Your Safety is Paramount!
Many animals have physical defense mechanisms like teeth, beaks, spines, or claws. Use heavy gloves or a towel that can be a barrier between you and the animal if you have to get closer than a few feet.
Be wary of bodily fluids! Many animals also vomit, poop, or spray to defend themselves. These fluids can irritate skin and mucous membranes as well as spread illnesses.
Keep children & pets safe!
Keep wildlife completely separated from children and pets. Wildlife carries many diseases that are especially harmful to other animals and children. These diseases can often be spread through contact or airborne particles.
Keep calm!
Injured wildlife need a quiet place to rest. The less stress the animal has, the better the chances of survival. Some species, like rabbits and ducklings, are more susceptible to stress induced trauma.
Animals in traps
For animals in traps, it is best to not interact with them. They are likely to be fearful and highly reactive while confined. Fill a gallon jug with water, poke a small hole in the bottom and set the jug on top of one end of the trap so that the animal can lick the water as it drips.
Hydration
Offering Water
Use an appropriate sized dish for the injured animal.
- For example: an adult opossum uses shallow dishes of water like a cat food dish while squirrels use a smaller dish like a peanut butter jar lid.
Baby mammals need to stay hydrated overnight.
- Use a syringe, eyedropper, or paintbrush to give Pedialyte slightly warmer than room temp. Be careful not to let them drink too quickly and “snort” the liquid. This can cause aspiration and pneumonia.
- Home Pedialyte recipe:
- Mix 1 cup of warm water with 1 Tablespoon of sugar and 1 teaspoon of salt
- Home Pedialyte recipe:
Temperature Regulation
Warmth
If injured wildlife is in an area below 70F:
- Place the crate or box holding the animal half on and half off of a heating pad set to low.
- OR Make a heat sock.
- Fill a sock with dry rice and tie off the top. Microwave approximately 45 seconds. Check to make sure it’s not too hot in spots. Place in the box with the animal.
- OR Use a warm water bottle.
- Fill a water bottle with warm water. Slip the bottle into a sock and place it in the box with the animal.
- OR Make a heat sock.
Baby Birds Overnight
It is against federal and state laws to possess wildlife.
This advice is intended for emergency overnight care under guidance of a certified professional. These recipes do not meet long-term nutritional needs and will result in failure to thrive.
Baby birds need to be fed every 15-30 min until you go to bed. Feedings must resume first thing in the morning – think early bird style!
Temporary Baby Bird Food
- Soak 2 Tablespoons of hard cat food with 2 Tablespoons of hot water until the mixture can be stirred or blended into a thick warm liquid.
Feeding
AFTER you have spoken with a wildlife professional and have been notified of a delay in transport over 4 hours.
- Draw up the baby bird food into an eyedropper or syringe without the needle.
- If the baby birds are not gaping (opening their mouths wide for food), use the dropper to tap lightly on their beak to alert them food is coming.
- When they gape, squirt a pea size amount into their mouth and let them swallow.
- Continue this a few times until they slow down on gaping or until you see a slight bulge in their neck. (Birds have a crop which is a muscular pouch in the neck that stores food)
- Overfeeding young animals can quickly become fatal. Pay close attention to the crop area!
