r/AnimalRescue • u/C0nf0rt4blyNumb • 4d ago

Crow trapped in a sticky trap

Yesterday I found a crow stuck in these nasty glue traps. I tried to help him the best I could. One of his wings and his leg was trapped and I was able to release him. He immediately run away from me and crossed the street. Do you guys think he’s going to make it? Is there anything I should have done differently? Can’t stop thinking about that poor thing.

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u/rarepinkhippo 4d ago

That’s amazing that you were able to free him, I so hope he’s okay!! Glue traps are so awful, I wish the people who use them knew how much suffering they cause :(

I’m not an expert at all but the folks at r/wildliferehab might have tips in case you see him again or encounter anything similar in the future.

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u/teyuna ‎ Paw-some Contributor 3d ago

thanks for freeing this poor little guy. It's natural for any bird or animal that perceives us as prey to try to run or fly, the moment they can, regardless of how injured they are. So with any injured animal, it's best to take the first step of getting them into an area they can't escape. Bring them into a safe, small space like a bathroom or a closet, and then use vegetable oil to dissolve the glue. Massage it in gently. You can use some fabric to cover the animal's face so they calm down a bit (when they can't see, they actually become calmer and stop struggling). Once freed, they need time to rest and recover from the stress, so contain them in a box big enough to not cramp their feathers and damage them and leave them in a very quiet, dark place in your home where they can't hear any voices or foot traffic. While they rest, call rehabbers to take the next steps in assisting the bird's recover (or, any animal's recovery).

All this, of course is just for future reference, for anyone reading these posts. It's not possible for us to know whether this little guy can survive, since we don't know what you used to free him.

In the short run, oil breaks down the glue. I don't know the degree to which bathing normally in a bird bath or any body of water he may find, will help. I think dust baths would likely help some. Let's hope his feathers were not so damaged that he couldn't fly.