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

Reptile Education, Demonstrations, and Discussion by 1st Response Wildlife

The state of Arizona is home to the largest number of venomous snakes, the largest land lizard in the United States and the only venomous one.  In addition, during Monsoon season, the Sonoran Desert Toad (aka Colorado River Toad) emerges from its hiding place underground, to feed and reproduce.  Not all species in the southeast are either venomous or, in the case of the Sonoran Desert Toad, have powerful toxins.  Arizona also is home to a number of non-venomous reptiles that are helpful in controlling the rodent and insect population.

Knowing the difference between the venomous species and the non-venomous species that live in and around homes, businesses, schools, parks, trails, and storage sheds, can be lifesaving.  There are dozens and dozens of snake bites a year in Arizona with associated medical costs that can, with a significant envenomization, cost well over $100,000 to treat.  In addition to the cost, the discomfort, recovery period and permanent limb and nerve damage can be devastating.

1^st Response Wildlife provides an on-call service to identify, remove, and relocate all species of reptiles.  With 25 + years of handling reptiles, and dealing with the homeowners and businesses professionally, 1^st Response Wildlife is uniquely prepared to provide educational sessions to businesses, schools, Dude Ranches, property management companies, organizations, and groups interested in learning how to identify our reptiles and avoid snakebites.

!st Response Wildlife is licensed and has well over a dozen rattlesnakes from Arizona, South America, Mexico, and California. Education of the public is a cornerstone of and a requirement of the license to "Hold," venomous reptiles.  With this license Ist Response Wildlife stands ready and is available to provide sessions on reptile safety, identification of different types of reptiles, and recognizing which ones have which type of venom (hemotoxin/neurotoxin, or both).  Attendees find it valuable to see the differences between a pit viper (rattlesnakes) and non venomous snakes such as king snakes, gopher snakes and exotic constrictors.  1^st Response Wildlife will work with the educational site ahead of time to decide which species to bring.

Below are some of the reptiles that a site hosting an educational session can choose from for a session.  Reptiles are transported and displayed in locked enclosures and, with the exception, if requested, of non-venomous reptiles-which students or attendees may wish to handle, there is no danger from venomous or non-venomous reptiles.

Below is a short list of reptiles which are available for an educational session:

Sidwinder

Western Diamondback

 Albino Rattlesnake

Black Tailed Rattlesnake

Gopher Snake (approx 5'), non-venomous

Arizona Black

Mountain King Snake (approx 4') non-venomous

Mojave

Gila Monster

Patternless Rattlesnake-Rare, Pictured below

Schools, colleges, universities, and other non-profit can, host an educational session with 1^st Response Wildlife.

Homeowners, hikers, property management companies, businesses, playgrounds, and school yards all encounter snakes, lizards, and toads.  If your organization, school, property management company, ranch, or business would like to have 1^st Response Wildlife provide education and discussion that would help you identify and better understand how to protect your students, family, pets, or customers, yet recognize and leave helpful reptiles alone to help with rodent and insect control, please give 1^st Response Wildlife a call. And, if, after a session, there is a need to install an exclusion barrier around your property or business to keep unwanted reptiles out, 1^st Response Wildlife would be happy to discuss the service options for this level of protection as well.

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), cayotes, pigeons, 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!

Roadrunner placed in Rehab by 1st Response Wildlife

Here in the Southwest, we have the largest member of the cuckoo family, the Greater Roadrunner.

Lovingly characterized in cartoons and folklore as an extremely fast runner, friendly and quirky, and mostly unafraid of human interaction, this bird really serves our area well as a significant predator. The Roadrunner feeds on insects, rodents, lizards, snakes, and, even snatches baby quail, from time to time.  These birds run through the desert with surprising speed-12-15 mph and, if really startled or attempting to avoid predators or cars, will fly short distances. 

Recently, 1^st Response Wildlife was called to inspect a residence for nuisance animals and, during the course of checking the perimeter, discovered the presence of feral cats.  It seems neighbors in three homes surrounding the property being inspected were placing food and water outside for the cats and several cats were living in the neighborhood, to include one found on the roof of the property under inspection.

Neighbors reported that, in addition to feral cats, a Roadrunner had been living in the area for a while but, recently, they had observed it seemed unable to walk very well and they were concerned that it couldn’t run fast enough to escape a feral cat attack or even capture some of its normal prey.  Fortunately, the Roadrunner was found in the back yard of the property where 1^st Response Wildlife was doing the nuisance inspection and it was captured and was taken to a rehabber.  The rehabber inspected the injured foot and determined that, after a period of rehabilitation, where it will be fed and safely protected, its foot will heal and it will be eventually released back into the wild.

Here is the Greater Roadrunner safely housed in a transport container on its way to the rehabber.

Many residents of Tucson and the surrounding communities really underestimate the number of species and variety of wildlife that live in close proximity to homes, businesses, parks, and neighborhoods. 

Arriving prepared for almost anything is fundamental to providing the quality of service 1^st Response Wildlife’s customers expect.  1^st Response Wildlife had the equipment, experience, and relationships with rehabbers to deal with the surprise of finding an injured Roadrunner in conjunction with a nuisance animal call.  If you have bobcats, ringtails, or raccoons creating a nuisance, snakes in and around your home or business, scurrying or animal noises in your attic, bats observed in places where they shouldn’t be, please give 1^st Response Wildlife a call.

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