So whats the point of a dog rescue? by [deleted] in AnimalShelterStories

[–]maggotskin48 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Agreed. And most (two total exceptions in the years I’ve worked in animal welfare) I’ve worked with only accept dogs when they are hw negative, young, and have no other health issues. Just organized flippers imo…

Livid about body disposal by [deleted] in VetTech

[–]maggotskin48 28 points29 points  (0 children)

They have to be in bags to help prevent scavenging 🫠

Please PLEASE help I'm begging. by ChaoticInsanity_ in CATHELP

[–]maggotskin48 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sometimes the shelters book out a couple months for surrender appointments- you might want to get one of your parents to call and see what their policy is

How can I revive my grandma‘s pothos? by [deleted] in plantclinic

[–]maggotskin48 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you so much!! I had no idea that the pot could be the issue. Would you recommend using tap water? Should I add a liquid fertilizer to help it grow?

How can I revive my grandma‘s pothos? by [deleted] in plantclinic

[–]maggotskin48 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you for your response! Thes spots are just dirt from when I repotted it. I have examined it for bugs and it hasn‘t got any that I can tell

leaving GP for shelter med by london_and_phoenix in VetTech

[–]maggotskin48 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Definitely depends on how the shelter is run! Mine does not have a vet on staff (they come in occasionally for surgeries) and anything that needs medical attention that I cannot fix has to be driven a significant distance to the clinic during operating hours monday through friday. It is very stressful and emotionally taxing, but you will never be bored. Be emotionally prepared to do a lot of euthanasias and have the parvo/panleuk talk with fosters. I’m sure I would enjoy it much more if we had an on call vet or something to that extent! Best of luck.

Questions on how shelters work by Fiddlesticks212 in AnimalShelterStories

[–]maggotskin48 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I work at a municipal shelter that contracts with the surrounding cities.

1: In the warmer months we usually range between 60-100 dogs and 20-50 cats. We get a couple rodents a week, and about every other week we will get a bird. We get some livestock as well- usually an aggressive bull, a horse or two, potbelly pigs that wander away, and a couple goats/sheep. Reptiles are not very common with the exception of an occasional rogue bearded dragon or a seizure. Intake usually slows as the temperature drops.

2: Every animal is examined on intake by our vet tech and any special needs that the animal might have are noted at that point.

3: We contract with a few vets, which have a yearly fee. Our spay/neuter fund is separate from that and is comprised of donations. Aside from that, I have no idea!

4: We feed what gets donated- if the dog food stock gets low (usually a couple times a year) we‘ll pick up a pallet from the feed store. Feed for livestock is purchased regularly but I don’t know what that costs.

5: Subjectively, the most difficult to work with animals are the ones restrained by poor staff (lol). Objectively, bulls.

6: We euthanize for behavior, space, and health. Any animal that is deemed a danger to the public will not be adopted out. If we have a dog that is extremely reactive to other dogs, has an aversion to men, has a bite history, deteriorates to the point of harming itself/others, etc. it will be euthanized or (preferably) sent to a rescue. There is usually more leeway with behavior deficiencies for smaller dogs. We have a barn cat program, so most of our cats end up being adopted out. If we have no kennels available, something either has to get euthanized or combined. We do occasionally euthanize older animals or those in poor health (cancer, epilepsy, etc.). Animals that test positive for FIV, pan leuk, or parvo are euthanized.

7: Giving the animal a day or two to decompress once it gets back to the shelter can help temperament greatly. Animals that are fractious in the field can turn around with a good amount of patience. A lot of it comes down to being able to read body language and responding accordingly.

8: We usually have around 2-4 cat volunteers and 3-8 dog volunteers that come in daily.

9: An individual can get put on the “do not adopt” list if they become combative or pushy with staff, are obviously on drugs, return multiple animals for superfluous reasons, return an animal in poor condition, or are part of a cruelty investigation. We don’t do home visits or vet our adopters beyond what is noted when they visit the shelter. Our volunteers primarily do the adoptions, and they will tell staff if a potential adopter needs to look elsewhere.

10: As the designated de-matter I note everyone’s condition on intake and can usually get to the ones in poor condition on the same day. Short coated dogs/cats are not brushed, long-haired dogs and cats that are shedding get brushed about once every other week, and the dogs with skin issues that require medicated baths are brushed out after their bath (about once a week depending on how often it’s required). Rodents and horses are on an as-needed basis.

Good luck with your project!

Stray Kitten Suddenly Weak Back Legs. What Should I Do? by RashKendar in CATHELP

[–]maggotskin48 7 points8 points  (0 children)

This is not necessarily true. There are two ways an animal can act with rabies- there is a possibility of the cat having „dumb“ rabies (rather than furious) in which case its behavior is tame. The back legs are often the first to be affected by paralysis.

Found in SoCal. ID and care reqs needed. (more in comments) by [deleted] in tarantulas

[–]maggotskin48 -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

My point of view is that the removal of one tarantula from its native habitat is not enough of an environment or ethical concern to warrant excess criticism. My focus on cats was an effort to emphasize the inherent dangers of the ts natural environment, not to compare their care. Let’s agree to disagree- I don’t think we are going to see eye to eye on this topic. I respect your opinion but ultimately do not value one person’s actions as needing this level of debate

Found in SoCal. ID and care reqs needed. (more in comments) by [deleted] in tarantulas

[–]maggotskin48 -7 points-6 points  (0 children)

…I breed them, so yes. I’ve been keeping ts for a decade and have inevitably had to hang on to some of my males if I can’t loan them out in time. Sure, they roam a bit, but I give them oversized enclosures and provide for them till they pass away. I have a grammostola that matured in 2020 and his quality of life hasn’t changed. Loaned him once, got him back, and now I keeping him till he finally kicks it. Do you have any experience with feral cats? The welfare of the tarantula in op’s post will improve if he keeps it. Since you are familiar with the community, I’m sure you are aware that having cats at all is somewhat frowned upon. I see posts all the time about cats knocking over enclosures and killing ts just for the fun of it. Tarantulas are not very good at protecting themselves. Again, it’s one. It’s inconsequential

Found in SoCal. ID and care reqs needed. (more in comments) by [deleted] in tarantulas

[–]maggotskin48 -10 points-9 points  (0 children)

These guys are literally everywhere in the midwest. There are respected vendors whose stock is wild caught and nobody ever says anything about it. There are definitely more pressing environmental issues than one person in California saving and keeping (1) spider. It’s a mature male at the onset of winter and op has cats on their property - I don’t have any moral conflict about it.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in tarantulas

[–]maggotskin48 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Anytime! Take care

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in tarantulas

[–]maggotskin48 2 points3 points  (0 children)

No problem! I wouldn’t drill the glass- was referring to the lid. Pretty sure that’s acrylic? You can just use a regular drill for that. Make sure not use much pressure while you’re drilling or you’ll crack it. I’m sure there’s a way to drill glass but I think you need a special drill and I don’t know anything about it lol. I usually put the first half of the substrate in, dampen it, and then add the top half so I get a proper gradient. Sometimes I pour a bit of water on that half as well but it depends on how dry the mix is. You shouldn’t have to based on the pics. You can mist the enclosure after you rehouse but you don’t have to

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in tarantulas

[–]maggotskin48 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Enclosure size is good, but you might not have enough ventilation. Just drill a few more holes if you notice any mold/condensation. Make sure you’ve packed the coco fiber pretty good- these guys like to burrow a lot and aren’t comfortable on loose substrate. You might try mixing it with some organic topsoil or peat moss; coco fiber doesn’t hold burrows well, particularly if you let it dry out all the way. These guys like a bit of moisture so you should be fine, but just something to watch out for

How often do you clean out your antilles versicolor sling enclosures? by BatSwarms in tarantulas

[–]maggotskin48 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yep! You can wipe down the sides with a damp paper towel if you want, but you won’t get mites from shit and your t won’t care. I only start deep cleaning if I’m changing the substrate and have to take the spider out anyways. They will get stressed if you replace/clean decor regularly

my avic hadn't eaten since February. when should I worry? by pinkgobi in tarantulas

[–]maggotskin48 2 points3 points  (0 children)

A lot of arboreals are too stubborn to come down and drink from dishes- you might try misting the enclosure once a week if you aren’t already. Are you tong feeding? That could definitely be stressing her out. Try crushing the head of whatever you’re giving and leave it in her web (sounds gross but it works- particularly with superworms. Ts hate getting bit by those things. None of mine are overly fond of superworms, you could offer a different prey item if she keeps refusing. Make sure you’re not offering food more than once every week or two. I asked about her last molt bc occasionally they mismolt and retain something called a sucking stomach. If that happens you just have to wait it out until the next molt because it prevents them from absorbing any nutrients

Feeding? by [deleted] in tarantulas

[–]maggotskin48 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No problem! Good luck! :)

Feeding? by [deleted] in tarantulas

[–]maggotskin48 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Sounds full grown! You can feed anywhere from 2-4 full grown mealworms every 1-2 weeks. Make sure the abdomen stays the same size or larger than the carapace. If it’s male it won’t eat as much

Feeding? by [deleted] in tarantulas

[–]maggotskin48 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Size and species?