What to feed a newish orphan faun?

I think it is wonderful that you are caring for the sweet little fawn. Can't wait for any up-dates! I have a feeling you will be succesul and eventually can re-introduce it to the wild. Any pics????

Originally posted by LadyGreenEyes
reply to post by stirling

 

She followed me like I was her mother. Indescribable, that feeling! The trust in her eyes.....

Yep, spotties are indescribably cute, they're sweet, if you can't imprint them they won't eat and if you do they're YOURS. They'll follow you around, all trusting and calm, and will suck on your fingers and try to play, lots of fun. But then they can't go back very well later. It's a real challenge to re-introduce a deer, the herd often won't accept them later. Petting zoos might be the end result.

As an adult, they'll tear up the house and yard, attack visitors and make a general nuisance of themselves. Up to the point they walk up to a hunter. It's a reason I never shot deer that acted friendly or odd, we had a few tame ones around the area, was always afraid I'd shoot someone's pet. That phase sort of passed once everyone realized they were stuck with a grown cervid that wouldn't ever fit in as a pet but couldn't make it as a free deer.

Farm that critter out to a rehab ASAP.

reply to post by whywhynot


OP last I heard you where going out for bananas, did you have an up date for us?

Ive been stalling wirting you all............
Very sadly i have to tell youse all that she passed away sometime between 130 am and about 7:00 this morning.....
The poor little .girl was too weakened im afraid....
She wouldnt eat anything and despite the heat lamp she was still shivering pretty bad at 130 am.....
even though we rubed her dry thoroughly and buried her in hay all cozy like.....
I have raised wild birds many times and am not really a stranger to rescues, but this is the first deer ive tried to help.
So sorry everyone, i hate to dissapoint you but thats just nature i guess......
thanks for all the input and kind concern.......ATS rules......
..............s

reply to post by stirling


Your kindness will be rewarded.

reply to post by stirling


OP you tried and that was the most important thing. In the wild there is a high mortality rate in fawns. Some of it is due to predators but a lot of deaths occur because of a number of reasons including birth defects, infection, hypothermia, and respiratory distress to name a few.

You never got back with me on the age of the fawn but if it was very young, which I doubted due to the time of the year, I was going to tell you that they need to be stimulated for them to eliminate both liquid and solid waste. If you don't stimulate (rub) their little parts they will not eliminate on their own. You can imagine what that brings on.

Lots of other things that you need to learn in order to raise them up right. Best to contact your local wildlife rehabber.

Thanks again for trying.

We thought she may have been orphaned a few days back but werent sure...then found the body of a much bigger deer down by the creek...looked like a cougar got her....
It took a couple days to catch her as it is not to be done lightly...and it wasnt till she took refuge from the storm that we were able to corner her in the porch.....and get her someplace dry and warm....I jsut wish we had gave her a big shot of antbiotics last nite....but we are out......(usually have some for the cows...)
Id say she only weighed fifteen pounds when we carried her to the barn.....she hardly even struggled a bit.....
she had no spots but msut have been this years late faun....anyways, my thanks to all......

reply to post by stirling


I'm really sorry...

But I laud you for trying to be a force for good in this world

reply to post by thePharaoh


Your stomach could have been very full if you ate all the apples.

Originally posted by Bedlam

Originally posted by LadyGreenEyes
reply to post by stirling

 

She followed me like I was her mother. Indescribable, that feeling! The trust in her eyes.....

Yep, spotties are indescribably cute, they're sweet, if you can't imprint them they won't eat and if you do they're YOURS. They'll follow you around, all trusting and calm, and will suck on your fingers and try to play, lots of fun. But then they can't go back very well later. It's a real challenge to re-introduce a deer, the herd often won't accept them later. Petting zoos might be the end result.

As an adult, they'll tear up the house and yard, attack visitors and make a general nuisance of themselves. Up to the point they walk up to a hunter. It's a reason I never shot deer that acted friendly or odd, we had a few tame ones around the area, was always afraid I'd shoot someone's pet. That phase sort of passed once everyone realized they were stuck with a grown cervid that wouldn't ever fit in as a pet but couldn't make it as a free deer.

Farm that critter out to a rehab ASAP.

She was very sweet. There only about a week, but was following me by the end of day one. The guy that took her was one that had some method for re-releasing them, which is best, but it wasn't easy letting go! better for her, but OUCH.