For survival in the Wild, the Momma Deer has to tell the fawn when & where it is OK to use the bathroom. The Fawn is born with this instinct so that they don't give away their Hideout to predators with sensitive noses.
A human Momma Deer can simulate this by leading the fawn to another area, and rubbing the fawn's rear end with a warm, wet wash cloth. The fawn will poop right in the washcloth which makes things easier. Their poop is pellets (like a rabbit), and near odorless, unless they get diarrhea which is a whole different nightmare. (My poor wife).
This is not a duty that we could share. The fawn bonds with and trusts only her Momma.
We are in the process (a long, never ending process) of building/re-building/fixing up/ renovating/saving the abandoned, 1/2 finished cabin that was on the property we bought, so we weren't too worried about the "housebreaking". There were several areas where we put down some old carpet scraps, covered them with some old towels, and that was "it". We changed and washed the towels frequently.
They do grow up very fast the first few months, and we were able to move her outside before things got too bad. We then threw out the old carpet scraps, and washed down the bare plywood flooring with diluted bleach.
We were both pleasantly relieved that the fawn doesn't make much odor...
very mild. I guess this is for survival. A stinky fawn wouldn't last very long in a environment filled filled with hungry predators with excellent noses.
In some ways, caring for very young fawns is more difficult than normal pets, and even human children. My wife was an excellent 24/7 Deer Momma, sleeping on the floor with her for the first 6 weeks, taking her to the bathroom frequently, and doing all those things real Deer Mommas do, including taking her for walks and teaching her to forage for food.
Neither of us had any experience raising fawns, but found that it is not uncommon in this area,
and we were able to access a lot of information, both online, and from others who had done the same thing. It is legal to keep up to 5 wild animals in Arkansas, and unfortunately, fawns lose their mothers all too often.
One of our neighbors took in a fawn 4 years ago. The substitute Deer Momma became so attached that she couldn't separate. They now live with a full grown Doe in their house.
The Deer Momma and her baby watch TV on the couch together.
This is not as idyllic as it sounds.
They have had to cover their windows with plywood to keep her from trying to Jump Out if she gets frightened, and they never have visitors.
They have sectioned off the house, and the part that belongs to the deer opens to a small outside pen with high wood fencing.
This neighbor was able to give us much good information,
including the advice to move Blossom to an outside pen and separate asap.
My Wife & Blossom still have a very special relationship.
Blossom likes me, accepts me as a friend, and will walk with me in the woods,
but she LOVES her Deer Momma,
and will leave me in an instant if she sees her Momma, or even hears her voice,
bounding and leaping with tail wagging joy to run to her Momma.
I am glad I am not a jealous man.
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