Backyard Barnyard Deer

[ChiefSuperFly]

yesterday we were moving lumber in our barn and came across a fawn... in short it was covered and I mean covered in eggs and larva :/
We got it cleaned up and I put some liquid skin on its wounds (probably not approved for animals but I used it on our barn cat once and it saved its leg from infestation and infection). It looks like something got ahold of it and bit it a few times. It's not very old. I can't even tell if it's a boy or girl. Anyways it was infested around its genitalia near its nipples. No bit mark there that I can tell but ugh!! Anyone know how to tell if it's too late for this fella? Also what should I feed it? Some of you may have seen my other post in regards to finding a chicken doctor.. we don't have much of anything here. There's one vet local that works 2 hours 2 days a week.... in not trying to have a pet deer but I'm not going to let it die! Thx in advance!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm assuming you are in Boone, N.C.?
You need to contact a wildlife rehabber or NC Wildlife Commission for assistance. It's illegal to keep wildlife, so she needs to go to the proper place so you don't bring trouble to yourself.

In the meantime, it sounds like the deer if suffering from Flystrike. Flush out the wounds with saline and pick out any maggots that you see. I would think it would be safe to spray the wounds with Vetericyn.

Would love to see some photos of the baby

http://www.wildlifewelfare.org/rehabber_contacts.html
http://www.ncwildlife.org/Have-A-Problem

 

[ChiefSuperFly]

I did just that after I posted! She said the mother will look for the fawn upward of 72 hrs so I just put it back and it's walking around and crying! Woohoo! Cry your heart out little thing! I took a pic before I put it back. I wish I could see the field she's near from the house so I could watch for mama deer
Says upload error when I try to add a pic. Maybe bc I'm using my phone?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Oh, I hope Mama comes for her!

I don't know anything about loading photos from a phone maybe someone can help?

 

[ChiefSuperFly]

Me too!!! I hope it belts its heat out! I tried to google flystrike and the first couple of pics loaded and I had to close the tab >.< last night was in and out for both of us as far as nightmares go. An awful case of the creepy crawlies! Had to swat at my love to quit itching in their sleep. Oh for the love of animals...

 

[cassie]

It is very possible the mother died or abandoned it. If it is running around crying that is a good indication she isn't coming back. When I was a kid I once found a baby deer while I was out horseback riding. It was very young and it was running around screaming so I picked it up, put it on the horse with me and took it home. The forest ranger told me that if everything was OK it would have remained hidden and quiet. At the time there was a man who lived in the area that fed his large family on deer meat. The season didn't matter to him and that is what we think happened to this fawn's mother. Since we lived in deer country, he was never confined. He stayed around the place for years. Since our farm was some distance from the deer slayer he was safe. He would even play with the neighbor's dog even when he was a big buck. Once in a while we would see him with a doe. Since he was never confined we never had any aggression issues. As for taking him to a rehab center, sometimes that works and sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes it is hard to find one that can/will take him.

Deer milk is rich. I am told you can feed it evaporated milk straight out of the can. Anyway, we fed him on canned milk although my mother did dilute it. I forget how often she fed him. I can give you a formula people use for raising mini goats that might work very well in this case. Just PM me. I think if you don't step in, this little guy doesn't have a prayer of making it.

 

[ChiefSuperFly]

I appreciate the post Cassie! The weather has been perfect for flystrike here! Yuck! I called a rehabilitation center and they said the mother wouldn't have let it get infested and I figured that was true but the more I've read it seems the mom leaves for hours to forage before returning and in the right conditions flys hatch in 8+ hours and start to eat D: I digested my breakfast better and looked at some pictures and it's surely what's wrong. I also read the mother can be gone for 6 hours at a time. I feel like I should leave it for a few hours ugh but it pains me to think I may find it dead. It said bobcat and mountain lions like fawn and I know we have bobcats and possibly the latter.

 

[cassie]

You have to do what you think is best. I'm betting the mother isn't coming back but I could be wrong. I hope I am. If he is screaming and she hasn't returned, that is not a good sign. Keep me posted.

 

[Suzi18]

the poor thing...

 

[Bunnylady]

We had this little guy (gal?) running around here about a week ago. It wasn't crying, but I didn't see Mom anywhere at the time.

2 days ago, I saw a doe grazing just outside of my horse fence; she had a fawn just about this size with her. I'm hoping it was the same fawn.

Hoping for a happy outcome for your fawn, too, @ChiefSuperFly . Love 'em or hate 'em (some people call deer "rats with antlers"), babies are babies, and the thought of one alone and in trouble just tugs at the heartstrings!