Bright ideas - Muntjac Deer!

RE: Bright ideas - Muntjac Deer!

Nicola Cole — Thu, 24 Oct 2019 21:05:35 GMT

Another that has had a stunned Muntjac turn up at the door...driven in by a very well meaning person in the back footwell of their car. By the time it got to the practice it took two of us to hold it down in the footwell under a blanket whilst a third injected it!

RE: Bright ideas - Muntjac Deer!

Bob Russell — Thu, 24 Oct 2019 13:17:31 GMT

I am just relieved that the staff were sensible and head nurse experienced enough to get the deer settled without injury as I had not quite arrived. The tusks are really quite impressive (fearsome)!

RE: Bright ideas - Muntjac Deer!

Julie Innes — Thu, 24 Oct 2019 09:13:06 GMT

Thanks for an interesting thread! I had no idea (no pun intended!) that these wee guys were so dangerous!!

RE: Bright ideas - Muntjac Deer!

Iain Richards — Thu, 24 Oct 2019 08:57:54 GMT

Just wondering, how common are deer-related "consultations"? They pop up periodically with folk not really sure what to do and I was thinking of an articel on a common sense apporach. However, I think there is one in Livestock vet (Michael - can you recall?).

My general advice to MoP was if you could approach it, it was usually beyond recovery. However, I've recently learnt that roe get a transitory blindness after extensive, but not life-thretening trauma, which complicates matters. One thing that is clear though, if you get a request to sedate a trapped/entangled deer, if it's been trapped for more than about 6hrs, it will probably die from capture myopathy within the next 7 days. If it's recent, you have to tag or mark the deer to show it's had drugs.

RE: Bright ideas - Muntjac Deer!

Michael Woodhouse — Wed, 23 Oct 2019 22:32:41 GMT

[quote user="bob lehner"]Not sure if it's just the males that have these - but they are pretty fearsome.[/quote]

Males only with Muntjac, the CWD both sexes have tusks. The Chinese look cuddly but I wouldn't recommend it. Munties almost pig like.

RE: Bright ideas - Muntjac Deer!

Minnie — Wed, 23 Oct 2019 21:13:31 GMT

I have had to retrieve one from inside a Nissan Micra before. Person bringing it in had put it in passenger side footwell to transport! According to him a couple of minutes into journey 'bambi turned pyscho'. Pretty handy with those teeth. The inside of the car was wrecked. Munty 1 Micra 0. Eventually managed to grab it mid circuit of car when it became trapped between passenger and driver seat. Found it a place at a petting farm until RSPCA could deal with it. 2 days later we were called to petting farm 'kill it before it kills somebody'. They had tried to keep it calm and isolated in one of their goat pens and sheds which had also been trashed. I can't think of anybody local to us who would take in one of these and they really don't do well if confined. With nowhere to send them(and even if there was is it really fair to keep them in captivity?) and no way of releasing them best for everybody is PTS . But will agree they do taste good if you get the chance

RE: Bright ideas - Muntjac Deer!

bob lehner — Wed, 23 Oct 2019 17:34:58 GMT

[quote user="Gillian Mostyn"]Wow...he was seriously lucky! He put it in his van???[/quote]

I had a client years ago who had a 'pet' muntjac. I had to go and see it for something or other - anyway it was running round a small paddock - he managed to catch it - whereupon it slashed his arm quite badly with its razor sharp canine teeth/tushes. Not sure if it's just the males that have these - but they are pretty fearsome.

RE: Bright ideas - Muntjac Deer!

Gillian Mostyn — Wed, 23 Oct 2019 16:57:53 GMT

[quote user="Bob Russell"]I think the chap that had it in his van realised just how lucky he had been as he carried it into the surgery!! [/quote]

Wow...he was seriously lucky! He put it in his van???

RE: Bright ideas - Muntjac Deer!

Bob Russell — Wed, 23 Oct 2019 16:28:58 GMT

It did go bezerk but we expected it!

It ended up 'freezing' which allowed me to give it some ketamine. Once out of it the rest was straight forward.

I think the chap that had it in his van realised just how lucky he had been as he carried it into the surgery!! I have suggested that however good his motives it is not something to do again! A crash could have done far more damage than an injured deer!

Thanks for the advice. It is appreciated!

RE: Bright ideas - Muntjac Deer!

Sarah Keir — Tue, 22 Oct 2019 19:39:46 GMT

Be careful! They go bizerk! I had a client a few years ago that put one in the back of her car to transport it to the clinic (before we could tell her not to) and the back of the car was a right off and it smashed the back window and ran away. It must of been well stunned initially to allow her to pick it up.

RE: Bright ideas - Muntjac Deer!

Iain Richards — Tue, 22 Oct 2019 15:56:32 GMT

[quote user="Bob Russell"]Anyone wanting to shoot New Forest Deer can come to my home address and have the choice of many including Muntjac!![/quote]

Tempting.

However, original question - you are stuck. Euthanasia sounds like the only option as you can't release or keep since 1st October this year. Even with just a head injury it's likely to be very bruised and so not that tender despite Michael's recommendation.

RE: Bright ideas - Muntjac Deer!

Bob Russell — Tue, 22 Oct 2019 15:30:41 GMT

We have had advice from the local and not so local rescues. None have licences (actually one does but on the condition that the population is allowed to die off over time).

I am sure they are delicious but if I am to be allowed back to work that is a non-starter according to our staff.

On advice from several responsible rescues it has been euthanased.

Anyone wanting to shoot New Forest Deer can come to my home address and have the choice of many including Muntjac!!

RE: Bright ideas - Muntjac Deer!

Claudia Niehoegen — Tue, 22 Oct 2019 14:56:17 GMT

The Hampshire Wildlife Trust should be able to give advice.

Good luck,

Claudia

RE: Bright ideas - Muntjac Deer!

Michael Woodhouse — Tue, 22 Oct 2019 14:53:55 GMT

I can promise they are delicious! Obviously make sure it's not released until drugs out of its system if it's had any. I know what I'd be doing with it.....

RE: Bright ideas - Muntjac Deer!

Gillian Mostyn — Tue, 22 Oct 2019 14:23:42 GMT

Be careful - deer can be docile when stunned but even small ones can cause significant injury to handlers when they're well! I've known them kill themselves running into walls in fear.

I don't know which one you've got down south, but have you tried ringing Stapeley Grange just for advice? They are very good and will collect injured wildlife up here.

https://www.rspca.org.uk/local/-/rspca/stapeley-grange-wildlife-centre

Just checked for somewhere near you, and I assume you've already contacted this one?

https://www.rspca.org.uk/local/mallydams-wood

https://www.rspca.org.uk/local/west-hatch-wildlife-centre

good luck!