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Marsh Natural History Association Suisun
Marsh Natural History Association
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Throughout the year we receive many calls from people with various wildlife concerns and problems. Many of them can be handled simply with the right information and do not always require the intervention of the Wildlife center. Here we will attempt to discuss some of the more common questions and problems.
What to
do if you find an injured or orphaned wild animal
BABY
BIRDS
FAWNS
JACKRABBITS
OPOSSUM
SNAKES
SKUNKS
Which
animals we can't accept
WHAT TO DO...
We appreciate the assistance and concern of the public and our members.
Another high-risk time for birds is when they become large enough to first leave the nest. Many cannot yet fly and perch on branches in the nest tree or bush, where the parents continue to feed them. We call these birds "branchers", and the potential for them ending up on the ground is obvious.
If the birds are uninjured, the best course is to try to replace them. The parents will continue to care for them - they are the real experts. Look for the nest, or if it has fallen, see if it can be put back. This will cause much less distress to both the parent birds and the babies than it would to remove them.
With the "branchers", it may not be possible to find a nest, so they can be placed in a bush or tree about 5-6' from the ground to remove them from the vicinity of dogs and cats. "Branchers" are older fledglings, fairly well feathered and around 3/4 the size of adults.
Of course, if you can see or suspect that the babies are injured, then they should be brought to the Wildlife center as quickly as possible. Check the legs and wings for any sign of breaks, and the neck for any abnormal twisting. If you are uncertain or have any questions, please call the Wildlife center, our volunteers can advise you.
Never remove a fawn unless you are absolutely sure the mother will not return to care for it, i.e. if she is hit by a car or missing for more than one day. Fawns are difficult to raise in captivity and it must NOT be done by you at home. For one thing, their diets are very specialized. Wild animals can only live on food natural for their species. Do not ever attempt to feed a fawn cow's milk or anything else. Immediately get the fawn to the nearest wildlife center, which will have a suitable diet replacement on hand.
So far we've looked at some of the baby animals people commonly encounter in the spring. Now we'll discuss some of the common so-called "problem" animals around us, and try to provide some information on dealing with them.
Possums are actually fairly mild-mannered, and scavenge the bulk of their food rather than hunt for it. That is when most people see them, when they enter yards at night to eat pet food, garden vegetables or other food items. Eliminating these food sources from your yard will discourage their presence.
Possums are fairly harmless animals, but pets should be kept away from them and, as with all wildlife, they should never be cornered or attempts made to handle them unless absolutely necessary.
The snakes most likely to be seen in our area are garter snakes and gopher snakes, both harmless. King snakes and rattlesnakes are encountered much less frequently. The gopher snake's superficial resemblance to the rattlesnake often creates problems for it, but they can actually be told apart fairly easily. Although the gopher snake will vibrate its tail, it has no rattles, the unique property of the rattler. The gopher snake also has round pupils in its eyes like ours, while the rattler's pupils are elliptical, or pointed like a cat's.
The rattler is the only snake to be avoided in California, and this is not difficult. When hiking or climbing, wear boots and avoid placing hands and feet in places where you cannot see. If you should encounter a rattlesnake or any snake, your best course of action is to back off and allow the snake a way to retreat, which they will generally quickly do. Should someone be bitten by what you believe to be a rattler, attempt to kill the snake if this can be done without delay and take it along to aid in identification. Immediately take the bitten person to the nearest hospital, where healthy people usually recover quickly from such a bite with treatment.
Most snakes are harmless and helpful, and should never be killed unnecessarily, as the benefits they provide are considerable.
Many of us are not aware, however that skunks will warn before they spray. They do this by stamping their front feet down together, one or more times. That's the time to leave!
Skunks are also one of the few animals to carry rabies on a frequent basis, and should especially be avoided if seen in the daytime - since that is not normal behavior for them.
If you have problems with skunks around your home, try sealing all openings around the bottom of the house, and if necessary, humanely trap and relocate the animal. Humane traps are available at the Agricultural Commissioner's office in Fairfield. Bait the trap with something other than pet food (egg, fruit) or you'll get every pet around. Place a plastic garbage bag over the trap before catching the animal to confine any spraying and shield your approach. Relocate the animal to an area outside human habitation. If it appears to you to be ill, contact us at the Wildlife center for further advice or Solano County Animal Control at (707) 421-7486.
Please address any questions to the below listed Email address.
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Last update - (08/01/03)
