He/she seems to be a fairly recent addition to planet earth but we haven't seen any signs of Mom. Sometimes the does do go off and recover after a birth, so we're hoping she shows up soon. If not, we'll hope another doe adopts "her" before we call the wildlife people.
@radiogirl Thanks Kathy- all the websites say mom will come back- usually within the 24 hrs after birth and most likely after dark. They don't come during the day to keep predators at bay. It was interesting to learn all that! We did put a small dish of milk out just in case, but we'll have to bring it in overnight due to other critters in the area that we don't want coming into the yard- like abandoned cats and skunks!
Good news- just as several of the nature sites said, Mom came back during the night and mother and child are now happily living their best lives somewhere in the woods behind our home. Bottom line is this- Nature knows what it's doing and it's best to watch and wait before you jump in to "help."
@rensala No, not abandoned- Mom picked him/her up last night. This is quite common. Mom will leave the baby in a safe place, rest up for a day, and then come back for the baby. They do this so predators cannot attack the fawn while mom is unable to defend the baby at full strength. Most of the sites I read said if they baby is crying, appears cold or is obviously hurt, they are generally safe and sound, so it's best to leave them alone for up to 36-48 hours. And it worked out just like they said. Thanks Renee!
@busylady Thank you Judith! I almost hope I have another doe choose our backyard for that recovery period, but I must admit I was a bit worried when I had to run and I couldn't take the baby with me!
Thank you Joyce Ann and Hannah! Yes- Mom did what comes naturally for all does and I just kept an eye out on the little one for her but without physical contact.
Thanks for all the views, comments and favs!
Good news- just as several of the nature sites said, Mom came back during the night and mother and child are now happily living their best lives somewhere in the woods behind our home. Bottom line is this- Nature knows what it's doing and it's best to watch and wait before you jump in to "help."
@beverley365 Thanks Beverley!
@grammyn Thanks Katy!
Thank you Joyce Ann and Hannah! Yes- Mom did what comes naturally for all does and I just kept an eye out on the little one for her but without physical contact.