Found an Animal?

Natural History:

Opossums are marsupials. Their babies are born very tiny, no bigger than a dime, and the mothers carry them in a pouch. When the babies grow bigger, they cling to the mother’s back until they are so large they fall off and start life on their own. Solitary and nocturnal, they are rarely active during daylight; they look for a safe, dark place to sleep. Opossums eat a wide variety of foods, including garden snails, slugs, insects, mice, fruits, and snakes. They will also opportunistically seek out dog and cat food,  as well as trash. When confronted or startled, they will run away or may “play dead”—lying motionless for up to an hour. If cornered, opossums gape their mouths, showing off their 50 pointy teeth, trying to look as fearsome as possible. They very rarely bite, but when they do, watch out!

Common problems:

Hit by car or attacked by dog: If it can be safely put into a secure container without touching the animal, it can be brought to the wildlife hospital. You can also call your local animal control (As of October 5, 2020, Contra Costa County is no longer responding to any sick, injured or trapped wildlife but will refer callers to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.) If you find a dead opossum, check to see if it has a pouch on the lower abdomen. If there are babies in the pouch, bring her to the hospital without removing the babies from the pouch—removing the babies is very dangerous.

Orphaned young opossums: If the opossum is 8 inches from the nose to the base of the tail or larger, it is okay to leave it alone—this is the normal age for them to leave their mothers. If it is less than 8 inches or is injured, place it in a warm, dark container and bring it to the wildlife hospital as soon as possible. They require special diets, so no food or water should be offered.

Opossum under the house: Remove all outdoor dog and cat food before sunset; otherwise, opossums will be attracted to your yard. Keep trash cans securely covered. If you hear an opossum under your house during the day, it is looking for a safe place to sleep. Look for any gaps or openings that it is using to get in, wait for it to leave to forage at night, and close all openings securely (hardware cloth can be very helpful). Motion sensitive lights and sprinklers will discourage opossums from hanging around your yard. Opossums will avoid noise and disturbance.

Natural History:

Black-tailed deer, a subspecies of the mule deer, are common throughout Northern and Central California. Preferring open chaparral, they’ve learned to adapt to small patches of open space in urban areas, and are frequently found in many neighborhoods.

Black-tailed deer form small family groups, which are most active early in the morning and again at dusk. Fawns are born in late spring or early summer, having spotted coats for about three and a half months. Each doe has one or two babies. Fawns begin foraging for food on their own when one week old, but nurse heavily for at least two months. Rarely traveling very far, deer live most of their lives close to where they’re born.

Common problems:

“Abandoned” fawn: Does hide their babies for the first week of life so they can go off to feed, often for the entire day. These babies are not abandoned; the mother is most likely out of sight watching you. If you find a fawn lying quietly in the grass, leave it where it is—stay back and stay out of sight, and keep dogs as far away as possible. The mother will not return if she senses people and dogs are too close. If a fawn has been picked up, return it to the exact location it was found, or within sight of that spot. Stay back several hundred feet, and watch for the mother’s return, which can take many hours.

If the fawn appears injured, bring it to the wildlife hospital or contact your local animal control services (As of Oct. 5, 2020, Contra Costa County is no longer responding to any sick, injured or trapped wildlife but will refer callers to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.) Fawns are terrified of people and respond by being as quiet and small as they can get. A fawn carried in a person’s lap or hearing human voices will be very frightened. If you need to move a fawn, keep as quiet as possible; touch it as little as possible. Fawns have a very special diet and can become ill if given the wrong diet, so there is no need to offer them food or water before arriving at the hospital.

Injured adult: Adult deer cannot be treated. The stress and fear associated with captivity is more than they can endure. Fortunately, many injuries can heal on their own. The best advice is to leave them alone, keeping dogs and people as far away as possible. If the deer is down or broken bone is exposed, call animal control.

Chased by dogs: When chased by dogs for long periods, deer can collapse from overheating. Remove all dogs from the area, stay several hundred feet back, and watch if the deer revives, which may take several hours. If the deer does not recover, call the wildlife hospital or animal control for advice.

Deer from another area: Lindsay Wildlife Hospital cannot accept fawns from outside of the area. Fawns can only be accepted from Contra Costa County and Alameda County, north of I-580.

Note: Deer are not affected by poison oak; in fact, it is a favorite food. Avoid skin contact with deer, since they may have poison oak oils on their bodies. They may also have ticks—check carefully for ticks whenever encountering deer. In addition to the antlers of the males, deer have sharp hooves and kick very hard. Even fawns can cause injury when they kick.

Injured: Wearing gardening gloves, place it in a secure container and bring it to the hospital. Gophers and moles can bite—do not touch it with your bare hands.

Baby gopher or mole: Baby gophers and moles should not be out of the underground nest; bring it to the hospital.

Natural History:

There are several native rodent species in California. These include deer mice, harvest mice, voles, and dusky-footed woodrats (also called packrats). They are not usually found inside homes or other buildings, but may be found near dwellings. These species are a natural part of the California landscape. Rodents are nocturnal, and the mother is usually with the young during the day.

The mice and rats most commonly encountered are invasive, non-native species like house mice, Norway rats, and black rats (also called roof rats). These species are frequently found both inside and outside homes. They cause millions of dollars in damage to property each year, can cause food poisoning, and can spread diseases like typhus, leptospirosis, and plague. Lindsay Wildlife Hospital cannot accept non-native species.

Common problems:

Infant mice or rats found alone: If you find a nest, leave it undisturbed to let the mother return to her babies. If she doesn’t return within a few hours, or if you find a baby mouse or rat away from its nest, it can be hard to tell if it is a native species or a non-native. The best way to tell which is which is by emailing the hospital a picture of the animal and a brief description of the circumstances in which it was found: [email protected].  If hospital staff still cannot determine the species, you may be asked to bring it in for identification.

Unwanted rodents in homes: If there are problems with non-native rats and mice inside a house, snap traps are the most humane method of removal. Traps left outside can unintentionally kill or injure children, cats, birds, dogs, squirrels, or other animals. Avoid leaving food out that rodents can find. Check your foundations and walls for holes that rodents can use to enter a building, and block them with metal sheeting or hardware cloth. Animals caught in glue traps die very slowly and are not considered humane. Glue traps also catch many non-target species like birds, lizards, baby opossums, and rabbits—this is especially true if they are used outdoors. Poison also kills many unintended animals—predators like hawks and owls will eat poisoned rats and mice and then they become poisoned.

Injured or orphaned skunk: Lindsay Wildlife Rehabilitation Hospital does take in skunks. But Lindsay does not relocate or trap skunks. Please call your local animal services for help (As of Oct. 5, Contra Costa County is no longer responding to any sick, injured or trapped wildlife but will refer callers to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.) Skunks in our area may carry rabies. Do not attempt to capture or feed any skunks.

Ducklings in storm drain: Contact the city, county, or appropriate water company. They have access to tools needed to remove the grate. Fashion a pole with a net to scoop out the babies. When the rescue is complete, release the babies away from the drain.

Duck or goose with wings sticking out to side: Ducks or geese (usually domestic) can have a metabolic bone disease caused by improper diet while young. There is no cure. If they are in an area with adequate food and are not in danger, leave them alone. If they are in danger or are otherwise injured or ill, call your local animal services for pick up. As of Oct. 5, 2020, Contra Costa County is no longer responding to any sick, injured or trapped wildlife but will refer callers to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Common problems:

Nest on ground: If you find a nest on the ground, tie or wire it back into a nearby tree. It doesn’t need to be exactly where it was, as long as it is within sight of the original location, and the parents can see and hear the babies. To make it easier to secure, you can put the nest in a little margarine tub or plastic box (with drainage holes in the bottom). Watch from a distance to make sure a parent returns to the nest.

Hatchlings and nestlings on ground: These birds are early in development and may have no feathers. If possible, locate the nest, gently pick up the baby, and place it in the nest. Make sure the other babies in the nest look like the one you are replacing. Watch from a distance to confirm that the parent bird returns to the nest, which could take several hours. Don’t worry about your scent on the bird; the mother will not reject the baby.

If the baby bird is injured, or you can’t find or reach the nest, bring it to the wildlife hospital as quickly as possible. During transport, keep the baby warm, dark, and quiet. Baby birds have very specific diets, and getting the wrong diet can make them sick, so there is no need to give them food or water before bringing them in.

Fledgling bird on ground: Fledglings will often jump out of the nest when they can only hop and flutter on the ground or from branch to branch. This is a natural part of the process of learning to fly. The parents continue to feed and watch over the fledglings. Keep cats and dogs indoors for the few days it takes the youngster to master flight. Watch from a distance—if no parent comes to feed the fledgling for several hours, or it appears injured, it can be brought to the wildlife hospital. The parents come and go very quickly, and you may not see them feeding the baby. Feel free to call the wildlife hospital for advice if you are unsure about what to do.

Bird caught by cat: Cat attack is very stressful to birds and the injuries can be severe. Place the bird in a small container that can be securely closed (like a shoebox with a lid, or a grocery bag secured with a clothes pin), and bring it to the wildlife hospital as soon as possible. Keep them warm, dark, and quiet. These birds have special diets and extra handling increases their stress, so there is no need to give them food or water.

Bird hit window: A bird hitting a window may suffer brain injury, eye abrasions, or broken bones. If the bird doesn’t fly off after a few minutes, place it in a small container that can be securely closed (like a shoebox with a lid, or a grocery bag secured with a clothes pin), and bring it to the wildlife hospital as soon as possible. Keep it warm, dark, and quiet. These birds have special diets and extra handling increases their stress, so there is no need to give them food or water.

Birds hit windows because the reflections look like open space, or they can see through to a window on the opposite wall. Hanging plants, bright ribbons, or streamers in front of the window helps reduce collisions. If the birds can see through to another window, close the curtains.

Sick birds at feeder: Bird feeders concentrate large numbers of birds in one location. Infectious illness can then move quickly through the flock. If you see sick birds at your feeder, remove all feeders and bird baths from the yard. Thoroughly clean the area under the feeder. You may want to check if your neighbors also have feeders and bird baths. Keep feeders down 2 weeks. This allows birds to disperse, so healthy birds won’t be in contact with sick birds. Wash the feeder with soap and water, then soak in a 10% bleach solution for 10-20 minutes. Rinse, then air dry. Feeders and bird baths should be cleaned at least once a month. Sick birds can be brought to the wildlife hospital.

Nest in inappropriate location: Most birds and their nests are federally protected,and should be left alone until the babies have left. If at all possible, allow the babies to mature until they can fly, then remove the nest. If the nest must be moved and the babies are still present, it can be moved a short distance—watch from a distance to make sure a parent returns to the nest. If no eggs have been laid, remove all nesting materials as they are put in place; screen the area to prevent further nest-building.

Hummingbird nestlings abandoned: The mother feeds the babies often, but only takes a few seconds each time. It’s easy to miss seeing her! Make sure you watch the nest without looking away, for about an hour. If, when you look at the nest, the babies are hunkered down and silent, they are being cared for by their mother and do not need help. Only if there is truly no mother coming to the nest should the babies be brought to the wildlife hospital.