All you will need is to
1) keep it confined in a safe, clean container (with non-terrycloth padding if possible, as it prevents sliding around, foot injuries, and chills);
2) keep it quiet (no radios or talking, even in soothing voices!);
3) keep it warm (but be sure it has an escape from being overheated, if you are using anything but your body heat.)
We've also been building a tool kit of the things we often find that we need. It doesn't have to be packaged prettily (or at all!) but you will want it all to be with you when you need it. Don't forget to put it in the car when you are on duty for captures -- or to keep it there, if you have room.
You MUST have:
- Gloves (two pairs: soft to keep little beaks and teeth off of you, and thick and protective in case you must wrangle something beakier or toothier)
- Something fabric* (a sheet, a towel, a lap blanket) to toss over birds like a "net" whilst catching, and to drape over carriers to soothe the animals
- Protective eyewear(safety glasses if you catch "stabby" birds like grebes)
- Cell phone with the wildlife center and other helpful numbers (such as the lifeguard station or ranger station) on speed dial - things change fast out there, and this really is a must.
- Cardboard boxes, large (think printer paper box) and small (think shoebox)
- Antibacterial hand wipes for after a capture
- Flashlight
- A pen and paper for recording who found the animal and where, and their number
- Cards or brochures for your wildlife center to give people
- Old clothes or sweat pants to wear -- trust me, EVERYTHING poops on you
- Sunscreen, but keep it OFF the animals -- always wear your gloves
- Bleach, at home, for making a solution with water to clean your tools/rags/carriers (don't ever expose birds to strong fumes, though. Heard of canaries in coal mines?)
You will WANT:
- A camera (although photo ops rarely present themselves)
- A medium-sized pet carrier
- Access to larger pet carriers if you carry larger wildlife
- Rags (not terrycloth*) to cushion the boxes and provide decent footing to clawed feet, and for warmth for baby animals
- Pliers, bolt-cutters, multi-tools, and/or pocket knives (to disentangle animals from fishing line or barbed wire -- if you are not sure, always leave it to the professionals)
- T-shirt reading "WILDLIFE RESCUER" so that whilst you are looking for the animal, people will offer help and directions spontaneously
- A big flexible magnet for your vehicle stating that you are a wildlife transporter for your wildlife center, and/or a laminated sign for your dashboard stating that you will be right back, but you are rescuing or releasing wildlife for the center; this may save you a parking ticket
- while we're at it, a container of change/dollars for parking meters etc.
- water for YOU to drink when you are hot and sweaty. Don't water the wildlife - leave that to the professionals.
- a passenger to hold shoebox-sized rescuees, for the body heat, if available
- to see the doctor if you are injured by an animal or infested/bitten by its parasites (fleas, mites, etc.) and there is potential for zoonotic disease. The wildlife center staff should be able to give you a good idea of what to expect.
- clean towel, hand sanitizer, stain remover, and a change of clothes (especially pants) for your own hygeine after the mission. Nobody likes to wear poo.
- tar removal wipes for YOU, if you will be rescuing from tarry beaches.
- analgesics, asthma or allergy medicine for YOU. You may encounter something you're allergic to. I'm allergic to bunnies and other varminty types.
- band-aids.
- in fact, a first-aid kit would be first rate.
*A word about terrycloth and other fabrics with stringy edges or big loops: little toes can get snagged in these and lose circulation or be otherwise injured. It's better to stick to fabric without stringy edges and without loops for any cloth that will be left with an unsupervised animal, even for a short time. I find the cheap polyester fleece used in most cheap lap blankets to be completely ideal.
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