Does the baby really need help?
Many ‘orphaned’ babies are in fact perfectly healthy and still under the care of their parents. For example, deer and rabbits leave their babies for hours at a time while they forage for food. This is a perfectly natural behavior that keeps predators away from the baby. Birds that are learning to fly will be on the ground for a short period of time until they can take off. In most cases, the parents will continue to feed the baby even though it is on the ground! A baby wild animal’s best chance of survival is to be left alone and continue to be raised by the parents if at all possible. See below for more information on when a baby animal should be brought to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator, when it should be left alone, or when you should reunite with its parents.
Still unsure whether an animal is indeed in need of help? Please call the New Mexico Wildlife Center for assistance. Ask questions before acting. We can help you determine if the baby is in need of help before you take it!
What to do if the baby is truly in need of help:
If you do find an orphaned or injured young animal, place it in a towel lined box with a lid until it can be transported to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. Keep the baby in a warm, dark, and quiet location away from loud noises, pets, and children. For example, a bathroom or garage would be a nice quiet location to place them in temporarily.
Food and Water:
DO NOT FEED. Please do not attempt to feed wildlife any food or water. Babies require diets specific to their species and untrained hands can cause more harm than good. The best care you can give them is a warm and stress-free space until taken to a wildlife rehabilitator.
Found an injured animal? Follow this link for more information on rescuing an injured or sick animal.
Found a Baby Cottontail Rabbit?
UNSURE IF MOM IS AROUND?
Mother rabbits feed their babies twice a day: once at dawn and once at dusk. The remainder of the time, the nest will be void of the mother. Unless your eyes are glued to the nest during these times, it may be easy to miss mom caring for the babies.
If you know where a nest of rabbits is and are unsure if the mother is caring for the babies try these suggestions:
1. Place a few sticks on top of the nest in a pattern you will remember and recognize if they are moved:
a. Criss-cross, star/asterisk, square, circle.
2. Sprinkle some flour around the nest and look for footprints or a trail.
3. Place a trail camera nearbyand watch for mom.
Found a Fawn?
UNSURE IF MOM IS AROUND?
Mother deer will ‘bed’ down their young fawns while they forage. This is a tactic to keep predators away from her baby since fawns are born without a smell.
• If you find a fawn bedded down, leave it there and check on it in a couple of hours.
• If the fawn starts to walk around and bleat for mom and this lasts longer than six (6) hours, call a licensed wildlife rehabilitator for further instructions.
Found a Baby Bird?
UNSURE IF MOM IS AROUND?
Determining if mom or dad are around takes a bit of a time commitment. Both parents usually bring food back to the nest and feed the babies. You will need to watch the nest for at least half an hour to see if the parents are coming back.
