The little girl was exhausted and scared and didn't give much resistance when I bathed her to get rid of the fleas. She drank some apple flavored Pedialyte and then I let her rest for a while. I had asked the young man to go back and check for siblings later on, but I didn't expect him back half an hour later with a large box. When I stepped out to greet him, he held up two fingers: two more.
These two were feistier and had drenched the towel they were in. He told me the woman in whose yard they were in didn't want him to take them because she didn't want them to spray. When he explained to her that they would not make it without help she said she didn't care, let them wander off on their own, she just didn't want the stink. She was so impossible to talk to that he finally just swooped in and grabbed the two with the towel, and of course one sprayed. The woman, furious, went in the house, and, not sure if she was going to call police or return with a gun (he said she acted crazy enough) he just got the heck out of there. Bless him for rescuing those two little ones! He grinned when he admitted that his truck smelled pretty bad, but a good airing out will take care of that.
I kept the two outside and brought the bowl for bathing on the porch instead. One had goopy front feet and claws and gunky teeth, it must have tried to eat a slug from sheer hunger. That slime is almost impossible to get off, but I finally succeeded. The smell did not go unnoticed in the neighborhood, but babies have a way of melting most people's hearts. And once I had disposed of the smelly towel and box the air was clean again.
They are now sleeping in their carrier atop one of my storage boxes in my craft room. I wouldn't do that if I didn't trust that they'll behave. They have full bellies, a warm bed, and they ... are awake now, of course! Little heads bobbing up and down, ooooh, I just love skunks!
Once they have settled in and have had a few meals I will transfer them into a larger cage in my rehab room. But I need to make sure that they can thermo-regulate, the little girl in the first two pictures is pretty run down. Her siblings, piled into the formula dish, are much stronger.
These babies will cost me about $150 each to raise, so if you would like to partially adopt a baby, I would so appreciate it! My friend was going to help with what she could afford for the one baby but almost fell over when she heard there were three. Please spread the word, Operation Adopt A Baby Skunk is now in full swing and will be ongoing for at least the next two months. Every little bit helps. Thank you!
