Orphan Advice
Many small creatures come in to us every year as orphans but try as we might, we humans will never be as good as wild mum! This is why every year we ask people not to pick up young wildlife without thinking.
It is not always easy to decide when an animal or bird is in need of rescuing, neither is it as easy as ‘leave all babies alone', each case has to be considered carefully and a decision made.
If in doubt, ring for advice; 01285 862439.
You will be asked lots of questions to get an idea of the situation in order for the best advice to be offered.
DO NOT give it anything to eat or drink unless advised to do so.
If you think you have found an orphan it is worth bearing a few things in mind.
Hedgehogs
The female hedgehog will leave her young to find food, often if a nest of hoglets is found; it is assumed that if mum is not with them that they have been abandoned, this is not necessarily the case. If the hoglets seem content and sleeping, leave them alone and return later to check. If they appear unsettled, are cold or are emitting a high-pitched sound, which indicates they are hungry, or the nest has clearly been destroyed then they will need to be picked up.
Badger Cubs
A badger cub out on its own in the day indicates a problem, most cubs are seen at the rescue centre at around two months old, this is when they first start to appear above ground, until this time they are in the sett.
Younger cubs may have come above ground if their mother has not returned, once a cub this young is found in difficulty, the area should be searched for others and for an injured adult. Sometimes tiny cubs are found as a result of a collapsed or sett which had been dug into.
Fox Cubs
If a group of cubs are seen without the presence of an adult the situation should be monitored. A group of cubs that appear contented, asleep in a heap together or playing should be left alone and checked on later. If they are calling or appear to be in distress then something may well have happened to mum and they will need to be rescued. A good search around the area should be made to help with the decision, for instance if the cubs are dispersed over the area rather than together, are cold, lethargic or wet, in a flooded drain or if there are signs of a disturbance then they should be picked up.
If a lone cub is found, out in the open, calling or appears to be distressed it should be picked up. If it is clearly lethargic, wet or cold it should be picked up. If a cub is found that still has its eyes closed then it is under two weeks old and at that age is not able to thermo regulate its body temperature and will soon become cold and eventually die.
Rabbits
Rabbits are born underground blind, deaf and without fur, so if very young ones are seen above ground there is a problem. JCB diggers and dogs often dig up baby rabbits, and the nests are destroyed. Rabbits are weaned at a young age and often are picked up as tiny bunnies, when really they are independent and able to care for themselves. Mum can be pregnant again 12 hours after she gives birth and so the young rabbit kittens are weaned before the next litter is born and so are independent at a young age.
Hares
Hares are completely different and are born fully furred, eyes and ears open and sit in their forms above ground. This is often when they are mistakenly picked up as orphans, mum will leave them all day returning only once in 24 hours to feed them. Unless they appear weak, injured or are wet and cold, they should be left alone.
Bats
Tiny bats sometimes fall from their roosts and where it is not possible to return them, they have to be hand reared. Many young bats that are bought in to the centre are victims of cats and their original roost is unknown.
Deer
Deer can be tricky to hand rear, more labour intensive than any other orphaned mammal at least in the early days and not in the least impressed with having a human mother.
Doe's leave their young for long periods of time usually in long grass or areas of good cover, often these babies are assumed to be orphaned and are picked up. The doe will be close by and will not return to her youngster whilst the human is present, it should be left alone and checked on at a later. Unless it is obviously sick or badly injured it should be left alone.
Should an orphan be correctly identified it should be transported in an appropriately sized box or pet carrier, lined with a warm blanket and covered to keep it dark
Fledglings
Some fledglings leave their nests and spend sometime on the ground before they are able to fly. Their parents will continue to feed and protect their youngsters, so unless they are in obvious danger, there is no parent present or they are clearly sick or injured, the advice is to leave them to their parents but continue to keep an eye on them from a distance.
Orphaned birds can be produced out of many situations the most common of course is the death of the parents, often witnessed by people watching the adults feeding their young regularly. In other cases they are not so much orphaned as ‘rescued'.
The nest may have been exposed due to hedge trimming or tree felling, if it is possible to find a suitable site for the nest close by it is worth a try as the parents may continue to care for their youngsters, this is not always possible.
Nests built in farm machinery or cars that have been unused for a while which are then put into use and nestlings discovered, this is a regular situation with regard to farm machinery that is used seasonally.
Ducklings that have become separated from mum, often a single one is lost.
Birds that have been caught in a storm and are wet and cold, even though the parent is present the bird needs more help than the parent can offer, sometimes after a night in care it is possible to put them back.
The most common is the fledgling caught by the cat, even those uninjured and apparently well cannot be returned unless the exact location it was found is known and then there is a risk of septicemia from the cats' teeth to be considered. Some of these fledglings are older and juveniles can become very stressed, so there may be no other course of action than to retrieve it from the cat and if active and protesting, lock the cat in and release the bird.
All these cases should be judged on an individual basis, as nothing is ever black and white when it comes to fledglings.
