(gentle music) - Hi, I'm Karen Kalunian and today we're gonna talk about fawn rehabilitation.

(gentle music) Today we're gonna be speaking to Pam Hood from Sweet Binks about fawns and what it takes to rehabilitate and what you should do or shouldn't do if you should see a fawn in the wild or someplace that doesn't seem like it should be there because that has happened.

Over time, you've had probably a million different ways that fawns have come to you.

But if someone does see a fawn, what is the best thing to do and what not to do?

- So, if the fawn is resting comfortably quiet, walk away, leave it alone, get pets, whatever.

Just leave it alone.

Mother's out there.

Like cottontail rabbits, fawn mothers going forage or go elsewhere, and they leave their scentless fawns- - [Karen] Looking for food for their babies.

- Exactly.

And fawns aren't that equipped to follow her.

So they just stay in one place and they can stay for many, many, many hours unattended by their mother.

Usually, fawns do not require a rehabilitator.

It's when fawns are crying, trying to nurse on people, running out into traffic or running wildly.

- That could be scary.

- That could be a situation where we need to intercede.

What I would recommend is that you call your closest fawn rehabilitator and text pictures.

- [Karen] But right now, that's you.

- [Pam] That is me!

(Karen laughing) That is me.

- [Karen] You're the only one in Rhode Island.

- [Pam] I am the only fawn rehabber this year in Rhode Island and I had ten fawns come in.

Six were candidates for rehabilitation and they're all doing great, and I'll be releasing them soon.

I've talked through so many people out of leaving the fawns alone.

The fawn is fine, leave it alone.

And we can always uptake.

It's not an urgent thing.

We can wait sometimes a day or two on fawns to- - [Karen] To see if it's still sort of sitting in the area.

- [Pam] And most of the time, mom collects it- - [Karen] They'll be gone.

- [Pam] And it's gone.

(Karen laughing) Exactly.

- [Karen] They'll be gone.

- [Pam] But there are times where they're truly orphaned.

I had a pretty disfigured fawn come in.

I'm sure the mother rejected it.

It did not survive the night.

There are situations where the mom gets hit by a car or whatever.

I had a fawn come in that was stuck in mud and it actually fractured its own spine trying to get out.

- Remove itself.

- Yeah.

- So those are the specific situations when someone really needs to contact you right away.

- Exactly.

And that's, when we talk to a rehabber and we can ask you questions, what's going on?

What we don't like is for people to hover over a fawn.

- Rush to judgment.

- Right.

- Let them live their lives.

- Sometimes people will make it an orphan by just hovering too much.

- Spooking.

Spooking away the mom.

- So if you happen, right here on my own property, I've walked up on fawns and I just turn- - [Karen] Go the other way.

- [Pam] Walk the other way.

(Karen laughing) I have a lot of deer here.

I've released several deer here.

But again, that communication with your rehabber is really important, not only for fawns but for any species.

On a daily basis, I talk people through cottontails.

- Right.

And if someone ever had a question or they thought a fawn was in danger, they would just reach out to you.

- Absolutely.

Absolutely.

That's what we're here for.

And sometimes we gotta do a little bit of detective work to determine- - If that fawn is in need.

- Exactly.

- Thank you again for all you do, for all the animals.

- Thank you.

You too.

- [Karen] To watch more videos like this, visit ripbs.org/animaltalk.

(no audio) (no audio)