As a veterinary clinic that see exotics, we get A LOT of calls about potentially injured wildlife and what to do when wildlife is found. The short answer, leave it! However, if you think it's injured and it may need medical help, then there are some considerations to follow.
First always, consider your own safety. Animals see you as a predator and don't understand that you're trying to help them. Thick gloves or towels are helpful in these situations. A lot of these animals are rabies vectors, as well as other infectious disease and you don't want to put yourself at risk to save one of them. Always wash your hands having handling them and go to your doctor if you do get bit. Placing these animals in a secure container and transporting them to the nearest wildlife rehab clinic or veterinarian is the next step. Keep them in a dark, quiet place with very minimal handling. You will only stress the animal out more if you start handling it, feeding it, or even taking picture of it. When in doubt, you local animal control officers, wildlife rehabilitators, and veterinarians are excellent resources.
How do you know if an animal actually needs your help? Other than an obvious wound or injury, it may be hard to assess. The most common injury that we see from wildlife is after it's been hit by a car. Lately, my clinic has been getting a lot of turtles that have been hit. Chances are these creatures aren't going to be able to placed back into the wild because they are too injured, so sadly we do have to euthanize a majority of them. Don't try to treat the animal yourself. It is ILLEGAL to keep wildlife without a permit. We have several calls from the public trying to treat or feed wild animals and we will tell you to put it back outside and won't give you any further information. You can harm them further by giving them the wrong food or medication.
What if you find a baby animal?Young birds are the most common call we received and type of wildlife brought in. If they are in the nest, leave them. The mother will be back for them. It's a myth that animals abandon their babies if they smell humans on them, but that doesn't mean that you should handle them. If you find a baby bird on the ground, see if you can easily replace them in the nest. Even if they cannot be replaced in the nest, the parents will often continue to care for them while they are on the ground. It is very common for young birds to end up on the ground while they are learning to fly. This is the hardest stage for us to leave them, but it's best if we do. If the baby seems injured on the ground, then this would be an appropriate time to intervene and bring them in.
Rabbits tend to leave their young for an extended period of time. Finding a nest with no mother around does not mean that the babies are orphaned. If the babies are healthy and a good weight, chances are mom is feeding them but not in the nest. If you are really concerned, you can put a piece of floss around the nest and check on it later, if the floss has been moved, then the mom was probably there. You can also put a white paper towel under the babies and if there is poop on it later, then chances are they are being fed.
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