Guide
to
Rescuing Wildlife
Written by Brittany Davis,
Wildlife biologist, Master wildlife rehabilitator
INTRODUCTION
This guide is intended to help citizens determine if a wild animal is in need of assistance
and suggest capture and transport techniques that are safe for the animal and the person.
We offer no advice on caring for the animal as it is illegal in the state of Maryland to
possess a wild animal without the proper permits. We hope you find this information
helpful and encourage you to call Second Chance Wildlife Center (SCWC) if you have
any questions or need additional advice.
~ Chris Montuori, Founder of SCWC
NOTE:
By issuance of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and the United States Fish
and Wildlife Service, SCWC is permitted to rehabilitate bats, birds, chipmunks, frogs,
groundhogs, opossums, rabbits, snakes, squirrels, toads, and turtles.
SCWC does NOT hold permits to rehabilitate beaver, coyotes, foxes, raccoons, skunks,
or white-tailed deer.
SCWC does NOT accept domestic or exotic pets, hatching projects, or farm animals.
WILDLIFE MYTHS
You can raise and/or rehabilitate wild animals because your parents/grandparents did.
State and Federal laws prohibit citizens from raising and keeping wild animals without the proper
permits. Wildlife rehabilitators spend years learning their trade and work with licensed veterinarians to
ensure their patients receive the best possible care. Likewise, rehabbers and vets take classes and attend
conferences every year for continuing education. Some of the best diets available for young wild
animals can only be purchased from companies that require proof of permits.
Animals will abandon their nest/young after you touch them.
Most birds, especially songbirds, have a weak sense of smell, while most mammals are not bothered by
our scent due to our lack of “traditional” territorial markings. The physical presence of a person is what
deters animals from coming near and most animal parents are more than willing to retrieve their lost
youngster, if they are able.
All baby birds eat worms.
While most songbirds do feed insects and insect larva to their young, depending on the species, they
may also feed fruits, berries, seeds, and grains for a balanced diet. Parent birds will also regurgitate
food for their newly hatched young until their digestive tracts are populated with the necessary gut
bacteria to digest solid and whole foods. Some birds, like the well-known American Robin, will also
clean and pulverize earthworms in puddles or wet grass before feeding them to their young. Other
birds, like Mourning Doves and Feral Pigeons, will shed the inner lining of their crop (called “crop
milk”) to feed their young for the first couple weeks of life before switching to a diet comprised
entirely of seeds and grains.
All unattended rabbit kits (still in the nest) have been orphaned/abandoned.
Female rabbits only visit their nests twice a day, at dawn and dusk, to avoid drawing attention to the
location of their highly vulnerable young. The rabbit hunkers over the nest, sometimes not even
disturbing the grass-and-fur covering, and nurses and cleans her young for about ten minutes. During
that time, the kits drink as much as they can of her high fat/high protein milk, which they then slowly
digest over the next 12 hours before her next visit.
A fawn lying quietly by itself has been orphaned/abandoned.
White-tailed does will leave their fawns (under four-weeks-old) in a seemingly quiet spot for much of
the day. This behavior is a defense mechanism to avoid notice from their top predators (wolves and
mountain lions). The does will separate their young (they have twins nearly every year) and leave them
in a place where their spotted hide provides good camouflage. The fawns will remain near-motionless
while their mother, who is not out of ear-shot, can spend much of the day grazing.
Every deer with a spotted coat is a baby.
While it is true that deer fawn are only spotted in their first summer, they are also weaned when tenweeks-old, though they will continue to follow the doe around for another year or so. A spotted fawn
that does not appear in distress (i.e. not calling) should be left alone.
Ducks and geese can live off of bread crumbs (and crackers, cereal, etc).
These foods are considered junk foods for humans and they are no healthier for animals. In fact, these
foods are even worse for wild animals as they fill up their stomachs with empty calories and leave little
room for all the natural and nutritional foods they should be eating. Animals that have a steady diet of
“human foods” have been shown to suffer the same set-backs as humans, such as obesity and diabetes,
in addition to metabolic bone disease.
Every bat, fox or raccoon awake during the day is rabid.
Parent foxes and mother raccoons are out during the day quite frequently during the spring and summer
months, when the days are longer and they need to forage more for all their demanding young. Some of
our bat species are early risers, especially in the summer, and many are out during the late afternoon on
warmer winter days to try to take advantage of any insects also flying about.
Turtles in the road need to be relocated to a new home.
Turtles, especially the Eastern Box Turtle, are extremely territorial and long-lived, and roads just
happen to fall across their territories. If you see a turtle in the road and it appears uninjured, simply
place it on the side of the road in the direction it was heading. If you remove them from their territory,
they will have a hard time finding food and water sources and will attempt to walk back home with
little-to-no foraging. Likewise, our aquatic species will spend some time out of water, especially to find
a mate and to lay eggs. Relocating them to another body of water could be detrimental to their health,
as they may not have the proper immunities for what that pond or stream holds.
All maggots are beneficial, eating only dead tissue.
While sterile maggots (of a very particular species of fly) are used successfully in human medicine, the
larval young of many of our local flies (most commonly house flies, cheese flies, blow flies) do not
limit themselves to dead tissue, nor do the egg-laying flies wait until the animal is dead, or even lay the
eggs in a visible wound. Any animal seen with maggots or fly eggs (which look like tiny yellow grains
of rice) should be taken to a rehabilitator immediately.
TRAPPING WILDLIFE
HUMANE TRAPPING
Homeowners who discover wild animals nesting in their house usually want them removed ASAP.
Using a certified wildlife control service is one of the best means for wildlife removal as they use
humane methods of annoyance and exclusion first to allow the animal to move out on its own (and take
its young as well, if it is a nestling female) before they resort to trapping and relocating. Each company
has different rates and service areas, so be sure to call around to compare estimates.
SCWC RECOMMENDED TRAPPERS:
AT&R Trapping Service
www.humanetrapping.com
(301) 681-3965
Humane Wildlife Services
www.humanesociety.org/animal_community/humane-wildlife-services
(866) 9-HUMANE
GLUE TRAPS
These inhumane traps, consisting of thick, sticky glue on a thin piece of cardboard, are mostly used for
insect pest management, but snakes, mice, and small birds, which are attracted to the struggling insects,
also get stuck. SCWC has admitted countless songbirds (especially sparrows and wrens), mice, snakes,
and even a juvenile opossum, that were hopelessly stuck. Animal shelters have dealt with cats and dogs
that get covered in the extremely hard-to-remove glue.
Please do not use glue traps but if you find an animal stuck on one, please DO NOT attempt to remove
the animal yourself; you could end up severely injuring the animal. Cover all the remaining exposed
glue with a paper towel and place the whole trap with animal in a bag or carrier and bring it to a
wildlife rehabilitator immediately.
GARDEN NETTING
Meant to dissuade wild herbivores from browsing on suburban gardens, garden netting can be a death
sentence to snakes and birds. If you find an animal entangled and you are able to cut it free, without
harm to you or the animal, please do so. Check the animal for bruising, swelling, or bleeding; if you see
any injuries, bring the animal to a rehabilitator. If there are no apparent injuries, you can release the
animal, preferably away from the netting.
TRANSPORTING WILDLIFE
PREPARE YOURSELF:
It is best to wear protective gloves for handling wild animals. Injured animals may bite and
scratch in defense; they do not know you are only trying to help. Likewise, bringing a sizeappropriate towel to drape over the animal, especially covering its head and wings (for
birds) may reduce the animal’s stress and make handling a bit easier.
PREPARE A BOX OR CARRIER:
Place a clean, non-frayed towel or cloth, or paper towels, on the bottom of a sizeappropriate box (with a secure lid) or pet carrier. DO NOT put any food or water in the
transport container as it will most-likely end up making a mess and getting the animal all
wet. Punching holes in cardboard boxes is not required.
HANDLE WITH CARE:
Your safety is important; do not endanger yourself rescuing animals.
An injured or orphaned animal may try to fight you; this is natural. They are scared and
possibly in pain, and humans are viewed as large predators.
All handling should be kept to an absolute minimum. Too much direct contact can cause
shock, which can be fatal.
Make sure the box/carrier is securely closed to prevent any escapes en route to the
rehabilitator.
Keep the box/carrier warm, ESPECIALLY if you are transporting babies.
Car radios should be off and talking should be kept to a minimum to further reduce stress.
Important phone numbers
City Wildlife
(202) 882 - 1000
DC Animal Control
(202) 576 - 6664
DNR 24-hour Hotline
(410) 260 - 8888
Frederick Co Animal Control
(301) 600 - 1546
Gaithersburg Animal Control
(301) 258 - 6343
Montgomery Co Animal Services
(301) 773 - 5900
Prince George’s Co Animal Management
(301) 780 - 7200
Rockville Neighborhood Services
(301) 314 - 8937
Second Chance Wildlife Center
(301) 926 - 9453
Washington Humane Society
(202) 234 - 8626
Wildlife Rescue League of Virginia
(703) 440 - 0800
avian
songbirds
This diverse group of birds includes most of our backyard neighbors and comprises almost half of the
annual admissions at SCWC. This group includes some of the very small (hummingbirds), the very
large (crows), and every size in between (cardinals, robins, wrens, etc).
do rescue:
Any that were attacked by another animal, especially a cat.
Any that were hit by a car, lawnmower, weed-whacker, or
construction equipment.
Any that are covered in ants, flies, fly eggs and/or maggots.
Injured nestlings that have fallen from their nest.
Fledglings that do not move away when approached.
Any that have flown into your window/glass door.
(Pictured: nestling Common Grackles)
TIP: Place the bird in a shoebox or pet carrier and leave it alone in a quiet, dark room (away from
kids and pets) for an hour, then try to release the bird outside. If it is unable to fly away
successfully, it will need a rehabilitator.
do not rescue:
Healthy fledglings - most of our native songbirds leave the nest
before they are fully flighted, learning to fly from the ground
while still being fed and tended to by their parents.
Re-nestable nestlings - if a songbird has fallen and seems
uninjured (no blood or bruising), try to put the baby back into its
nest. If it jumps back out, it is a fledgling and should be left alone.
(Pictured: fledgling Northern Cardinals)
if it needs rehabilitation:
DO NOT force feed any injured bird. These animals are in pain and/or shock; food is not needed at
such a time and excessive handling can exacerbate the injuries.
DO NOT feed any baby bird, even if it is begging. Unskilled hands can force food/water into the
lungs and an improper diet can do irreparable damage.
See How to Transport Wildlife. Keep warm and quiet.
(Pictured: fledgling Carolina Wrens)
(Pictured: fledgling American Robins)
(Pictured: nestling Mourning Doves)
waterfowl
This group of birds includes the birds we are so used to seeing in and around our local lakes, ponds,
and rivers - ducks, geese, and swans. NOTE: SCWC does not admit Mute Swans.
do rescue:
Any that were attacked by another animal.
Any that were hit by a car.
Any that have fishing line wrapped around them or trailing
from their body. DO NOT attempt to remove the line from the
bird yourself, as they could have also swallowed a fish hook
or have one otherwise embedded on its body.
Any that appear weak and/or unsteady and/or cannot fly.
Any lone duckling or gosling that does not appear to be a part
of a family group.
Any that are covered in ants, flies, fly eggs and/or maggots.
(Pictured: week-old Mallard ducklings)
do not rescue:
Any bird sitting on a nest. Nesting waterfowl, especially
Canada Geese, are ferociously protective of their eggs and
young. If you know for certain that the bird in injured, or
if you see evidence of fishing line, call for advice.
If you cannot catch the bird. If the bird is injured, chasing
it may exacerbate the injuries or cause the bird to run into
traffic. Make a note of its location and report the situation.
Any ducking or gosling with parents nearby. Adults are
fiercely protective of their young and could attack.
If you have any concerns, feel free to call for advice.
(Pictured: few-days-old Canada gosling)
if it needs rehabilitation:
Try to contain the wings during capture and transport. Geese are especially strong and can slap their
wings, hitting you with a bony appendage on their wrist joints (called a ‘club’). They can also bite
hard and scratch with their feet.
DO NOT force feed any injured bird. These animals are in
pain and/or shock; food is not needed at such a time and
excessive handling can exacerbate the injuries.
DO NOT feed any baby bird, even if it is begging.
Unskilled hands can force food/water into the lungs and
an improper diet can do irreparable damage.
See How to Transport Wildlife. Keep warm and quiet.
(Pictured: juvenile Canada Goose)
raptors & vultures
These groups of birds are often grouped together though they are not closely related. Raptors are the
birds of prey, like hawks, falcons, and owls, while vultures are carrion eaters.
do rescue:
Any that were attacked by another animal.
Any that were hit by a car.
Any that are easy to approach and appear lethargic.
Injured nestlings that have fallen from their nest.
Any that are covered in ants, flies, fly eggs and/or maggots.
(Pictured: nestling Red-shouldered Hawk)
do not rescue:
If the bird is mantling over its prey - some hawks and owls
may not be willing (or able) to take their pretty from where
they obtained it. If you see a hawk or owl spreading its wings
and is reluctant to fly away, check to see if it is protecting its
food.
If you cannot catch it. If the bird is injured, chasing it may
exacerbate its injuries or cause the bird to run into traffic.
Make a note of its location and report the situation.
Any nestling with parents nearby. Adults are fiercely
protective of their young and could attack you. If you feel the
baby is too young or appears injured, call for advice.
(Pictured: nestling Barred Owls)
if it needs rehabilitation:
BE VERY CAREFUL! These birds have sharp beaks and talons and are quite strong.
Write down the EXACT location the bird was found, including the street address and/or distance
from the nearest crossroads, and a general description of the area, including landmarks. Raptors are
extremely territorial and vultures belong to family groups.
DO NOT force feed any injured bird. These animals are in pain and/or shock; food is not needed at
such a time and excessive handling can exacerbate the injuries.
DO NOT feed any baby bird, even if it is begging. Unskilled hands can force food/water into the
lungs and an improper diet can do irreparable damage.
See How to Transport Wildlife. Keep warm and quiet.
(Pictured: juvenile Turkey Vulture)
(Pictured: juvenile Black Vulture)
aquatic birds
This group of birds includes herons and gulls, which are not closely related but have similar aquatic
feeding habits. Gulls are increasingly adapting to urban encroachment and are thus more likely to fall
into harm’s way.
do rescue:
Any that were attacked by another animal.
Any that were hit by a car.
Any that are covered in ants, flies, fly eggs and/or maggots.
Any that have fishing line wrapped around them or trailing from their body. DO NOT attempt to
remove the line from the bird yourself, as they could have also swallowed a fish hook or have one
otherwise embedded on its body.
Any that appear weak and/or unsteady and/or cannot fly.
do not rescue:
If you cannot catch the bird. If the bird is injured, chasing it may
exacerbate the injuries or cause the bird to run into traffic. Make a
note of its location and report the situation.
Young Killdeer; they follow their mother shortly after hatching. A
lone baby should be reported, but not approached. Call for advice.
(Pictured: few-days-old Killdeer)
if it needs rehabilitation:
BE VERY CAREFUL! These birds have very strong beaks and herons will attempt to stab at you
to defend themselves.
DO NOT force feed any injured bird. These animals are in pain and/or shock; food is not needed at
such a time and excessive handling can exacerbate the injuries.
DO NOT feed any baby bird, even if it is begging. Unskilled hands can force food/water into the
lungs and an improper diet can do irreparable damage.
See How to Transport Wildlife. Keep warm and quiet.
(Pictured: adult Great Black-backed Gull)
(Pictured: juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron)
mammalian
rabbits
The Eastern Cottontail is mostly crepuscular though they are also active in the middle of the night,
especially during the warm spring and summer months.
NOTE: SCWC does not admit domestic rabbits for treatment.
do rescue:
Any that were attacked by another animal, especially a cat.
Any that were hit by a car or landscaping equipment.
Any adults that are easy to approach and appear lethargic.
Any thin rabbit kits - if you find a nest of rabbit kits and
they appear thin and bony, they may have been orphaned.
Call for advice.
Any kits that are covered in ants, flies, fly eggs and/or maggots.
Rabbit kits whose nest has been destroyed beyond repair.
(Pictured: 10-day-old Eastern Cottontails)
do not rescue:
Healthy and uninjured nestling rabbits. They only remain in the nest for up to a month, and by
weaning time, their mother is already preparing another nest for another litter. If you wish to be
certain that the mother is still visiting the nest, gently pick up one of the kits by the torso, letting the
hind legs dangle. If the kits looks like it swallowed a golf ball, they are full of milk; if they appear
slender, mom may be missing and you should call for advice.
Healthy and uninjured juvenile rabbits. Kits are fully weaned and independent by four-weeks-old,
are roughly the size of a tennis ball, and may remain at or near the nest for a week or so before
moving on. Young rabbits will freeze more often than run as they are too small to outrun their
predators. If the young rabbit does not move at your approach, but appears uninjured, leave it alone.
if it needs rehabilitation:
DO NOT handle the rabbit any more than absolutely necessary. A calm rabbit is a rabbit in shock.
DO NOT force feed any injured rabbit. These animals are in pain and/or shock; food is not needed
at such a time and excessive handling can exacerbate the injuries.
DO NOT feed any baby rabbit. Unskilled hands can force food/water into the lungs and an improper
diet can do irreparable damage.
See How to Transport Wildlife. Keep warm and quiet.
(Pictured: adult Eastern Cottontail)
(Pictured: 3-week-old Eastern Cottontail)
rodents
Most of the members of this group are diurnal and solitary, like chipmunks, groundhogs, and grey
squirrels, while others are nocturnal and social, like flying squirrels. NOTE: Though beavers are also
rodents, per Maryland law they are unrehabilitatable. Any injured or ill beavers should be reported to
the local animal control. Likewise, SCWC does not rehabilitate invasive species of rat (Black Rat and
Norway Rat) or mice (House Mouse).
do rescue:
Any nestling found on the ground and cold. Grey and flying
squirrels nest in trees; chipmunks and groundhogs nest
underground. Though the mother will retrieve her young if
she finds it, any baby found cold will need additional care.
Any pups that are covered in ants, flies, fly eggs, maggots.
Any with visible injuries.
Any that were attacked by another animal, especially a cat.
(Pictured: week-old Eastern Grey Squirrels)
Any adults that are easy to approach and appear lethargic. USE CAUTION - though rodents are not
considered a vector species, they can catch and spread the rabies virus.
Any young juvenile that is found approaching people or pets;
it has been orphaned for several days and needs care.
do not rescue:
Any injured squirrel that has escaped up a tree. Even injured,
they can still be good climbers; call for advice.
If you see the pup’s mother nearby. If you are too close to
the pup, she may not feel safe enough to retrieve it. Watch
from a safe distance to see if she collects her young. She may
need several hours to find and retrieve her pup, so try to give
her as much of the day as possible.
(Pictured: juvenile Groundhog)
Any young found in a nest inside your home, attic, etc. Try to use humane methods of exclusion to
evict the mother and her young - locate the nest and place a small radio nearby and leave it on
around the clock. The constant noise bothers the animals when they are trying to sleep, causing the
mother to move her young to a quieter location (many mammals use more than one nest site when
raising young). When you are sure that all of the animals are gone, find and patch the entry location
to prevent further “break-ins.”
if it needs rehabilitation:
BE VERY CAREFUL! Rodents have very sharp teeth, strong
jaws, and sharp claws.
DO NOT force feed any injured rodent. These animals are in pain
and/or shock; food is not needed at such a time and excessive
handling can exacerbate the injuries.
DO NOT feed any baby rodent, even if it is begging. Unskilled
hands can force food/water into the lungs and an improper diet
can do irreparable damage.
See How to Transport Wildlife. Keep warm and quiet.
(Pictured: 10-day-old White-footed Mouse)
opossums
The Virginia Opossum is North America’s only marsupial and is a nocturnal and nomadic scavenger.
do rescue:
Any that were attacked by another animal, especially a cat.
Any that were hit by a car or landscaping equipment.
All pups that were found in the pouch of a deceased female. Call for advice.
Any young opossum found by itself that is smaller than 8-inches long (not including tail).
Any that are covered in ants, flies, fly eggs and/or maggots.
do not rescue:
Any healthy, uninjured opossum that is longer than 8-inches
(not including tail), even if it does not move away at your
approach. Opossums will freeze and bare their teeth more
often than they will run away.
Any uninjured opossum found stuck inside a trash can or
recycle bin. Simply tip the can/bin over to allow the opossum
to escape (which they may not do in your presence).
(Pictured: adult Virginia Opossum)
if it needs rehabilitation:
DO NOT force feed any injured opossum. These animals are
in pain and/or shock; food is not needed at such a time and
excessive handling can exacerbate the injuries.
DO NOT feed any baby opossum. Unskilled hands can force
food/water into the lungs and an improper diet can do
irreparable damage.
See How to Transport Wildlife. Keep warm and quiet.
(Pictured: Six-week-old Virginia Opossums)
(Pictured: ten-week-old Virginia Opossum)
(Pictured: juvenile Virginia Opossums)
DEER
The White-tailed Deer is our largest herbivore; PLEASE use extreme caution with approaching any
injured deer and DO NOT put any injured deer over 10-lb/4.5-kg into your car. Hit-by-car deer can
cause severe damage to themselves and you. Injured deer that are still mobile should be left alone; if
their quality of life is poor, please alert your local animal control.
NOTE: SCWC does not hold the White-tailed Deer fawn permit; please call ahead for advice.
do rescue:
Fawns that were attacked by another animal.
Fawns that were hit by a car or landscaping equipment.
Fawns that are covered in dew, ants, flies, fly eggs or maggots.
Fawns that are wandering aimlessly and calling.
do not rescue:
Fawns that are uninjured and laying quiet. Does leave their fawns in one place for most of the day
(up to 10 hours) during the first month of life as they are not strong enough to follow her throughout
the day. The doe remains within earshot of her young and instinct keeps the fawn quiet; it will not
flee from your approach.
Injured deer that are larger than 10-lb/4.5-kg. Please call for advice.
if it needs rehabilitation:
Please call for advice before attempting to bring in ANY deer. SCWC does not hold the White-tailed
Deer fawn permit and it would be preferable for any orphaned fawn to be taken directly to the
properly permitted rehabilitators.
DO NOT force feed any injured deer. These animals are in pain and/or shock; food is not needed at
such a time and excessive handling can exacerbate the injuries.
DO NOT feed any baby deer, even if they are begging. Unskilled hands can force food/water into
the lungs and an improper diet can do irreparable damage.
See How to Transport Wildlife. Keep warm and quiet.
md rabies vector species (RVS)
Rabies is a viral disease, passed through saliva, that attacks the central nervous system, greatly altering
an animal’s behavior. Any mammal acting unusually friendly or overly aggressive should be reported
to the local Animal Control. In Maryland, the following four species statistically test higher for rabies
than other animals: raccoons, foxes, skunks, and bats. Rehabilitators with a RVS permit may only
rehabilitate HEALTHY and UNINJURED orphaned raccoons, foxes and skunks; bats may be
rehabilitated at any age. Adult raccoons, foxes, and skunks must be euthanized per Maryland law.
NOTE: SCWC only holds provisional RVS permits and can only rehabilitate bats. Please call ahead if
you have a RVS. ALWAYS WEAR PROTECTIVE GLOVES WHEN HANDLING A RVS.
do rescue:
Any bat found on the ground. NOTE: Gather the bat in a small towel and if it seems uninjured,
drape the towel over a tree branch. It is very difficult for bats to take off from the ground; if the bat
is still on the towel the following morning, it should be brought to a rehabilitator.
Any kit/pup found abandoned and cold. NOTE: Foxes and raccoons have multiple dens and will
often relocate their young as they grow. A lone kit/pup should be watched from a distance to allow
the parents time for retrieval.
Any kit/pup with visible injuries. NOTE: Raccoons often nest in trees. Check the young for injuries;
if none are found, watch from a distance to ensure the mother retrieves her pup.
Any kits/pup that were attacked by another animal.
Any kits/pups that were hit by a car or landscaping equipment.
Any kits/pups that are covered in ants, flies, fly eggs and/or maggots.
do not rescue:
Any RVS displaying abnormal behavior. Call Animal Control.
Any juvenile raccoon, skunk, or fox. If they are approximately
two-thirds the size of an adult, they are capable of being
independent and are viewed as adults by law.
Any young found in a nest inside your home, attic, etc. Try to use
humane methods of exclusion to evict the mother and her young locate the nest and place a small radio nearby and leave it on
around the clock. The constant noise bothers the animals when
they are trying to sleep, causing the mother to move her young to a
quieter location (many mammals use more than one nest site when
raising young). When you are sure that all of the animals are gone,
find and patch the entry location to prevent further “break-ins.”
(Pictured: juvenile Eastern Red Bat)
if it needs rehabilitation:
Avoid direct contact. Use thick gloves and towels to handle.
DO NOT force feed any injured RVS. These animals are in pain and/or shock; food is not needed at
such a time and excessive handling can exacerbate the injuries. Excess handling can also increase
the risk of exposure as rabies is transmitted through saliva.
DO NOT feed any baby, even if they are begging. Unskilled hands can force food/water into the
lungs and an improper diet can do irreparable damage. Excess handling can also increase the risk of
exposure as rabies is transmitted through saliva.
See How to Transport Wildlife. Keep warm and quiet.
reptilian
snakes
Most snakes are diurnal, though they can be active during summer evenings. Not strictly territorial,
they tend to be most active in areas with large amounts of their favorite prey, including birds, frogs,
insects, mice, rats, and toads.
NOTE: SCWC does not admit pet snakes for treatment.
do rescue:
Any that were attacked by another animal.
Any that were hit by a car or landscaping equipment.
Any that were caught in garden netting. TIP: If you are
able to remove the snake from the garden netting and it
is uninjured, please feel free to release it in a safe
environment.
Any that are covered in ants, flies, fly eggs and/or
maggots.
(Pictured: juvenile Black Rat Snake)
do not rescue:
Any that have clouded-over eyes (resembling cataracts). Snakes actually shed the outer layer of
their eyes when they go through a full-body molt. They may also seem more ornery at this time
since their vision is severely limited.
Any uninjured, newly-hatched snakes. They are independent from birth and do not need assistance.
if it needs rehabilitation:
You may want to consider wearing gloves during handling as snakes can excrete a strong-smelling
musk when agitated. Plus, reptiles can carry strains of Salmonella.
Consider placing the snake inside an old pillowcase and tying off the open end; snakes are
incredibly adept at escaping from traditional transport carriers.
See How to Transport Wildlife. Keep warm and quiet.
NOTE: Copperhead snakes and Timber Rattlesnakes are
the only two venomous snake species in Maryland,
though sightings of copperheads are rare and rattlesnakes
even rarer. Many people often mistake young black rat
snakes as copperheads due to their scale patterns (used for
camouflage). If you have a snake identification question,
please feel free to send a picture to [email protected] or call
the center for details.
(Pictured: juvenile Northern Copperhead Snake)
aquatic & terrestrial turtles
The Eastern Box Turtle is a solitary, highly territorial, long-lived, diurnal, terrestrial reptile. Aquatic
turtles include Common Snapping Turtles, Eastern Painted Turtles, and the Diamondback Terrapin.
NOTE: SCWC does not admit pet turtles for treatment.
do rescue:
Any that were attacked by another animal.
Any that were hit by a car or landscaping equipment.
Any that have swollen or weepy eyes and/or any
swellings on the side of the head.
Any that have an obviously cracked and/or bleeding
shell or injured limb.
Any that are covered in ants, flies, fly eggs and/or
maggots.
do not rescue:
(Pictured: juvenile Common Snapping Turtle)
Any uninjured turtle found in the road. Simply place the turtle on the side of the road it was heading
towards and leave it be; they know where they are going regardless of the terrain.
Any uninjured, newly-hatched turtles. They are independent from birth and do not need assistance.
if it needs rehabilitation:
Write down the EXACT location the turtle was found, including
the street address and/or distance from the nearest crossroads, and
a general description of the area, including landmarks. Box turtles
are extremely territorial and will not survive if relocated; aquatic
turtles should be returned to the water sources they inhabit for
similar reasons.
See How to Transport Wildlife. Keep warm and quiet.
(Pictured: hatchling Eastern Box Turtle)
Glossary
crepuscular - active at dawn and dusk.
diurnal - active by day.
feral - a domestic animal born in the wild.
fledgling - a young bird that has left the nest but is not yet capable of true flight.
habituated - accustomed to, as a particular person or situation.
imprinted - established behaviors learned in early development; often used to describe animals
learning improper behaviors from a non-natural parent.
nestling - a young animal that is not old enough to leave its nest.
nocturnal - active by night.