NDR - My fawn is gone

[Newly Newfed]

Sad, sad news...  Baby Peanut, one of our fawns born this past May, was found in the deer pen today.  We're not sure what he died of, my mother in law said she was feeding him watermelon that afternoon and he was fine and then Jeff found him a few hours later.  There were no injuries on him that we could find and he wasn't displaying any symptoms of being sick.

It hurts when we lose a fawn not only because we are losing a pet, but because I bottle feed them for the first 3 months of their lives.  I put so much work into the fawns to bond with them and make sure they survive those first few months.  Even though I know this isn't my fault, when we lose one I feel like I failed him somehow.

All I know is I am going to keep close eye on Peanut's brother, Miracle, and probably panic every time he does something strange.


~ Stephanie

[People Whisperer]

RIP sweet Peanut 
I am very sorry to hear these sad, sad news Stephanie.
Have you fed them watermelon before?

[RMSChloe]

im sorry to hear that, i feel so bad. im wondering, do they roll like horses do? i dont know much about deer, but i know that horses, when they roll... they can put a twist in their guts. i had this happen to my uncles horse, Zinger Seelster. he had to be rushed to the emergency vet, and they didnt think they were going to make it in time. when something like that happens, they can die in an hour or sometimes less. he luckily made it and made it through surgery, but im just wondering if this is possible for deer too?

[Newly Newfed]

RIP sweet Peanut 
I am very sorry to hear these sad, sad news Stephanie.
Have you fed them watermelon before?

Yes, Peanut has eaten watermelon many times before.  Deer are funny, they have an instinct that tells them what is toxic to them and what isn't.  Jeff showed me once by offering greens to them - one was bad for them and one wasn't.  None of the deer took the bad stuff, but they all ate the good stuff.  Even the fawns knew.  It was pretty amazing.  They took it in their mouths and immediately spit it out.

im wondering, do they roll like horses do?

Honestly I don't know if they roll.  I see them lying down all the time, but I've never seen them roll.

We have a stream that flows through the pen and to get to it the deer have to go down a rocky incline.  I've seen fawns a couple hours old spring up and down the slope at a hundred miles an hour, but maybe he lost his footing and fell down it.  He was found in the stream.  My poor boy.  I am just heartsick. 

I would walk out in the back yard and call "Babies!" real loud and they would come running to the fence to me.  Can you imagine what it's like to be able to HUG a fawn while it's sucking on your earlobe?  I've almost lost several earrings.  I'm so scared something will happen to Miracle.  We lost both fawns I raised and my favorite two year old buck last year to parasites and a heartless, good for nothing vet.  If something happens to Miracle I'm done with bottle feeding the fawns.  I can't take it if I lose more next year.


~ Stephanie

[GoldenPyrs]

I'm soooo sorry, Stephanie.  ((hugs))

[EllieAndBlu]

awwwwww Stephanie, I am so sorry for your loss.
RIP sweet peanut!

[Newly Newfed]

Thanks everybody for your kind words.  I know this isn't Big Hooves Only, but I appreciate the kind thoughts.  I've been spending a lot of time with Miracle and even though he's always been a momma's boy, he's never away from my side nosing me and following me around when I'm in the deer pen.  I guess now that his brother's gone, he'll probably bond with me even more.  I guess that's the silver lining...Mirac le will be my little partner in crime.   


~ Stephanie