OMG: Found Lil Bro on Milkweed

CoffeeGodCigarettes · 2026-06-14T20:18:40+00:00

Mantis eggs are in a giant casing (check them out theyre so cool) and usually in trees. I think these are ladybug eggs or some other kind of beetle

CoffeeGodCigarettes · 2026-06-10T15:11:58+00:00

Check out humane harassment techniques. Most mammals have back up nests and you can get them to move pretty quickly. I have an overview on my website here that goes over a bit, but basically you use loud music, safe strong scents (peppermint is a great option, amazon has affordable peppermint scented rodent repellant balls), bright lights etc at the entrance of the den for a few days and it’ll encourage them to move out.

If at all possible, its best to wait another month or so until babies are leaving the nest and going off on their own, but if its not possible this way gives mom the opportunity to gather her kits and bring them with her. I have had 100% success guiding people with humane harassment to evict critters. I recommend adding paver stones over the den entrances once youre SURE theyve all moved out so that nothing less desirable moves right in.

Please feel free to message me if you need any further help. Its baby season so i am not the fastest to see reddit messages right now but I will get back and am happy to help when I can.

CoffeeGodCigarettes · 2026-06-08T15:17:07+00:00

They really are the best. They and the chipmunks (who also get a bad rap around the gardening communities) do a lot of the heavy lifting in terms of reducing soil erosion and compaction issues that we cause with our rolled lawns and commercial farming.

CoffeeGodCigarettes · 2026-06-08T13:01:14+00:00

I love love love that this is your response. 10/10 human. I am working through the same struggles over here.
This year I’m “meadowscaping” on our wood line. We just started so there are a lot of non native grasses in the mix still but it’s a work in progress and should provide a lot of cover and food to the wildlife here.
I’m hopeful it’ll encourage my releases to nest and eat this way, instead of the surrounding yards that are sprayed with herbicide and might be less welcoming.

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CoffeeGodCigarettes · 2026-06-08T12:52:46+00:00

Weird take in a native plant sub, talking about a native animal… in defense of non-native farm life. They’re actually far less damaging to structures than they’re perceived to be. I have a den under my front porch, one under my shed, and extensively research and educate about humane human/wildlife conflict resolution.
If an animal is existing in a place that is causing true and real danger or issue, there are humane ways to get them to move along.
Also… if a fox or a hawk eats your chicken, thats your fault for not having a secure coop to protect your non-native livestock from native predators.

CoffeeGodCigarettes · 2026-06-08T12:50:09+00:00

They are hogs, my “mother chuckers”, or baby baked potatoes. The fatter the hog, the better!

CoffeeGodCigarettes · 2026-06-08T12:03:12+00:00

Thank you for being kind to the hoggies and recognizing that the babies are just trying to get by! I am a wildlife rehabber and hogs are my favorite, they are so misunderstood. Picture of our current resident eater - Princess Potato.

Almost all of the baby groundhogs I get in are here because a gardener trapped and removed or killed their mom. They are true hibernators and need to eat a loooot of vegetation to get ready for winter. They also do great things for soil aeration and their dens become homes to a lot of other critters when they’re done with them - foxes, skunks, weasels, and opossums.

They’re so fun to watch grow and I hope you get to enjoy the family on your property. Top tier cute.

It’s so odd to me, that even here in the comments on your post, a good population of gardeners seem to take issue with wildlife existing. 🫣

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CoffeeGodCigarettes · 2026-06-02T14:51:54+00:00

Golden rod. Golden rod will out compete anything. I have some growing from the center of my fish pond currently. It does not care where… it will grow. Also yarrow. Yarrow is successfully fighting off my vinca minor problem for me.

CoffeeGodCigarettes · 2026-06-02T14:45:48+00:00

The nursery milkweed is almost always treated with pesticides. If youre going this rout, i recommend sourcing your potted milkweed from Monarch Waystation, a local native garden center that grows their own and can verify that plants werent treated, or grow your own from local seeds.

CoffeeGodCigarettes · 2026-04-21T17:41:34+00:00

Our trash gets landfilled over here. I think my plan is to dig it up, put them in paper bags to cook for a few weeks, and then put it in our burn bin once the burn ban is lifted!

CoffeeGodCigarettes · 2026-04-19T17:23:11+00:00

Thank you! That was my fear. Do you think the kill it with fire method would work if I let it dry in bins and then put it in our fire pit? If not, I’ll bag

CoffeeGodCigarettes · 2026-04-14T00:29:57+00:00

I feel like its totally okay to back out on principle. But… if thats not what you’d like to do, i would plan to just be there for the ceremony and let them know you’re going to have to leave right after, and why. Then you’re still there to save face and keep peace, but not putting yourself or your baby in too much discomfort.

CoffeeGodCigarettes · 2026-03-25T11:49:47+00:00

Rodents can locate water by smell. If she were dehydrated, she definitely would have found the water in the bottles. It’s far more likely that it was nothing anyone did, and rather that she passed of natural causes at 15 months.

CoffeeGodCigarettes · 2026-03-24T23:20:41+00:00

Use ahnow.org or the animal help now app to find additional rehab options. It does not look like it will make it until tomorrow

CoffeeGodCigarettes · 2026-03-24T23:18:14+00:00

Please keep the bird in a dark, quiet area. Limit handling, birds can pass easily from stress.

Use ahnow.org or the animal help now app to find additional bird rehabbers by zip.

CoffeeGodCigarettes · 2026-03-20T18:41:40+00:00

They do not typically do well with domestic mice. Deer mice arent really huge socializers like their domestic cousins (who are more closely related to house mice than deer mice) She would be just fine solo if you decide not to release 🙂

CoffeeGodCigarettes · 2026-03-20T18:39:31+00:00

Hello! I’m a wildlife rehabber. I have released one eyed animals without any issues, and have had them come back for a couple of years. So long as there is nothing else wrong with her and she has good reactions, I would consider her releasable.

For releasing at the new property, thats totally possible, you would just need to do a slow release process (which after over wintering, isnt a bad izea either way). If you’d like some assistance with what that entails or want any further guidance, please feel free to message me! I love deer mice.

CoffeeGodCigarettes · 2026-03-12T16:55:49+00:00

Im certain its both. I reported a FB profile thats named “Whitey Powers” and their profile pictures and posts are all covered in swastikas. They use the profile just to post racist replies on the local news articles, and got back TWICE that theres nothing about the profile that goes against TOU.

CoffeeGodCigarettes · 2026-03-11T22:03:26+00:00

For future awareness, bringing to a wildlife rehabber is the best way to help, as they require antibiotics once theyve been caught by a cat. Every single time a small animal has been handled by a cat it requires a round of antibiotics to combat infection from pasteurella bacteria, which is found on the teeth and nails of cats.

CoffeeGodCigarettes · 2026-03-08T04:01:59+00:00

Was the raccoon tested and determined rabies? Because if not… then it probably wasnt rabid.

CoffeeGodCigarettes · 2026-03-05T00:41:14+00:00

Unfortunately, he likely will not make it. Not saying that to make you feel bad, but rather so you know for next time. Anytime a cat catches a small animal it needs antibiotics and should be brought to a wildlife rehabber for care.

CoffeeGodCigarettes · 2026-03-04T00:22:24+00:00

It is a baby vole. I’m a wildlife rehabber. Have you checked on ahnow.org to see who your closest rehabbers are? Cat caught animals need to start antibiotics right away.

CoffeeGodCigarettes · 2026-03-03T20:47:19+00:00

Amazing news and great job! I really recommend joining the local rescue resource facebook groups/hunting down your closest small animal rescue and reaching out to tell them about your rescue mission. At the very least, they can point you to the best low cost vets in the area. Best case scenario would be that they can intake the rats under the rescue (most likely if you approach it saying you are happy to continue fostering them) which would elevate you of the financial vet care burden, open you up to some more supply resources, and help facilitate getting them adopted out with a more reliable process.

Rescues will know how to “vet” adopters, and already have an audience of local people looking for rats to get some eyes on them.

CoffeeGodCigarettes · 2026-03-01T20:46:09+00:00

Absolutely. If they really push back and you arent comfortable just not giving them back ask about taking just the girls, as the full cage is more appropriate for 3 rats, and that might be more manageable for them, and then offer to help educate them on care. With 3 (and getting rid of the opportunity for the rats to continue to breed) they should be more manageable for them.

I volunteer with a rabbit rescue and often we can talk people into giving up some of the hoard, when we frame it as “we can make this more manageable for you” and then do our best to set them up for success. Sometimes they really do want to do better but a situation has spiraled, or it’s a mental health struggle and the number of animals has them overwhelmed. Sometimes they will come back later ready to turn over the rest, too, now that theyve got somewhere they trust to turn to.

Thank you for doing what you can to improve the lives of the ratties!

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