Dakota took another big step Tuesday - he moved from the small enclosure he has been in for the last 3 weeks to a much larger, completely indoor aviary! He has finally reached a weight that allowed his vet to give the "ok" for him to move. He still has some weight to gain before being at his normal weight, but he's getting closer. Also he was able to have his first fully furred whole prey meal which he finished in under 30 seconds...he loved it!

The indoor aviary Dakota was moved to is a new feature of our new building; it can hold temperatures independently of the rest of the building. This will allow us to very slowly decrease the temperature of the room to get Dakota to adjust to the outside winter temperature before actually moving him outside. This will be a slow process, but we are thrilled about the big steps Dakota continues to take forward!

What is a pellet?

For those of you who’ve been watching Dakota’s progress you probably noticed that once he started eating solid foods he also began casting pellets. What, you might ask however, is a pellet?

Owls and other raptors, as you may know, maintain a diet primarily, if not exclusively, of protein. In other words, they eat other animals. Raptors are unlike humans who can cut, cook, and otherwise prepare our food to eliminate the indigestible portions. They also differ from carnivores like wolves that can tear the meat away from indigestible things like bones. They often feed on small animals like rodents and smaller birds. Weeding out the digestible from the indigestible parts of small animals like these when you only have a beak and talons to do so with isn’t always easy. The solution that raptors have come up with is casting pellets.

As a raptor digests its meal, its body separates these indigestible parts such as bones and fur. This material binds together and is later expelled through an action that very much looks like the bird is vomiting. They are not vomiting however, and it is not the same thing as a cat expelling a hairball either. Many people at one point in their lifetimes, whether it was in science class or just for fun, have dissected owl pellets. If you haven’t had the pleasure, these pellets appear as small forms of bound up fur. Often you can see small bones if you look closely. For those with strong stomachs we’ve attached the proof that Dakota is eating well and progressing better than we could have hoped for.

Dakota’s veterinarian plans to do another thorough exam on Monday complete with further blood work. We hope for good news from analysis of the results and will be sure to pass it along as soon as we can.



Dakota began casting pellets (complete ones) only two days after beginning solid foods
(the first note looks like it says 2/15/11 but it actually is 12/15/11)



On Sunday, December 18th, Dakota cast his 4th pellet! This is holiday cheer for those who work with wildlife!



When examined closely, you can find bones from small animals bound up in the fur. This is Dakota's 3rd pellet, in which you can see small bones from the mice he began getting on Tuesday, December 13th



This display was made for WINC to use for display and educational purposes. It shows examples of some of the things you might find if you were to dissect a typical pellet

Dakota has had his first meal!

The results from Monday’s blood tests were mostly positive. While not all of his levels were improved, he was given the green light to begin introducing solid foods today. The levels that have not improved point to a continued need for caution however, the improvement is welcome news to all those hearts that have gone out to the ambassador bird over these past several weeks.

After his rescue last Wednesday, December 7th, Dakota was examined by Wildlife In Need Center staff who felt that he was dehydrated and very thin. Dakota had lost a total of 27% of his body weight, eliminating not only his fat reserves but moving on to deteriorate his muscle tissue as well. He was given a full physical exam by his veterinarian who also drew blood for testing and oversaw the administration of subcutaneous fluids. Results from these blood tests confirmed his fragile condition. His PCV (packed cell volume) levels were low enough to consider Dakota slightly anemic and his elevated kidney values also confirmed his dehydrated state. Additionally, on Thursday a fecal test was run. The negative results of this test ruled out the existence of any parasites that his already weakened system would have to fight off during recovery. The complete results from this examination made it clear that Dakota was at risk of suffering from refeeding syndrome. Because of this he was prescribed a treatment plan of fluids only.
On Saturday, December 10th, Dakota’s veterinarian completed another exam. She determined that his hydration levels were increasing enough to begin introducing a liquid diet. This liquid diet was given both Saturday and Sunday in conjunction with subcutaneous fluids.


Dakota gets another thorough examination with staff and his veterinarian Monday

Monday showed a slight improvement in Dakota’s behavior and attitude and cautiously positive results from blood tests were graciously accepted. While Dakota enjoyed his first few bites of solid food since his return, he’ll still be guarded closely for the next 24-48 hours to ensure that his debilitated system doesn’t react poorly.