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THOMPSONVILLE —
In the spring the animals come alive and make new little animals, some of which must rely on the care of animal rehabilitation professionals.
There are a few things humans can do to keep animal families together until the babies grow up and move and on out of the way.
Pam Sundeen of Second Nature Wildlife Rehabilitation in rural Thompsonville often receives calls about fawns.
A fawn has no smell for the first two weeks of life. For the first two weeks the fawn basically sits down in grass, woods or brush, hidden from the sight and smell of predators. Because the presence of the mother could draw predators to the fawn, the mother remains away from the fawn except to nurse only a couple times a day. For most people who report orphaned fawns, Sundeen says to move them back where they found them.
Baby squirrels may appear to be helpless on the ground, abandoned, but they may just have fallen.
"Mama squirrels will come down from the tree and move them back up," Sundeen said.
Raccoon mothers will move their nest of babies upon discovery, but they can only move the cubs one at a time.
Raccoons can be a nuisance. They like to get into holes in eaves of houses and nest in the attic. People may set a trap or hire someone to set a trap and they may catch the mother raccoon only to later find the babies crying for their mother.
She says if people can put up with the racket a raccoon family, the babies should leave the nest in about seven weeks.
There are ways to discourage raccoons from attics. Playing loud music can be effective. So can bright lights and rags soaked in ammonia. And once the attic is vacant people should patch the holes so they don't come back, but don't patch them until the animals have been run out or else they will become trapped and starve.
Sundeen discourages taking trees down until after the spring baby season that begins within the month.
She also discourages burning brush piles without first checking to see if there are rabbit nests inside.
Possums hit on the road may have babies in their pouches that can be saved if found within a few hours.
Sometimes people decide to keep baby animals as pets, but if an Illinois Conservation Police Officer finds out a person is keeping wildlife the animals will be confiscated and the person fined. Most people are not capable of keeping a baby animal healthy. Cow's milk is bad for them.
In the spring the animals come alive and make new little animals, some of which must rely on the care of animal rehabilitation professionals.
There are a few things humans can do to keep animal families together until the babies grow up and move and on out of the way.
Pam Sundeen of Second Nature Wildlife Rehabilitation in rural Thompsonville often receives calls about fawns.
A fawn has no smell for the first two weeks of life. For the first two weeks the fawn basically sits down in grass, woods or brush, hidden from the sight and smell of predators. Because the presence of the mother could draw predators to the fawn, the mother remains away from the fawn except to nurse only a couple times a day. For most people who report orphaned fawns, Sundeen says to move them back where they found them.
Baby squirrels may appear to be helpless on the ground, abandoned, but they may just have fallen.
"Mama squirrels will come down from the tree and move them back up," Sundeen said.
Raccoon mothers will move their nest of babies upon discovery, but they can only move the cubs one at a time.
Raccoons can be a nuisance. They like to get into holes in eaves of houses and nest in the attic. People may set a trap or hire someone to set a trap and they may catch the mother raccoon only to later find the babies crying for their mother.
She says if people can put up with the racket a raccoon family, the babies should leave the nest in about seven weeks.
There are ways to discourage raccoons from attics. Playing loud music can be effective. So can bright lights and rags soaked in ammonia. And once the attic is vacant people should patch the holes so they don't come back, but don't patch them until the animals have been run out or else they will become trapped and starve.
Sundeen discourages taking trees down until after the spring baby season that begins within the month.
She also discourages burning brush piles without first checking to see if there are rabbit nests inside.
Possums hit on the road may have babies in their pouches that can be saved if found within a few hours.
Sometimes people decide to keep baby animals as pets, but if an Illinois Conservation Police Officer finds out a person is keeping wildlife the animals will be confiscated and the person fined. Most people are not capable of keeping a baby animal healthy. Cow's milk is bad for them.
Pedialyte delivered with a syringe can help baby animals with dehydration.
Sundeen offers the following baby season dos and don'ts:
- Don’t trap and release -- this will separate a mother from her babies.
- Don’t cut down dead trees.
- Don’t burn brush piles without going through them first.
- Don’t repair holes in eves and attics without checking for animals and nests.
- Do call if there is an injured or trapped animal.
- Do always look for bunny nests before starting the lawnmower.
- Do call Second Nature Wildlife Rehabilitation at (618) 627-2000 if there are questions about the right thing to do with animals that appear to be in peril.
- DeNeal receives e-mail at bdeneal@yourclearwave.com.
