I have taken several calls lately from homeowners who have tried trapping one (or several) raccoons in their attics and called me in after period of time to help when they were unsuccessful. This is very challenging as the homeowner has basically “taught” the raccoon on how to avoid the trap and/or steal the bait. This fellow in the picture was driving people crazy for a month before they called me! Luckily, I have specialized traps and the experience to catch these “trap shy” raccoons.
Things Going Bump In the Night?
I have received quite a number of calls lately about “noises” in the attic. Most callers are quite sure it is a raccoon or squirrel or some type of monster. Which is understandable as any noise in the middle of the night in the attic is not a good sign and causes serious stress. But the good news (kind of) is that, in about 75% of the cases I have looked at lately, it is mice and not other wildlife. Hard to believe something so small can make so much noise but they are quite active, even when it is cold.
One easy trick to diagnose attic noise is the “knock” test. If you hear a noise in the attic, knock on the ceiling. If the sound stops for 30 seconds or so, and then it starts again, it is probably mice. They freeze in place and then quickly start moving again. If the sound stops for a longer period of time (minutes to hours), it is probably wildlife of some sort that left the area and then returned later.
This little guy showed up on camera after a night of running around and driving the clients crazy. Whether mice or wildlife, I can help!
That’s Not A Reindeer On The Roof!
Working with wildlife is about playing detective once in a while. An unknown animal was causing sporadic issues in this client’s attic and who should appear- this guy on a remote camera that I placed on the roof!
Dig Defence to protect against skunks
Skunks under the deck? A significant challenge is keeping animals from digging under decks, sheds, and other structures. On a recent job, I installed Dig Defence (digdefence.com) around this deck to keep skunks out. The metal spikes extend about a foot into the ground to prevent future digging. It is also a wonderful way to keep dogs from digging under fences.
Raccoons!
Noises in the attic? Don’t let the raccoons in! This hole was created by raccoons (they don’t have those claws and teeth for nothing) by pealing back 3 layers of shingles and removing the wood underneath. They were seriously determined to get in the attic. Lesson for the day- don’t ignore noises in the attic.
Coyotes!
Coyotes are one of my favorite animals and I receive quite a number of calls about them. I am always happy to help people understand these amazing animals that, in almost all cases, do not pose a threat to people. However, coyotes are wild animals and it is important that people supervise outdoor pets and do not accidentally feed coyotes with pet food or garbage. This video was from the Perkins Wildlife Center at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History- high recommended if you are in Cleveland for a visit!
Mike And The Opossum
This little opossum caught a break- I was after some raiding raccoons, so he got a free pass when he showed up in a raccoon trap. Ohio law prohibits moving certain animal species to prevent the spread of disease. They must be released on the site where they are captured (like this little guy) or be euthanized. It was this little opossum’s lucky day and he got to return to the woods unharmed after playing opossum for a bit.
The national conference of the Wildlife Society in Cleveland 2018
For the past five years, I have served on the executive board of the Ohio Chapter of the Wildlife Society and I currently serve as past president. The Ohio Chapter recently hosted the national conference of the Wildlife Society in Cleveland during Oct. 7-11, 2018. It was a great conference and highlighted the many diverse organizations working to conserve wildlife across the state, nation, and world. A number of wonderful field trips were hosted by Cleveland Metroparks and the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. Special thanks to Terre Donoghue for her beautiful artwork in support of the Ohio Chapter.
The Right Tool For The Job
Raccoons are one of the most adaptable species of urban wildlife. Unfortunately, this also often brings them into conflict with people. Raccoons are quite fond of getting into attics and garages to use as den sites. They have a number of ways to do this as I found out in a recent project. The raccoons were climbing up the siding on the side of the garage (see the paw prints in the picture) and had removed a number of pieces of the soffit as well as chewing a hole in the roof! Since there were a number of dogs, cats, and skunks in the area, standard live traps on the ground were not a good option as non-target species could be captured or injured accidentally by the dogs. I used a specialized live trap, built by Comstock traps, and attached it vertically to the wall so only raccoons climbing in or out of the building would be captured. This ensured there were no raccoons remaining in the garage after a short period of time and the entry points were properly sealed to prevent them from reentering in the future.
Raccoon Poop (And Why You Need To Be Careful Around It)
I have had several calls recently that involved safety issues with raccoon feces. Yes, I know this topic is a bit gross but it is important to understand the health risks associated with raccoon feces. It is particularly important to make sure that kids and pets stay away from raccoon feces. The good news is that infections are relatively rare but it is good to be careful. The photo is a “present” left in my yard by one of the resident raccoons. Raccoons carry Baylisascaris procyonis whose common name is raccoon roundworm. This worm lives in the intestines of the raccoon (apparently without harming it) and sheds eggs in the raccoon feces. This is where the issues come in as the eggs in the feces can be ingested by humans under certain circumstances and cause serious health issues when they hatch. Always be careful around raccoon poop!