to Rescuing Wildlife - SCWC

Guide

to

Rescuing Wildlife

Written by Brittany Davis,

Wildlife biologist, Master wildlife rehabilitator

INTRODUCTION

This guide is intended to help citizens determine if a wild animal is in need of assistance

and suggest capture and transport techniques that are safe for the animal and the person.

We offer no advice on caring for the animal as it is illegal in the state of Maryland to

possess a wild animal without the proper permits. We hope you find this information

helpful and encourage you to call Second Chance Wildlife Center (SCWC) if you have

any questions or need additional advice.

~ Chris Montuori, Founder of SCWC

NOTE:

By issuance of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and the United States Fish

and Wildlife Service, SCWC is permitted to rehabilitate bats, birds, chipmunks, frogs, groundhogs, opossums, rabbits, snakes, squirrels, toads, and turtles.

SCWC does NOT hold permits to rehabilitate beaver, coyotes, foxes, raccoons, skunks,

or white-tailed deer.

SCWC does NOT accept domestic or exotic pets, hatching projects, or farm animals.

WILDLIFE MYTHS

You can raise and/or rehabilitate wild animals because your parents/grandparents did. State and Federal laws prohibit citizens from raising and keeping wild animals without the proper

permits. Wildlife rehabilitators spend years learning their trade and work with licensed veterinarians to

ensure their patients receive the best possible care. Likewise, rehabbers and vets take classes and attend

conferences every year for continuing education. Some of the best diets available for young wild

animals can only be purchased from companies that require proof of permits.

Animals will abandon their nest/young after you touch them. Most birds, especially songbirds, have a weak sense of smell, while most mammals are not bothered by

our scent due to our lack of “traditional” territorial markings. The physical presence of a person is what

deters animals from coming near and most animal parents are more than willing to retrieve their lost

youngster, if they are able.

All baby birds eat worms. While most songbirds do feed insects and insect larva to their young, depending on the species, they

may also feed fruits, berries, seeds, and grains for a balanced diet. Parent birds will also regurgitate

food for their newly hatched young until their digestive tracts are populated with the necessary gut

bacteria to digest solid and whole foods. Some birds, like the well-known American Robin, will also

clean and pulverize earthworms in puddles or wet grass before feeding them to their young. Other

birds, like Mourning Doves and Feral Pigeons, will shed the inner lining of their crop (called “crop

milk”) to feed their young for the first couple weeks of life before switching to a diet comprised

entirely of seeds and grains.

All unattended rabbit kits (still in the nest) have been orphaned/abandoned. Female rabbits only visit their nests twice a day, at dawn and dusk, to avoid drawing attention to the

location of their highly vulnerable young. The rabbit hunkers over the nest, sometimes not even

disturbing the grass-and-fur covering, and nurses and cleans her young for about ten minutes. During

that time, the kits drink as much as they can of her high fat/high protein milk, which they then slowly

digest over the next 12 hours before her next visit.

A fawn lying quietly by itself has been orphaned/abandoned. White-tailed does will leave their fawns (under four-weeks-old) in a seemingly quiet spot for much of

the day. This behavior is a defense mechanism to avoid notice from their top predators (wolves and

mountain lions). The does will separate their young (they have twins nearly every year) and leave them

in a place where their spotted hide provides good camouflage. The fawns will remain near-motionless

while their mother, who is not out of ear-shot, can spend much of the day grazing.

Every deer with a spotted coat is a baby. While it is true that deer fawn are only spotted in their first summer, they are also weaned when ten-

weeks-old, though they will continue to follow the doe around for another year or so. A spotted fawn

that does not appear in distress (i.e. not calling) should be left alone.

Ducks and geese can live off of bread crumbs (and crackers, cereal, etc). These foods are considered junk foods for humans and they are no healthier for animals. In fact, these

foods are even worse for wild animals as they fill up their stomachs with empty calories and leave little

room for all the natural and nutritional foods they should be eating. Animals that have a steady diet of

“human foods” have been shown to suffer the same set-backs as humans, such as obesity and diabetes,

in addition to metabolic bone disease.

Every bat, fox or raccoon awake during the day is rabid. Parent foxes and mother raccoons are out during the day quite frequently during the spring and summer

months, when the days are longer and they need to forage more for all their demanding young. Some of

our bat species are early risers, especially in the summer, and many are out during the late afternoon on

warmer winter days to try to take advantage of any insects also flying about.

Turtles in the road need to be relocated to a new home. Turtles, especially the Eastern Box Turtle, are extremely territorial and long-lived, and roads just

happen to fall across their territories. If you see a turtle in the road and it appears uninjured, simply

place it on the side of the road in the direction it was heading. If you remove them from their territory,

they will have a hard time finding food and water sources and will attempt to walk back home with

little-to-no foraging. Likewise, our aquatic species will spend some time out of water, especially to find

a mate and to lay eggs. Relocating them to another body of water could be detrimental to their health,

as they may not have the proper immunities for what that pond or stream holds.

All maggots are beneficial, eating only dead tissue. While sterile maggots (of a very particular species of fly) are used successfully in human medicine, the

larval young of many of our local flies (most commonly house flies, cheese flies, blow flies) do not

limit themselves to dead tissue, nor do the egg-laying flies wait until the animal is dead, or even lay the

eggs in a visible wound. Any animal seen with maggots or fly eggs (which look like tiny yellow grains

of rice) should be taken to a rehabilitator immediately.

TRAPPING WILDLIFE

HUMANE TRAPPING

Homeowners who discover wild animals nesting in their house usually want them removed ASAP.

Using a certified wildlife control service is one of the best means for wildlife removal as they use

humane methods of annoyance and exclusion first to allow the animal to move out on its own (and take

its young as well, if it is a nestling female) before they resort to trapping and relocating. Each company

has different rates and service areas, so be sure to call around to compare estimates.

SCWC RECOMMENDED TRAPPERS:

AT&R Trapping Service

www.humanetrapping.com

(301) 681-3965

Humane Wildlife Services

www.humanesociety.org/animal_community/humane-wildlife-services

(866) 9-HUMANE

GLUE TRAPS

These inhumane traps, consisting of thick, sticky glue on a thin piece of cardboard, are mostly used for

insect pest management, but snakes, mice, and small birds, which are attracted to the struggling insects,

also get stuck. SCWC has admitted countless songbirds (especially sparrows and wrens), mice, snakes,

and even a juvenile opossum, that were hopelessly stuck. Animal shelters have dealt with cats and dogs

that get covered in the extremely hard-to-remove glue.

Please do not use glue traps but if you find an animal stuck on one, please DO NOT attempt to remove

the animal yourself; you could end up severely injuring the animal. Cover all the remaining exposed

glue with a paper towel and place the whole trap with animal in a bag or carrier and bring it to a

wildlife rehabilitator immediately.

GARDEN NETTING

Meant to dissuade wild herbivores from browsing on suburban gardens, garden netting can be a death

sentence to snakes and birds. If you find an animal entangled and you are able to cut it free, without

harm to you or the animal, please do so. Check the animal for bruising, swelling, or bleeding; if you see

any injuries, bring the animal to a rehabilitator. If there are no apparent injuries, you can release the

animal, preferably away from the netting.

TRANSPORTING WILDLIFE

PREPARE YOURSELF: It is best to wear protective gloves for handling wild animals. Injured animals may bite and

scratch in defense; they do not know you are only trying to help. Likewise, bringing a size-

appropriate towel to drape over the animal, especially covering its head and wings (for

birds) may reduce the animal’s stress and make handling a bit easier.

PREPARE A BOX OR CARRIER: Place a clean, non-frayed towel or cloth, or paper towels, on the bottom of a size-

appropriate box (with a secure lid) or pet carrier. DO NOT put any food or water in the

transport container as it will most-likely end up making a mess and getting the animal all

wet. Punching holes in cardboard boxes is not required.

HANDLE WITH CARE: Your safety is important; do not endanger yourself rescuing animals.

An injured or orphaned animal may try to fight you; this is natural. They are scared and

possibly in pain, and humans are viewed as large predators.

All handling should be kept to an absolute minimum. Too much direct contact can cause

shock, which can be fatal.

Make sure the box/carrier is securely closed to prevent any escapes en route to the

rehabilitator.

Keep the box/carrier warm, ESPECIALLY if you are transporting babies.

Car radios should be off and talking should be kept to a minimum to further reduce stress.

Important phone numbers

City Wildlife (202) 882 - 1000

DC Animal Control (202) 576 - 6664

DNR 24-hour Hotline (410) 260 - 8888

Frederick Co Animal Control (301) 600 - 1546

Gaithersburg Animal Control (301) 258 - 6343

Montgomery Co Animal Services (301) 773 - 5900

Prince George’s Co Animal Management (301) 780 - 7200

Rockville Neighborhood Services (301) 314 - 8937

Second Chance Wildlife Center (301) 926 - 9453

Washington Humane Society (202) 234 - 8626

Wildlife Rescue League of Virginia (703) 440 - 0800

avian

songbirds

This diverse group of birds includes most of our backyard neighbors and comprises almost half of the

annual admissions at SCWC. This group includes some of the very small (hummingbirds), the very

large (crows), and every size in between (cardinals, robins, wrens, etc).

do rescue:

Any that were attacked by another animal, especially a cat.

Any that were hit by a car, lawnmower, weed-whacker, or

construction equipment.

Any that are covered in ants, flies, fly eggs and/or maggots.

Injured nestlings that have fallen from their nest.

Fledglings that do not move away when approached.

Any that have flown into your window/glass door. (Pictured: nestling Common Grackles)

TIP: Place the bird in a shoebox or pet carrier and leave it alone in a quiet, dark room (away from

kids and pets) for an hour, then try to release the bird outside. If it is unable to fly away

successfully, it will need a rehabilitator.

do not rescue:

Healthy fledglings - most of our native songbirds leave the nest

before they are fully flighted, learning to fly from the ground

while still being fed and tended to by their parents.

Re-nestable nestlings - if a songbird has fallen and seems

uninjured (no blood or bruising), try to put the baby back into its

nest. If it jumps back out, it is a fledgling and should be left alone. (Pictured: fledgling Northern Cardinals)

if it needs rehabilitation:

DO NOT force feed any injured bird. These animals are in pain and/or shock; food is not needed at

such a time and excessive handling can exacerbate the injuries.

DO NOT feed any baby bird, even if it is begging. Unskilled hands can force food/water into the

lungs and an improper diet can do irreparable damage.

See How to Transport Wildlife. Keep warm and quiet.

(Pictured: fledgling Carolina Wrens) (Pictured: fledgling American Robins) (Pictured: nestling Mourning Doves)

waterfowl

This group of birds includes the birds we are so used to seeing in and around our local lakes, ponds,

and rivers - ducks, geese, and swans. NOTE: SCWC does not admit Mute Swans.

do rescue:

Any that were attacked by another animal.

Any that were hit by a car.

Any that have fishing line wrapped around them or trailing

from their body. DO NOT attempt to remove the line from the

bird yourself, as they could have also swallowed a fish hook

or have one otherwise embedded on its body.

Any that appear weak and/or unsteady and/or cannot fly.

Any lone duckling or gosling that does not appear to be a part

of a family group. (Pictured: week-old Mallard ducklings)


do not rescue:

Any bird sitting on a nest. Nesting waterfowl, especially

Canada Geese, are ferociously protective of their eggs and

young. If you know for certain that the bird in injured, or

if you see evidence of fishing line, call for advice.

If you cannot catch the bird. If the bird is injured, chasing

it may exacerbate the injuries or cause the bird to run into

traffic. Make a note of its location and report the situation.

Any ducking or gosling with parents nearby. Adults are

fiercely protective of their young and could attack. (Pictured: few-days-old Canada gosling)

If you have any concerns, feel free to call for advice.


Try to contain the wings during capture and transport. Geese are especially strong and can slap their

wings, hitting you with a bony appendage on their wrist joints (called a ‘club’). They can also bite

hard and scratch with their feet.

DO NOT force feed any injured bird. These animals are in

pain and/or shock; food is not needed at such a time and

excessive handling can exacerbate the injuries.

DO NOT feed any baby bird, even if it is begging.

Unskilled hands can force food/water into the lungs and

an improper diet can do irreparable damage.


(Pictured: juvenile Canada Goose)

raptors & vultures

These groups of birds are often grouped together though they are not closely related. Raptors are the

birds of prey, like hawks, falcons, and owls, while vultures are carrion eaters.

do rescue:



Any that are easy to approach and appear lethargic.

Injured nestlings that have fallen from their nest.


(Pictured: nestling Red-shouldered Hawk)

do not rescue:

If the bird is mantling over its prey - some hawks and owls

may not be willing (or able) to take their pretty from where

they obtained it. If you see a hawk or owl spreading its wings

and is reluctant to fly away, check to see if it is protecting its

food.

If you cannot catch it. If the bird is injured, chasing it may

exacerbate its injuries or cause the bird to run into traffic.

Make a note of its location and report the situation.

Any nestling with parents nearby. Adults are fiercely

protective of their young and could attack you. If you feel the

baby is too young or appears injured, call for advice. (Pictured: nestling Barred Owls)


BE VERY CAREFUL! These birds have sharp beaks and talons and are quite strong.

Write down the EXACT location the bird was found, including the street address and/or distance

from the nearest crossroads, and a general description of the area, including landmarks. Raptors are

extremely territorial and vultures belong to family groups.






(Pictured: juvenile Turkey Vulture) (Pictured: juvenile Black Vulture)

aquatic birds

This group of birds includes herons and gulls, which are not closely related but have similar aquatic

feeding habits. Gulls are increasingly adapting to urban encroachment and are thus more likely to fall

into harm’s way.

do rescue:




Any that have fishing line wrapped around them or trailing from their body. DO NOT attempt to

remove the line from the bird yourself, as they could have also swallowed a fish hook or have one

otherwise embedded on its body.

Any that appear weak and/or unsteady and/or cannot fly.

do not rescue:

If you cannot catch the bird. If the bird is injured, chasing it may

exacerbate the injuries or cause the bird to run into traffic. Make a

note of its location and report the situation.

Young Killdeer; they follow their mother shortly after hatching. A

lone baby should be reported, but not approached. Call for advice.

(Pictured: few-days-old Killdeer)


BE VERY CAREFUL! These birds have very strong beaks and herons will attempt to stab at you

to defend themselves.






(Pictured: adult Great Black-backed Gull)

(Pictured: juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron)

mammalian

rabbits

The Eastern Cottontail is mostly crepuscular though they are also active in the middle of the night,

especially during the warm spring and summer months.

NOTE: SCWC does not admit domestic rabbits for treatment.

do rescue:


Any that were hit by a car or landscaping equipment.

Any adults that are easy to approach and appear lethargic.

Any thin rabbit kits - if you find a nest of rabbit kits and

they appear thin and bony, they may have been orphaned.

Call for advice. (Pictured: 10-day-old Eastern Cottontails)

Any kits that are covered in ants, flies, fly eggs and/or maggots.

Rabbit kits whose nest has been destroyed beyond repair.

do not rescue:

Healthy and uninjured nestling rabbits. They only remain in the nest for up to a month, and by

weaning time, their mother is already preparing another nest for another litter. If you wish to be

certain that the mother is still visiting the nest, gently pick up one of the kits by the torso, letting the

hind legs dangle. If the kits looks like it swallowed a golf ball, they are full of milk; if they appear

slender, mom may be missing and you should call for advice.

Healthy and uninjured juvenile rabbits. Kits are fully weaned and independent by four-weeks-old,

are roughly the size of a tennis ball, and may remain at or near the nest for a week or so before

moving on. Young rabbits will freeze more often than run as they are too small to outrun their

predators. If the young rabbit does not move at your approach, but appears uninjured, leave it alone.


DO NOT handle the rabbit any more than absolutely necessary. A calm rabbit is a rabbit in shock.

DO NOT force feed any injured rabbit. These animals are in pain and/or shock; food is not needed

at such a time and excessive handling can exacerbate the injuries.

DO NOT feed any baby rabbit. Unskilled hands can force food/water into the lungs and an improper

diet can do irreparable damage.


(Pictured: adult Eastern Cottontail) (Pictured: 3-week-old Eastern Cottontail)

rodents

Most of the members of this group are diurnal and solitary, like chipmunks, groundhogs, and grey

squirrels, while others are nocturnal and social, like flying squirrels. NOTE: Though beavers are also

rodents, per Maryland law they are unrehabilitatable. Any injured or ill beavers should be reported to

the local animal control. Likewise, SCWC does not rehabilitate invasive species of rat (Black Rat and

Norway Rat) or mice (House Mouse).

do rescue:

Any nestling found on the ground and cold. Grey and flying

squirrels nest in trees; chipmunks and groundhogs nest

underground. Though the mother will retrieve her young if

she finds it, any baby found cold will need additional care.

Any pups that are covered in ants, flies, fly eggs, maggots.

Any with visible injuries.

Any that were attacked by another animal, especially a cat. (Pictured: week-old Eastern Grey Squirrels)

Any adults that are easy to approach and appear lethargic. USE CAUTION - though rodents are not

considered a vector species, they can catch and spread the rabies virus.

Any young juvenile that is found approaching people or pets;

it has been orphaned for several days and needs care.

do not rescue:

Any injured squirrel that has escaped up a tree. Even injured,

they can still be good climbers; call for advice.

If you see the pup’s mother nearby. If you are too close to

the pup, she may not feel safe enough to retrieve it. Watch

from a safe distance to see if she collects her young. She may

need several hours to find and retrieve her pup, so try to give

her as much of the day as possible. (Pictured: juvenile Groundhog)

Any young found in a nest inside your home, attic, etc. Try to use humane methods of exclusion to

evict the mother and her young - locate the nest and place a small radio nearby and leave it on

around the clock. The constant noise bothers the animals when they are trying to sleep, causing the

mother to move her young to a quieter location (many mammals use more than one nest site when

raising young). When you are sure that all of the animals are gone, find and patch the entry location

to prevent further “break-ins.”


BE VERY CAREFUL! Rodents have very sharp teeth, strong

jaws, and sharp claws.

DO NOT force feed any injured rodent. These animals are in pain

and/or shock; food is not needed at such a time and excessive

handling can exacerbate the injuries.

DO NOT feed any baby rodent, even if it is begging. Unskilled

hands can force food/water into the lungs and an improper diet

can do irreparable damage.

See How to Transport Wildlife. Keep warm and quiet. (Pictured: 10-day-old White-footed Mouse)

opossums

The Virginia Opossum is North America’s only marsupial and is a nocturnal and nomadic scavenger.

do rescue:



All pups that were found in the pouch of a deceased female. Call for advice.

Any young opossum found by itself that is smaller than 8-inches long (not including tail).


do not rescue:

Any healthy, uninjured opossum that is longer than 8-inches

(not including tail), even if it does not move away at your

approach. Opossums will freeze and bare their teeth more

often than they will run away.

Any uninjured opossum found stuck inside a trash can or

recycle bin. Simply tip the can/bin over to allow the opossum

to escape (which they may not do in your presence). (Pictured: adult Virginia Opossum)


DO NOT force feed any injured opossum. These animals are

in pain and/or shock; food is not needed at such a time and

excessive handling can exacerbate the injuries.

DO NOT feed any baby opossum. Unskilled hands can force

food/water into the lungs and an improper diet can do

irreparable damage.


(Pictured: Six-week-old Virginia Opossums)

(Pictured: ten-week-old Virginia Opossum)

(Pictured: juvenile Virginia Opossums)

DEER

The White-tailed Deer is our largest herbivore; PLEASE use extreme caution with approaching any

injured deer and DO NOT put any injured deer over 10-lb/4.5-kg into your car. Hit-by-car deer can

cause severe damage to themselves and you. Injured deer that are still mobile should be left alone; if

their quality of life is poor, please alert your local animal control.

NOTE: SCWC does not hold the White-tailed Deer fawn permit; please call ahead for advice.

do rescue:

Fawns that were attacked by another animal.

Fawns that were hit by a car or landscaping equipment.

Fawns that are covered in dew, ants, flies, fly eggs or maggots.

Fawns that are wandering aimlessly and calling.

do not rescue:

Fawns that are uninjured and laying quiet. Does leave their fawns in one place for most of the day

(up to 10 hours) during the first month of life as they are not strong enough to follow her throughout

the day. The doe remains within earshot of her young and instinct keeps the fawn quiet; it will not

flee from your approach.

Injured deer that are larger than 10-lb/4.5-kg. Please call for advice.


Please call for advice before attempting to bring in ANY deer. SCWC does not hold the White-tailed

Deer fawn permit and it would be preferable for any orphaned fawn to be taken directly to the

properly permitted rehabilitators.

DO NOT force feed any injured deer. These animals are in pain and/or shock; food is not needed at


DO NOT feed any baby deer, even if they are begging. Unskilled hands can force food/water into

the lungs and an improper diet can do irreparable damage.


md rabies vector species (RVS)

Rabies is a viral disease, passed through saliva, that attacks the central nervous system, greatly altering

an animal’s behavior. Any mammal acting unusually friendly or overly aggressive should be reported

to the local Animal Control. In Maryland, the following four species statistically test higher for rabies

than other animals: raccoons, foxes, skunks, and bats. Rehabilitators with a RVS permit may only

rehabilitate HEALTHY and UNINJURED orphaned raccoons, foxes and skunks; bats may be

rehabilitated at any age. Adult raccoons, foxes, and skunks must be euthanized per Maryland law.

NOTE: SCWC only holds provisional RVS permits and can only rehabilitate bats. Please call ahead if

you have a RVS. ALWAYS WEAR PROTECTIVE GLOVES WHEN HANDLING A RVS.

do rescue:

Any bat found on the ground. NOTE: Gather the bat in a small towel and if it seems uninjured,

drape the towel over a tree branch. It is very difficult for bats to take off from the ground; if the bat

is still on the towel the following morning, it should be brought to a rehabilitator.

Any kit/pup found abandoned and cold. NOTE: Foxes and raccoons have multiple dens and will

often relocate their young as they grow. A lone kit/pup should be watched from a distance to allow

the parents time for retrieval.

Any kit/pup with visible injuries. NOTE: Raccoons often nest in trees. Check the young for injuries;

if none are found, watch from a distance to ensure the mother retrieves her pup.

Any kits/pup that were attacked by another animal.

Any kits/pups that were hit by a car or landscaping equipment.

Any kits/pups that are covered in ants, flies, fly eggs and/or maggots.

do not rescue:

Any RVS displaying abnormal behavior. Call Animal Control.

Any juvenile raccoon, skunk, or fox. If they are approximately

two-thirds the size of an adult, they are capable of being

independent and are viewed as adults by law.

Any young found in a nest inside your home, attic, etc. Try to use

humane methods of exclusion to evict the mother and her young -

locate the nest and place a small radio nearby and leave it on

around the clock. The constant noise bothers the animals when

they are trying to sleep, causing the mother to move her young to a

quieter location (many mammals use more than one nest site when

raising young). When you are sure that all of the animals are gone,

find and patch the entry location to prevent further “break-ins.” (Pictured: juvenile Eastern Red Bat)


Avoid direct contact. Use thick gloves and towels to handle.

DO NOT force feed any injured RVS. These animals are in pain and/or shock; food is not needed at

such a time and excessive handling can exacerbate the injuries. Excess handling can also increase

the risk of exposure as rabies is transmitted through saliva.

DO NOT feed any baby, even if they are begging. Unskilled hands can force food/water into the

lungs and an improper diet can do irreparable damage. Excess handling can also increase the risk of

exposure as rabies is transmitted through saliva.


reptilian

snakes

Most snakes are diurnal, though they can be active during summer evenings. Not strictly territorial,

they tend to be most active in areas with large amounts of their favorite prey, including birds, frogs,

insects, mice, rats, and toads.

NOTE: SCWC does not admit pet snakes for treatment.

do rescue:



Any that were caught in garden netting. TIP: If you are

able to remove the snake from the garden netting and it

is uninjured, please feel free to release it in a safe

environment.

Any that are covered in ants, flies, fly eggs and/or

maggots. (Pictured: juvenile Black Rat Snake)

do not rescue:

Any that have clouded-over eyes (resembling cataracts). Snakes actually shed the outer layer of

their eyes when they go through a full-body molt. They may also seem more ornery at this time

since their vision is severely limited.

Any uninjured, newly-hatched snakes. They are independent from birth and do not need assistance.


You may want to consider wearing gloves during handling as snakes can excrete a strong-smelling

musk when agitated. Plus, reptiles can carry strains of Salmonella.

Consider placing the snake inside an old pillowcase and tying off the open end; snakes are

incredibly adept at escaping from traditional transport carriers.


NOTE: Copperhead snakes and Timber Rattlesnakes are

the only two venomous snake species in Maryland,

though sightings of copperheads are rare and rattlesnakes

even rarer. Many people often mistake young black rat

snakes as copperheads due to their scale patterns (used for

camouflage). If you have a snake identification question,

please feel free to send a picture to [email protected] or call

the center for details.

(Pictured: juvenile Northern Copperhead Snake)

aquatic & terrestrial turtles

The Eastern Box Turtle is a solitary, highly territorial, long-lived, diurnal, terrestrial reptile. Aquatic

turtles include Common Snapping Turtles, Eastern Painted Turtles, and the Diamondback Terrapin.

NOTE: SCWC does not admit pet turtles for treatment.

do rescue:



Any that have swollen or weepy eyes and/or any

swellings on the side of the head.

Any that have an obviously cracked and/or bleeding

shell or injured limb.

Any that are covered in ants, flies, fly eggs and/or

maggots.

do not rescue: (Pictured: juvenile Common Snapping Turtle)

Any uninjured turtle found in the road. Simply place the turtle on the side of the road it was heading

towards and leave it be; they know where they are going regardless of the terrain.

Any uninjured, newly-hatched turtles. They are independent from birth and do not need assistance.


Write down the EXACT location the turtle was found, including

the street address and/or distance from the nearest crossroads, and

a general description of the area, including landmarks. Box turtles

are extremely territorial and will not survive if relocated; aquatic

turtles should be returned to the water sources they inhabit for

similar reasons.

See How to Transport Wildlife. Keep warm and quiet. (Pictured: hatchling Eastern Box Turtle)

Glossary

crepuscular - active at dawn and dusk.

diurnal - active by day.

feral - a domestic animal born in the wild.

fledgling - a young bird that has left the nest but is not yet capable of true flight.

habituated - accustomed to, as a particular person or situation.

imprinted - established behaviors learned in early development; often used to describe animals

learning improper behaviors from a non-natural parent.

nestling - a young animal that is not old enough to leave its nest.

nocturnal - active by night.

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