EDUCATION FACT SHEET

April 12, 2021

Wild Babies
Do’s and Don’ts
Protect Yourself & Secure the
Animal.
You have found a wild baby now what?
The first thing you do is protect yourself!
Different species have different defense
mechanisms. Always wear leather gloves!
Depending on the age and size of the baby will
determine how you proceed. Call us if you are
not sure and we can help guide you. Smaller
younger babies can be placed in a box that it
cannot climb out of. Larger or older babies
possibly placing a rubbermaid bin over top of it
so it is contained, either way ensures the baby
will be safe and will not wander off. Do not have
children or pets around the animal. Wildlife can
carry a variety of zoonotic diseases and you do
not want to expose your pets or children to any
of those diseases.
While Waiting for a Call Back.
Keep babies warm with a hot water bottle or
heating pad on low under the box
Keep babies in a quiet spot away from any flies,
pets and kids.
Very important: Do NOT attempt to feed them
or give them any water! No food or water will
not kill the babies. Sometimes rehabilitation
babies cannot be fed for 24 to 72 hrs depending
on dehydration & emaciation.
Please do not allow your children to hold or
feed the baby – We have had many wild babies
admitted where finders let their children feed
wild babies to teach and let children experience
wildlife. This is inhumane, babies are aspirated
and dying of aspiration pneumonia.

Call our Centre and Leave a

Message. Why do we ask that you do
NOT feed the babies?
We need to make sure the animal in question is
The reason is simple, and the explanation is very
truly in need of help. By calling us we can help in
complex!
determining that. If we think mom might still be
You will do more harm to the babies and often
around, we will help you through the process of
cause problems that will end up killing the
reuniting babies with their moms. If the baby is
babies. Finder fed babies may survive for a day
orphaned, you will need to get it to our centre
or two and we as rehabilitators have to struggle
for care. Unfortunately, we simply don’t have the
caring for these babies trying to save their life. It
time or funds to drive and pick up every animal.
takes us double the work and time to care for a
Please be patient we get at least 50 calls a day
baby that the finder has fed.
during baby season. Five minutes for each call
and that eats up over 4 hrs a day just in phone
calls!

P.O. Box 119

Oil Springs, ON
N0N 1P0
Telephone: 519-466-6636
www.heavenswildliferescue.org
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SOME of the dangers in
feeding wild babies.
Cold, babies in shock - 90 percent of wild babies
found are cold. They lack the energy to maintain
their own body temperature and are usually in
shock. Feeding a cold baby in shock can kill it
because it cannot digest the food. Warming a
baby up isn’t good enough, they need to be
warmed to their core. This takes training,
knowledge, specialized equipment such as
incubators and IV fluids to care for these
animals.
Dehydrated and or emaciated babies - Most
wild babies that are admitted are very
dehydrated. Feeding a dehydrated baby can kill
it. Dehydration of varying degrees is also an
issue. We have specific protocols and
calculations for rehydrating babies orally, IV and
subcutaneously. Feeding an emaciated baby can
kill it. Sometimes babies are emaciated and in
critical condition. Finders do not realize this
because they are not a trained wildlife
rehabilitator.
Feeding a compromised animal is a death
sentence. - Compromised wildlife are using all
their energy to maintain critical body functions.
It takes energy to digest food so when finders
feed the animal it forces them to try to use
energy to digest that food which in turn takes
the energy away from their critical functions and
that will cause organ failure and death.
Specific IV fluids and calculations for amounts
to rehydrate - Maintenance fluids and
rehydrating fluids depend on the degree of
dehydration.
P.O. Box 119
Oil Springs, ON
N0N 1P0
Telephone: 519-466-6636
www.heavenswildliferescue.org
EDUCATION FACT SHEET
April 12, 2021
Specific calculations for feeding amounts and
feeding times - Over feeding can cause bloat and
bloat can cause death.
Species specific formulas – Feeding the wrong
thing can cause GI upset and diarrhea; this can
kill an already compromised baby.
Varying sizes of syringes, nipples and bottles –
Using the wrong feeding equipment for different
species and ages can have devastating results.
Our volunteers are trained on how to feed
different species and ages, with correct
equipment, as well as how to hold animal and
feeding equipment properly so aspiration does
not occur.
The Master plan
Each patient gets a master plan - After each
patient is examined and accessed we take the
time to make a plan to best treat that patient for
their best chance of survival. Everything we have
just explained in this document and a whole lot
more is used to determine that patient’s
treatment. Then and only then is the
patient ready to be treated.
We sometimes have people
say they cannot drive the 35 minutes to our
wildlife centre to drop off an animal. I promise
that 35 minutes is nothing compared to the time
we will commit to. Feeding and caring for the
animal for 30 minutes 5 or 6 times a day,
anywhere from 10 to 16 weeks.
Only Authorized Wildlife
Custodians Can Care for Sick /
Injured / Orphaned Wildlife that
is the Law.
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