FOUND WILDLIFE!
BABY BIRDS!
If the baby birds are in there nest leave them alone. If any baby birds with no feathers, or visible bare skin between the feathers have fallen from the nest pick them up gently holding them between your hands and place them back in there nest. If the nest has fallen from the tree, put the nest in a small plastic bowl-shaped container with several holes punched in the bottom for drainage,place the baby birds inside and attach it to a tree as high as you can reach. If you can not find the nest and you know the parents are around, punch several holes in the bottom of a margarine tub and put grass and leaves to create a nest. Place the baby birds in the nest you made and attach to a tree as high up as you can reach. Finding a baby bird that is fully feathered and hopping around on the ground means that you have found a fledgling. LEAVE IT ALONE . Fledgling birds leave the nest a week or two before they can fly. The parents are probally still caring for them. Remain far away from the bird and try to observe for several hours to ensure that parents are attending the baby bird.If no parent birds come around for several hours or the baby bird appears to be injured. Follow the guide lines below. If you are unsure on what to do, leave the baby birds alone and call DARK STAR -218-247-0299 or If we are unavailable call Garrison Animal Hospital -1-320-692-4181.
DUCKS AND GEESE
Once a duck or goose is nesting it cannot be disturbed. You cannot relocate a duck or goose nest and successfully get the mother to roost. The nesting phase last only 30 days and the law prohibits disruption of a nest site. All migratory birds are protected by Federal Law. Ducklings wandering around without there mother in sight are probally orphaned and should be taken to Wild and Free (Garrison Animal Hospital)-call-320-692-4180. If you observe waterfowl nests being disturbed or harassed, the incident should be reported to the U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE ENFORCEMENT.
RAPTORS
(Birds of Prey)
Kind hearted people commonly find young raptors (hawks,falcons,owls,eagles) out of there nest before they can fly(or fly well) and think they are orphaned. Most often the parents are taking care of them and should be left alone.However sometimes a young raptor is needing help. What signs should you look for? If the young raptor is out of the nest and is covered in white downy feathers or acts weak(nonresponsive,eyes are half closed) or injured. Leave it where you found it as raptors have very sharp beaks and talons and you could be injured. and call-Wild and Free(Garrison Animal Hospital)-320-692-4181 or the Raptor Center - 612-624-4745
SQUIRRELS
Sometimes a nest falls from a tree. If the babies appear fat and healthy , try to keep humans and pets away from them and observe them for several hours to see if there mother comes to retrieve them . Never leave them outside overnight. If the mother has not come back and they appear thin and dehydrated they are probally orphaned. keep them is a warm safe place and follow the guide lines below. call DARK STAR-218-247-0299
BABY BUNNIES
Finding a nest of baby bunnies doesn't mean they are orphaned and it is usually best to leave them alone. Mother rabbits will return to a nest that humans or pets have touched provided the nest hasn't been destroyed. Mother rabbits visit their nest only at dawn and dusk, so you usually never see the mother rabbit. If you disturbed the nest, place all material back in nest and put the baby bunnies down inside the nest. Place two 6-inch long sticks in an x pattern over the nest and leave it alone until the next day. If the sticks are moved the next day the mother rabbit has returned to feed her babies. If the sticks are still in place then the bunnies are probably orphaned call DARK STAR - 218-247-0299 Young bunnies will leave there nest at 3 to 5 weeks of age. Small bunnies with eyes open and fully furred found outside the nest hopping around on their own are no concern. Bunnies leave the nest at a early age and are very capable of taking care of themselves.
If you have taken the wildlife out of it's habitat because of a emergancy situation.
Please follow the guide lines below .
GUIDE LINES
1
Use a heating pad turned on low,or if you do not have a heating pad use a plastic bottle filled with warm water(make sure the cap is on tight and there are no leaks). Wrap the heating pad or plastic bottle in a soft towel with no holes or strings hanging from it .Place in the bottom of a box or a veri- kennel.
Place wildlife in a Veri-kenel or box(make sure there are air holes(small enough so wildlife doesn't get out) in top of box . Keep in a quiet dark place away from people and other animals. Please do not handle the Wildlife .
2
CALL DARK STAR :218-247-0299 or if unavailable call Garrison Animal Hospital at - 1-320-692-4181
3
Wildlife Admission Form
DARK STAR will need to get some information from you.
Some people think because the wildlife they find is quiet and not jumping around or not trying to get away from them that it likes this attention and is doing fine.
Well actually the wildlife is probally going into shock!
Just think of how the wildlife feels.
For Example.
Children go out to play. While playing they find a nest of bunnies. Children run in the house, and tell mother to come see what they have found. Mother goes out and see's the nest of baby bunnies.
Children are screaming can we keep them please mom. Well mother says to children. They must be cold look how close they are huddled together. They are shaking and not trying to get away. Something must have happened to the mother rabbit. Ok children mother says we will bring them inside and try to feed them. The mother brings them inside puts them in a box. She tells the children to go pick grass for the bunnies. Mother puts some carrots in the box with the bunnies. Children come in put grass in the box with the bunnies. The children are huddled around the box screaming on what to name the bunnies . All of a sudden one of the bunnies die. Children are crying to there mother about the dead bunny. Then another one dies soon they are all dead.
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE BUNNIES.
Here is looking from the bunnies point of view.
Bunnies are all nice and cozy in there nest. All of a sudden they here something assumeing its a predator, They lay very still not moveing at all, as this is what baby wildlife do when a predator is near.Staying motionless the predator(human) hopefully will pass by and not see us. But no these predators(humans) see us. Oh no the bunnies say so scared there little hearts beating out of there chest. The bunnies are picked out of the nest by what they assume is a predator(human), and assume they are going to be eaton any minute. Now the bunnies are very quiet as they are going into shock. Not knowing that the human is trying to help them there little hearts can not take the stress any more, thinking any minute they are going to be eaton by these predators(humans)so the little bunnies go into shock and die.
Many Wildlife Mothers Only come to the nest to feed there baby's. Sometimes this is the only time they will be with there baby's is to feed them. Please if you see baby wildlife leave them alone. If you know the mother has died or the baby's are injured contact DARK STAR at 218-247-0299 or Garrison Animal Hospital at -320-692-4181
Adult Wildlife
If you find Adult Injured wildlife.
Be very careful as you could be attacked even a bird can be very dangerous. Owl's, Hawk's,Eagles, Crow's, Raven's, Sea Gull's have very sharp talon's that will rip through your cloths causing serious injury and their beaks can break fingers. Blue Herion's use ther eye's to follow anything that moves, They will jab at anything with there beaks at the sign of movement and could poke an eye out. Geese have very sharp webbed feet and can slash you enough to where you could need stitches and leave you with bad bruises when they bite. All wildlife have a defense that they use when they are being approached or attacked. Do not assume that you can handle injured adult wildlife. You can get seriously injured even by the smallest of adult wildlife. If you find Injured Adult Wildlife-call
Garrison Animal Hospital-320-692-4181
