Orphaned Squirrels, Raccoons, or Possums
If you find a baby squirrel, raccoon, or possum, we want your first thought to be "How can I reunite this baby with its mother?" rather than "How can I find a rehabber who can take care of this baby?"
Baby wildlife is ALWAYS better off with its mother rather than with a human rehabber! If you do find a baby, fill out the online submission form found on the homepage and one of our trained rehabbers can walk you through the steps to try to reunite the baby with its mother.
In the meantime, if the baby is in danger from pets/other animals, other people, or traffic, you can move it somewhere safer. Touching a baby animal will not prevent the mother from taking the baby back - this is an urban legend! You can move the baby into the shade if it is a hot day.
Do not try to feed the baby anything! Not cow's milk, not KMR (kitten milk replacement), not peanuts, not dog food, nothing!
Hypothermia (dropping body temperature) is a bigger immediate danger than anything else. If the baby is clammy or cold, you can try to warm the baby by putting it on a heating pad or hot water bottle. Always keep a layer of protection between the baby and the heating source - in other words, don't put the baby directly on the heating pad, but put it on a towel on the heating pad.
If efforts to reunite the baby with its mother are unsuccessful, the BWR volunteer will walk you through the next steps to get the baby to a licensed BWR rehabilitation volunteer.
More information can be found here:
Baby wildlife is ALWAYS better off with its mother rather than with a human rehabber! If you do find a baby, fill out the online submission form found on the homepage and one of our trained rehabbers can walk you through the steps to try to reunite the baby with its mother.
In the meantime, if the baby is in danger from pets/other animals, other people, or traffic, you can move it somewhere safer. Touching a baby animal will not prevent the mother from taking the baby back - this is an urban legend! You can move the baby into the shade if it is a hot day.
Do not try to feed the baby anything! Not cow's milk, not KMR (kitten milk replacement), not peanuts, not dog food, nothing!
Hypothermia (dropping body temperature) is a bigger immediate danger than anything else. If the baby is clammy or cold, you can try to warm the baby by putting it on a heating pad or hot water bottle. Always keep a layer of protection between the baby and the heating source - in other words, don't put the baby directly on the heating pad, but put it on a towel on the heating pad.
If efforts to reunite the baby with its mother are unsuccessful, the BWR volunteer will walk you through the next steps to get the baby to a licensed BWR rehabilitation volunteer.
More information can be found here:
Bidwell Wildlife Rehabilitation serves Butte, Colusa & Glenn counties in Northern CA. Here is a list of all licensed rehab facilities in California.
