I'm about to share something helpful, but before I do I need to preface it with: In most states this is illegal to do without a permit. But in the spirit of doing more good than harm, here you go:
I see so many well-intentioned people trying to "help" little animals they find during the spring and if you don't know what you're doing - you're probably hurting rather than helping. Unfortunate, but true.
In Alabama, it is SO EASY to get a license to kill (hunt, fish, whatever), but, just fuck you if you want to help an innocent life (pardon the language, but it took me literal years to find a way to get a permit to rehab wildlife and the state found a technicality on which to revoke it that same year). However, I did learn how to keep some baby animals alive and I'm going to share that with you now.
First of all, NEVER FEED A COLD BABY MAMMAL.
Little mammals need to be warm in order to digest. If you can't reunite a baby with it's natural mother then the first thing you need to do it put it in a small, dark place (like a shoebox with airholes). Take an old sock and fill it with some dry rice, tie the end off, and microwave it for a minute or so and put it in the box with the baby. This is what we call a "rice mama." Let the baby get warm. Use small blankets or washcloths to keep it from getting burned and to give it something to snuggle with. You can do similar with a warm water bottle or even a heating pad, but it's very important that you only put warmth on one side of the box. You (probably) don't want to cook this baby.
Second of all, if you don't have a baby kitten, puppy, goat, or cow, DO NOT FEED IT kitten, puppy, goat, or cow milk. You can buy milk specifically for the animal that you are trying to help; milk that was made to closely resemble what they would get from their mother, and that is what you should feed them. Feeding a baby an incorrect diet can cause diarrhea which can lead to dehydration and death. Milk for many species can be found here: www.foxvalleynutrition.com. Another source for milk is www.henryspets.com. Henry's Pets also has great nipples and syringes for teensy mouths.
I'm not interested in going into how often to feed what species of animal; that is easily Googleable information and depends entirely on the species and age of whoever you've found. But be aware that many newborn mammals sleep a lot and kind of like humans will get a little wiggly / fussy when hungry. The one thing I will say here is that YOU SHOULD NURSE IN THE SAME POSITION A WILD MOTHER WOULD. I LOATHE seeing videos of people nursing baby puppies and kittens on their backs. If their mother was nursing them they would most likely be laying flat on their tummies. Try to mimic what would happen in nature to avoid aspiration and pneumonia.
Third, after feeding, YOU GOTTA WIPE THE BUTT!
Most very young mammals cannot pee or poop without stimulation. Wiping with a warm cloth from tummy to under the tail will get them going.
After that, babies need rest. I know that small animals are adorable and that it's hard to resist holding and cuddling and taking selfies with them, but they really need to sleep. Whether you're trying to rehab or steal a baby from nature to keep as your own will decide how you handle this. Tryna keep a baby? You probably want to keep it on your person and handle it a lot. That can also be a good source of warmth. Planning to release? Do the opposite and leave it alone as much as possible while still maintaining a heat source.
If you've decided to keep the wildlife you were helping, then proper nutrition is important forever. The Henry's Pets site linked above has squirrel diet. www.Mazuri.com has omnivore diet that is good for opossums as long as you supplement it with veggies (especially dark, leafy greens) and yogurt and the like. Again, do not feed them cat food or dog food because they are not cats or dogs. Too much protein will cripple an opossum with Metabolic Bone Disease. You can tell things have already gone wrong for them if their eyes bug out. That is due to changes in the skull. It is not curable and the opossum will not be releasable if this happens, but it is very easily prevented with proper nutrition.
I will put photos in the comments of a healthy vs. unhealthy opossum.
Baby bunnies are hard to keep alive by even an experienced rehabber, so good luck with that. Many birds are federally protected because of migration so I would highly recommend getting them to a rehab facility. And finally, be careful with who you let know that you have wildlife in your possession. Alabama Fish and Game can and ABSOLUTELY WILL come take and euthanize any wildlife that they deem unreleasable - so take a baby from nature at your (and unfortunately the babys) own risk.
Last bit of info I can share on this subject: If you have a soft heart or live in an area where you encounter lone baby wildlife pretty frequently then the best thing I can recommend is keeping some supplies and formula on hand. Be well and try to do no harm. ❤
