1st Response Wildlife - Tucson's Humane Animal Trapping & Removal Services

Rock Squirrel Damage and Disease Exposed by 1st Response Wildlife

Rock Squirrels (Spermophilus variegatus), are some of the most handsome of the squirrels found in the Americas-see below. They can however, be a real nuisance as well as a carrier of disease.  Unlike the Arizona Gray, or the Apache Red squirrels in Arizona, or Eastern Gray, or Red Squirrels, back east, the Rock squirrels found in the Southwest US, although they can climb, spend their time on the ground and in burrows underground.

 

1^st Response Wildlife receives dozens of calls from Homeowner Associations (HOAs), homeowners, schools, and businesses to investigate and relocate Rock squirrels which have wreaked havoc in and around buildings, under fences, destroying gardens, and leaving ugly entrance holes to their burrows.  The size of their burrow entrances can also be dangerous in playgrounds/parks for children and athletes as well as in horse arenas where their holes are large enough, if stepped in, to break a leg. Rock squirrel burrows also can continue several yards under structures which, in some rare occasions, compromise the flooring and supports of the structure.  In other cases, holes under gates, fences, and walls, have established a new pathway to allow other critters to enter a homeowner or business enclosure.  (Fences, walls, decks, porches, and piles of debris seem to attract them.)

A good example of this is seen below.  In this example the size of the hole under the fence is large enough to allow rabbits to enter and a homeowner’s small dog to escape.

 

Rock squirrels also find porches, decks, and sheds comfortable places to birth and raise their young.  These structures provide protection from the weather and an environment with a more constant temperature-which 1^st Response Wildlife labels as Rock squirrel “favorites.”   

Often overlooked by homeowners, businesses, and HOAs, where Rock squirrels are observed but have not necessarily built burrows or, as of yet caused significant damage, is the fact that Rock squirrels are known carriers of disease.  Since they are primarily ground dwellers, are in constant contact with the ground/underground, they easily can become a host transport for fleas which carry bubonic plague.  

1^st Response Wildlife is very careful when handling live Rock squirrels during the transport and relocation process.  (Even deceased Rock squirrels should be handled with gloves to help protect from the potential of fleas.)  So, along with the potential damage Rock squirrels can have on your home, business, or structure, when you combine that with the potential for disease, 1^st Response Wildlife suggests Rock squirrels observed around your property, parks, or business, should be removed/relocated.  1^st Response Wildlife will humanely remove and relocate the Rock squirrels.  See below.

 

If you find that you have one or more Rock squirrels creating a nuisance in and around your business or home or, if you have small children and pets that you are concerned might come in contact with the fleas Rock squirrels may have, please give 1^st Response Wildlife a call to discuss how we, together, can decide how to best deal with removing them.

 

Thanks for considering 1st Response Wildlife 

Josh's Cell (24/7 Hours): 520-260-9517

Josh Waling is a humane Licensed Animal Trapper who catches and releases wildlife, removing animals including bobcats (lince), snakes, rattlesnakes (serpiente de cascabel), raccoons (mapache), pack rats, gila monsters (monstruos de gila), rabbits (canejo), owls, bats, hawks, ducks, squirrels (ardilla), peacocks, coatimundi (gato solo), skunks (mofeta), exotics, and domestic cats and dogs. He delivers service that is professional and fast and he is available 24/7.  Give him a call the next time you hear unusual noises in the attic or crawl spaces in your home or if you see wildlife eating your vegetation, creating nests, and raising their young too close to your pets or children or have an exotic sighting in your neighborhood. 520-260-9517 Thanks!

 

1st Response Wildlife Gets Help from the Monsoons in Identifying a Raccoon as the Culprit in Damaging Crops

Raccoons, Coatimundi, Skunks, Rock Squirrels, Badgers, Javelina, Deer, and even Pack Rats, are notorious for digging around structures, gnawing on plants, and, in some of the cases, a few of these animals can climb or reach up to eat fruit.  Summertime has lots of calls coming in to 1^st Response Wildlife to evaluate, educate the business or home owner on which animal is being a nuisance and, if necessary, relocate it.  One of the challenges of this business is trying to help the customer identify which of the variety of “critters,” that are found in the Sonoran Desert, is actually the guilty party.

Technology is playing more of a role in helping identify what is digging around structures, what is destroying plants, and disturbing animals, or making holes in buildings. If the animal can be observed, motion detector pictures taken, or helpful phone camera shots of the destruction forwarded before a trip is made to meet with the business or home owner, it reduces the time between identification and lure/bait selection, if relocation is warranted.  This becomes especially helpful if the customer is calling from a distance of greater than, say 50 miles, because bringing the wrong equipment, lure/bait, snare or tools, could warrant another trip and time-to-remedy the situation will have been extended.

Since the greater Tucson area, Pima, Pinal, and Cochise Counties have such a plethora of active animals this time of year, the more information that the business or home owner can supply to help narrow down what is causing problems, before the initial visit, by 1^st Response Wildlife, the better.

Recently, such a situation presented itself.  A business owner called 1^st Response Wildlife with a report of an animal digging, stripping fruit trees, and disturbing young plants.  Located over 100 miles from Tucson, a one-way trip without pin-point knowledge of what could be causing the problem could have been an expensive exercise.

Here are a couple of pictures of what was happening.  From the first picture, it is not really clear what is digging, nor, from the second picture-which shows a protective tube around tender plants has been lifted, can the animal be identified or what sized equipment should be brought down for an on-site evaluation.

Fortunately, the business owner was able to snap a few pictures of the type of digging and destruction-above and then, the clincher- helped specifically by the Monsoon rains, was that, the rains made the ground soft enough so that the animal causing the problem left these footprints, below.  Clearly they show it as none other than a masked marauder-Raccoon.  An alternative suggestion had been Coatimundi, but, based on experience and other factors, it was pretty clear Coatis were not involved here.  (There also had been some thought, before the footprints were discovered, in talking with the business owner, about other larger animals to consider, Deer, Javelina, etc. but, with these prints, it was pretty clear what identification 1^st Response Wildlife was going to make.)

 

The equipment was chosen, the lures/bait packed and, based on discussions with the business owner, it was determined that the nuisance animal, when captured, would be relocated.  Using the right sized equipment and focused on areas of disturbance, the Raccoon was humanely captured, relocated and the business owner will no longer have it bothering his plants.

If you have digging or disturbances, inside or out, it is helpful if you can see and snap a picture of the animal causing a nuisance to your business or around your home.  In some cases, it may be better if the animal is left alone and the area is secured in such a way as to make it difficult for it to bother your property but, in other instances, for all concerned, it would be beneficial to relocate it.  In either case, if you have, what you think is a problem, please do not hesitate to call 1^st Response Wildlife.

Thanks for considering 1st Response Wildlife 

Josh's Cell (24/7 Hours): 520-260-9517

Josh Waling is a humane Licensed Animal Trapper who catches and releases wildlife, removing animals including bobcats (lince), snakes, rattlesnakes (serpiente de cascabel), raccoons (mapache), pack rats, gila monsters (monstruos de gila), rabbits (canejo), owls, bats, hawks, ducks, squirrels (ardilla), peacocks, coatimundi (gato solo), skunks (mofeta), exotics, and domestic cats and dogs. He delivers service that is professional and fast and he is available 24/7.  Give him a call the next time you hear unusual noises in the attic or crawl spaces in your home or if you see wildlife eating your vegetation, creating nests, and raising their young too close to your pets or children or have an exotic sighting in your neighborhood. 520-260-9517 Thanks!