Keeping a 3' by 3' square of grass turf alive

[Bob]

First: -I have no idea about gardening-. I'm trying to figure out how to put down some 3' by 3' squares of turf for wildlife (small animals) that we rescue. I figure that will make them feel a little less homesick during their stay.

I want to keep this as simple as possible, as the sod will just be used as a 'floor' in enclosures. I suppose I'll have to get some kind of a large pan, and possibly punch holes in the bottom to make sure it doesn't get too wet (that was the mistake made on the first smaller scale test).

Again, absolutely no experience with this, so please post any ideas, however elementary. Need for how much soil underneath? Design of containing pan? How much water? Fertilizer? Light? (If possible, I'd like to bring these inside in the winter, so maybe UV lights will be required then)

Any ideas appreciated.

[Bill who putters]

Put them down. Yea heartless. Then adopt a child or try to get us out of foreign interventions. Bill who thinks that chickens that have access to 3'X3 ' can be labeled free range. Ya right.

[Phisherman]

Move the cage over a new grassy area? Most grasses need full sun. Grown or taken indoors you will be faced with multiple issues. What about pots of clover?

[Jeff]

Look up Chicken Tractor. As a city boy, a term that struck me out of left field!

Grass takes a lot of light. And I might add, what we know as lawn grass is not native to wildlife. I would think some other bedding would be superior.

Jeff

Most grasses need full sun.

[David Hare-Scott]

As others have said there are going to be real difficulties with keeping the grass growing and preventing it from turning into a churned up smelly bog. What seems to be kind for the animal isn't necessarily right. There is no need to reinvent the wheel, why not consult with people who know how to support the animals that you rescue? I don't know where you are but here there are networks set up for doing just that who have great experience.

David

[Bob]

I appreciate the suggestion, David, but I'm in a big city, and there aren't many resources, especially for seriously injured animals. Their main requirement is veterinary care, medication and monitoring, and that's my job. The 'gardening' thing is an aside. I felt that it would help their recovery and hopefully relieve some stress.

These particular critters are from parks where they have lived on regular manicured grass for many generations. Obviously I couldn't monitor them if they were running loose in a field (not that most of 'em would be up for that), so the small patches of grass seem to be the closest I could get. And keep in mind that the alternative is the floor of a cage, which is not exactly natural.

Anyway, the suggestions for more hearty vegetation (clover?) seem to be the most productive suggestion so far. The cages are arranged so that they get natural sunlight, but of course there has to be enough shade, so whatever kind of turf may not be uniformly exposed to sun. Sounds like I'd have to give up on trying to keep grass alive over the winter. So be it.

So...clover or...any others?

The cages have flat plastic flooring. I could perforate it easily if there's a requirement for ventillation from below, or for more drainage. Or maybe set up pan-shaped bases with sand or pebbles underneath for drainage? That's the kind of advise that would be helpful.

PS: Your comment about 'smelly bog' made me laugh, cause that's where the first small-scale test was headed.

[Bob]

I guess I've just heard from the resident loon. Thanks to everyone else though.

[Bob]

...

That's a good idea for more rural rescue people. Unfortunately, I'm in a big city and the closest field is blocks away. We have concrete and fire escapes.

As mentioned in another post, these guys are from parks where they lived on manicured lawn grass for many generations. They seem adapted. In fact, one park has no oak trees, and the squirrels in that park usually turn up their noses at acorns! Strange to see. They'd more likely identify discarded Hostess HoHo's as a major food group.

OK, that's the type of suggestion that I was looking for. I'll look into that. Are there other types of vegetation that would be easier to deal with?

The sod that I've seen (Home Depot) is about 1 inch+ thick. I guess that will require more soil, and perhaps some kind of other substrate to facilitate drainage (pebbles? sand?). Not sure about details, and this is probably not even a mainstream question for those into gardening. But any guesses are better than nothing.

[Charles]

I am wondering about plants normally thought of as weeds. burr clover and oxalis seem quite hardy in my lawn.

[enigma]

Bob wrote in news: [e-mail]:

if you are treating sick or injured wildlife, you need a substrate that is easily cleaned & disinfected. grass doesn't fit either criteria. "homesick" is a human emotion, it doesn't pertain to sick or injured wildlife. if you insist on anthromorphizing animals, you aren't helping them. what exactly are you trying to do and what veterinarian are you working with? do you have your rehabilitation permits from your state Fish & Wildlife division? are you up-to- date on your tetunus & rabies vaccines? lee

[kate]

Squirrels will appreciate sticks. They need to chew to keep their teeth from growing too much. If you're indoors, perhaps leaves and straw which could be cleaned out daily.

For grass and such, you can buy wheat grass at many supermarkets. Or buy grass seed and sow it in pots.

Kate

[Billy]

Funny punch-line but unnerving to those who care about wild animals. Especially, injured animals need good nutrition and a place to hide. Hostess HoHos aren't food for anyone or anything, calories?, yes, food?, no. If you care for these animals, make sure that they have a vet's care, otherwise what you are engaged in is just some narcissistic, Disneyesque (unrelated to reality), cruel, ego-trip. If you are doing free-lance rescue work, the animals you collect are at a disadvantage for survival vis-a-vis those at a Wildlife Rescue Center. Call your local SPCA, to find the nearest Wildlife Rescue Center, and ask their advice. Yes, some of them will be jerks, but they know what they are doing. It isn't all about you.

[Billy]

WTF?

[Bob]

[Bob]

Are you quite serious, Billy? That was a joke, and I really doubt that any wildlife rehabber will read that and go buy Hoho's. The point was in regard to animals' adaptation to a given environment, and I thought the point about acorns may be interesting to some. And yes, they will get junk food out of trash cans in parks. I don't provide Hoho's. (Geez)

Yep, this has definitely run off into strange territory. I've already explained this: I fund all veterinary care, housing, and rescue out of pocket. I have veterinary specialists that I deal with for specific animals. I've been doing this for years.

Or you, eh? "Wildlife Rescue"... that would be me or about 3 or 4 others in the city. When one of the more mainstream organizations gets an injured animal, they either call one of us, or they put the animal down, even if it's healthy. Usually that happens within a day or two.

But hey, thanks for your advice on this!

[Bob]

If you're done with this silliness, here's the complete quote that you snipped:

- ... the sod will just be

- used as a 'floor' in enclosures. I suppose I'll have to get some

- kind of a large pan, and possibly punch holes in the bottom to make

- sure it doesn't get too wet (that was the mistake made on the first

- smaller scale test). Again, absolutely no experience with this,

So to recap: Experience with growing 3' * 3' clumps of grass: None Experience rescuing animals: Lots

Please be done with the judgemental thing soon, OK? Do you have practical advice on the question that was posted?

[Bill who putters]

What type Lincense ?

So what is a background?

No you said words that said nothing

Called me a loon with your qualifications get real.

Bill

[enigma]

Bob wrote in news: [e-mail]:

somewhat. but if you use proper terms you don't sound so much like a bleeding heart animal nutter... and are more likely to get better information. since you understand microbiology & zoonotics, you should understand why keeping your "patients" on grass is a less than stellar idea. keep the easily cleaned substrate, & decorate the pens with pots of grasses or non-poisonous plantings that can be changed out to get sunlight or new plants. pots should be sterilized between different patients. i keep reptiles from several different areas of the world. one NEVER mixes species from different areas, & one never moves any items between the habitats unless it is sterilized first. this keeps diseases from spreading. this works exactly the same with rehab wild animals, because squirrels from the upper end of Central Park may have immunities to certain diseases that squirrels from Riverside don't.

do you have access to your roof? it has a bit more area for growing than the fire escape landings... wheat & rye are fast growing grasses that do passably well in pots. avoid fescues, as they can have neurotoxins (it's an endemic fungal infection of many fescues. causes abortions in horses & camelids. can kill goats & young camelids. may affect other animals). i keep pots of pothos going for the tortoises. pothos does ok in low light situations & is edible (at least for animals). my Bell's hingeback really decimates his... lee

[mcarver_99]

Bob,

You have run into a couple of the resident loons, who are perfectly willing to talk out of their a$$ about something they know absolutely nothing about.

Here's where I fault you, though. ;-) You spotted them for what they were, and yet wasted a few minutes of your life responding! That was a waste of time, oxygen, and electrons.

A man much wiser than the Billdoes once said: "Never argue with idiots. They drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience." Words to live by!

Of course, you stayed on the high road and soundly beat 'em both, but still... ;-)

Mc

[Bill who putters]

And you smart ass have posted 12 times in the last 5 years.

Bill