HELP WITH BABY DOE FAWN!!!

[mygurlz]

My daughters friends found this little one and watched her for 2 days and the mother never came back for her, so they got her and called me. ( that was 2 weeks ago) well she still only has 4 teeth so I got some replacement milk at my coop and started giving it to her, well the last week or so days she has had diarrhea and I have been giving her nothing but Pediatric and pepto every 2 hours... well she has not had and diarrhea at all the last 48 hours so today I started her back on the replacement milk ( 5 oz pediatric and 3 oz water with 2 oz milk,) 2 times today... well when she pooped the first time is was more normal and black like tar, but this last time she pooped it more runny again. ANY IDEAS on what I can do ? PLEASE help, I am keeping her hydrated but I know she wants her milk again. She isnt acting like she feels bad, she is running and playing but this is bothering me because I know its not good.

 

[punk-a-doodle]

http://www.whitetaildeerfarmer.com/FawnHealth.htm Sorry, meant to throw this link up there!

 

[Stacykins]

People dont seem to read before they jump the gun to crap as I said before there is no place to take her, the wild life have other things to worry about because there are people like me that dont mind spending the money and caring for one in need.

I'm sorry, you don't seem to understand the gravity of the situation. You have not spoken to an actual professional in wildlife law, and in many places in the United States, keeping said wildlife without a permit is illegal. Honestly, I doubt your internet searches revealed it was legal in your area, call me a skeptic. Because she is likely now bonded with humans, the only future for her when the law inevitably catches up with you is euthanasia. You keep saying there is no place to take her. Did you happen to call the DNR? Did you know that if you simply contacted the Wildlife Rescue League, you could have been hooked up with a licensed, professional wildlife rehabilitator?

You know what a wildlife rehabber is? Someone who has dedicated their lives to properly caring for and handling animals to rehabilitation and release. I get the feeling that when you turned to the internet you help, you instantly chose to look up on whether or not you could legally make her your pet.

This really burns me up, because I've worked at a nature center that takes in animals like your fawn and cares for them in their wildlife veterinary clinic. Some of the animals sadly became permanent residents (the ones that were not euthanized, of course). Not because they were injured or anything. Nope, it was because someone found a fawn, baby owl, etc. and decided to keep it as their pet. These animals were beautiful, healthy, and perfect. But horribly bonded to humans. Heck, one owl even viewed one caretaker as his mate, he was THAT imprinted on humans. Non professionals making them pets did them no favors. Like the groundhog often used for educational programs because he was a sweetheart. He was a pet, very friendly. And then the family dog attacked him. The people realized no vet could treat him, so they tried to himself. He ended up loosing his eyesight and a chunk on his nose due to a raging infection from the wounds, he was dying by the time they did the right thing and surrendered him.

So I am sorry I am being a devil's advocate here. I am sorry I didn't go "aww, how cute" and feel warm fuzzy feelings. No, I felt heartbreak, because I know this fawn is in a bad situation and it will not improve. Love and money don't make it the right thing, you know. I would have felt warm and fuzzy if you'd have brought the animal to someone who could properly care for her, and get her ready for eventual release.

 

[MoodyBroody622]

A milk replacement that works for every animal that I have ever had contains the following:
One can of condensed milk
Can of water
As much honey as you want
Karo syrup (light or dark works) (as much as you want)
and an egg
I used it for a piglet and a goat

 

[Megan Amber]

That's probably such a relief, that's cool the hunters respect them, I don't think that would work around here! What an awesome adventure! Raising a fawn! Oh and thank you, I have raised a baby mockingbird before and she was a lot of fun, she actually just had babies of her own this year!

 

[steny03]

You really need to get that fawn to a real wildlife rehabilitation center. Contact the DNR or BLM. A deer is not a pet. It is also highly likely it is illegal to possess it.

I understand you're attached to it, but it is not a pet. Even if you want to release it back into the wild you are probably just making it easier to be shot during a hunting season by removing its fear of humans.

Steny

 

[Megan Amber]

Oh yeah, I'm not arguing, that's probably what I would do too!

 

[punk-a-doodle]

The legality on deer depends on the state. It is perfectly legal to take deer out of the wild and keep them as pets (breeding or selling them is another matter) in at least one state that I know of, but probably a few more. It used to be very common for people to rehab wildlife or take on animals that adapt well to captivity, like the cacomistle or deer, as pets. In my opinion, people connect with and take better care of wild habitats and animals where this is still the case. When you end up at a point as a country when native crows can be shot in droves but not kept as pets...oof.

 

[Megan Amber]

I agree, people get more involved and the animals become safer almost because people want to protect the land they live on, and not to mention, often times the animal will revert back to being wild, my mockingbird that I raised stayed around the house for a full year, but she learned the dangers of raising babies so close to the house, all the buckets and things that fill with water for example and she moved out into the brush and woods, she is still around but continues to learn to be wild.

 

[punk-a-doodle]

No need to apologize for not feeling warm fuzzies as no one asked you to feel warm fuzzies.

Doing things like living in a house over a small amount of square footage and heating/cooling it, driving a personal vehicle, owning a manicured grass lawn, and having children are all currently examples of things that are putting far more stress on the environment than raising a single commonly found animal, be it a skink or a deer. Concerns about hunters *possibly* shooting a habituated doe can be stated calmly and in a helpful manner. In my area, (illegally kept, but out here in the country, no one from the area has bothered to enforce such laws) collared does do run around without being shot. however, people here wouldn't view their pet deer getting shot and eaten as quite the heartbreaking disaster that I would. They might join the hunter for dinner. My point with that rather crude joke is that the more a response takes into consideration broader situations and viewpoints, the more helpful and likely to be internalized and considered it will be.