Most babies are still under the watchful eye of their parents and are taken from them by people only trying to help. Unlike human babies, wild babies are not constantly watched by their parents and spend large amounts of time alone. (This is especially true of mammals.)
In most cases, wild animal babies should be left alone. The following is what we recommend to do in specific situations.
Cat or Dog Danger?
If you do find a
REAL orphan or injured baby bird, please do the following:
Cottontail rabbits make their "nests" in small depressions in the grass.
The nests are lined with fur from the mother and loosely covered with
grass. They are frequently disturbed by people when they are mowing
their grass or raking. In addition, dogs and cats find these nests and
often kill or injure the babies.
If a nest is found or distured, please do the following:
It is crucial with cottontail babies to bring them in only as a last
resort. Baby rabbits have a high death rate when hand raised, due in
great part to the stress of handling by humans. People are NOT doing
the babies any favors by attempting to raise them themselves. It
usually only ends in sadness and frustration. Again, they need
special diets, care, and antibiotics if they are to have any chance
at survival.
Also, when baby rabbits are about 5 inches long, they are totally on
their own and away from their mother. These rabbits do not need to
be brought in unless they are injured. (If you have to chase the
rabbit to catch it, IT DOES NOT NEED TO BE RESCUED!!)
These are often found after a nest has blown down from a storm. They
are best placed into a box set at the base of the tree. The mother
will usually come retrieve them when people are not around. Keep dogs,
cats, and children away. It may be necessary to keep them overnight
and try again the next day. It is best to call your local wildlife
rehabilitator for instructions and advice as to if the baby needs to be
brought in. If you are requested to bring in the baby, make sure you
keep it in a warm and quiet area (usually in a box with towelling) until
you can get it in.
NOTE: We frequently have people bring in babies they have been
trying to raise themselves that are now having problems. These animals
often have metabolic and nerve problems from an improper diet. We can
save many more if we get them in right away.
BABY BIRDS
If a dog or cat is threatening the baby animal, do not instantly bring the
baby in. Rather, keep the pet restrained the short time the baby is
there. However, if the animal has already been attacked or picked up by
the family pet and is injured, please bring the baby in as soon as
possible.
BABY MAMMALS
These animals are usually found when the nest has been destroyed or
disturbed in some way. Mentioned here are the two most common species
we receive calls about.
Replace the baby rabbits back in their nest and leave them there unless
they are injured or if you KNOW that the mother has been killed. Many
people just assume the mother is dead because they "have been watching
the nest all day and have not seen the mom come back at all". This is
normal. Female cottontails only come to feed their young early in the
morning and at dusk. This decreases the chance of alerting predators
to the nest's location. If you are not sure if the mother is coming
back to feed them, try placing a string over the nest. If the string
has not moved by the following morning, she has not been back. If the
babies are cool and appear very hungry, bring them to a wildlife
rehabilitator as soon as possible. In the meantime, keep them in a
warm, dark box in some towelling in a quiet location.
Always remember the following:
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Last updated Thursday, June 26, 2003 - 5:32:53 PM