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The content of this page is taken from a talk given by Gay and Andy Christie to the Glasgow University Veterinary School and originally published on the School's own web site.
Details of rehabilitation techniques are explained here for information only. If you discover an injured wild creature you are strongly advised to contact a professional rehabilitation centre such as Hessilhead and not to attempt to keep and care for it yourself.
When wild birds or animals are admitted for treatment remember:-
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Foxes |
Orphans should be kept in family sized groups of similar size and weight. It is impossible to rehab a single cub. Do not pet or speak to the cubs at feeding times. Move them to large enclosures when the cubs are 2 to 3 months old. Foxes easily become imprinted on humans, so contact must be kept to a minimum. Release at the end of August, when family groups are dispersing and wild cubs are becoming independent.
Short term housing can be provided in a cage or shed. Longer term, house in a secure enclosure - foxes will escape from wire netting. If possible, return a fox to its own territory.
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Roe Deer |
It is almost impossible to return deer to the wild if reared alone. Contact with other rehabbers known to have deer and rear fawns together in the most suitable area for future release. Enclosures should be weldmesh to keep out other deer, and the posts should be on the outside, to prevent deer running into them. Release by opening the enclosure if possible. This causes the least stress for the deer. A hand-reared roe buck may become aggressive to humans... especially the one who reared it.
RTAs need specialist housing. A red light or red curtain over the shed window has a calming effect. Concussed deer can be hand fed with strips of carrot or apple. Once recovered, deer are difficult (and dangerous) to handle. Sedation is needed during transport back to home ground for release.
An adult deer with fractures may need long term sedation to keep it quiet enough to be kept in captivity until the bones heal.
Adult injured deer cannot be kept in an enclosure. They will panic and run into the fence. They must be housed in a deeply bedded shed until fit, and released from there. No half way house is suitable.
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Scottish Wildcat |
Injured adults should be returned to their home range if possible.
Hand reared youngsters should be kept in groups, with little human contact. Feed on rabbit and other natural food. Hand reared wildcat kittens released at 8 months old with radio transmitters were found to hunt successfully within days of release. Consult Scottish Natural Heritage, 12 Hope Terrace, Edinburgh, for advice on suitable release sites.
Scottish wildcats are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, which means Scottish Natural Heritage must be informed of any in captivity. They are also on the Dangerous Wild Animals list. Licenses to keep Dangerous Wild Animals are obtained from local authorities.
Badger cubs should never be reared alone. There are always orphaned cubs at rehab centres, and all cubs should be reared in groups with minimum human contact. They should be released carefully and gradually, in an area with no local badgers. However, the site must be suitable for badgers, with a good food supply and banks for digging setts. If badgers are not already present you must ask yourself why. For example, are badgers persecuted in this area? If badger cubs are allowed to dig a sett in an enclosure they will treat that sett as home after the enclosure is removed or opened.
Adult casualties must be returned to the location where found. A badger released in another badger family's territory may be attacked, bitten, driven away or killed. Seek the advice of a local badger group or rehab centre.
Badgers being moved from one part of the country to another must have been tested clear for TB, and have a certificate to that effect.
Ideal accommodation is a cardboard box lined with newspapers, with an old woolly jumper for a nest. Most hedgehogs like moist cat food. If not try mince, day old chick, cat biscuits or peanuts.
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If hedgehogs weigh less than 500g by autumn, they must be overwintered in captivity. Overwintered young hedgehogs must be released gradually... remember they are inexperienced at building nests and foraging. Studies of hedgehogs after release indicate hindleg amputees cope well... front leg amputees do not. |
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Cat victims need antibiotic cover to counteract Pasteurella infection. Keep in a cardboard box or covered cage for twelve hours, with heat. Provide suitable perches if in a cage. Offer natural food if possible. If natural food is not available try wild bird seed, mealworms, Prosecto or soft apple, according to species.
One of the biggest problems is keeping feathers in good condition. When the bird has finished treatment and is eating well, the best accommodation is a planted aviary. Provide a shallow bath. Release by opening the door.
Try to confirm that a problem exists before the bird is "rescued". For a day or two after leaving the nest, some fledglings fly very little. Watch to see if still being fed by parents. However, at Hessilhead, we find that the majority of birds which can be picked up do have a problem. Fledglings may be difficult to feed. They will not beg as nestlings do but may not be picking up food for themselves. They may need force feeding for a day or two. Remember that young birds are fed several times an hour by their parents. Therefore they soon become dehydrated and weak if left without food. All fledglings must be feeding confidently before being moved to release aviary. Never release hand reared, tame birds without dehumanising them in a release aviary.
Heat is very important and they require frequent small feeds. A woolly hat lined with kitchen roll makes an ideal substitute nest. Use a fine paint brush or fingers for hand feeding. Hessilhead hand rearing mixture is made from equal parts of good quality cat food (eg Arthur's rabbit) and Prosecto (insectivorous bird food). Add SA37 and a calcium supplement if necessary. Once nestlings are perching leave dishes of food and water in the cage. Mealworms encourage fledglings to pick up food for themselves, then introduce other alternative foods.
Very small ducklings do not need to swim. Keep them dry and warm and offer food in small dishes. If reluctant to feed, try small earthworms in water. They usually take brown bread in water, but might need an encouraging finger dabbling in the dish. Wean onto chick crumbs.
It is possible to check the flight of small birds in an aviary before release. Fly birds of prey, owls and crow family on jesses and line to check flight is perfect before release. Birds will often fly well enough to avoid recapture, but not well enough to cope in the wild. We release gulls from wildfowl enclosures. If they can clear the 6 foot fence they can cope.
Despite being common, grey squirrels are not native to Britain. Neither are mink. It is an offence to release them or other exotics.