I Found a Baby…What Should I DO?

Baby Deer

Deer are born May-June.The mom hides them where she thinks they are the safest, which may be your porch, your yard or near a road. The mom only comes 2-4 times a day to feed her babies so as not to leave a scent that the predator would pick up on. Here are the steps if you find a baby deer:

  1. Is the deer truly orphaned?

    1. The deer will walk around crying for hours at a time;

    2. The tips of the ears are curled back;

    3. There is a dead doe nearby;

    4. The fawn is covered in ticks and/or maggots;

    5. The fawn is obviously injured.

  2. The deer is orphaned so what do you do?

    1. Call a rehabber to run through a double check to insure that the fawn needs help if not obvious;

    2. wrap up the fawn and put in a quiet location;

    3. If a rehabber can not get to the deer within 24 hours, offer the deer warmed Pedialyte with a bottle made for sheep. I like the lamb/goat kid bottles with the smaller red nipple which you can purchase at most farm supply stores.

    4. If none of the rehabilitation facilities can take the baby or won’t answer, call us at (502) 528-3354 and we will help you until you do find a licensed rehabber.

    5. Here is a link to all of the rehabbers in Kentucky. You can google your state’s Fish and Wildlife Rehabilitation. https://app.fw.ky.gov/rehabilitatorNew/

I Found a Baby Squirrel

Baby squirrels are born in the Spring and have a second season in Late Summer. A squirrel can be differentiated from other rodents at a young age by his black toenails. 

Here are the steps to take if you find a baby squirrel:

  1. Make sure the squirrel is truly orphaned rather than just fallen from the nest. If the baby has injuries, is covered in flies and/or maggots or was seen in a cat’s mouth, skip to step 2.

    1. put the squirrel in a box/basket and secure to a tree near where the baby was found. Make it secure enough so that it won’t move and scare off the mother if she retrieves her baby.

    2. If the baby is old enough to crawl out of the box/basket, place the box on the ground by a nearby tree.

    3. play baby squirrel noises on your phone placed near the basket and observe from a distance (out of sight). https://youtu.be/tgXnLN9w5BA

    4. Give the mom until late dusk to reunite.

  2. If the baby is not retrieved, call a licensed rehabber. Google “your state” Fish and Wildlife Rehabilitates to get a list of all of the rehabbers in your area. This is the link for the state of Kentucky. https://app.fw.ky.gov/rehabilitatorNew/

  3. Until you get the baby to a rehab facility, place the baby in a box with a heat source. Make sure the baby can get off the heat source if too hot. Please do not feed the baby. If the baby appears to be severely dehydrated (skin behind shoulders does not snap back when pulled up), give it Pedialyte via a syringe or dropper. Make sure the baby is on its belly and positioned like a kitten or puppy when they nurse. Baby squirrels aspirate easily so go very slowly- one drop at a time. Never give a baby anything when it is cold. Always warm the baby prior to giving them Pedialyte.

  4. If none of the rehabilitation facilities can take the baby or won’t answer, call us at (502) 528-3354 and we will help you until you do find a licensed rehabber.

I Found a Baby Opossum

Baby opossums are born February through June. If you see a dead opossum, check the pouch for babies if safe to do so. If you find a baby with no mother in sight, the opossum is orphaned. An opossum less than 7 inches long, not including the tail, needs your help. 

Here are the steps to take if you find a baby opossum:

  1. Call a licensed rehabber. Google “your state” Fish and Wildlife Rehabilitates to get a list of all of the rehabbers in your area. This is the link for the state of Kentucky. https://app.fw.ky.gov/rehabilitatorNew/

  2. Until you get the baby to a rehab facility, place the baby in a box with a heat source. Make sure the baby can get off the heat source if too hot. Please do not feed the baby. If the baby appears to be severely dehydrated (skin behind shoulders does not snap back when pulled up), give it Pedialyte via a syringe or dropper. Make sure the baby is on its belly and positioned like a kitten or puppy when they nurse. Never give a baby anything when it is cold. Always warm the baby prior to giving them Pedialyte.

  3. If none of the rehabilitation facilities can take the baby or won’t answer, call us at (502) 528-3354 and we will help you until you do find a licensed rehabber.

I Found a Baby Raccoon

Raccoons are born March- June. Because they are considered a rabies vector species, handle carefully. Here are the steps to take if you find a baby raccoon:

A raccoon mother generally keep their babies close unless the babies are old enough to wander from their nest while the mom is foraging for food. 

  1. If a mom has been evicted from a building but may still be close by, try to reunite the mom with her babies by placing the babies in a container where they are warm and safe from predators. An overturned box or laundry basket or possible containers. A warmed wear bottle helps keep them warm. Make sure the baby can move away from the heat as needed. Put the container in the path of where the mom may be and play baby raccoon noises on your phone. Make sure you are well out of sight and sound while encouraging the mother to return. https://youtu.be/RuIXIFK3gVc

  2. Call a licensed rehabber. Google “your state” Fish and Wildlife Rehabilitates to get a list of all of the rehabbers in your area. This is the link for the state of Kentucky. https://app.fw.ky.gov/rehabilitatorNew/

  3. Until you get the baby to a rehab facility, place the baby in a box with a heat source. Make sure the baby can get off the heat source if too hot. Please do not feed the baby. If the baby appears to be severely dehydrated (skin behind shoulders does not snap back when pulled up), give it Pedialyte via a syringe or dropper. Make sure the baby is on its belly and positioned like a kitten or puppy when they nurse. Never give a baby anything when it is cold. Always warm the baby prior to giving them Pedialyte.

  4. If none of the rehabilitation facilities can take the baby or won’t answer, call us at (502) 528-3354 and we will help you until you do find a licensed rehabber.

I Found a Baby Skunk

Skunks are born from April to August but usually are born May-June.  Because they are considered a rabies vector species, handle carefully. Here are the steps to take if you find a baby skunk:


A skunk mother generally keep their babies close unless the babies are old enough to wander from their nest while the mom is foraging for food. 

  1. When picking up the baby, tuck their tail under their body to keep from being sprayed.

  2. Call a licensed rehabber. Google “your state” Fish and Wildlife Rehabilitator to get a list of all of the rehabbers in your area. This is the link for the state of Kentucky. https://app.fw.ky.gov/rehabilitatorNew/

  3. Until you get the baby to a rehab facility, place the baby in a box with a heat source. Make sure the baby can get off the heat source if too hot. Please do not feed the baby. If the baby appears to be severely dehydrated (skin behind shoulders does not snap back when pulled up), give it Pedialyte via a syringe or dropper. Make sure the baby is on its belly and positioned like a kitten or puppy when they nurse. Never give a baby anything when it is cold. Always warm the baby prior to giving them Pedialyte.

  4. If none of the rehabilitation facilities can take the baby or won’t answer, call us at (502) 528-3354 and we will help you until you do find a licensed rehabber.