Help! I found an orphaned animal!

Finding a baby animal can be a stressful experience, but not all young animals need to be rescued. So, Assess the Situation:

Is the baby injured, cold or lethargic, cat attack survivor?

If yes, Please contact a wildlife rehabilitator ASAP!
Keep the animal in a WARM, DARK, QUIET place. NO food / NO water (this is critically important)
REMEMBER! Never handle a wild animal with bare hands! Even a baby!

If No, Reunification may be possible for some species. See Below.

SRWC Wildlife Hotline: (207) 637-5070

Species-Specific Reunification Guidelines

Eastern Gray Squirrel or Red Squirrel

Signs of a True Orphan or Baby needing assistance:

Is the baby approaching people and pets?
Is the baby sitting on your shoe or trying to climb your leg?
Found on the ground alone, cold, or injured.
Caught by a cat even if they appear uninjured.

Contact a wildlife rehabilitator ASAP! Keep the animal in a WARM, DARK, QUIET place. NO food / NO water (this is critically important)

Let's help the baby get back to mom!

Place baby in container with small blanket or t-shirt. (no towels – claws can get caught in towels and hurt the baby)
Heat a bottle of water till WARM (not hot) and place it near the baby in the container. Alternatively fill an old tube sock with beans or rice and warm in microwave for 1 minute. Smoosh around till evenly WARM, place next to baby.
Place the container (with heat and baby in it) as close as possible to where the baby was found. Do this ONLY during daylight hours! Mother squirrels will not retrieve their babies after dark.
Keep your distance so mom will come, but monitor the area/container to make sure predators do not take baby. Remember to keep your distance. Mom is more likely to return if she can't see you!
Try playing a baby squirrel call: Use your mobile phone to find baby squirrel cries and play for 30 seconds to a minute then move away so mom can’t see you.
Be patient! Mom will not return until the area is quiet and safe. It can take several hours. If mom does not return by dark, bring babies inside and contact a rehabilitator for assistance.
Mother squirrels generally have a back-up nest and will retrieve babies one by one. Depending on the distance this can take some time. She will generally retrieve each baby and then return one final time to check the container.

Raccoon

Signs of a true orphan or baby in need of assistance include:

Is the baby approaching people and pets?
Found on the ground alone, cold, or injured?
Crying loudly for an extended period?

Contact a wildlife rehabilitator ASAP! Keep the animal in a WARM, DARK, QUIET place. NO food / NO water (this is critically important)

Minimize contact! Avoid excessive handling to prevent stress. If handling is required, wear thick gloves and use a towel to handle.

Reunification Steps:

Place baby in container with a blanket.
Heat a bottle of water till WARM (not hot) and place it near the baby in the container. Alternatively fill an old tube sock with beans or rice and warm in microwave for 1 minute. Smoosh around till evenly WARM, place next to baby.
Place the container (with heat and baby in it) as close as possible to where the baby was found.
Raccoons are mostly nocturnal so reunification may be most successful overnight.
Raccoons have a back-up nest and will retrieve babies one by one. Depending on he distance this can take some time.
If the mother does not return, contact a wildlife rehabilitator ASAP for assistance! Keep the animal in a WARM, DARK, QUIET place. NO food / NO water

Virginia Opossum

Unlike some animal species, opossums do not retrieve their young. If a baby opossum is found alone, it likely needs intervention.

Signs of a true orphan or baby in need of assistance include:

Found alone and less than 8 inches from nose to base of tail.
Found on or near a deceased mother.

What to Do:

Do Not Attempt Reunification. Orphaned opossums need rehabilitation.
Keep Warm and Secure: Place the baby in a warm, dark, quiet place and contact a wildlife rehabilitator for assistance.
If you find a deceased mother with babies in her pouch, do not attempt to remove the babies. Get mother and babies to a rehabilitator ASAP!

Chipmunk/Skunk/Woodchuck

Signs of a true orphan or baby in need of assistance include:

Signs of a True Orphan:
Eyes closed and found alone and outside the burrow/den.
Injury or predator attack.

Contact a wildlife rehabilitator ASAP!

What to Do:

REMEMBER! Minimize contact! Avoid excessive handling to prevent stress. Wear Thick gloves and use a towel to handle. Keep the animal in a WARM, DARK, QUIET place. NO food / NO water (this is critically important)

Rabbits

Rabbits are independent from the time they are the size of a baseball. Mom only visits the nest twice a day so they may not be orphaned just because you don't see an adult. To check a rabbit nest, put string or yarn around the nest or in a tic-tac-toe pattern across the nest without touching or handling the babies. Your scent can attract predators! Check the next morning to see if the string was disturbed. If the string wasn't moved, contact a wildlife rehabilitator for assistance.

Reuniting a baby with its mother whenever possible is our goal, but if that is not possible, professional care is necessary. If you find a baby animal and are unsure of what to do, reach out to us for assistance.

SRWC Wildlife Hotline: (207) 637-5070