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Many times, well meaning humans actually do more harm than good by trying to
"save" wildlife that they think are in danger. There are also many "old
wives tales" that are widely accepted as truth. We get in so many babies
who really didn't need to be "rescued", but were going through the natural
process of growing up.
If you do find a baby in need of rescue, please do NOT
give it any food or water, as this could further compromise it's condition.
Place it in a safe, warm place, away from pets and children, and find a local rehabilitator to
properly care for it.
NEVER feed cows milk,
or any version of cow's milk (such as half and half or heavy cream) to any animal.
This page is to give you some tips on how to know if an animal is in need of
rescue and to explain a couple of old wives tales.
Old Wives Tale:
If you touch a baby the mother will smell the human scent on them and will
reject or kill it. This is most commonly heard in reference to birds.
The reality is, very few birds in the world have any sense of smell at all and
those who do smell either do not live in the US, or use their sense of smell
to find rotting flesh, so human smell would not really bother them. With mammals
this is not true either. The mom may think their baby smells gross, and give
it a huge bath, but she will not reject or kill it.
In most cases, the best help you can give to a baby is to put it back where
its mother can find it.
Birds:
When its time for babies to leave the nest, they are almost fully feathered
and they do spend a lot of time on
the ground, not able to get back to their nest. This is perfectly
normal, it is how they learn. If you see a baby bird on the ground, who
appears in need of help, unless it is in immediate danger of being killed by a
predator, stay back and check on it from time to time to be sure mom is coming
back to help it along. In most cases, mom is around and teaching this
baby how to be a "big bird". She and sometimes the father will
call to the baby until it flies up to a short bush, until it can make longer
and longer flights and eventually become a "big bird".
If they are injured, or in immediate danger by a predator, then yes, it
does need to be saved.
If the baby has no feathers, or just pin feathers, then try to find its
nest and put it back in (mom cannot pick baby up and take it back to the nest). If you cannot find its nest, please call a
rehabilitator.
You may wonder why some of our
raptors have "Transferred to CRC" under their picture. The Carolina
Raptor Center is one of the leading raptor facilities in the country.
All of our raptors go there for "mouse school" and some for specialized care
that we cannot provide. CRC is a wonderful facility, we are so happy
that they are here to take care of so many raptors in need!
Squirrels:
Any orphaned squirrel would be much better off if you
can return it to its nest. However, understand that mom cannot pick
their babies up and carry them back to the nest. So, if you cannot
physically put the baby back, please take it in and find a rehabilitator. If "pinky" squirrels
or babies without their eyes open are found on the ground, out of the nest, they are in
need of rescue. Put them in a box, keep them warm, and find a rehabber
to properly care for them.
If you see small, fully furred squirrels scampering around, chances are
they are learning to find food by playing and frolicking. If it appears
injured, or is crying, then catch it, place it in a box, keep it warm, and find
a rehabilitator.
Opossum:
The most common way to find baby opossums (called joeys) that are in need of
rescue is inside the pouch of a dead mother. This sounds gross, and
honestly it is a bit. But, if you hit a mother opossum on the road, its a
good idea to check the pouch and see if there are joeys. If so, remove
them (with latex gloves), put them in a box, keep them warm, and find a
rehabilitator. Please wash your hands after doing so.
Bunnies:
Many people think they have found orphaned bunnies when they find babies
alone. Mother rabbits leave their young most of the day, only coming
back to feed them a few times, mostly at dawn and dusk. If you find a
bunny that you think is in need of help, try to locate its nest. If the
nest is intact, put the bunny back. If a bunny is fully furred and has
its eyes open, its probably old enough to make it on its own. If you
find a baby bunny who does not have its eyes open, and you cannot find its
nest, it does need help.
If you find a nest that is seriously disturbed, try to put it back together,
but DO NOT move it! Mother bunnies expect their nest to be exactly where
they left them. Moving them as far as just a foot can ensure that mom
won't return.
Understand that raising
orphaned bunnies without experience is very tricky. Even many
experienced rehabilitators will tell you it is nearly impossible to keep them
alive. This is due to the fact that they need the cecotropes from a
female rabbit each day. This is the reason that only rehabilitators with
adult female rabbits in permanent residents are usually successful at
rehabilitating bunnies.
Also, if you find an
orphan in need, please do not keep it in temperatures above 80 degrees as this
can be deadly.
Deer:
If you come across a fawn in the wild who is laying silently with its head
up and alert, its probably waiting for mom to come back. Mothers do not
stay with their babies. They put them in a place that they consider to
be safe and come back to feed and clean them several times a day. This
is called "parking" the babies.
Now, if the fawn is crying excessively, has flies all around it, appears
lethargic, or is injured in any way or is near a dead mother, it is in need of
rescue. Mothers also usually have two fawn. They do not leave them
in the same place. So, if you find one who is obviously in need, then
you need to look for the other as its probably in need as well.
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