Until a fawn, this is a deer that still has its spots, is 2 months old and able to travel with the herd, a doe will “park” her baby and leaving it alone. This actually reduces the chance that a predator will find and kill the baby. Typically, the doe will have 2 fawns and she will leave them in separate areas. She may or may not move the babies during these two months. The mother will come to feed about 5 times a day but, will not stay as her scent may attract preditors.

If you discover a fawn, do not approach it. Leave the area as soon as possible as the doe will not return to the fawn until she knows you are gone. If the fawn is lying down with its legs tucked under him and the head either upright or its neck twisted and the head lying on its back and the baby has no apparent injuries, the fawn is not in need of rescue or rehabilitation. However, if there are obvious injuries or the baby is laying on its side with head and legs pushed straight out from the body, this is a baby in distress. Call a local fawn rehabilitator for instructions on capturing the baby. Keep all children and pets away from the area to reduce stress on the fawn.

Virginia Opossums are interesting creatures. They are the only marsupial native to North America. The gestation period for the Virginia Opossum is 13 days which means they are very “premature” when born. At birth, they crawl up into the mothers pouch, attach themselves to one of her 13 nipples, and continue to grow and develop for another 2 months. When they are about 2 months old, they begin to leave the mom’s pouch for short periods of time. They will stay with mom—first in her pouch, then riding on her back and finally running along side her—for approximately 5 months when they are fully weaned and able to live independently.

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Link: http://www.nc-claws.org/rescueneed.htm

Fawn season has begun. I have been getting calls recently from people who find fawn and assume they are in need of rescue. Young fawn, especially those young enough to have a speckled coat (they still have their spots,) are too young to keep up with Mom. The doe will "park" her babies, typically two, but there could be three, and visit them several times during the day to feed and care for them. The rest of the time, they are left alone.

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