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Stumbling upon a baby animal that needs help usually brings out the maternal instincts in us. However, it is important to keep in mind that taking the wrong action under such circumstances can cause the baby's death.
Q: How do I assess the situation to determine whether or not this baby is truly orphaned? A: The general rule of thumb is, if the animal is consistently out on its own without any signs of a mother and is following you around, this is usually a good indication that it is orphaned and looking to you for help. When a mom is caring for her young she is very dedicated and will not allow the babies to wander far from the den or her watchful eye. On the other hand, some species take a different approach in trying to keep their babies safe from harm. For example, homeowners will often come across a nest of baby rabbits when doing lawn work and because they never see an adult rabbit around the nest it is assumed that these babies have been abandoned. In reality, a mother rabbit stays away from her nest of babies to avoid drawing attention to them. If she fails at this and lures a predator to the nest, she has no way of defending them. The mother may only come in the early morning or late at night to feed them. Deer take a similar approach. A doe will leave her baby stashed in long grass and stay away most of the time, only returning to feed or move on together. In this case it is best to leave them alone, unless the animal is moving around and making vocalizations or if you see a dead adult in the immediate vicinity. If the baby has an obvious injury it will likely require help, or at the least a closer look. |
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Q: Can I feed the animal?
A: No, feeding the animal can cause its death. At such a young age their systems are very sensitive and can not handle most foods people have on hand, such as cow's milk, human baby formula, or home recipes suggested by well intentioned but inexperienced sources. Any of these can be very detrimental to the health of the baby. Besides creating digestive problems, feeding a baby animal any liquid, including water, without the proper gauge feeding syringe or knowing the animal's internal body temperature can cause it to aspirate, meaning it now has fluid on its lungs. If this happens, the baby will likely develop pneumonia, leading to its death. See below for links to find help for the animal.
Q: What can I do?
A: The best way to help this baby is to bring it inside and keep it warm. If you have a pet carrier you can keep it in that, otherwise be creative. If it is a baby squirrel, often a large box or cardboard animal carrier from a veterinary clinic will do the trick. Put some towels or flannels in with it and, if you have a hot water bottle, fill it with hot water, wrap it up in a towel, place the baby on top of it, and then cover it over with another little blanket. Don't worry, you won't smother it, the warmth is a must, just make sure that the hot water bottle is well wrapped so that it does not burn. Do not leave the hot water bottle in overnight as it will get cold, becoming more of a liability than an asset. Keep the animal inside in a warm, draft free, and safe location away from pets with a lot of towels to burrow in.
Q: Finding help?
A: In some jurisdictions it is illegal to care for wildlife and you should consult your government wildlife agency where you may be referred to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. Unfortunately, there is little help to care for orphaned wildlife in Ottawa or Eastern Ontario as a result of regulation changes made by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. To learn more about finding help for orphaned wildlife you can visit http://www.wildlifeontario.ca/. Scroll down to Wildlife Help on the right-hand side.
There is some good information on the Internet (e.g. http://orphanedwildlifecare.com/), but unfortunately other sites give advice that will kill the animals you are trying to help. A point to remember is to ask questions before you turn animals over to a caregiver: How will the animal be cared for? Will the animal be put down? What is its future? Be sure you are comfortable with the answers.
A: No, feeding the animal can cause its death. At such a young age their systems are very sensitive and can not handle most foods people have on hand, such as cow's milk, human baby formula, or home recipes suggested by well intentioned but inexperienced sources. Any of these can be very detrimental to the health of the baby. Besides creating digestive problems, feeding a baby animal any liquid, including water, without the proper gauge feeding syringe or knowing the animal's internal body temperature can cause it to aspirate, meaning it now has fluid on its lungs. If this happens, the baby will likely develop pneumonia, leading to its death. See below for links to find help for the animal.
Q: What can I do?
A: The best way to help this baby is to bring it inside and keep it warm. If you have a pet carrier you can keep it in that, otherwise be creative. If it is a baby squirrel, often a large box or cardboard animal carrier from a veterinary clinic will do the trick. Put some towels or flannels in with it and, if you have a hot water bottle, fill it with hot water, wrap it up in a towel, place the baby on top of it, and then cover it over with another little blanket. Don't worry, you won't smother it, the warmth is a must, just make sure that the hot water bottle is well wrapped so that it does not burn. Do not leave the hot water bottle in overnight as it will get cold, becoming more of a liability than an asset. Keep the animal inside in a warm, draft free, and safe location away from pets with a lot of towels to burrow in.
Q: Finding help?
A: In some jurisdictions it is illegal to care for wildlife and you should consult your government wildlife agency where you may be referred to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. Unfortunately, there is little help to care for orphaned wildlife in Ottawa or Eastern Ontario as a result of regulation changes made by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. To learn more about finding help for orphaned wildlife you can visit http://www.wildlifeontario.ca/. Scroll down to Wildlife Help on the right-hand side.
There is some good information on the Internet (e.g. http://orphanedwildlifecare.com/), but unfortunately other sites give advice that will kill the animals you are trying to help. A point to remember is to ask questions before you turn animals over to a caregiver: How will the animal be cared for? Will the animal be put down? What is its future? Be sure you are comfortable with the answers.
The Ottawa-Carleton Wildlife Centre is a registered Canadian charity (#13224-0284-RR0001). Click here to make a tax-deductible donation.