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A large number of healthy young animals are "rescued" by Good Samaritans who assume they are in trouble and want to "help" them. Usually, the animals would be much better off if left alone. Let's explore some of types of animals and the best thing to do in these situations.
Important: When returning a baby to a nest or den, be sure it is the right one. Most animals will not accept a youngster that is not their own. Without the proper foods, wild babies will not thrive. With too much handling and human attention, they will learn to trust people and will not survive after release. The Rehab Center’s staff can give you details on determining how to tell if the mother is returning.
Ducks, geese, quail, killdeer, and woodcock (Precocial birds) - These birds hatch fully covered with down and are able to run about and feed themselves soon after hatching. They follow the adults, learning the lessons they need for survival. They usually stay very close to their mothers but, occasionally, one will stray. Then the “lost” youngster chirps to attract the mother’s attention and she returns to it or calls it to her. In this situation, it is best to leave the area as your presence will interfere with the bird’s normal behavior. Move away so that the adult will not be aware of your presence or feel threatened; watch for the mother’s return. Trying to catch the baby bird may force it further from where the mother can find it and this will result in a truly lost baby Precocial birds are very hard to raise. While still in the egg they learn the mother's call. They are so frantic to return to her that they don't eat and expend their energy trying to find her. Every effort should be made to keep them where they were found and give the mother a chance to find them.
Songbirds (Altricial birds) - hatch with their eyes closed, with little or no down and stay in the nest for an extended time while the adults bring food to them. They leave the nest when fully feathered and ready to fly. Some species fly well upon leaving the nest, others flutter to the ground, hop about and flap their wings.
The adults are usually close by and continue to care for the fledglings and coax them to safety. It is at this stage that these birds are most often inappropriately "rescued.” People see them unable to fly well, and assume that they are injured or have fallen out of the nest. Attempts to put them back in the nest are unsuccessful, as they just hop out again.
It's best to leave songbirds to their parents’ care. If the bird does not appear to have all its feathers, makes no attempt to fly and begs for food, it may have fallen from the nest. Try to locate the nest and return the bird - just be sure it's the right nest with other identical young in it. The parents will not reject it. You can even make a substitute nest from an old basket and hang it near the nest, and the adults will, most likely, go to it to care for their offspring.
Deer and rabbits - are the mammals most often inappropriately "rescued.” As with birds, there are variations in the way young mammals behave or are dealt with by their mothers; some are independent at a very young age. To make a decision as to whether an animal needs help, you have to know what is normal for that species.
Deer - leave their young in a safe hiding place - frequently tucked against some brush at the edge of a clearing - and go off to feed. The mother generally doesn't go far from the fawn and she returns to it a few times a day to allow it to nurse. At other times she hides nearby.
Rabbits - make shallow nests for their young. The mother lines the nest with her own fur and uses fur and dried leaves to cover the nest when she leaves it. She returns to feed the young only once or twice a day, usually at dawn and dusk. The young are born blind, naked and helpless. Within two weeks they reach the size of a small lemon, with their eyes open and their bodies fully furred. By four weeks, at the size of an orange, they are independent and their mother is preparing for a new litter.
People frequently discover these young without their mother and assume the worst. The mother is, most likely, hiding nearby and watching. It is best to leave them alone and let mom return. The Rehab Center’s staff can give you details on determining how to tell if the mother is returning.
Other mammals found out of their nests or dens - may be in more trouble. If the animal is strong and uninjured, it is best to observe the situation before doing anything. The mothers can do a much better job of teaching their young than any of us could ever hope to do. If the young of any species have been picked up, they can be reunited with their mother. Animals do not reject their young because people have handled them. Return them to where they were found within 48 hours and the mother will, most likely, return there, too, looking for her youngster. She will recognize her youngster by its scent and will care for it.
If the mother doesn't return, or the youngster obviously needs care, take it to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator or veterinarian.
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