06/21/2026
It's baby season, baby!
It's also the season when we get the most calls about animals that need rescuing—when all they need is to be left alone.
Remember, nature knows what it's doing. If you find an animal—particularly a baby/juvenile animal—that is not injured, in immediate danger, or displaced (in your swimming pool, etc.) then they do not need rescuing.
When a baby bird leaves the nest naturally, they are called a fledgling—they look a little silly and their feathers are not completely filled out yet, but they can flap their wings and hop around. If they're in a natural area, leave them alone. If they are not, you may gently move them to a nearby bush or tree. The parents will find them and continue feeding them. That's it!
If it is a nestling, i.e still has yellow corners of their beak and only has pin-feathers or is mostly bald, please try to locate the nest and put the bird back in it. Birds rejecting babies that have been touched by humans is a MYTH. Please do not try to feed the bird food or water, as that can be more dangerous than helpful.
Found a baby turtle? Sweet, we live on an island with many types of turtles. Box turtles, diamondback terrapins, sliders ... All native to our area.
What you should do:
✔️Help them cross the road in the direction they were heading (if applicable)
✔️Remove them from any entrapment they may be stuck in (pool, bucket, garage?) and place in a natural area NEARBY
✔️Leave them alone
What you should NOT do:
✖️Relocate the turtle to "a better place you know that they would love". Relocating a turtle will confuse them the rest of their life
✖️Take the turtle into your home and keep as a pet, even just for a little bit. Keeping native turtles as pets is against the law in Georgia!
✖️Take the turtle to a rehabber/rescue center. If they are not injured, they do not need rescuing.
Let's support our wildlife and let nature be nature. We know you may be good-natured but you may be doing more harm than good by intervening. Please message us if you have any questions!
