ATTENTION: We are located in Joelton,TN., NOT at 2826 Dogwood Lane in Nashville. If you take any sick, injured or orphaned animals to the Nashville address you will be delivering them to a Guitar Shop!! If you truly want to help these animals, call us at 615-559-WILD (9453) and we will gladly direct you to our facility in Joelton, where we will be able to actually help the animal (and fulfill your good intentions).
Walden’s Puddle provides care and treatment to sick, injured and orphaned native Tennessee wildlife. We are a professionally-staffed wildlife rehabilitation facility in Middle Tennessee. We do not charge for services and receive no federal or state funding at this time. We are here to help wildlife in trouble. If you suspect an animal is orphaned, please observe to make sure its mother is not nearby.
A Great Way To Give
It’s really easy! Here’s how:
- Go HERE to choose Walden’s Puddle as your Cause (or one of your Causes)
- Use the iGive Button at Over 1,800 Online Stores
- Walden’s Puddle gets much-needed money to continue helping sick or injured animals
iGive.com was established in 1997 with the goal of changing all consumer transactions so that a percentage of each purchase can benefit worthy causes close to home. Participating stores include Amazon.com, Pottery Barn, Best Buy, Staples, PETCO, eBay, Expedia, QVC, and many more. Your contributions could even be tax-deductible.
If You Find A Wild Animal That Might Be Orphaned Or Injured
If you find a wild animal that might be orphaned or injured, call our Wildlife Admissions Line immediately at 615-559-WILD (9453) and LEAVE A MESSAGE. Please Do Not Email, We May Not Get Your Message In Time.JOIN OUR MAILING LIST
IF OUR ADMISSION APPOINTMENTS ARE FULL
In the event our admission appointments are full or we are at capacity, please contact these other licensed Wildlife Rehabilitators. Also, please read the related emergency animal care information on this website. Thank you for your understanding.
Lilliebirds Wildlife Rehab: 615-579-8801
Ziggy’s Tree Wildlife Rehab: 615-631-2205 for small mammals or (931) 841-9781 for song birds
Nashville Wildlife Conservation: 615-270-9009 (Turtles)
Please GO HERE for an extensive list of all permitted Wildlife Rehabilitators in all counties of Tennessee.
Latest News On Facebook
Here’s what to do if you find a baby squirrel!
After last night’s strong winds, we’re expecting many calls about babies that have fallen from nests. In most cases, the best thing you can do is help reunite the baby with their mom.
Try to reunite unless:
1) It has been in a predator's mouth (ex: dog or cat)
2) It is clearly injured (ex: bleeding or wounds)
3) It is covered with fly eggs and/or maggots
4) It approaches/ follows you unafraid and crying nonstop
In any of those cases, please give us a call and leave a voicemail at (615) 559-9453. If none of those scenarios apply, there's normally a good chance mom will come back for her baby! Follow these guidelines to get them reunited:
📦 Place the baby in a shoebox-sized container with soft bedding, ideally with a warm rice sock, hand warmers, or a tightly-sealed warmed water bottle. Cover the heat source with fabric to prevent the baby from getting too hot.
🌳 If you think you know the tree it fell from, place it at the base of that tree. Squirrels keep multiple nests, so even if you think one is destroyed the mom could have another one ready to stash her baby away in!
🔈Now try to reunite! Pull up a video of crying baby squirrels on your phone - there's an hour long version on Youtube. Place your phone by the box with the sounds playing and go watch from a distance. The mom will not come back if you are near. Keep an eye out for lurking cats, dogs, or other predators. If all goes well, you'll get to see mom come back for her baby and carry it away! If the baby has been out for 4-5 hours and still no sign of mom, it's probably an orphan. Bring it inside, keeping it in a warm, dark, quiet place, and leave us a voicemail.
IMPORTANT TO KEEP IN MIND:
🤫 Cooing and cuddling may comfort domestic animals, but it’s a nightmare for wild ones. Wildlife often go into a “freeze” response when they’re scared, which can make them look calm even when they’re extremely stressed. Please handle the baby as little as possible.
❎🍼 Do NOT attempt to feed or rehydrate the baby. We repeat: 𝒅𝒐 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒂𝒃𝒚! We know your instinct is to help, but feeding wildlife without the proper training can do more harm than good. Baby squirrels require specialized formula and careful feeding techniques. When food or fluids are given incorrectly, they can enter the lungs instead of the stomach, often causing aspiration pneumonia, which can be fatal. Unfortunately, we see this preventable outcome far too often.
We’re here to help - please call and leave a voicemail at (615) 559-9453 and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can!
I have witnessed the mother squirrel come carry her baby back up to the nest on several occasions. Always the best option if possible
Hi, I signed up to be a volunteer on the website. How long does it usually take to respond and how does it work from there? Do I attend a orientation?
I know they're wild, and I know not to, but I just wanna hold and cuddle them!!!!
Dale 🥰
Just a bird and his emotional support Q-tip.
Cardinals may be small, but their bite strength is no joke. That thick, cone-shaped beak is built for cracking tough seeds, which means their bite is way stronger than you’d expect from a songbird.
During exams, when a cardinal decides to bite something, we’ll sometimes offer a small stick, or in a pinch, a Q-tip. Since he’s going to clamp down on something, we’d prefer it not be our fingers.
My grandson has emotional support fuzz. The stuffing from a pillow or stuffed animal. It's a real thing.
When I worked there, that was most serious injury 😂😂 I forgot the Q-tip and had to be rescued.
This picture is amazing. It makes me laugh! Somebody was awfully clever to think of using a Q-tip! 
Yeah, I learned about their bites the hard way trying to rescue one from a cat. 😅
He is beautiful!! Will he be returned to the area from which he was found? I’m curious as if there is a Mrs. Cardinal in the vicinity.
I learned this the hard way, bare handedly rescuing one out of the road to bring to you guys 🤣💀🤣 Not only do they bite, they also gnaw.
What a cutie. I’ve been trying to administer oral meds for our cockatiel this week. Thankfully her disapproving nips aren’t quite as strong. Bird are so sassy.
I rescued a few of these through the years. Quite the beautiful biters. 😆
“ I’m feisty but grateful “ 
Great idea.
This might be my favorite picture you’ve shared, yet 🤍
Been there done that and it hurts!! He is gorgeous! get better soon buddy
How handsome a little snuggin!
He's beautiful! My great grandmother loved red birds seeing 1 always makes me think of her!
Great photo 💚
What happened to this baby
👍😊
Brandon Mitchell
Laura Grifka 😀
Emi Morse <3
WALDEN'S PUDDLE ON YOUTUBE
IF OUR ADMISSION APPOINTMENTS ARE FULL
In the event our admission appointments are full or we are at capacity, please contact these other licensed Wildlife Rehabilitators. Also, please read the related emergency animal care information on this website. Thank you for your understanding.
Lilliebirds Wildlife Rehab: 615-579-8801
Ziggy’s Tree Wildlife Rehab: 615-631-2205 (small mammals) or (931) 841-9781 (song birds)
Nashville Wildlife Conservation/ 615-270-9009 (Turtles)
Please GO HERE for an extensive list of all permitted Wildlife Rehabilitators in all counties of Tennessee.
Read Our Current Newsletter
