How to Care for a Baby Deer
In general, if a fawn has been found and a doe has not, the fawn is not an orphan. Mothers will leave their fawns all day to feed. They will not return while a human is in the area. This tactic allows the fawn to understand how to function alone. If you watch the fawn for 48 hours and the mother has not returned once, you probably have an orphan. The following steps will guide you through taking care of the orphan.
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Instructions
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Watch for the fawn's mother to return within 24 to 48 hours. If the fawn is still alone, or you know that the mother is dead, immediately call a wildlife rehabilitator. Meanwhile keep yourself and all pets away from the fawn. Try not to move the fawn.
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Contact an animal control office for assistance. To find a wildlife rehabilitator, check your local Fish and Wildlife Service. If it is an emergency, the sheriff's department in your area will know a way to contact them.
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Move the fawn from any dangerous situation if you have to. If you find it near a highway or populated area try to catch it. Do not chase a fawn to catch it. This could cause it to become even more frightened. Get down on it's level and slowly move towards the fawn.
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Treat the wounds of the fawn if he has any. Wrap any open wounds with bandages but make sure you wear gloves. If it looks like the fawn could have a broken bone try not to let it move until the wildlife rehabilitator arrives.
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Comments
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aimeedean
Jun 04, 2010
hey i found a baby deer in a completly open area under my truck. there was no tall grass to hide it and it was sleeping on gravel.we tried to get it to move on its own. but in the end i had to pick it up. it didnt even fight me. it just layed in my arms i thank it was dehidrated. my dad made me let it go but i dont thank i should have. it was only the size of my cat. a newborn. probly couldnt even eat grass yet. sould i have let it go? -
sevadro
May 25, 2010
Touching a bedded fawn may be tempting, but could turn its mother away or attract unwanted attention from coyotes or other predators. It helps prevent the doe from coming back and nursing its fawn. Humans milling around a bedded-down fawn leave a scent. A lot of clever predators will follow human scent. It could indeed result in it being killed. The best policy is to quietly admire the animals, then simply leave them alone. If a deer is abandoned, nature has its own way of working things out.
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familybuddy
Jun 05, 2009
Thanks. This helped a lot. We found a fawn caught in a fence. We freed it and left it there to see if Mama would come back. She did, even though we had to touch Baby to free her.
