Caving

dogmom said:
DD, that's an amazing picture, do you know where that is?

seems like you've done some serious traveling, I've never been to Mexico.
what kinda things did you see when you were there?
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This is where I stole.. I mean.. borrowed the picture from: Blue Holes Project, Submerged caves, Kenny Broad Facts, Information -- National Geographic

So it's in the Bahamas.

My mom and I love to travel. Things that I remember the most from the trips Mexico: visited a tiny town where they actually had one TV connected to a Super Nintendo shared by the whole community (of 30-40 people), swam with the dolphins, swam at a local watering hole complete with a natural slide, floated along a natural river that went through caves (With SHARP stalactites, I remember thinking to myself "This would NEVER be allowed in America..."), drove a jetski (Okay, this isn't a Mexican thing, but I was able to drive by myself when I was 14, which is not allowed in America), watched a Mayan ball game. There's more, but you get the idea! I actually technically never saw the ruins, but that can be saved for another trip... ;)
 
I never been caving but we had bats in our house! Once my mother was dumping the ice drip tray from the freezer into the sink and when mom was putting the tray back she notice the ice was making a lot noise, a bat was under the ice and mom screamed for my dad ! Another time mom was going out and she was having a hard time getting her arm into the sleeve so she shook the coat and out came a bat!! She was really lucky the bat did not bite her! This is the closet I came to bats plus the one that was in my yard.
 
You should always get a rabies shot even if a bat doesn't bite you. The experts say that bats won't come near people unless they are sick. One family in my area found a bat, and the whole family had to get the rabies series. A couple of years ago, one poor kid died from rabies after contact with a bat here. Medical professionals have gotten more aggressive with the vaccinations because of that incident. I like bats but I prefer that they stay where they belong.
 
Reba and I toured the easy caves:

Mammoth Cave in KY
Ruby Falls and Cave in TN
Linville Caverns in NC
 
TinCanSailor said:
Reba and I toured the easy caves:

Mammoth Cave in KY
Ruby Falls and Cave in TN
Linville Caverns in NC
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How is Ruby Falls? It is within 2 hours from me.

Also, I'd like to say, I think bats are so darn cute.
 
sallylou said:
You should always get a rabies shot even if a bat doesn't bite you. The experts say that bats won't come near people unless they are sick. One family in my area found a bat, and the whole family had to get the rabies series. A couple of years ago, one poor kid died from rabies after contact with a bat here. Medical professionals have gotten more aggressive with the vaccinations because of that incident. I like bats but I prefer that they stay where they belong.
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This happen years ago. I think the bats where in living the craw space in our attic.
 
Been to Luray Caverns...beautiful!

When I was a kid, my brother and I explored the abandoned mining sites in the desert just outside of Phx. Looking back, we were lucky we didnt get hurt. OOOps.
 
DD, thanks for the link to that picture and for telling about your intriguing travels in Mexico! Do you have a favorite part?

I actually haven't seen any bats in a long time. When I was a volunteer with wildlife rehab we occasionally got them in and I got to see them really closely.

I'd like to try caving again someday.
 
dogmom said:
DD, thanks for the link to that picture and for telling about your intriguing travels in Mexico! Do you have a favorite part?

I actually haven't seen any bats in a long time. When I was a volunteer with wildlife rehab we occasionally got them in and I got to see them really closely.

I'd like to try caving again someday.
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You were a wildlife rehabber?! That is really cool because that is what I am doing right now. I became a certified wildlife rehabber recently and currently have 3 baby squirrels in my house. They are about 3 weeks old. ADORABLE. Never got any bats though. Only possums, squirrels, and raccoons. Occasionally, I'd get birds (even baby raptors) but only for a few days before I give it to the bird experts.

My favorite part of Mexico? Gosh that is pretty hard. Those that I listed were definitely my favorite parts, which is why I remember them so well. Last trip to Mexico was more than 13 years ago (when I was about 15). Some activities I listed occurred at Xel-Ha park, near Playa del Carmen.

I'd never recommend going to Cancun. It's too Americanized. Just go an hour south to Playa del Carmen or take a boat to Cozumel and you get more of the real Mexico.
 
yep, DD - well, really what I was involved with the baby birds, and helped sometimes with feeding and cleaning of the smaller, meeker mammals - bunnies, baby squirrels....I was in about 8th grade through high school. I prepped food like mealworms, gruel, raw fish, fed crows/ravens and adult songbirds, assisted sometimes with non-raptor bird transfers from one part of facility to another. Got to see birds of prey and mammals like bats, fawns, coyote pups etc close up but wasn't authorized or trained to handle them. Did a lot of paperwork. I really enjoyed it most of the time- assisted with an oil spill affecting a local stream once and I'll always remember the smell of all that oil, the assembly of people we had helping with washing birds, all the soap....


:ty:for all your tips and thoughts on Mexico! I had heard this too, about Cancun. Ya know I've learned there's the fantasy Mexico for Americans/Westerners and then there's the real thing..... I've traveled extensively in the States and been to Canada but that's about it.
 
That's great. It's extremely hard to rescue baby bunnies. There's like 10% success rate of being able to raise an orphaned baby bunny. So I don't take care of those at all. We have a designed rabbit expert who has about 20-30% success rate. Better than any of us in the rehab group!


(rehab as in wildlife rehabilitation, not for drugs...;) )

And you are welcome about Mexico. Feel free to ask me anything about traveling.
 
:) it's cool that where you were there was a specific person designated for the baby rabbits. I do remember that they were kinda fragile.

I also got to watch a lot of surgeries - broken wing repairs, leg wounds, cat bites on many of the rabbits and birds, head injuries, HBC <Hit By Car> etc.
I'm not squeamish so it was pretty intriguing.

what made you decide to get into it?

:ty: in regard to the traveling-
 
dogmom said:
I also got to watch a lot of surgeries - broken wing repairs, leg wounds, cat bites on many of the rabbits and birds, head injuries, HBC <Hit By Car> etc.
I'm not squeamish so it was pretty intriguing.

what made you decide to get into it?
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My gf has been a rehabber for several years. I thought it was awesome, so I became a certified wildlife rehabber, too. Just came back from going home during lunch to feed some baby squirrels.

She has a best friend who is a vet. This vet allowed me to watch her do some spay/neutering operations. Now that was kinda awesome!
 
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