Maryland Law on Owning a Rescue Baby Blue Jay

Think Twice Before Rescuing Young Wildlife

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Each year the Maryland Section of Natural Resources (DNR) receives numerous calls from citizens who, with the all-time of intentions, have "rescued" a young wild animal and are seeking tips on how to properly care for information technology. Nonetheless, many times these citizens are endangering the lives of immature wildlife past interfering with their natural adaptation and learning of basic survival skills.

Spring is a time when many native species are decorated raising their young, and it can be very enjoyable to sentry – but exercise and so from a distance! Young animals are very beautiful and it's frequently hard to resist the urge to help them, just remember, by interfering with them, more harm than good is done. Their chances of survival are much amend if left in their natural surround to be raised by their parents.

Unless the beast appears injured or in distress, there is no demand to rescue them.

Signs that a wild animal needs help:

• Prove of bleeding
• An apparent or obvious broken limb
• A featherless or nearly featherless bird on the footing
• A dead parent nearby
• Audible distress calls (fawn crying, etc) given over a prolonged flow of time.

Fawn past John Delano of Hammond, Wikimedia Eatables

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Species-specific signs

Infant Birds

Birds will not carelessness their immature if a person touches them. If the original nest was destroyed or is too high to attain, so you lot tin affix a basket to the nearest limb closest to the nest. Do Not put annihilation in the nest like cotton wool balls or other foreign materials equally they can retain water and tin can crusade the bird to become cold and die.  If the original nest was destroyed or is too high to reach, so you can hang a minor, shallow basket shut to where you establish the nest. Watch to make sure the adults render to the new or old nest within an hour. If they do not return, and then contact a wildlife rehabilitator.

Baby birds that are fully feathered and have short tail feathers are likely fledglings. Often, fledglings are seen hopping around on the footing and crying to their parents for nutrient. Birds accept time to learn how to fly, and fledging is part of the procedure! This stage takes several days, so it is best to keep pets away at this time.

When to footstep in: If a baby bird is injured, if you cannot accomplish the nest and/or the parents are non returning to the nest, or the parent is expressionless nearby then contact a wildlife rehabilitator.

Young robins, the robin on the left is as well young to survive on its own while the one on the right is a fledgling (Wikimedia Commons)

Babe Deer (Fawns)

It is completely natural for a fawn to be left on its own for 6 hours or more. Later on the female person deer (doe) gives birth and nurses the fawn, she will lead it into secluded habitat inside her home range. Twin fawns can be separated by upward to 200 feet. The doe then leaves for extended periods of fourth dimension considering her odour can concenter predators. Fawns have petty to no scent of their own. The doe returns periodically to nurse her fawns and to relocate them to new secluded habitat. This design volition continue for up to 3 weeks.

Does are wary of human being smells, so information technology is of import not to touch fawns. If y'all have already handled the fawn, and then take a towel, rub it in the grass, and then wipe down the fawn to remove the human scent. Return the fawn to the place where you found information technology.

When to step in: Only if a fawn is wandering and crying incessantly or laying on its side, and then it is likely to demand help. Please phone call a wildlife rehabilitator. that is authorized to possess fawns.

Baby Foxes

Baby foxes (kits) often are unsupervised for hours while their parents forage for nutrient. If the kits appear energetic and healthy, so they should be left alone.

When to stride in: If the kits announced sickly or weak and/or the parents are known to be dead, then contact a wild fauna rehabilitator.

Flim-flam kit by John White

Baby Rabbits

Young rabbits, like fawns, have little smell and are frequently left for hours on their own to prevent attracting predators. Babe rabbits found in a nest should be left alone. Likewise, it is all-time to keep pets away from nests to prevent conflicts.

When to pace in: If you suspect the nest has been abandoned/the immature accept been orphaned and/or are injured then contact a wildlife rehabilitator. Females volition only visit nests two-3 times per day, and then you tin can marking the nest with a grassy X to see if she visits. She will move the X simply keep the nest covered. If she does not visit after a day, then information technology is time to phone call someone.

Rabbit nest in mulch pile by RK Lawson, Wikimedia Commons

Baby Squirrels

Young squirrels ofttimes autumn from nests. If a squirrel nest falls from a tree or a younger squirrel falls out of a nest, then place them in a Tall box (safe from cats) with a heating source (hot water bottle or a water bottle with hot water) and a blanket. Don't comprehend the squirrels as it will be harder for the female to find the young. Leave the box at the base of operations of the tree where they fell from.

When to step in: If the female person doesn't return to intendance for the young afterafter two-3 hours, if the young didn't fall from the tree that day, and/or if the young are injured so phone call a wild animals rehabilitator.

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Things to Call back

1. Never handle an adult brute without get-go consulting a wildlife professional and without surveying the state of affairs.
2. Always article of clothing thick gloves and other protective materials when treatment wildlife.
3. Place the animal in a prophylactic container. Many songbirds tin exist placed in a paper pocketbook while larger animals may need a cardboard box lined with something soft like a towel.
4. Proceed the container in a warm, quiet identify away from pets and children until transport.
5. Handle the animate being every bit little equally possible to reduce stress and transport as soon as possible.
6. Practice not feed the animal without consulting a professional first.
7. During transport, endeavour to keep equally quiet as possible to minimize stress.

For More Information, please contact:

Wildlife & Heritage Service
580 Taylor Ave. , Eastward-i
Annapolis, MD 21401
410-260-8540

Price-free in Maryland: 1-877-620-8DNR, Ext. 8540
TTY Users, delight employ Maryland Relay
fax 410-260-8596

E-mail: customerservice.dnr@maryland.gov

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Source: https://dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife/Pages/plants_wildlife/ThinkTwice.aspx

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