Birds will abandon the nest/young if you touch the babies: NOT TRUE!
Songbirds have no discernable sense of smell. If you are able to place a fallen baby bird back into its nest, please do so. DO NOT hover about the area. Your presence is why parents stay away.
Mammals will abandon their young if you touch them: NOT TRUE!
If you return the young to the nest and then leave the nest alone, mom will still care for them. DO NOT hover about the area.
A fawn lying quietly by itself is abandoned: NOT TRUE!
Mom places her fawn in a quiet spot in the predawn hours and then leaves to feed for the day. The fawn lies quietly to not draw attention to itself. If it is lying there uninjured and there are no flies, LEAVE IT ALONE.
A deer with spots is a baby: NOT ALWAYS TRUE!
While it is true that babies do have spots, they will keep them until they grow in their winter coat 5 months later. A fawn born in May will still show spots in September when it is 4 months old and about 45 lbs.
If you do not see a mother rabbit, she has abandoned the nest: NOT TRUE!
Mom only visits her nest twice a day, once in the early dawn hours and again in later evening when things are quiet.
Cow’s milk is ok for non-cow babies: NOT TRUE!
Cow’s milk is ONLY good for calves. In all other species it can cause severe diarrhea. The only milk that is truly best for each species is the milk from their mother. We have formulas that we can use, but mom’s milk is best.
A turtle in the road needs care: NOT ALWAYS TRUE!
Turtles are very territorial and sometimes roads just happen to fall in their territories. If you see a turtle in the road and you want to help, simply place it on the side of the road in the direction it was going. If you see the turtle was hit by a car then it needs help.
Any raccoon or fox you see in the daytime is rabid: NOT ALWAYS TRUE!
Mother raccoons and both fox parents are very commonly out during the day to gather food for their very demanding babies. You only need to worry if the animal is acting out of the ordinary, such as approaching people, acting drunk, or acting savage. If you see such activity, please report it to the proper authorities.
Ducks and Geese can live off breadcrumbs: NOT TRUE!
While ducks and geese do like to eat bread crumbs and the like, it is not nutritionally sound for them.
Baby birds can eat worms: NOT ALWAYS TRUE!
While most songbirds do feed their young insects, they also ingest berries, seeds, and grains for a well-rounded meal. Remember, parent birds regurgitate food for their young until their digestive tracts can handle solid food.
Young animals that appear to be on their own may not require intervention. Parents normally leave their youngsters while they forage.
Some animals, such as deer, watch their young from a distance so as not to draw the attention of predators. They attend their young only to nurse them, until the time the youngsters are strong enough to follow.
|
