Temporary Care for Wild Creatures
When I was in California in the 70’s, our home was located in a still natural environment. We discovered 4 week-old baby possums in our driveway crying next to their deceased mom. I wrapped them up in a large towel and brought them inside but since we had a very small living space at that time, they took up residence in our bathroom, and as they got a bit older, our bath tub.
Nocturnal and omnivorous, baby possums will often die rather that feed from humans, so if you cannot get them to eat within a 24-hour period, call a wildlife rescue center for advice.
Fortunately we didn’t have that problem. Gradually weaning them with canned baby formula, we experimented with different fruits and vegetables and even canned dog food, and it turned out that one of their favorite foods was avocados. Even at that young age, possums have sharp teeth and claws, and although they trusted us enough to let us play and feed them, we were still careful not to have too much interaction. These were wild creatures who deserved their freedom when they were old enough.
About a month later, it was time to let them go. Formerly tiny pinprick bites had become rather painful, but this let us know they could take care of themselves. We released them at an avocado ranch under a tree with plenty of cover and waited for a few moments as they climbed into what would be their new home.
Several years later we found a very tiny week-old wren under my car in a large parking structure about 40 feet down from his nest. His mother was nearby but was unable or perhaps too scared to rescue him personally. We wrapped Ousler in a t-shirt, placed that in a small wicker basket, and rushed to the nearest pet shop. There are great powdered feeding formulas that can be mixed with warm distilled or pre-boiled water and fed with the aid of an eyedropper or, when the baby gets older, a small dripping bottle.
Baby birds’ crops (small sacs located in their neck areas) must never be completely empty. Therefore, you must feed them every 2-4 hours and ensure that the food goes into the crop and not its lungs. To do this, enter the beak from the left side and point the dropper towards the right. Usually the bird will open its mouth willingly but remember that this is a tedious process so prepare yourself for weeks of sleepless nights.
It is imperative that you keep the bird warm, especially if their feathers have not grown in. The best way to do this is with a heating pad under the cloth that is now its nest. As Ousler aged, he seemed to know I was “Mom”. Even before he could fly, he would trot over to me when I entered my room, chirp a greeting and crawl up to my neck.
My first rule in the care of wild creatures is not to make them so domesticated that when they are ready to leave they will not survive on their own. It was difficult to do this with Ousler because he was so affectionate. I never put him in a cage, and although my whole floor was his “litter box”, it was worth the sacrifice.
When the wren was about 7 weeks we began weaning him and two weeks after he had matured to flying around the room. Soon after we took him to a friend’s house in the country with a large pond and enough tree-covered acreage that he would never have to fear losing his home. As we let him out of the carrier, he flew to a nearby twig, hesitated for all of 5 seconds, chirped “farewell” and was soon out of site. Sad as the occasion was, I imagine that by now there are many more generations of Ouslers.
Patches, on the other hand, was a full-grown checkered pigeon that my boyfriend found at the zoo (he was a security guard there at the time) and brought home. He put him in a small box in his heated passenger seat. Oddly enough, the bird put up no struggle, no squawking, and did not appear to be injured. We left him in our extra room for a couple of hours with water and wild bird seed.
Checking on him later that night, he seemed almost glad to see me. I began to wonder if he was someone’s actual pet, for he came willingly on my arm as I placed it under his claws. Perhaps he was scared or cold but he sat there for almost an hour until he dozed off. I changed his food (he seemed to like the smaller seed) and cleaned his box and water.
The next morning I opened the door and he cooed a greeting. I put a piece of wood across the box for him to perch on, but he seemed to prefer me. I began to wonder if he was going to be a permanent resident. This was not great news considering our household included two cats and a Labrador retriever.
Day three and Patches discovers the bed. I covered it with paper and towels but left the food and water in the same dishes, for it is imperative that birds feel secure and not panic. When day four arrived, Patches had made it to the dresser top and window sill. He was also less friendly, which was a good sign. We left a window with a screen covering open for one day and removed the screen the next so that he would be able to leave when he was strong enough.
For a couple of days that sweet pigeon watched the other birds, then flew away. We haven’t seen him since so I know he has found some new friends.
Bob, a baby flying squirrel, was so tiny and cute, yet terrified when we found him on the lawn that we quickly wrapped him a towel and placed him in a dresser drawer with a heating pad.
Again we fed him pet formula until he was gradually weaned to acorns, fruit and live bugs and sufficient fresh water. We discovered he liked sleeping in socks. We kept them in a mostly closed drawer to simulate nocturnal conditions.
There are many actual breeders of flying squirrels for they are generally good natured and very intelligent, but again, I cannot emphasize enough that these are wild creatures and as such should remain so. In Bob’s case, as he matured for the next couple of months, he had taken over the entire dresser and used the inside of the drawers (unfinished, unaltered wood) for nesting and teething.
One day he decided to take flight. After a couple of misses, he successfully launched himself to the top of a large curtain rod. Thereafter, it was not unusual to enter the room and have Bob greet us by zooming down to a shoulder.
After another couple of weeks, Bob had reached puberty. He seemed especially fond of my teenage daughter. This was quite bizarre but we knew it was a sign. That night we opened the window but he did not wish to leave so we took him outside and let him loose beneath the tree we had originally found him under. Hesitantly, he started up, and with a final chirp, left us for good. We still saw him occasionally but fortunately he had made the final transition back to nature.
The moral of this story? Please help keep wild creatures wild. If you find one and cannot take care of it, contact someone who can. If you can, keep them warmed, fed and loved enough to release them back to their natural habitat when they are ready. It is quite an exhilarating feeling to set them free when the final day comes, sad as it may be for you.
