Unless it is in obvious distress or injured, leave it alone. Very few baby animals are true orphans, and the babies' best chance for survival is with their parents. If the bird is a nestling (naked or downy with few or no feathers) find the nest and put it back. Or, if you can't find or reach the nest, put it in an open box in the tree or bush close to where the nest might be. If it is a fledgling (feathered but not able to fly), move it nearby but out of danger.

You may not legally keep wildlife. Our suggestion is that you leave the "baby" bird or animal alone. Many times, you have found the animal because it's parent may be locating food; or you may have startled the parent animal which is very probably nearby. If you disturb or remove the "baby animal" you may very well insure that it's parent cannot return to care for it! Wild babies are best left in the "wild" where the special needs of diet and care can be provided for by the adult animals.

Most baby birds found on the ground are not orphaned and may not need human assistance. Look for the parents or a nest. If you see either one, leave the baby alone or put it back in the nest. Touching the baby will not cause the parents to abandon it. Watch from a distance and keep children and pets away from the area. If the baby is injured or the parents have not returned after several hours, it will need help.

Baby animals that are injured need care from someone trained to handle them. Many local veterinarians can't or won't treat injured wildlife, but they can usually refer you to someone who does. Get help immediately. Keep the animal in a closed, dark box to reduce stress. Keep babies warm. The longer the injury goes untreated, the worse the prognosis and the lower the chance of recovery. Don't harm animals while you're trying to get rid of them.

Every spring thousands of animals are born in the wild. With more and more suburban areas, young animals are increasingly born near humans and discovered without an adult animal nearby. Well-meaning people can upset the course of nature by taking young animals from their nests. Removing wildlife from its environment is prohibited by state regulations without proper handling permits. The apparent lack of an adult does not mean a young animal is alone.

Probably nothing. A young bird alone on the ground has not necessarily been abandoned. The young of many birds will fledge after they grow feathers, but before they are able to fly. They spend a day or two on the ground before their feather development is complete. It is really best not to interfere. The parents will be close by and come to feed the bird as soon as it is safe.

In most cases, a wild bird or animal in a basement will be able to leave on its own if it is given a means of exit. This is best done by opening the basement windows and turning off the lights in the basement. If there is a doorway to the outside at the top of the basement stairs, this should also be opened. The animal should recognize the open doors or windows as exits and leave within an hour or two.

Only one animal that gets into a chimney can get out on its own, that's a raccoon. All other creatures will need to be helped out. How can you tell what kind of animal it is? If you haven't seen it, you must identify it by sound. Bang on the damper door and see what response you get: Fluttering and flapping is bird's wings; scratching and squeaking is a squirrel; grunting, or, in the case of babies, high-pitched trilling means raccoons.

The plastic boards are not porous so they will not absorb stains or water. This makes them able to resist salt, gas, oil and water. Because they will not absorb water, they will not rot, crack, split or warp. If you do not find the color you are looking for in our color chart, please contact us for more available colors.

No. These are not suitable foods for young birds most of which will be fed on soft insects, worms and grubs in their early days. Scrambled egg, with a little moist cereal, is fine to begin with but more suitable food, for both seed and insect eating birds, is available from pet shops.

No, birds have little or no sense of smell, but do keep contact to a minimum. It is often easier to pick a bird up by gently covering it with a cloth first.

A nestling, that is a naked or down-covered baby, found on the ground should be put back in its nest, if at all possible. If the youngster is cool to the touch, it should be gently warmed in your hands before placing it back in the nest; the parents will not reject it because a human has touched it. However, there is an exception. Baby ducks and geese are walked to water from the nest soon after hatching.

Nothing. Baby birds on the ground are not abandoned they are simply learning to fly and their mother knows where they are. Other animals like baby rabbits left in a nest are left alone for a reason. The mother doesn't visit the nest often during the day to avoid calling attention to it from predators. Never approach a injured adult, as they may be extremely dangerous. The best thing you can do for any wild animal is leave it where you find it.

Llamas, alpacas, vicuñas: Not known to be infected with a contagious disease. A permit is not required but a health certificate is recommended. Ostriches, Emus & Rheas: Not known to be infected with a contagious disease. A permit is not required but a health certificate is recommended. Rabbits: (domestic) Not known to be infected with a contagious disease. A permit is not required but a health certificate is recommended.

You're in luck. Call Ann Young, "The Bird Lady". She is a world renown wild bird rehabber, and she runs a wild bird refuge right here at 205 Robin Road in Altamonte Springs, FL 32701. Her phone number is 407-339-2900. Please give her a donation so that she can continue to run her clinic. If you happen upon a bird of prey (hawk, falcon, owl, etc) call the Orlando Audubon society at 407-644-0190.

Do not pick him up and take him home! Don't feed him. His parents still may care for him, and it is very important to give that baby bird the chance to be with his natural parents. Taking him away from his parents can result in that bird becoming imprinted on humans - bonding to humans instead of his natural wild parents. An imprinted bird cannot survive in the wild.

Leave it alone because the parents could be nearby. Keep the pets and kids far away from nests and nestlings. Check here for more information.

Shelters still receive many calls from mothers and mothers-to-be who have been convinced by well-meaning relatives or old-school obstetricians and pediatricians that they must give up their companion animals to ensure the safety and well-being of their child. But that's just not the case. Please learn the fact about companion animals and babies, and how you can safeguard both.