Scotter's Frequently Asked Questions on Wildlife Rehabilitation

Frequently asked questions
about Wildlife Rehabilitation

Questions - click on question for answer.

	What is Wildlife Rehabilitation?
	I found a cute little (fill in animal name here) and I'm trying to raise it as a pet. Can you offer me advice?
	I've seen a baby bird on the ground, I can not locate its nest or its parents, what should I do?
	I found a fawn lying on the ground all by itself. Was it abandoned by its mother?
	I found a baby bunny all by itself. Was it abandoned by its mother?
	I've got a magpie/crow/starling nesting in a tree in my yard. It's making a bunch of noise and keeps waking me up at the crack of dawn. Can you remove it for me?
	How do I stop my pet cat from attacking birds?
	Is it OK to feed wild ducks and geese bread crumbs?

What is Wildlife Rehabilitation?: Wildlife rehabilitation is taking care of everything from chipmunks to bears; from hummingbirds to eagles; even snakes and toads. It's continuous phone calls around the clock seven days a week. It's a steady stream of people bringing in shoeboxes, baskets and cages with all sorts of furred, feathered and scaled creatures in need of help. It means no vacations and sleepless nights. Your life is planned around feedings and treatments. You often have to take your tiny "patients" with you on your daily runs, to weddings, picnics and even funerals (if you have the time for any of these activities). Many people beleive that rehabbing animals is "interfering with nature" without realising that over 90% of injuries to animals are due to human interference - be it intentional or not. Cats, dogs, barbed wire fences, power lines, cell phone towers, skyscrappers, cars, destruction of natural natural habitat all take their toll on the natural world.
Is it worth it? Once you've seen an eagle or owl that cane in with a broken wing fly off to freedom, or a deer run off on its way, even a hare take off like a bullet once you release it, you realise, yes, it's definitely worth it.
I found a cute little (fill in animal name here) and I'm trying to raise it as a pet. Can you offer me advice?: NO! NO! NO! WILD ANIMALS DO NOT MAKE GOOD PETS!! First of all, it is also illeagal to possess wildlife in Alberta without a special permit. They can never be trusted. They may carry diseases that are harmful, sometimes even fatal, to humans. If you have found and retrieved a baby animal, return it to its mother as quickly as possible. If it is not possible, contact your nearest wildlife rehabilitation center.
I've seen a baby bird on the ground, I can not locate its nest or its parents, what should I do?: If you can not get to a vet clinic quickly, the first thing to do is make sure the bird is kept warm. This can be done by placing the baby bird in a nest made out of an old shoe box, an empty margerine container lined with dryer lint or a soft cloth. Place the container on top of a heating pad set on low or a hot water bottle filled with warm - not hot - water. Once the bird its warm it can be fed some soaked dry cat food. DO NOT FEED A COLD BIRD!! Make sure the cat food is soaked quite well and stirred up to a pasty consistancy. Using a medicine dropper, place a small amount of cat food at back of the bird's mouth. If the bird is hungry, it will be displaying a "gapping" behavior and will quickly accept food. It is very important not to overfeed the young bird. Very young birds will need to be fed quite frequently -- sometimes an eye-dropper full every 15 to 20 minutes.
I found a fawn lying on the ground all by itself. Was it abandoned by its mother?: Most likely not. For the first couple of weeks of their lives, does will often leave their fawns alone while they go out and forage. This is for the fawn's own protection since at this stage they are odorless and can not be smelled by predators, but are still not fast enough to outrun a predator. Fawns that are found curled up on the ground should be left alone, but check on them every couple of hours -- if the mother has not appeared in 24 hours it could be in trouble. If the fawn is standing, crying, appears to be very weak, or if you know that the mother has been killed, it should be brought to a wildlife rehabilitation centre.
I found a baby bunny all by itself. Was it abandoned by its mother?: Again, like the deer, likely not. Mother rabbits and hares will leave their young in a nest, often for hours at a time, while they go out and forage for food. If you see "abandoned" baby rabbits or hares observe the situation for quite some time before taking action. Mother should be back to care for her young. Baby bunnies do not do well in captivity and they are better off with their mothers so it is best for the bunny not to pick them up and take them to a rehabilitator. If you don't know if the mother has abandoned the nest or has been hurt, place a few pieces of dental floss around the nest in a "tic-tac-toe" grid. If the mother returns in the middle of the night, like she's supposed to do, she will disturb the dental floss and you will know she has returned, even though you may not have seen her.
I've got a magpie/crow/starling nesting in a tree in my yard. It's making a bunch of noise and keeps waking me up at the crack of dawn. Can you remove it for me?: NO! Any decent wildlife rehabber will not disturb or remove any healthy bird (or any other animal for that matter) from it's nest or den. Birds are protected by the migratory bird act and it is illegal to remove them from their nest. The young will hatch, fledge and move on in a couple of months so you'll have to deal with the noise. Earplugs are a good solution -- for you, not the bird.
How do I stop my pet cat from attacking birds?: There is only one way to do this. KEEP THE CAT INDOORS!!. If you feel it is important to let your cat out, then build a fenced in cat runway. You can not train a cat not to hunt birds. It is in their very nature. Cats are extremely efficient predators and they will hunt given the opportunity. Putting a bell on the cat is not a viable option for two reasons: birds do not equate the sound of a bell with a predator, and cats are so stealthy they are able to move without ringing the bell as they stalk their prey.
Is it OK to feed wild ducks and geese bread crumbs?: Most definitly not!! First off, it is illegal to feed ducks and geese (and pretty well all wildlife) in many municipalities. Bread is not healthy for waterfowl - their digestive systems can not break it down properly. Ducks and geese pick food particles and grit from pond bottoms. Bacterial spores from bread and human hands may potentially develop in anaerobic conditions at the bottom of ponds.
A waterfowl diet consits mainly of vegetation and seeds. However, most duck species eat some animal matter part of the year (insects, worms, snails, freshwater shrimp). Mallards, from which most domestic breeds were developed, have animal matter make up about 10-15% of the diet, and then only at certain times of year (ducklings in particular eat a lot of insects as it is an important protein source). Diving ducks have a higher amount of animal matter in their diets, as high as 95% in the king eider, a sea duck found in the Arctic. Coots also eat a fair amount of animal matter, which is how they get their nickname of "mudhens" (from rooting around in the mud for animal matter). Ducks and geese are perfectly capable of finding enough food for themselves, however, if you feel you "must" feed them -- remember it is illegal in many municipalities -- feed them whole grain like oats, or dry cat or dog food.
More on Wildlife Rehabilitation: Introduction to Wildlife Rehabilitation
Working in Wildlife Rehabilitation
Injuries to Wild Animals
Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre Links

This page last updated January 25, 2001
This page last updated January 25, 2001