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Welcome!
Although our primary purpose is to care for injured
and orphaned wildlife native to Missouri with a successful release back
into their natural habitat, our services include educating the public
and numerous community services.
Some of these services include advice and
assistance in dealing with wildlife, volunteer opportunities, scouting
badges, Eagle Scout projects and our education program which includes
seminars and presentations for organizations and schools.
2009 Spring Arrivals
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Baby Squirrels (pinkys, about 2 days old) - Admitted 3/13/09
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Baby Opossums (about 8 grams each) - Admitted 3/23/09
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Baby Squirrels the day they opened their eyes
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Baby Squirrel (about 4 weeks old) - Admitted 3/26/09
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Baby Raccoons (less then 1 week old) - Admitted 3/26/09
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Baby Squirrels - Admitted 3/28/09
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Baby Squirrel being fed a rehydrating fluid on arrival day
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Baby Squirrel licking his lips after receiving some much needed fluids on arrival day
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Mother Opossum with babies in her
pouch
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What if you
find...
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Baby Squirrel
Mother squirrels are very
dedicated and will try to retrieve their babies if separated
from them. If the baby is not injured* or extremely
skinny and you know where the nest is (and the mom is ok)
the best thing for the baby is to try to re-unite it with
the mom. Do not give it anything to eat or drink.
We want the baby to cry so that the mom will hear it. Put
the baby in a plastic dish (like for butter or cool whip)
with a small piece of cloth (such as a piece of old t-shirt)
under it and tack the dish to the tree where the nest is.
Put it at least 6 feet up from the ground.
- Do not do this after
dark! She will not come out after dark.
- Do not do this if the baby is injured.
- Do not do this if a cat has had it in its mouth.**
Go inside & watch for the
mom. If she does not come for the baby within a couple of
hours, please call us (636) 677-3670.
If it is after dark, keep
the baby warm overnight and put them out in the morning.
Place the container on a covered heating pad. Keep the
heating pad on LOW. Keep away from pets. Put the
container back out on the tree at first light and give mom
an hour to come get it.
If, after an hour, the mom
has not taken the babies back, please call our clinic (636)
677-3670. The baby should be kept warm to the touch until
you can bring it to us.
*If it is injured, has
maggots, looks very skinny & bony, or if it was brought to
you by a dog or cat, please call the wildlife clinic (636)
677-3670.
**If a cat got it, time is
of the essence because the baby will need antibiotics. Cat
saliva is infectious and deadly. Call us (636) 677-3670.
Click on the link below for more information on how to
safely remove a squirrel if you happen to find one or a
family in your attic:
http://www.squirrel-attic.com/
Baby Raccoon
**DO NOT FEED, DO NOT
LET CHILDREN OR ANIMALS TOUCH**
**DO KEEP WARM, DO
CALL US (636) 677-3670**
1. Keep warm (use gloves to put in a
box with soft material, no towels. Take soda bottle and
fill with very warm water wrapped in a sock, taped to side
of box. Replace with very warm water as it cools, do not
let get cold. Keep box inside until dusk.
2. Do not let children or animals
touch, keep in a quiet area.
3. DO NOT FEED. DO NOT GIVE
ANYTHING TO DRINK.
4. Call us to let us know what is
happening (636) 677-3670.
5. The mother will not come back for
them until after dark, sometimes as late
as midnight.
6. Make sure the box you have them in
is tall enough they can not climb out. Put box back out as
it gets dark where you found the baby. Place a towel over
the top of the box to keep out owls and night birds.
7. Stay away from the box as much as
possible except to check every hour to see if the mother has
come back for the babies. If the towel has not been moved
she has not come back.
8. If the mother’s tree has been cut
down it could be as late as midnight before she has found a
new home and will come back for her babies. Check for any
blood or injuries on the babies….call us immediately (636)
677-3670. It is possible she will not take all babies.
Her new home may not be big enough for everyone. If the
mother does come back she will move them as quickly as
possible. If it has been more than an hour since she
retrieved a baby, then she is probably done.
9. Take remaining baby(ies) inside and
keep warm. Call us (636) 677-3670. It is important to be
in contact with one of the raccoon specialists throughout
the process.
Click on the link below for more information
on how to safely remove a raccoon if you happen to find one
or a family in your attic:
http://www.raccoonatticguide.com/
Baby Opossum
Since opossums do not have nests or dens,
the babies travel with the mom until they are able to live
on their own. If a single opossum is found with no
mother around it cannot be re-united. Keep it warm and
do not feed it anything and call the clinic ASAP (636)
677-3670.
If you find live baby opossums around a dead
mother keep them warm, do not feed and call the WRC (636)
677-3670.
If you find a dead mother with a pouch full
of babies the dead mother and babies can be brought to us
immediately with the babies still in the pouch undisturbed.
Time is very important at this stage to avoid the babies
from consuming spoiled milk.
Baby Bunnies
Bunnies are the babies most often
unintentionally kidnapped by well-meaning people.
Rabbit nests are left unguarded most of the time, with
the mother on the nest only twice a day for feeding.
Both feedings are done at night, when her presence will
not attract predators.
Try to assess whether the babies seem
warm, active, and have round tummies (bloated looking)
or if they are cold, thin, and dehydrated. On bunnies
that don't have much fur yet, you can see a white milk
line in their tummy if they've been fed. If you think
the nest is abandoned, place 4 pieces of string (dental
floss works well) in an #(tic-tac-toe)-pattern across
the nest and leave it overnight. If it is disturbed in
the morning, the mother has returned and the nest should
be left alone. This method is only trustworthy if the
babies eyes are not yet open. If their eyes are open
and they are getting bigger they may be coming out of
the nest during the day and returning at night.
If the nest has not been disturbed,
check the babies to see if their bellies look full and
round. If not, keep them warm, do not feed and call WRC
(636) 677-3670.
If the nest is poorly located, cut the
grass around it or cover with something that will allow
the mother to get to them, but not predators (Put an
upside-down wheelbarrow or a lawnmower over the nest.)
If it really bothers you not to mow there, you could
gently take them out mow over it and put them back in
EXACTLY the same location, but make sure they still have
their fur and dried grasses to cover them. Yes, mom
will still accept her babies if they've been touched by
humans, but don't handle more than absolutely
necessary! The babies are fragile and easily stressed
so don't let the whole family or neighborhood hold
them. They need peace and quiet. It won't be
inconvenient for long, the babies usually leave the nest
at only 2-3 weeks of age. Never try to move the nest!
Mom doesn't find them by smell, she knows where they are
geographically and even a 2-foot difference can throw
her off.
Whatever the situation, if you feel they
are compromised, please give us a call and we can help
you assess the situation. However, please do all you
can to keep the babies with their mother. Rabbit mothers
are much better at raising them than humans are.
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Breaking News:
The first stage of the building expansion
is complete. We are so excited to have this new transition
area for all our wildlife patients. And the space is AMAZING
to have. Please join us at our Open House May 3rd for the
official unveiling and dedication to the wonderful late Charles
Cromwell for his financial donation allowed us to complete this very
needed expansion stage.
With our new construction we have also set
aside multiple areas for a commemorative pathway. If you would like to purchase a brick to be engraved with
your personal message, i.e. birthday, wedding date, passing of a loved
one, etc., click on one of the order forms. The
purchase of this brick is also a 100% tax deductible donation.
4x8
Commemorative Brick Order Form
8x8
Commemorative Brick Order Form
Mission Statement:
The Wildlife Rehabilitation
Clinic's mission is to respond to the rehabilitation needs of sick,
injured and orphaned Missouri mammals, release healthy wildlife back
into its natural environment and provide the community with a resource
for educations programs, advice and general awareness of urban wildlife.
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Baby Squirrels (Pinky & Silky) |
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Baby Opossums (Pinky & Silky) |
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Opossum pouch with babies |
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Bunnies that can survive on thier own (yes they look small, but fully able for surviving with out intervention) |
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.JPG)
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.JPG "Squirrel nests")
.JPG "Baby Bunny")
