Orphans…. Every spring our clients find a variety of wildlife orphans, and call for information. First of all ….Is it REALLY an orphan? Parents often leave their young for long periods of time.

If you are sure that this baby is orphaned, then you should know that most very young mammals cannot maintain their own body temperature. They should be placed on a heating pad that has been wrapped in a towel, and set on low. Hypothermia and death can result without proper warmth. 

The next thing you must know is that in Ohio it is illegal to keep wildlife as pets, and you should contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. In our area, that is Second Chance Wildlife. 875-3433. Contact them, or ouroffice immediately. We work closely with Second Chance and can help. In many cases these animals need special foods which are not readily available to the general public. Never give cows milk to wildlife. They cannot digest it. Here are some guidelines on various species

Birds
If you happen to find a fallen pinkie (no feathers yet) or baby bird, locate the nest and put the bird back. The parent birds will usually resume care for the hatchling once it's back in the nest. It's absolutely a myth that a parent bird will reject a baby if it is touched by human hands. Most birds have no sense of smell and therefore don't have any way of knowing who touched their baby. If you can't locate the nest, put the hatchling in a small cardboard box with some dry brown grasses on the bottom for bedding. The grass will provide warmth and a stable surface to grip (as opposed to the smooth and slippery surface of cardboard). Then, situate the box in a tree closest to where you found the bird on the ground. If you can see the nest but it's too high for your reach, situate the cardboard box in the same tree but on a branch that's reachable. The parent bird may take a few hours to get used to the new nest, but will eventually resume care of its young. The procedure differs slightly for a fledgling bird. Fledglings are often mistaken for birds that are injured or unable to fly when, on the contrary, they're actually learning how to fly. A fledgling will hop out of the nest to perch on surrounding branches, or flutter to the ground, where it will spend several days to several weeks being taught by the parents how to pick up seeds or catch insects. A parent bird will actually guide the fledgling into bushes during the night to hide it from predators. If you find a fledgling in a high-traffic area such as a sidewalk or a street, move it into the cover of some nearby bushes. Otherwise, leave the bird where you found it. If none of these are options, place the baby in a warm dark place and contact our office.

Special note…..don't feed baby birds bread. They cant digest it. Don't try to give them water, it is very easy for them to aspirate. (down the wrong pipe and into the lungs)

Birds of Prey (Hawks, Owls, etc)
Don't even try to touch it. Even the babies of these animals are dangerous. Call the Raptor Society. 825-3325 and just keep watch from a distance. Someone who is trained in the handling of these animals will come.

Rabbits
It is not unusual for people to locate a rabbit's nest while mowing the grass. Bunnies are born with their eyes closed and very little fur. They are born in a shallow nest made in the ground that the mother has lined with her own fur and covered with grass.  To avoid drawing attention to the nest, the babies are only nursed twice a day at dawn and dusk. By the time the young rabbits venture from the nest, they are eating solid food and are on their own (even though they are only 4 to 5 inches long). If you or a family pet discovers a nest, try not to disturb it. If you want to know if the mother has returned to the nest, Place pieces of string or yarn over the over it in an X. When the mother comes back, she will move the grass covering, but will not think to put the X back in its proper position.  If the babies are injured, cold, or appear sick, place them in a dark, quiet, warm place. Do not attempt to feed them! Handle them as little as possible. You can offer them water in an eye dropper. Get them medical attention as quickly as possible. Raising rabbits is very difficult, and usually not successful. Most of the time they die simply from the stress of being handled.

Squirrels
Squirrels have babies twice a year, early spring and again in the fall. Generally, their nests are made of leaves and are located high in the tree tops. At nine weeks, baby squirrels are weaned and leave their nests. They are fully independent when they are about 11 weeks old. Once again, if you find an injured or orphaned squirrel, put it in a warm dark place and seek medical attention. You can offer it water in an eye dropper. Do not feed it.

Raccoons, Skunks and Foxes
These babies often play in the woods under their mother's care. Before disturbing them, observe from a distance to see if the mother is indeed watching over them. It's best to leave them alone unless there is an obvious problem. If the mother has been killed, the babies may wander out of the den because they are hungry. They may be crying, look weak, or sickly. In this case the babies need attention. Don't pick up these animals with your bare hands; wear gloves. They are the primary carrier of rabies. Place the baby in a warm dark place and contact our office or Second Chance

Opossums
Opossums are the only North American marsupials and carry their babies in a pouch located on their abdomen. One opossum can have up to 20 babies at one time. Baby opossums live in their mother's pouch until they are 70 days old. At that time, they start to leave the pouch for short periods of time and often ride on the mother's back. At 100 days of age, they are 10 times their original size and are ready to be weaned. The young opossums will stay with their mother for a while after weaning. If you find a dead opossum, there may still be babies alive in her pouch. Place the baby in a warm dark place and contact our office or Second Chance

Deer
Fawns are often found lying quietly in a field. This is normal. The mother is simply out of sight feeding. If it is not crying, leave it alone, but check back in 12-24 hours.  If it is crying, then it needs attention. Contact our office or Second Chance Wildlife.