Spring seems to come earlier each year. We have already raised and released our first cottontail rabbit of 2002, and judging by the nesting frenzy around our center, we will be seeing an early rescue season.
Many good Samaritans find themselves in an emergency situation concerning a nestling bird or bunny. Since proper housing, diet, and feeding schedules are crucial to the survival of these spring babies, I devote an article each year to their emergency rescue care. I encourage you to clip and save this article for future reference. You never know when a little helpless furred or feathered soul will enter your lives.

Birds

If you find a baby bird on the ground, first check for obvious injuries. If the bird seems uninjured but is not fully feathered or seems too young to survive on its own, try to place it back in the nest. If the nest has been destroyed or is too high to reach, a makeshift nest can be made. Baskets lined with grass, a margarine tub with holes in the bottom for drainage, a plastic strawberry pint box all lined with grass or hay will work well. Try to place the nest as close to the original location and high enough to keep cats and other predators away. Don't worry about human smell on the little ones. Birds don't reject the young if they have been handled. Once you have placed the bird back in the nest keep an eye on it from a secluded spot for several hours to see if the parents have returned. If the parents do not return or placement is impossible, a decision must be made quickly as starvation, dehydration, and chilling can kill a baby within hours.
If the bird seems weak, cold, or injured it must have immediate care even if the parents are around. First, warmth is needed. Birds have a temperature of 104º to 108º. An old aquarium or cardboard box will work well as a makeshift incubator. A heating pad set on low under the box or fish tank with layers of toweling set inside under the bird will keep the temperature stable. A 60-watt light bulb can also be used with care. The bird should be able to move away from the heat if needed. Tiny nestlings who can't move must be closely monitored. Overheating is easy so check the bird often. If the bird is panting or holding its beak open you must decrease the temperature. If the bird has an obvious injury such as a broken bone, veterinary care is needed as soon as possible.
Diet and feeding time will depend on the species. If you are unable to identify the kind of baby bird, a short term diet of soaked dry cat food will suffice. Most songbirds and insectivores such as swallows and night hawks will do well for a day or so on this diet. The cat food must be soft before feeding. Unfeathered babies must be fed every 20 to 30 minutes from dawn to dusk. Tiny portions that will not gag the bird can be carefully placed in the open beak with a pair of tweezers. If they will not open their beak, gently tap the side of the beak with the tweezers. This usually gets them to open wide. Care must be taken not to handle the little ones. Feeding them in the nest is the safest option. Children must not be allowed to cart them around like toys or they will surely die. They are delicate and chill easily. Once you have stabilized the bird you will need to decide on the next move. I recommend you call your local veterinarian or wildlife rehabilitation center for further advice. Remember, the cat food diet is temporary. All birds must have a specialized diet that suits their species, and all need a certain amount of unfiltered sunlight each day in order to survive. Mockingbirds are a good example -- without a balanced diet of fruit, insects, and sunlight they will not thrive and will eventually die.

Hawks and owls

Hawk and owl nestlings are much more difficult and I do not recommend any long-term care by a novice. Their diet consists basically of fresh rodents. They must be pulverized for the very young and feeding is an around the clock endeavor. Even a few days of the wrong diet will spell disaster to the development of bones. I can't tell you how many sad little birds have come to me over the years with every bone breaking in their bodies due to an improper diet. Imprinting on humans is another concern in these species. A hawk or owl that thinks it's a human will not do very well in the wild, especially during mating season. Please call immediately for advice on these species. Lean raw chicken will do for only the first few feedings.

Bunnies

Rabbits begin to forage away from the nest when they are very tiny, therefore many people believe they are orphaned and come to the rescue. In actuality, mother rabbit is usually not far away. If the nest has been disturbed or you suspect the mother may have been killed, you should put the baby back in the nest and place two pieces of string in an X across the nest. Check it early the next morning. Mother rabbits nurse their young at night. If by morning the string hasn't been disturbed, chances are the mother will not return and the baby or babies will need immediate care.
A baby rabbit stresses very easily in captivity. Quiet and privacy are very important. Handle the babies only as little as possible and do not let children play with them! The basic baby bird incubator will also work for rabbits, with one exception -- tiny bunnies can jump amazingly high and a top is always needed.
Hairless babies must be fed every three hours from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. You can obtain a special powdered milk formula from your veterinarian or pet store. I use a small syringe for the very tiny, or an eye dropper can also be used. You can graduate to a small animal bottle as they grow. DO NOT OVERFEED. Check the tummy for roundness, it should not be bloated. It's better to underfeed a bit rather than overfeed. Stimulate the baby after each feeding. You can do this by taking a warm wet tissue and gently rubbing the genital area. This must be done for about a minute or until urination. This must be done for the first week or two or until you see them relieve themselves. As they grow, slowly increase the amount during feedings and feed every six hours. I gradually offer solid food after their eyes begin to open. A variety of commercial rabbit pellets, dandelions, native grasses, bird seed, and carrots can be added to the diet. Wild rabbits have a multitude of medical problems in captivity so release them as soon as possible. I usually release our bunnies when they are about six weeks old.

(The Zapata Wildlife Rescue Center can be contacted by mail at 6812 STOP 68A, Zapata, TX 78076-2913, by phone at (956) 765-8526, or e-mail at dreams@zapata.border.net. Those interested in visiting should call ahead for directions.)