Week 3

Thursday, May 2, 2002

The chipmunks fur looked better today. I don’t know if baby chipmunks shed their baby fur, or if I was washing them too much. Today I only brushed them. I am hoping that the brushing will restore the natural oils they have lost.

I went and bought their cage today. It is a really pretty blue color. They didn’t have the kind of tubes that squirrels and mice drink from so I bought the kind that birds drink from. The water is in the bottom; hopefully they will start drinking water soon. I think that would help their coats. I did put a small piece of watermelon into their cage, and they liked it. They could suck on it; they still really like to suck.

I lined the bottom with newspaper, and bunched their towel into a wad so that it is sort of like a nest. I got one of the little running wheels, but it is made to put the critter inside and close the door, so they won’t be able to use it without supervision. I put Chip and Lee in it, but they didn’t know what to think of it. Chip started to cry so I took him out, but Lee went exploring. When I took him out he tried to go back in. I also put a mirror into their cage…mostly because I am curious to see how they will react to their reflection.

When I first put them into their cage they didn’t know what to do. They were afraid to walk on the newspaper, so the climbed around on their towel, but as the day went on they would venture out on the newspaper when they were hungry. They were so cute. It was almost like they were tiptoeing.

Friday May 3, 2002

The Chipmunks are doing well, but they are still having a lot of itching, and they are scratching their fur off. I hope they don’t have the mange. I finally got back on line today so I found some vet’s to email. I hope they can give me some good advice.

The "Three Stooges" discovered their new cage today. At first they were reluctant to walk on the newspaper. They have only walked on their nest and a towel. They would put one or two feet on it then jump back upon the towel they sleep under. Finally they ventured out on the newspaper.

Brittani went ballistic when she saw herself in the mirror. She was strutting around, jumping back and forth, and jumping against the mirror. Chip was running all over the cage examining everything and jumping on Brittani. He liked the chipmunk in the mirror too.

All Lee could think about was FOOD. He ran over to the piece of watermelon and sucked on it, then started climbing the cage to get to me (I was holding his eyedropper with the food in it.) He climbed all the way to the top before I got him out.

I found out what they are doing when they do the little shivering thing when Lee left a little gift in the palm of my hand. Needless to say that hand got washed thoroughly.

Saturday, May 4, 2002

Today I spent most of my day trying to find a web site with free vet services to help with the chipmunk’s skin condition. I left my name in any place that looked like it may provide help.

Today I could not find the oatmeal drink mix that I use for the chipmunks, so I just used the baby cereal. I added a little honey to it, but did not have the glucose powder suggested by the vet. I also added a little regular milk. I also put a fresh piece of watermelon in the cage. They all seem to like it. They don’t eat it; they just suck the juice out of it. I have tried several times to get them to drink water, but they won’t touch it. At least it is always available in their cage whenever they get hungry. I also have some dried cereal, and some home made Muslie (Dried banana, nuts, oats, sesame, dried pineapple, and toasted coconut) so that when they feel that they can eat more solid food it is available.

I hadn’t bathed the chipmunks in several days, and they were getting sticky and yucky. Their fur wasn’t looking any better either. I decided that I would give them a good bath so I took them to the bathroom and used a wash cloth with dish washing liquid to wash them. I scrubbed them down good. I figured that if the condition were caused by something in the air conditioner they should be washed well. Afterward I dried them and brushed their coat.

This afternoon they looked much better. Their fur was fluffier and tails bushier. They actually looked better, and were more playful. I don’t know if it was the difference in food, or the bath.

I finally got one response from the SPCA in Tarrent County. They gave me the email address of an organization that specializes in such things. I immediately sent a message to them. I really hope they will respond.

Sunday May 5, 2002

I knew that I would be going to meet with my friends today, so I left some food in a mayonnaise jar lid, and a fresh piece of watermelon. They were eating the fermented piece of watermelon (it does that in one-day in the heat here), and they were mighty frisky. I think they had a little too much watermelon wine.

When I returned home at about 1:30 they had been eating the food, and when I took them out to feed them they didn’t seem too hungry. I think that I might be able to wean them in the next week.

I try to give them a variety of things to eat so that all of their nutritional needs are met. In the morning I give them just cereal with water. At lunch I added a little honey to the cereal. I try to put a piece of fruit (Watermelon is their favorite because they can suck it) and an almond or peanut to chew on. They aren’t really eating the nuts yet but seem to enjoy chewing on them. I read in one of the web sites I went on that they like to chew. They also like to chew the side of the mayonnaise jar lid.

I gave them another scrubbing today, and tonight their coats looked much better. Again I don’t know if it is the scrubbing or the diet. I still haven’t heard from any of my email inquires. I stayed up until after 1:00 writing emails and making links in hopes of getting some information on their skin condition.

Monday May 6, 2002

I left food out in the cage for the chipmunks last night, and they did not wake me up crying. I just heard them scampering around on the paper. When I looked they were "chowing" down on the food, especially the watermelon. When I got up and tried to feed them they were too full to eat. Looks like they might be weaned sooner than I thought. I tried to go on line, but the Internet would not work. Trying to use the Internet in China is so frustrating. It is so undependable, especially since 911 in September.

A friend called and told me that she was in the hospital, she had a baby girl. I placed food in the chipmunk’s cage and went off to the hospital. When I returned they had been eating the food, but were ready form their mom. They acted like they were homesick for me. When I picked them up to feed them they crawled all over me nuzzling in and out of hand, and trying to climb under my arm. They were much more interested in my attention than food, so I tried to spend some time just petting and talking to each one.

Brittani was especially excited to see me. She needs more attention than the boys do. She often just wants to sit in my hand and be talked to, or scurry up my arm and play in my hair. Today her friskiness resulted in injury. She got so excited she ran up my arm and off of it and fell on to the floor. It was quite a fall. She was making little whimpering noises, and of course I comforted her, but when I took her out later she didn’t look like she felt well. I only pray that she will be alright.

I took pictures of the three chipmunks again today. They look bigger to me, but I don’t see much progress in their growth according to the ruler.

I spent most of the afternoon making the chipmunks a new house. I used two shoeboxes; one is suspended from a bar on the cage and reinforced with chopsticks. It has holes to climb in and out of, and a deck to walk on. I made two ladders using chopsticks, and put towels, and socks inside the boxes. The chipmunks love to climb inside of the socks to sleep.

You should have seen how excited they were about their new house, especially Lee. While the other chipmunks slept snugly in their sock he was skipping around, and climbing to the top of the cage (which he learned to do today). He walked on the bar, and learned to walk on the mouse wheel. He had a very eventful day. He was so excited when I finished and put him into the second story. He finally settled down and went to sleep.

Some friends Children came over to night to play games and look at my new family. The teenage girl fell in love with Brittani, but the boys were a little afraid of the chipmunks. They were doing all kinds of "kidos" showing out for their guests. It was fun.

My Internet did not work all day. I don’t understand why, all of my friends could use theirs. I got another address from one of the places I wrote to, but so far no help with the skin condition.

Tuesday May 7, 2002

 

When I got up this morning I had several replies to my plea for help concerning the skin problem.

It was great to get the info. I went out and tried to find Sulfer but could only find Sulfer soap. I hope it works. I did not have any Neosporen either, so I used Aristacort cream. I bathed the chipmunks after lunch and treated them. Their skin already seemed to look better. I bought a skin irritation cream Sunday hoping that it would work on the chipmunks, but I tried it on myself yesterday. It burned like crazy, and made my skin break out in a rash and whelps. Needless to say I didn’t use it on the chipmunks. I used the soap on the spot on my chest where I had used the other cream, and put some aristacort on it too. It looks a little better. I am going to write Coy back and see if people can get the kind of mange the Chipmunks have.

Today I pealed a Leechee fruit and put it into the cage. You should have seen them go after it. They were wrapping themselves around it sucking like crazy. They like it even better than the watermelon. Who wouldn’t.

Nicole, my friends daughter came over this afternoon and played with them for awhile. She is crazy about Brittani. Tonight I bought some more corn, oat cereal for them, and some baby shampoo. They look better, and seem to be much more satiffied.

Email correspondence:Carol Mitchell from webmaster sent these two contacts in Texas

Pat Isaacs
Fort Mill, SC 29715

Motleyone@aol.com
IWRC/ARC/NWRA
www.hometown.aol.com/motleyone/
803 548-4558 FAX / 803 548-4232-H
SC Wildlife Permit for animals

Kelby Riley from Texas A&M university wrote:

Ms. Perkins,
I forwarded your e-mail on to a vet at the small veterinary medical clinic here at Texas A&M University who specializes in skin disease and parasites. Please let me know if you don't get a response back in a couple of days and I will try to find another doctor who can possibly answer your question.
Thanks,
Ms. Kelby K. Riley
Communications Specialist
Texas A&M University
Office of the Vice President for Research
306A Administration Bldg. M.S. 1112
College Station, TX 77843-1112
Phone (979) 847-9365
Fax (979) 845-1855
And Finally useful advice from a Friend, Coy Wallace, who works at the SPCA in Midland, Texas

Hello Mickie,Hope this finds you well. The symptoms you have described the chipmunks have sounds similar to a type of mange they carry. Some types of antiseptic ointments might help to curb some of the itching and infection, but what is really needed is to kill the parasite that is causing the problem. You might want to try A light mixture of sulfur and water. If you use other mange management treatments, you'll want to be careful because they have fragile nervous systems. You need to bath them every day for a while and then put something like Neosporin ointment on them right after they dry. I hope this helps. Let me know how it's going. Good hearing from you. Coy Willis...postmaster@mail.ci.midland.tx.us City of Midland, Texas

Erin Allebaugh
Outreach Coordinator
Wildlife Center of Virginia vet@wildlifecenter.org <vet@wildlifecenter.org>

Hello Mickie,

Thank you for your email regarding the chipmunks. In regards to the itching, it sounds like the chipmunks may have a type of mite, and you may have acquired this mite as well. They will need to see a veterinarian, and you your physician. It is tough to say the exact cause without first seeing the chipmunks. I understand your good intentions for the chipmunks, which is the first step in helping wild animals. However, I would like to dispel some myths for you and inform you of some information in aiding wild animals. Opposite of the old myth, mother animals (mammals and birds) will NOT abandon their babies if a human has touched it. Prevention and education are the best wildlife rehabilitation, and all animals should remain in the wild with their parents to ensure survival. If a nest is found, simply leave it be until the parents have finished raising their young (which is normally not more than a few days to a few weeks, depending on species). Humans can never properly replace the care of an animal mother. Human intervention should be avoided as much as possible. But sometimes this is not the case, and humans do become involved. The care of any orphaned animal is specific in diet, urination/fecal stimulation, weaning, caging, and the assurance that the wild animal will remain wild and does not become tame/imprinted/habituated. The wrong diet can cause all sorts of problems, including disease and death. Being treated as a pet can cause habituation and is a great disservice to the animal once returned to the wild, where the absence of appropriate fear of humans can result in a whole score of problems as well. In the United States, state and federal law protect all wild animals, therefore only licensed wildlife rehabilitates that have gone through the proper training should care for wildlife. As for your situation now, I highly recommend the chipmunks see a veterinarian to aid in healing of the mites and any other health issues that they may have. I would also explore the possibility of any wildlife groups, agencies, or organizations within China. I do have contacts of agencies in Singapore, Korea, Japan, and Taiwan. Hopefully the veterinarian would have contacts to utilize as well.

I sent her a letter back thanking her for the good information.  The Chipmunks are better today.  They are not scratching so badly, and some hair seems to be growing back.  I will try to check on the mite thing tomorrow.