Fawn... maybe not for me- please help!!

put it back where it came from or a Vet.

Ashley, Sometimes it works better if you keep it in a dark place for a while when trying to get it started, be real quiet and stand it up next to you and let it just kinda check things out, they like to stick there nose into your hair, ears and under your arms if they are hungry, when it does, if it does, slip the nipple in there and let it find it on it's own. Sometimes force works and sometimes they just try looking for themselves. It's hard gettting them started sometimes no matter what you do. Chances are it wasn't abandoned but just hid by it's mother and probably already imprinted to her which will make it tougher to get it changed over to you being the mother. I would say if you don't have the time to feed it which most people don't try and find a rehabber if it's possible. good luck



Cody

Ashley feel free to give me a call (513) 515-6216

I don't know about Kentucky but here in Ohio it is illegal to take deer in from the wild.

As far as the BM goes once a day is enough however some go more. You can try to get it sucking your finger first by putting a small amount of karo syrup or even sugar water on it. Your finger should be fairly warm as the mothers nipple is. If it will suck your sugar coated finger you can usually coat the nipple with karo and they will try it. I think alot of people don't get the milk the right temp. Fawns are usually around 101 or 102 degrees normally so get the milk at least 100 degrees to 105 degrees. They are use to this and its important those first few attempts. Luke warm milk is a turn off. Hang in there I often give them 8 to 12 hours without milk to get them good and hungry. They will usually wil eat. Rick

Place the fawn with a wildlife rehabilitator in your area. Do this immediately. Do not make the mistake of thinking you can raise it well and later release it into the wild. This is coming from my own personal experience --- trust me--- put the fawn back where it was found, or otherwise, place it with a rehabber. Not a vet.

Lanasvet said:

Place the fawn with a wildlife rehabilitator in your area. Do this immediately. Do not make the mistake of thinking you can raise it well and later release it into the wild. This is coming from my own personal experience --- trust me--- put the fawn back where it was found, or otherwise, place it with a rehabber. Not a vet.

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Exactly, not sure about your state but in Ohio if we would attempt to take in a fawn from the wild and get caught we would be in deep trouble.

I hope they are aware of the legalities of raising a fawn from the wild but maybe instead of telling them that everytime...... we should lend helping knowledge and advice if they are willing to raise and help one of the creatures that we all legally raise. Not saying they should but since their already in the situation and doesn't seem like their going to give it up. Lets help them out...... never know they may come to us next year and want buy deer or they could remember us as the deer farmers that could only tell them they are doing somthing illegal. Karma is a B*tch

Ashley, they only suggested that you check into the legality of even having the fawn. I found a dead sparrow hawk alongside the road one day. I called a taxidermist to have it mounted. He said he can't do it and I should just dig a 10 foot hole and bury it because if I got caught with it, I would be heavily fined or even jailed. They are protected that much. All of us on here love deer, and I am sure the first thing on all their minds was the fawn. And I am sure we are all extremely happy that it is doing much much better. I hope it turns out well for all involved.



Brian

Ashley, Glad to here the fawn is doing better!! You've got the biggest part handled if you have it feeding now. As for the deer not doing well in the wild later on is BS, if it's done right it will be just fine, just because it was raised by you doesn't mean it loses it natural wild instincts. I'm going to try sending you a PM.

I with you on keeping the fawn alive, I hate to see one die wild or tame. I know for sure that a wild fawn raised on the bottle can go back to the wild and do fine, dont ask me how I know but I do. They can be tough at first, dont force feed it. As long as you are getting it to take some milk it will come around. It should get better every day. The first fawn I ever raised was on goat's milk and never had any trouble at all with it.

I am sorry that some may have misunderstood me. I am cocerned about the fawn's health. However I also know that terrible risk that goes with taking in deer from the wild. I have heard Nadefa and also our state assoc remind us more than once that we should absolutely not accept deer from the wild even if someone drops off a supposedly abandoned fawn. I will not report you and I hope you don't get caught but I can tell you that the chances of raising the fawn for the entire summer without getting caught are slim. I would strongly advise you to contact Shawn Schafer, the executive director of Nadefa (North American Deer Farmers Assoc.) for his advice. His number is 6512121315

I am sorry that I am coming into this late, but from what I have read, we still do not know what the source of the fawn is? You said that it did not come from the wild, that you own a farm with 100 acres and a large lake and no neighbors. I am sorry if it sounds like some people are concerned about the law, but you must understand that our industry operates under a microscope. This forum and even this thread is monitored by many fish and wildlife authorities. Every year the DNR has sting operations in every state, where a concerned citizen offers "orphaned" fawns to deer farmers trying to bust them. Your own state of Kentucky, once shot a whole trailer load of elk that was traveling across your state with all the legal permits!



Instead of trying to cloud the issue with sympathy for the fawn, let's talk real facts. If the fawn was found, the best thing for the fawn, is to take it back to that exact spot and turn it loose. The mother does not stay with the fawn all day long, and she was probably a short distance off in the grass or woods and watched as the fawns was taken. If your are sure the mother was killed somehow, then the best thing to do is call your local DNR. They have people on staff even during the holidays. If you don't like dealing with the authorities, then just as you did an internet search to find this website, you could also have searched for a local animal shelter, zoo, or veterinarian. They all have professionals on call 24/7.



The number for the Kentucky Department of Fish/Wildlife is 502-564-3956 or 3959. They have wildlife veterinarians and biologist on staff that will make sure the fawn is taken care of, both medically and legally.



Shawn Schafer

Well said Shawn

Yes! This is why Shawn is our NADeFA executive director...because he sees the big picture and deals with the aftermath of the "industry under the microscope" on a regular basis.

I couldn't have said it better myself. Thanks Shawn for the facts!

Ashley, glad to hear the fawn has begun to eat. And we do appreciate your heart and concern over the fawn's well being, but the DNR won't. People all over believe that when they find a fawn and do not see the mother, immediately jump to the wrong conclusion that it has been abandoned. It is the norm for Mom not to be around unless you have stumbled on to them during a feeding, which is the only time they are around Mom for weeks. Ashley, I put the aforementioned here not to chastise you, but to inform others who might read this. Ok, so now you got this fawn and it has begun to eat. After all this time that has elapsed since his removal from the wild, do not turn him loose where he was found. Chances are Mom has already determined he is gone and you certainly risk the mother not being there or at least not actively lookin for him, not to mention the human scent all over the little guy from all the time he has spent with you that the Mom could negatively react to should she happen to find him. Sdbigbucks and RLA, you are exactly right, whitetails would need absolutely no adaption time when being turned into the wild after being raised in the pen, they are browsers. In fact, whitetail deer struggle more with adapting to the way we feed them in our pens. Ashley, I have an idea for you that will be good for you and the fawn. Please call me at 815-238-1683. Mark

Well in the State of Montana if that fawn was turned in it would be put to death by wildlife people. Thank God there are people like Ashley who can still do this for wildlife. They used to have Fish and Game people that fed them and then turned them loose. Well the budget and then CWD became the issue when the true fact was release didn't work in most cases. But the biggest reason was it was too much work for State Fish and Game people.



Game farmers would do this work for free but we were never allowed to do this as it would put game ranching in a good light. If game ranchers left their heart put them in this position of love for wild animals and were caught doing this they would lose their license. Plain and simple they have forced us to lose our humanity for these wild baby animals.



Shawn is right the Fish and Game will do stings on game ranchers and I know this for a fact as it has been done to me twice that I know of.