August, 2010 THIS MONTH'S TOP FIVE WILDLIFE ISSUES:
# 1  Skunks                # 4 Bats
# 2 Raccoons            # 5 Squirrels
# 3 Woodchucks       

Rats & Mice
are usually classified as a pest species due to their habits of living in houses and gnawing. The most common complaints include the following:

    * Rats/Mice living in the attic
   * Rats/Mice scratching in the walls
   * Rats/Mice raiding the pantry
   * Gnawing on electrical wires
   * Concerns over health risks

For these reasons, many people wish to have these nuisance rodents trapped and removed.  

MICE AND RAT BIOLOGY: Roof Rat (Rattus rattus) Is also known as the Black Rat, Ship Rat, or House Rat. It is very common in the more southern states. Adults average 7-8 inches long with an additional 8 inch tail, and weigh between 6-10 ounces. Males are usually larger. They breed year-round, and have up to five litters per year. A female can become pregnant within 48 hours after giving birth. The young grow quickly, and are sexually mature within three months. It's rare for rats to live more than one year in the wild, though lab/pet rats can live up the three years.  Norway Rat (Rattus norvegicus) Is also known as the Brown Rat. These rats are larger than Roof Rats, with a more robust body, slightly longer, but a bit shorter tail. They can weigh up to a pound. They are more common in northern parts of the country.  House Mouse (Mus musculus) is a common rodent pest inside people's homes. They are usually around three inches long and weigh less than an ounce. They're quite a bit smaller than rats. They can have up to a dozen litters per year, and up to a dozen baby mice per litter. That's gross! Average litter size is closer to six. They rarely live longer than a year in the wild.

All of these rodents have excellent hearing and sense of smell, but poor eyesight. They often travel via urine or pheromone pathways. They have excellent speed and balance, and can easily climb most surfaces.

MICE AND RAT BEHAVIOR: Though than can live in a variety of natural habitats. Roof rats tend to live up in trees, whereas Norway Rats and mice live at ground level or even in underground burrows. However, these rodents are known for their association with and dependence on humans. They very frequently live in people's homes or other buildings, especially if these buildings contain or are near food sources. These rodents establish a relatively small home range, and don't travel very far. They are nocturnal, and wait until night, when everything is safe and quiet, before venturing out in search of food. They eat a variety of foods, but often prefer grains. They have rodent teeth that continually grow, and they gnaw on objects in order to wear down the teeth. They can be somewhat territorial, though high population densities can mess up territories.

NUISANCE CONCERNS: Rats and mice may be the most commonly known nuisance mammal species worldwide. They can be important agricultural pests, but the real concern is their tendency to feed on human food stores, often contaminating what they do not eat. They also chew, and can destroy electrical wires and pretty much anything they get their teeth on. Most of the calls that I get regarding rats has to do with the noise people hear the rats making up in the attic or in the walls. They leave behind a lot of waste in the form of urine and feces. They're also known carriers of zoonotic diseases.

MICE AND RAT DISEASES: Everyone knows about the now-rare Bubonic plague, or “Black Death” of the Middle Ages, but there are over 30 different types of disease are associated with rats and their droppings. They include Rat-bite fever (Streptobacillus moniliformis bacteria), which is transferred from the bite of a rat, the Rickettsia virus, which is similar to chicken pox, Hantavirus, which can cause febrile illness in humans and sometimes kidney, blood, or respiratory ailments, Eosinophilic Meningitis - an infection of the brain, and caused by rat lung worm. The droppings of rats can cause Leptospirosis or Salmonellosis, and rats and mice also bring parasites into the home.
Opossums
are usually classified as a pest species due to their habits of scavenging and living in attics and under houses. The most common complaints include the following:

  * Opossums living in the attic
   * Opossums living under deck or house
   * Dead opossum on property or roadside
   * Stealing pet food or bird seed
   * Sick, potentially dangerous opossum
   * Presence is alarming dogs/pets

For these reasons, many people wish to have this nuisance animal trapped and removed.  

OPOSSUM BIOLOGY: (Didelphis virginiana) Possums look somewhat like giant rats, with their pointed snouts and skinny, naked tails. They are in fact North America's only marsupial (like kangaroos, they raise their young in a pouch). Adults average 10-14 lbs. They don't live very long, rarely more than two years, three max. They mate in January, and then the tiny young climb into the pouch and grow, then cling to the mother's back, then drop off and lead a life on their own. Opossums are omnivores, which means that they eat anything. They are nocturnal. They have the most teeth of any mammal (50), a prehensile tail, opposable thumbs, the male has a bifurcated penis, and they have incredible immune systems.

OPOSSUM BEHAVIOR: Possums are nomadic and opportunistic animals. They sometimes establish a home base, especially a female with young, and often live in human structures. They rummage around at night for food, and will eat pretty much anything, but prefer meat, and even rotting carcasses. They are not very fast, and will stand their ground when threatened, bearing their 50 sharp teeth. In dire circumstances, they will sometimes feign death, or "play possum" - they fall over, tongue hanging out, etc. It may be more an act of passing out from sheet terror as opposed to a grand act. Opossums can, if they wish, hang from their tails, but they very rarely do this.

NUISANCE CONCERNS: Because they are opportunistic scavengers, they can come into conflict with people. They'll steal garbage, pet food, etc. They can distress pets, and if a dog corners one, it can get a nasty bite. They can spread fleas and other parasites. Most of all, they often like to live in human structures, such as under sheds or decks, and they very commonly live inside of attics. When an opossum lives in an attic, it makes the attic its personal toilet, and leave a lot of droppings.

OPOSSUM DISEASES: Opossums actually don't often carry rabies. They have a lower than average body temperature, and the virus doesn't survive well. They do carry a large amount of parasites, however, and thus are vectors for the diseases that fleas, ticks, etc can transmit. They also leave a lot of droppings, which pose the usual excrement health risks, such as leptospirosis or Salmonella.

Raccoons
are usually classified as a pest species due to their habits of living in human dwellings. The most common complaints include the following:

   * Raccoons living in the attic
   * Raccoons living in the chimney
   * Tipping over garbage cans
   * Stealing pet food or bird seed
   * Sick, potentially rabid raccoon
   * Presence is alarming dogs/pets

For these reasons, many people wish to have this nuisance animal trapped and removed.  
RACCOON BIOLOGY: (Procyon lotor) Raccoons are easy to recognize with their distinctive black mask and ringed tail. Adults range from 10 lbs on up, with some reaching over 40lbs. They can live up to 12 years in the wild, though average life spans average closer to 5-6 years. Raccoons mate in the winter, around December, and the females give birth to an average of 3-5 young. A mother raccoon is very protective of its litter of 3-5 young, usually born in the spring time. Like many mammals, they are primarily nocturnal, though some people spot them during the day, often when in search of food. They are omnivores, and will eat almost anything they can get those crafty hands on.
RACCOON BEHAVIOR: They are very common animals, particularly in urban areas. They are well adapted for survival in cities. They are excellent climbers, and they have very nimble hands. They are also strong, and they often explore, tearing new areas open in search of food and shelter. They like to den in trees, but they love to den in attics.
NUISANCE CONCERNS: Raccoons are one of the most commonly dealt with nuisance animals. They have adapted to living with humans. They have learned that garbage cans and dumpster's are excellent sources of food, and that houses are excellent habitat. A mother raccoon will often tear a hole in a roof to access an attic, where they will make quite a mess and a lot of noise. If you have a raccoon in the attic, it's going to make a big mess. They will search hard for food, and are fond of tipping over trash cans, raiding dumpster's, and stealing pet food. They will often break into a screened-in porch to get pet food. They carry a number of parasites and diseases that can affect people or pets.
RACCOON DISEASES: They are a common carrier of rabies, a potentially fatal disease. They also carry canine distemper, which can kill your dog. Their feces may contain raccoon roundworm, the spores of which humans can breath in and become seriously infected by, so it is important to capture raccoons using human habitat.
Squirrels
are usually classified as a pest species due to their habits of living in houses. The most common complaints include the following:

   * Squirrels living in the attic
   * Squirrels living in the chimney
   * Squirrels chewing on woodwork
   * Squirrels stealing bird seed
   * Loose squirrel stuck inside home

For these reasons, many people wish to have this nuisance animal trapped and removed.  
SQUIRREL BIOLOGY: (Sciurus carolinensis) Squirrels are usually gray, sometimes red, brown, or black. Adults average about one pound in weight. They can supposedly live for up to ten years, but life expectancy in the wild probably isn't more than 3-4 years. Squirrels give birth to two litters per year - one in late summer, and one in winter. The female gives birth to 3-4 young after a 44 day gestation, and the young grow quickly, and are weaned in about ten weeks.
SQUIRREL BEHAVIOR: Squirrels are most active in morning and evening. Squirrels eat mostly nuts and seeds. They live in a variety of habitats, both forest and suburban or city areas. They establish home territories, and often communicate via scent, chattering, and flickering of the fluffy tail.
NUISANCE CONCERNS: Squirrels love to live in attics. They also love to chew, and will chew on houses or wires, ducts, pipes once inside an attic. People don't like the noises of squirrels running about above the ceiling or in the eaves, but it's really the chewing that's a problem. If squirrels chew on electrical wires in an attic, it can create a real potential fire hazard. Squirrels also bring in nesting material and leave urine and feces in an attic.
SQUIRREL DISEASES: No real important diseases, though they do carry parasites, and thus are vectors for the diseases that fleas, ticks, etc can transmit. They also leave a lot of droppings, which pose the usual excrement health risks, such as leptospirosis or Salmonella.
Snakes
There are approximately 120 species of snakes in North America, 17 of which are venomous. They live in a variety of habitats, some aquatic, some land-based. All snakes are carnivores, and feed on a variety of small prey, which they swallow whole. Snakes can prove beneficial in reducing certain types of vermin, but many people prefer not to encounter snakes at all.
NOTE: Do not provoke or attempt to catch or handle any snake that you cannot properly identify - it may be a venomous snake. If you are bitten by a venomous snake, you should immediately get medical attention at a hospital. Read about how to tell if a snake is venomous

How To Get Rid Of Snakes: First of all, snake education is very important. Many people are ignorant about snake species and behavior. If you have a fear of snakes, it's best to just leave them alone! They will not attack unprovoked.  Snakes are not poisonous they are venomous poison has to be ingested where as venom is injected. That said, if you wish to control or eliminate the snake population on your property or in your home, there are several steps you can take:

Physical Snake Removal: The most certain way to get rid of snakes is to physically remove them from the area. This is the technique that we most specialize in. If a snake is on the property, we come and remove it. We might catch it by hand use a tool such as a snake hook or snake tongs. We put the snake in a snake sack and remove it from the property and relocate it far away from the capture site. This technique eliminates the problem with the known snake on the property, but of course there might be more snakes, or a new one might come by.

Snake Prevention Techniques: There are several snake prevention techniques. The easiest, and perhaps the best, is habitat modification. The snakes are on your property because something is attracting them to that area. The two most likely attractants are cover and forage. If your property has a lot of debris and thick plant like, it will attract snakes. Especially attractive are things snakes can hide under, such as plywood boards, gaps under concrete, etc. Eliminate the clutter, trim back the weeds, and fill in any gaps that snakes would like to use for shelter! Also, lower the food source through methods such as rat control. Another, more extreme, means of snake prevention is the installation of a fence around the perimeter of the property. It must be flush with the ground, or preferably go into the ground, and angled outward at a 20 degree or so angle, and be at least two feet high. A nice, solid, vertical fence that is flush with the ground, no gaps underneath, will also do.

Snake Trapping: Trapping snakes is also an option. You can set snake traps on the property, and they will catch any present snakes. Trapping is a very good option when you've seen a snake a few times, but it never sticks around long enough to remove by hand.

Snake Repellent: Many snake repellents are sold, even at reputable hardware stores. Alas, we've tried every one available, numerous times, and there is no magic spray, snake powder, or device that you can use to make them go away. Some people try to sell predator urine, such as coyote or fox urine to get rid of snakes, but that doesn't work. Mothball flakes (naphthalene) and sulfur are also very commonly sold, but these do not deter snakes in the slightest. They actually poison the environment. Ultrasonic sound emitters are also marketed for every creature alive, including snakes, but these devices are worthless at deterring snakes. Some old wives' tales recommend the use of sisal rope, human hair, ammonia-soaked rags, garlic, etc to make them leave, but we;ve been to countless homes where these techniques failed - biologists know that these attempts won't work.

What to Do About a Snake in the Home, Attic, or Basement? If you have a snake inside your house, it must be physically removed. Hire a wildlife professional to find and remove the snake, or set snake traps inside the home. You can set traps to remove snakes in attics, or in the basement as well. You can use a net to remove a snake from the pool. Removing the snake is not enough. You must find out how it got into the house, and seal shut any and all entry points. Snakes can climb, so it's important to seal the entire house. This is good for keeping out all sorts of critters.
Birds,
though nice animals, can be amongst the worst of nuisance animal pests, especially for commercial property owners. Birds often choose to roost on signs, ledges, or rafters of commercial buildings. This might not be so bad, except for the fact that they make a horrible mess with their nesting material, and worse, droppings. Pigeon droppings in particular can really accumulate, and are not only unsightly, but a health risk to you, your employees and customers. To the right you will see some pigeons that I captured using standard pigeon traps, placed on the roof of a commercial property where they created a nuisance with their unsightly and disease-ridden droppings.

Pigeon Habitat: Pigeons have adapted well to urban environments. Most cities are full of flocks of these birds, just looking for handouts. They often associate humans with food, and are unafraid to flock closely to people. They are also unafraid to leave droppings everywhere (cars are obviously preferred spots), along with nesting material. The nesting material can clog vents and drain pipes, and cause potential fire hazards. The droppings and feathers can contaminate large quantities of livestock feed and food destined for human consumption. If that's not enough, pigeons lack the common decency to rid themselves of parasite and disease before they enter our urban areas.

Bird-Related Diseases: These "flying rats" or "gutter birds" can carry or transmit: pigeon ornithosis, encephalitis, Newcastle disease, histoplasmosis, cryptococcosis, toxoplasmosis, pseudo-tuberculosis, pigeon coccidiosis and salmonella food poisoning. Pigeon parasites include a number of bugs, fleas, ticks and mites.  Wondering how to get rid of birds? There is no magic spray or device that you can use to make them go away. Some people try to sell fake plastic owls or plastic hawks to get rid of pigeons, but that doesn't work. They also try to sell ultrasonic sound emitters. These devices are worthless at eliminating birds. Some old wive's tales recommend the use of mothballs or ammonia-soaked rags to make them leave, but We've been to countless homes where these techniques failed - biologists know that these attempts won't work. The ONE AND ONLY WAY to take care of your problem is with the installation of deterrent devices such as bird spikes or even via trapping and removal of the birds.


Bats
There are a wide variety of bat species in the US, though it's usually the colonizing bat types that cause problems in buildings. Bats are not flying mice, or even rodents. They are more closely related to shrews or primates. Though bats often get a bad reputation, they are not aggressive, and are often very beneficial in eliminating pesky insects. Bats aren't blind. They can see just fine, but they also use echolocation as a means of navigating complex flight and finding insects on the wing. A bat's wings are essentially the same as our arms and hands, thus the scientific name Chiroptera or handwing. The bones of the hand and finger are elongated and serve to support and move the wing. The hind limbs of bats are modified for landing and hanging upside-down.

Bats become a nuisance when they roost in large numbers in human dwellings. The rapid and smelly accumulation of guano (droppings) is unsanitary, and serves as a fertile breeding ground for a fungal disease called Histoplasmosis, which is transferable to humans who breathe in the fungal spores. Bats are also known to carry rabies, a viral disease that causes progressive paralysis and death in mammals, including humans.  People are most likely to encounter nuisance bats when a roosting colony takes up residence in a building. Attics often make excellent habitat, as do barns. Bats need only a quarter inch or more of space to crawl through in order to enter a building. Once inside, if the habitat is good, the colony grows until the homeowner notices the bats flying out of the building, notices the droppings in the attic, chimney, outside, or even basement (when the droppings fall down the walls). Sometimes a bat will get lost and find its way out of the attic and into the living area. Occasionally a transient bat may also fly into a house. Getting rid of bats requires experience!




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