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

Pigeon Problems-Nuisance Removal and Barrier Discussion with 1st Response Wildlife

Pigeons love urban areas.  There is usually lots of food, shelter, and places to roost or just hang out.

They are seen all over the greater Tucson area sitting on buildings, light poles, electric wires, and they are found roosting in attics, under eaves, or anywhere there is enough safety to keep them protected from predators or the weather.  Unfinished attics, buildings with consistently open windows, rooftops with structure, and even unused, but sheltered commercial air conditioning units or swamp coolers can offer them locations for overnight stays and roosting sites.

Pigeons are usually tolerated because they are not aggressive to homeowners or business owners.  They are good looking birds and, they mostly stay out of the way of direct contact.  With no deterrents or barriers to roosting sites, pigeons will often choose where they want to roost or hang out for daylight hours, resulting in piles of droppings which are both annoying to business and homeowners and, which may be harmful. 

1^st Response Wildlife works with residential customers who call with a pigeon in their chimney, trapping and removing pigeons that have chosen a home or business as the best place to roost, hang out, and create a nuisance.  1^st Response Wildlife also has techniques and pigeon barriers that can be installed to keep pigeons from landing on ledges, hanging out on rooftops and over entrances.

Below are a couple of pictures of pigeons being removed, by 1st Response Wildlife from a customer site, where they were creating a nuisance.

 

Pigeon droppings from large flocks of pigeons can result in a much larger problem, beyond just being a nuisance.  Large flocks of pigeons can create a significant problem.  This material has been well documented to contain dozens of harmful fungus and bacteria. So, in addition to the droppings being unsightly and annoying to homeowners and business customers, large amounts/piles of droppings create a significant health hazard. Given the dry climate in Arizona, it does not take long for their droppings to dry and harden.  When disturbed by foot traffic or by workers who are called to remove the dried material, it turns to dust.  Attempts made to clean up the droppings, fungus spores and bacteria in the pigeon droppings easily aerosolize pathogens in the droppings.  This material may contain harmful fungus, and bacteria which, when inhaled can cause respiratory problems for those involved in clean up or, if disseminated by wind, can affect others  

The dangers of and variety of the pathogens in pigeon droppings is well documented.  The CDC and most pest control companies warn homeowners or business owners with large amounts of pigeon droppings to hire experts for clean up.  (See CDC publication- Control of Health Hazards Associated with Bat and Pigeon Droppings at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/nas/RDRP/appendices/chapter6/a6-133.pdf.)  In fact, professional clean up of large amounts of droppings often require respirators and other protection.  (Hazmat suits are also a consideration.)

Below are two pictures of pigeon droppings in an unfinished facility that had openings that made it easy for pigeons to adopt the area for a roosting site.  The first is an overall view and the second is a close up of the droppings that essentially have made the area unusable until the droppings are removed.

If you have or think you have a residential pigeon problem, consider calling 1^st Response Wildlife.  A rule of thumb in considering who to call would be to consider the location of the pigeons, the amount of and location of droppings, and the level of annoyance.  For larger projects, call a pest control company. For example, if you have a pigeon problem where a large flock of pigeons is roosting or hanging around on top of rooftops, ledges, swamp coolers, air conditioners, etc., it might be time to call a pest control company like Arizona Pest Control. (Pest control companies usually have a division dedicated to installing pigeon deterrents around structures for large business projects and protective gear used in cleanup.)  Below are two examples of pigeon barriers installed on a business.  The first is a bird barrier that allows maintenance of the equipment, but prevents pigeons from roosting, nesting, and accessing the equipment. 

 

The second is an example of bird spikes that discourages birds from landing on a ledge, edge of a roof, or entrance.  These come in various sizes and lengths.  Both the bird spikes and the bird barriers are manufactured to last for years.

To summarize, pigeons can be tolerated and enjoyed as part of the wildlife in and around your facilities-if they are not bothering or interfering with your business or creating a problem around your residence.  If, however, they are creating a nuisance, consider calling 1^st Response Wildlife or a pest control company to discuss approaches that can prevent them, using barriers, to discourage them from choosing your property as their home, or to have them trapped and removed.

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), coyotes, pack rats, gila monsters (monstruos de gila), rabbits (canejo), owls, bats, hawks, ducks, squirrels (ardilla), peacocks, coatimundi (gato solo), skunks (mofeta), exotics, pigeons, 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!

Animal Education, Animal Capture, Animal Trapping, Animal Rescue, Animal Relocation-1st Response Wildlife Does It All!

Southern Arizona, the Sonoran Desert, and greater Tucson are homes to a number of wild animals.  Many are beautiful, when observed in the wild, but can be a threat to small pets, children, and a nuisance to a business or residence.  The Arizona Game and Fish Department has very clear guidelines for approaching situations where an animal or reptile is observed on and around property.  Whenever possible, the protocol is to observe, accommodate, film, and appreciate our wildlife-but not disturb.

However, if you, as a homeowner, a business owner, a Property Management Company, or a renter, feel that an animal, reptile, or even a dog has become destructive, a nuisance, or a threat to yourself, your family, or a pet, please consider giving 1^st Response Wildlife a call to discuss your options.

The general rule of thumb, 1^st Response Wildlife follows, is to first listen, understand, and investigate a concern.  Information and education about a particular animal may be all that is necessary to put one’s mind at ease.  However, if an animal or reptile turns out to be an orphan, is living too close to a home, burrowing under sheds, decks, and/or is destructive or threatening in nature, then a plan of action which often includes an open free style capture, trapping the animal, or even rescuing it, may be the best response.  In most cases, nuisance animals, reptiles, and birds, will be relocated to a safe but distant location from where they were captured. (Birds, rescued/retrieved from a chimney, often will be released immediately, in the area where they were captured-after the chimney/entry point has been sealed up, to ensure they remain in their home area but do not venture back down into an open-ended chimney stack.)

The list of animals, reptiles, amphibians, and birds which 1^st Response Wildlife works with customers to better understand and direct the recommended plan of action, is quite extensive.  With the exception of protected species and those which need special one-time permits from Arizona Game and Fish Department to remove and relocate, services available to homeowners, businesses, Property Management Companies, and renters include Education, Capture, Trapping, Rescuing, Relocation, and seminars about:

Animals and Reptiles of Arizona, Bobcats, Raccoons, Ringtails, Coatimundi, Foxes, Skunks, Squirrels, Pack Rats, Harris’ Antelope Squirrels, Kangaroo Rats, Rabbits, Gophers, Round Tailed Ground Squirrels, Lizards-exotic and regional, Colorado River Toads (aka Sonoran Desert Toad) Tortoises, Bats, Gila Monsters, Owls, Buzzards, Ducks, Hawks, Rattlesnakes-any species, Gopher Snakes, King Snakes, Night Snakes, Long Nosed Snakes, exotic snakes (which may have been released), Coyotes, Dogs, other former pets-Peacocks, Iguana, etc..  Special permits can be obtained by a homeowner or business for specific bird and animal removal or deterrents, but it is best to check with 1^st Response Wildlife and AZGFD for larger animals, such as Javelina, Puma, Bears, Badgers, etc.

Part of the service 1^st Response Wildlife offers, in addition to its primary work directly with animals, is giving seminars on reptiles or animals in Arizona, as well as helping homeowners, businesses, and Property Management Organizations better understand how to live with our diverse population of animals and reptiles.  Frequent discussions about how to snake-proof your home, how to keep rock squirrels, mice, and skunks from returning to your property, and in-depth property and building inspections to point out and close up points of entry for unwanted “guests,” is a key part of "a day on-the-job" for 1^st Response Wildlife.

If you have small children, animals or feel that animals, reptiles, or birds, native to the area should not be living as close to your family or business as they are currently, please give 1^st Response Wildlife a call to discuss safe and humane ways to work to potentially relocate 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 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!

 

Arizona Game and Fish Urban Wildlife & 1st Response Wildlife

AZ Game and Fish Urban Wildlife

I believe one of the most important parts of my responsibilities as a licensed humane trapper and relocation expert of animals, reptiles and birds of the Sonoran Desert, is helping my customers understand the rich mix of animals, reptiles and birds we enjoy.  I do not automatically hurry to capture and remove animals that are not injured or sick without talking to my clients about their individual situation and what they are experiencing with some animal that is found in and around their business or home.

Working closely with the Arizona Game and Fish Department, I carefully consider and discuss what is occurring and then, with my clients discuss the principles that the state of Arizona has in place to deal with an animal or reptile.  In many cases, a business owner or home owner can, with a little education, learn how to either live with, accommodate, or discourage an animal from being a nuisance and, one of the best resources I use is to refer them to the Arizona Game and Fish Urban Wildlife web pages, where there are extensive videos, discussions and suggestions concerning the wildlife in Arizona. 

This website, http://www.azgfd.com/w_c/urban_wildlife.shtml represents a great compendium of information and also represents the commitment that Arizona has to helping you co-exist with the animals we find here.  Along with my blog, I find that my clients are more comfortable with my approach, suggestions and, if I really do need to remove, relocate, or capture and take an animal or reptile to a rehabilitation center, everyone involved, including the critters, have a better outcome.

I communicate with Arizona Game and Fish on a regular basis and, in fact, their regulations in managing wildlife require that I keep them informed about my work as well as report and seek counsel on an ongoing basis so they can better understand what I see happening with wildlife, where it is happening, and how our wildlife management can be improved.

For more information about my approach to helping you with your wildlife questions, nuisance animals, or injured or sick critters, rattlesnakes, and bats, feel free to contact 1^st Response Wildlife, www.1stResponseWildlife.com, or my cell at 520-260-9517.  If you want to read more in-depth explanations and descriptions of our extensive animal and reptile population and find ideas on how you can co-exist with them, you will find that the Urban Wildlife section of the Arizona Game and Fish website, above, is an excellent resource.

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, squirrels (ardilla) , coatimundi (gato solo), exotics, 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. 520-260-9517 Thanks!

Josh Waling, Humane Wildlife Catch/Release

Licensed Animal Trapper in Arizona

Cell: 520-260-9517

Hours of Operation: 24/7

Location: Tucson, Arizona (surrounding areas)

Email: [email protected]

Josh Waling is a humane Licensed Animal Trapper who catches and relocates 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, squirrels (ardilla), rock squirrels, Colorado River Toads (Sonoran Desert Toads)coatimundi (gato solo), ringtail, skunks (zorrillo), gophers, coyotes, badgers, Javelina, exotics, and dogs. He delivers service that is professional and fast.  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. 520-260-9517 Thanks!

Scroll down to follow me and see posts with photos, videos, and educational information on the wonderful animals, and reptiles that call southern Arizona their home. 

Thanks, from 1st Response Wildlife~Josh!

Tucson Humane Wildlife Animal Trapping & Removal

Hi, my name is Josh Waling and I have loved animals since the day I was born. I live in the heart of the Sonoran Desert-Tucson, Arizona, which is one of the most unique places in the world. We have as much indigenous wildlife as the Peruvian and Amazon jungles. I have been catching and handling exotic reptiles for over 25 years. I've been humanely trapping nuisance wildlife here in the Sonoran Desert for 10+ years and I love my job. I get to help sick, injured or orphaned animals find their way back to the wild. I also like to educate the public about our animals here in the Sonoran Desert to help both people and wildlife live together harmoniously. My passion is reptiles, but I have found a love for working with all animals including bobcats, skunks, rattlesnakes, coyotes, ringtails, raccoons, coatimundi, badgers, javelina, and even domestic dogs. So, I hope everyone will enjoy following my adventures. Check out the posts, videos and pictures below to see what I've been up to lately. :) Since I have a GoPro head mounted camera, and a number of field cameras that capture photos and video day or night, if there are any animals or reptiles you would like to see that I haven't posted, feel free to email me.

 Give me a call if you need help with any animals that may have found their way onto your property and need to find a way back to their home, ask for an education session or just call for information on animals you would like to know more about. I would be happy to chat with you and, if you need my services, I will be there in a timely and professional fashion to remove them from your home and help them find their way back to either nature or a proper rehab facility. Thanks!

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

Thanks. Josh

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), skunks, coyotes, pack rats, gila monsters (monstruos de gila), rabbits (canejo), owls, pigeons bats, squirrels (ardilla), coatimundi (gato solo), coyotes, badgers, possums, javelina, ringtail, rock squirrels, exotics, 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. 520-260-9517 Thanks!