensed wildlife rehabber and has shared her experience with nurturing a baby skunk. River Bandit Wildlife Rescue served as the home of Boudreaux after he was dropped by a crow when he was an infant. “The bird watcher actually called another bird watcher that was in the area, and her name is Monica, who Boudreaux was named after,” Leslie explained. After contemplating whether she would give attention to the baby skunk, Monica decided to bring him to Leslie’s rehab. At first, the wildlife rehabber wasn’t sure if she could take care of the two-day-old skunk, but she did well in the end.

Leslie’s dedicated work was evident when Boudreaux grew into a healthy, beautiful skunk. Since he was just days old, Leslie had to be extra attentive to his needs — feeding him milk every two to three hours. She also mentioned that it was difficult to care for Boudreaux as a wild animal rather than a pet. He was a special case, and Leslie had grown to love the little guy. Besides Boudreaux’s care routine, she also mentioned some baby skunk facts during her interview with GeoBeats Animals. One fact about the young mammal is that they also spray, which has a bit of smell but not as bad as adults.

Boudreaux was described as feisty and playful by Leslie, and they have built their bond since day one. The baby skunk always follows her around, which has turned into one of his exercises. During those three to four weeks, the rehab also introduced Boudreaux to another skunk so they could learn to socialize. They had to introduce him to a friend to avoid having him get too used to interacting with humans. The two became rehab buddies and were released back to the wild at the same time.

Letting go of the baby skunks was bittersweet for Leslie, but it’s a duty she must do. She compared the experience to letting go of a child about to take their college journey. It also worries her, especially when the temperature drops — she can’t help but think of their condition outdoors. However, their rehab days might be gone, but the wild animals are still welcome whenever they want to visit. The sanctuary is open for them any time of the day if there is a shortage of food and water. River Bandit Wildlife Rescue has been doing a great job with other animals as well. You can learn more about them by visiting their Instagram page.

[embedded content]
Source: The Animal Rescue Site Blog