jmcseals SEALS

<<They were all strays (one found, two wild barncats, captured as
kittens, and would have rather have stayed there, wild with their mom).>>


Oh this is such a struggle for me! Last week the kids were outside playing
in the sprinkler and a baby blue jay fell from it's nest right beside them.
They all ran in to tell me about it and we left it hoping it's mother would
care for it. It could hardly stand and had only down feathers. We read
everything we could find on the internet, called a wildlife rescue and
decided to hand feed it. Last night, my husband built him a cage. I am so
torn because I want him to be free but he seems to have no intention of
being so. Over the weekend we set up a fallen branch in the tree he fell
from, hoping he might make it back up or the mother would help him. He sat
there for about an hour and came running to us and jumped into my lap. The
adult blue jays were interested and swarmed but never came to feed him. He
was crying and hungry so we're back to square one.

On the way home from camp this weekend, Chris and Haleigh found a turtle in
the road. He grabbed it and brought it home. I was so mad! He really
wanted to keep it but I took him to the creek near our house and set him
free. He [the turtle] was so happy. Ran into the water and caught food
immediately. Made me feel really good.

I'm not sure what the reason is but I have a hard time with people capturing
wildlife and keeping it. Silly since have a bird in my garage in an
elaborate cage and domesticated cats, but to tear them away from their homes
seems so cruel. I go back and forth. Now Chris (my husband) wants to go
buy a turtle. So why does that not bother me as much?? Maybe because
captivity is all they have known? I don't know....

Jennifer

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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Heidi

Sounds like Jean Craighead-George, who wrote "Julie of the Wolves"
and also a book of stories about animals which have adopted her and
her family..."A Tarantula in My Purse." I think there is a difference
between rescuing animals that have been hurt or orphaned, and taking
them away for other reasons.

You're taking in that baby blue jay...well, if the adults didn't come
get him, there's nothing wrong with you caring for it. Chances are,
it'll go out on its own and be a free bird, when it has grown enough
to do so. Or...you'll have a charming, funny pet bird. A good
experience for your kids, don't you think? As long as they know it's
only because the baby needed rescuing.

HEidiC


--- In [email protected], "jmcseals SEALS"
<jmcseals@m...> wrote:
> <<They were all strays (one found, two wild barncats, captured as
> kittens, and would have rather have stayed there, wild with their
mom).>>
>
>
> Oh this is such a struggle for me! Last week the kids were outside
playing
> in the sprinkler and a baby blue jay fell from it's nest right
beside them.
> They all ran in to tell me about it and we left it hoping it's
mother would
> care for it. It could hardly stand and had only down feathers. We
read
> everything we could find on the internet, called a wildlife rescue
and
> decided to hand feed it. Last night, my husband built him a cage.
I am so
> torn because I want him to be free but he seems to have no
intention of
> being so. Over the weekend we set up a fallen branch in the tree
he fell
> from, hoping he might make it back up or the mother would help
him. He sat
> there for about an hour and came running to us and jumped into my
lap. The
> adult blue jays were interested and swarmed but never came to feed
him. He
> was crying and hungry so we're back to square one.
>
> On the way home from camp this weekend, Chris and Haleigh found a
turtle in
> the road. He grabbed it and brought it home. I was so mad! He
really
> wanted to keep it but I took him to the creek near our house and
set him
> free. He [the turtle] was so happy. Ran into the water and caught
food
> immediately. Made me feel really good.
>
> I'm not sure what the reason is but I have a hard time with people
capturing
> wildlife and keeping it. Silly since have a bird in my garage in
an
> elaborate cage and domesticated cats, but to tear them away from
their homes
> seems so cruel. I go back and forth. Now Chris (my husband) wants
to go
> buy a turtle. So why does that not bother me as much?? Maybe
because
> captivity is all they have known? I don't know....
>
> Jennifer
>
> _________________________________________________________________
> The new MSN 8: advanced junk mail protection and 2 months FREE*
> http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Deborah Lewis

***Or...you'll have a charming, funny pet bird.***

It's not legal to keep a wild bird. With the exception of House
Sparrows, Pigeons and Starlings, birds in the US have protected status.
You can't even disturb or have in your possession a birds nest, legally.

And for Jennifer, the parents of your Blue Jay wouldn't go near him if
they thought you were still around because they would never lead a
potential predator to their offspring. You could have just returned him
to his nest if you knew where it was. Do be careful if you attempt it
now as Blue jays are notorious for defending their nests aggressively.
They won't hurt you, but they could easily startle you off a high ladder
with the loud smacking of their wings. They will dive at your head and
whack you.

Deb L

Heidi

--- In [email protected], Deborah Lewis
<ddzimlew@j...> wrote:
> ***Or...you'll have a charming, funny pet bird.***
>
> It's not legal to keep a wild bird. With the exception of House
> Sparrows, Pigeons and Starlings, birds in the US have protected
status.
> You can't even disturb or have in your possession a birds nest,
legally.
>
Oh, I hadn't thought of that. Jean Craighead-George does mention this
in the Tarantula book. When she was raising kids, it wasn't so, but
she mentions the laws that exist today.

Maybe animal control needs to be contacted, then.

HeidiC


> And for Jennifer, the parents of your Blue Jay wouldn't go near him
if
> they thought you were still around because they would never lead a
> potential predator to their offspring. You could have just
returned him
> to his nest if you knew where it was. Do be careful if you
attempt it
> now as Blue jays are notorious for defending their nests
aggressively.
> They won't hurt you, but they could easily startle you off a high
ladder
> with the loud smacking of their wings. They will dive at your
head and
> whack you.
>
> Deb L

Heidi

--- In [email protected], Deborah Lewis
<ddzimlew@j...> wrote:
> ***Or...you'll have a charming, funny pet bird.***
>
> It's not legal to keep a wild bird. With the exception of House
> Sparrows, Pigeons and Starlings, birds in the US have protected
status.
> You can't even disturb or have in your possession a birds nest,
legally.
>
Oh, I hadn't thought of that. Jean Craighead-George does mention this
in the Tarantula book. When she was raising kids, it wasn't so, but
she mentions the laws that exist today.

Maybe animal control needs to be contacted, then.

HeidiC