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Episode 137: What to do when encountering a newborn animal alone in the wild

| Updated Apr 26, 2017

With the return spring and warm weather, many RVers are making their first trips to the great outdoors this time of year. And seeing wildlife in or adventures is always exciting, especially when we encounter newborn animal babies out in the wild.

But what is the best way to behave when we come across these little critters?

Too many people make too many mistakes when encountering wildlife babies and this week, in our interview section, we talk to an expert who sets us straight on how we can best protect those animal babies… and ourselves.

Also this week, lots of RV news, Tips, a bucket list report and, as always, your comments and questions.

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Complete shownotes for Episode 137 of The RV Podcast by Mike and Jennifer Wendland

WHAT MIKE AND JENNIFER ARE UP TO THESE DAYS:

Episode 137: What to do when encountering a newborn animal alone in the wild 1

Join us this weekend at the huge: Super B RV Show [spp-timestamp time=”2:22″]

University of Phoenix Stadium Class B RV Show

Dates: Thursday, April 27th to Sunday, April 30th.
Time: 9am to 7pm

Location:University of Phoenix Stadium (Inside)
1 Cardinals Dr.
Glendale, AZ 85305

FREE PARKING & ADMISSION

Here is your opportunity to compare Class B & C RVs side by side from these manufacturers: Roadtrek, Hymer, Leisure Travel Vans, Winnebago, Thor Motor Coach, Tiffin and Jayco! Plus, get a sneak peak of concept vehicles on display to see what may be coming in the future. Almost 100 different floorplans to consider in vehicles that are 26 feet in length and shorter.

Attend a FREE seminar from Roadtrek. Learn about their EcoTrek system, VoltStart system and solar!

Meet factory personnel including:

  • Jim Hammill, President & CEO of Erwin Hymer Group North America
  • Trent Tiffin of Tiffin Motorhomes
  • Royer Allman of Mercedes Benz
  • Mike and Jennifer Wendland, Roadtreking.com

We’ll be doing Facebook Live videos on Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 3PM Eastern time on our Roadtreking Facebook Page at

The show is an indoor RV show, so you can leave the heat outside and shop comfortably indoors

Also… Our YouTube Channel has been redesigned and reorganized, now offering hundreds of RV videos on just about every topic. It’s called Mike and Jennifer’s RV Lifestyle Channel and we put up new videos all the time. We invite you to subscribe! [spp-timestamp time=”5:22″]

JENNIFER'S TIP OF THE WEEK

Episode 137: What to do when encountering a newborn animal alone in the wild 2
Jennifer

The RV community is a very sharing group of people and one of the most enjoyable things for me as Mike and I travel about reporting on the RV lifestyle is hearing from members of our RV community who have great tips to pass along. [spp-timestamp time=”9:18″]

So it is today with one from Tom, from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada who has a suggestion about choosing a mattress to put on our bed.

Specifically, Tom mentions the Therm-a-Rest type of mattress…. And he has five reasons why it may make sense for your RV.

Like Tom said, you can find Therm-a-Rest air mattresses at most outdoor stores. There’s also a bunch of them on Amazon. We’ll put a link on the shownotes for this episode at Roadtreking-dot-com-slash-137

And be sure to send me your tips and suggestions for the RV lifestyle. You can use the “Leave Voicemail” link at Roadtreking.com. Just click it and then use the built-in microphone on your computer or mobile devise to record a message to me. You can do it over as many times as you want, until you are satisfied. And then you just click a button and it comes right to my email inbox.

I love hearing from you!

Jennifer's tip of the week is brought to you by RadPower Bikes (www.RadPowerBikes.com_… an electric bike manufacturer offering direct to consumer pricing on powerful premium electric bikes. Now with free shipping!

LISTENER QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK:

  • Wade has a great DIY solution for dimming the bright lights of various displays in the RV so as to be able to sleep in darkness. [spp-timestamp time=”14:14″]
  • Scott wants to know about the ProAir undermount AC and its availability [spp-timestamp time=”18:07″]
  • A reader asks for a resource on finding places to bookdock. We suggest a website –http://www.uscampgrounds.info  [spp-timestamp time=”21:28″]

Sponsoring this part of the podcast is Van City RV in St. Louis, and their Partner Dealerships Creston RV in Kalispell, Montana, and Wagon Trail RV in Las Vegas. Bringing You the largest Inventory of class B’s from three locations.

PET TIP OF THE WEEK

Our dogs can get so enthusiastic. In fact, that’s what we call Bo, our Norwegian Elkhound: “Mr. Enthusiasm.” [spp-timestamp time=”27:19″]

But when that enthusiasm results in excess barking, that is definitely not a good thing. Especially when we’re in an RV campground. So how’s the best way to curb your pet’s enthusiasm and get them to quiet down?

Here’s some suggestions from pet trainers and experts:

Number one – Don't yell at your dog to be quiet—it just sounds like you're barking along with him.

Number two – Use one word, firmly spoken as the command to stop barking. “Quiet” is probably the best.

Number three – If he doesn’t obey the quiet command and continues to bark at passersby when he's outside, bring him into the RV or house. Never leave your dog outside unsupervised.

Number four – Break his focus. Put yourself between the dog and whatever he seems to be barking at. Toss him a ball, move in the opposite direction, talk to him, get him to look at you and preoccupy him.

And number five, keep your dog tired. Make sure your dog is getting sufficient physical and mental exercise every day. A tired dog is a good dog and one who is less likely to bark from boredom or frustration.

Want more tips to stop barking? Here’s a link to the Humane Society’s suggestions.

This part of the podcast is brought to you by Dozers Dental Chews, an all natural and healthy treat your dog will love. Available direct through Amazon , Retailers and Pet Shops across the USA

INTERVIEW OF THE WEEK

Episode 137: What to do when encountering a newborn animal alone in the wild 3With the return spring and warm weather, many RVers are making their first trips to the great outdoors this time of year. And seeing wildlife in or adventures is always exciting, especially when we encounter newborn animal babies out in the wild. But how is the best way to behave when we come across these little critters? [spp-timestamp time=”30:51″]

Too many people make too many mistakes when encountering wildlife babies and this week, in our interview section, we talk to an expert who sets us straight on how we can best protect those animal babies… and ourselves.

Our guest this week is Sandy Woltman, senior animal care director at Oaken Acres Wildlife Center in Illinois, and former board president of the National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association.

The interview of the week is brought to you by http://sunshinestatervs.com/, where every new or used Roadtrek motorhome is delivered to the customer free, anywhere in the country

RV NEWS OF THE WEEK:

Three stories for you this week [spp-timestamp time=”46:05″]

  • Wolf population declines at remote island national park, reeking havoc as moose population explodes, scientists say. Read more
  • Oregon's first RV park designed to be a legal place for campers to gather and smoke pot is to open May 5. Read more
  • Wisconsin state parks and campgrounds work to find ways to be self-sustaining after governor's order. Read more

This portion of the podcast is brought to you by Alde  the only name in heat that you need to know for your RV

TRAVELING TECH TIP:

Episode 137: What to do when encountering a newborn animal alone in the wild 4
Steve Van Dinter

By Steve Van Dinter

Verizon Wireless

Spring is just flying by and before you know it Mother's Day will be here. That's why now's the time to start thinking about those gift ideas! And here are some thoughts to get you started. [spp-timestamp time=”53:55″]

First, you've got a busy mom, right? Then make sure she's got a smartphone that can keep up. The new Samsung Galaxy S8 is a perfect fit. Its Infinity Screen will let her see more at once and even let her multitask in split screen mode, its 8mp front facing camera means she'll always look good in her selfies, and when she needs a little extra help it's got two artificial intelligence engines – Bixby and Google Assistant – to help get the job done.

Next, moms rarely have any spare time in the day so the more we can help her get what she needs to done sooner, the easier her life will be. And that's where the Wear24 smartwatch comes into play. This beautifully designed device is something she'll feel good wearing, and once she gets notifications of calls/texts/and can respond with her voice on the go she'll wonder how she ever lived without. Not to mention with its 4G LTE chip inside, she can leave her smartphone at home and still stay connected.

Finally, now that we've got her feeling good about herself, she's probably ready to take a selfie. But is the lighting ok where she's at? If she has the Allure Selfie Case, she'll never have to worry. This case not only protects her Samsung or iPhone from the hazards of life, it really shines, literally, when you flip on its LEDs. That's right, the case has LEDs built into the frame around your smartphone and when you turn them on, you can get the perfectly lit selfie. Not to mention the rotating ring on the back helps you steady your hand.

Want to see Mike’s take on the Galaxy 8+, which is now is personal phone. Here’s a video review from the Mike and Jennifer’s RV Lifestyle Channel on YouTube. Mike has a whole playlist of his RV technology and gadget reviews.

This part of the podcast is brought to you by Verizon, which operates America’s most reliable wireless network, with more than 112 million retail connections nationwide.

OFF THE BEATEN PATH REPORT –  Quilt City USA

Reader Rebecca Wilson sends in this week’s Off-the-Beaten-Path RV travel suggestion – Quilt City USA, also known as Paducah, KY. [spp-timestamp time=”57:41″]

Quilting, you say? Hold on. Quilting is an amazing art — an art, a craft, a hobby, a pastime, an outlet for creativity, even a form of therapy. But it is also a $3.5 billion a year industry, with 21.3 million quilters, nationwide. Fourteen percent of U.S. households are home to at least one active quilter.

Episode 137: What to do when encountering a newborn animal alone in the wild 5And this week, April 23-30 is Quilt Week in Paducah and a major destination for thousands, including many RVs.

There are exhibitions, demonstrations, seminars and much more but if you can’t make the Quilt Week festivities, you’ll want to keep Paducah on your bucket list because it is home to the Quilt Museum. This is no small little out of the way place, The Quilt Museum is a destination for quilters and art enthusiasts worldwide. Annually the Museum receives visitors from all 50 US states and over 45 foreign countries from every continent. The Museum's in-facility and traveling exhibits are viewed by over 110,000 people per year. In addition, over 6,000 youth and adults participate in Museum youth and adult educational opportunities on an annual basis.

Located in a 27,000 square foot facility in historic downtown Paducah, , the Museum's three galleries feature exhibits of the finest quilt and fiber art in the world. The Museum features three exhibit galleries. The Museum's vibrant and breathtaking exhibits are rotated 8-10 times per year. The primary gallery features quilts from the Museum's collection which includes over 500 works of art. The two other galleries feature unique and diverse traveling exhibits.

The Museum has also gained a reputation for its educational programs. Throughout the year, the Museum hosts educational programs on a diverse number of topics for quilters of all skill sets. Quilters come from all over the world to attend the Museum's educational programs taught by master quilters.

This part of the podcast is sponsored by Steinbring Motorcoach, Roadtrek’s newest dealer and a third generation family business in suburban Minneapolis built on quality motohomes and excellent pricing and service.

RV CALENDAR

Come join Mike and Jennifer this weekend at the: [spp-timestamp time=”1:02:39″]

Super B RV Show

University of Phoenix Stadium Class B RV Show

Dates: Thursday, April 27th to Sunday, April 30th.
Time: 9am to 7pm

Location:University of Phoenix Stadium (Inside)
1 Cardinals Dr.
Glendale, AZ 85305

FREE PARKING & ADMISSION

For a complete list of RV shows this weekend and for the rest of the year, click here.

Please Subscribe and Give Us a Rating and Review!

Many listeners are asking how they can subscribe, review and rate the Roadtreking Podcast on iTunes. With a new podcast like this, those reviews and ratings are really important to be able to show well in the iTunes listings. So if you can, I’d sure appreciate it if you’d subscribe and leave me your review.

Here’s how:

How to subscribe, rate and review a podcast

First, open up the iTunes app on your computer or mobile device. Click on Podcasts up on the top
> From the iTunes Podcasts page, use the “Search Store” field up at the top right corner of the page. Type in Mike Wendland or Roadtreking RV Podcast.
> Click on the logo image of the Roadtreking RV Podcast on the search return page
> From there (see photo above), you can…

1) Subscribe

2) Choose and Click on a star (1-5) that reflects your rating. Five stars means you really like it, one star not so much.

3) Leave a written review.

Thanks to all for the kind reviews we’ve received so far. That got us noticed by Apple/iTunes as “New and Noteworthy.” I appreciate every review!

And remember, you can appear in future episodes. Ask a question or voice your comments about RV topics by clicking the Leave Voicemail tab on the right side of this page here at Roadtreking.com. You can then use the microphone on your computer to record your words.

Mike Wendland

Published on 2017-04-26

Mike Wendland is a multiple Emmy-award-winning Journalist, Podcaster, YouTuber, and Blogger, who has traveled with his wife, Jennifer, all over North America in an RV, sharing adventures and reviewing RV, Camping, Outdoor, Travel and Tech Gear for the past 12 years. They are leading industry experts in RV living and have written 18 travel books.

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