If you have found a Reptile or Amphibian please go to the Reptile page to find out what to do.
Birds that can't fly?
Nestling
Fledgling
Birds of Prey
Water Birds
Chimney Swifts
Deer
Opossums
Squirrels
Rabbits
Bats
Fox, Racoon, or Skunk
Turtles
Snakes
Amphibians
Other Questions?
Mothers leave their young hidden in the grass for several hours at a time while they browse for food. The fawns stay curled up and very still wherever mom has left them and since they have no body odor they are not easily detected by predators.
A fawn may be orphaned if: it has been in the same spot for over 12 hours, it looks weak/ill, the grass under it is yellow, or flies are buzzing around it. Before moving a suspected orphan deer, first call Chesapeake Wildlife at 301-390-7011
Because opossums are marsupials they do not build nests but carry their young in their pouch. When they are about 65 days old the babies climb on their mother's back and travel with her. If the young fall off mom, they are left behind. Opossums become independent when they are about 10" long (not counting the tail). If an opossum is found in a structure during the daytime such as a garage, leave the door open the evening and the animal will leave. Close the door behind it.
Squirrels have two nests. If one is destroyed, the mother usually moves her youngsters to the other. If you find a baby with its eyes closed, place it in a box under the tree from which it came. If the mother doesn't retrieve it in 2 - 3 hours, take the baby in and contact us at 301-390-7011. Of course, if the weather is cold, the waiting time should be shortened, or canceled.
Mother rabbits feed their young only twice daily, at dawn and dusk. They are very secretive so people are unlikely to see them when they visit their nests. Baby rabbits leave the nest when they are the size of a man's fist and are fully able to care tor themselves. When wild rabbits are handled unnecessarily or kept in captivity, they usually die.
Bats are nocturnal creatures and they do not fly into people's hair. If a bat is inside the house, it can be contained in the room in which it is in by closing the door. In the evening a window should be left open and the lights dimmed to induce the bat to leave through the open window.
Any adult bird which doesn't fly away from approaching humans is usually in need of assistance. After capturing it, put it in a box, place the box in a dark, quiet, warm spot and call Chesapeake Wildlife Sanctuary at 301-390-7011. Do not try to feed it or give it water. CAUTION: in spring and summer, be sure the bird is truly a disabled adult rather than a fledgling that doesn't fly well yet.
Usually babies fall right under their nests. If the bird is lying under a tree or shrub try to locate its nest, probably straight above. If the baby bird is naked or has pinfeathers and cannot move around freely, put it back in the nest. It's not true that if a human touches it, its mother will desert or destroy it.
If the nest has fallen on the ground, secure it in the tree or shrub. If it is destroyed, make a new one out of a margarine tub by poking a couple of holes on the bottom for rain drainage, tying three or four strings around the rim and securing it close to the original nest site. If part of the original nest is available, line the new one with it before placing the babies in it. If the parent doesn't return immediately, don't despair; it can take a couple of hours.
If the baby bird is well-feathered and hopping around, leave it alone; it is a fledgling. At that age the young bird is supposed to hop around in the bushes or under them and exercise its wings. A parent is probably close by. If the youngster is in the street, herd it back to the nearest bush.
Birds of Prey can be very dangerous, and require training and special insruction on how to safely handle the animal. Please contact the CWS Wildlife Hotline at 301-390-7011, or call your local Animal Control for assistance with these animals.
It is against our policy to rescue an animal in open water. Water rescues are very dangerous. If you know of an injured water bird try coaxing it onto shore with food. On land the animal wil be much easier to handle. Take extra precautions with Herons and Loons, they have extreamly sharp beaks and can cause serious injury if handled improperly.
Raccoons and chimney swifts (birds) use chimneys for nesting. Raccoons use the site for approximately 8 weeks at which time the mother leads her young outside to begin teaching them survival skills.
Swifts are great insect eaters so many people welcome them in their chimneys. Young swifts stay in their nests (flimsy stick and saliva affairs) about 4 weeks after which they join the adults in the air. Sometimes the nests (not fire hazards) which are attached to the chimney wall, fall down. The babies are very capable of climbing back up the wall and the parents continue to care for them. As long as the damper is fully closed one should never come in contact with their chinmey swifts. These birds migrate south in late September.