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

Snakes Around Wintertime

In the Sonoran Desert, snakes choose a number of different approaches to prepare for winter.

Each year, 1st Response Wildlife observes and is called to assist businesses and homeowners with snakes that either have taken up residence in their garage or home, or are reported on a property preparing for winter with a last meal.

In all cases, it is imperative that the species of snake be identified and appropriate action taken to ensure safety for the homeowner, the business, children and pets.

Below are two examples where 1st Response Wildlife was involved in identifying a winter-ready snake and/or removing it.

In the first, a gopher snake was observed and identified by 1st Response Wildlife, just  after it had finished a last meal before winter.  You will note there is a bulge of probably a round tailed ground squirrel half way down its body.  While not dangerous, with a belly full of its last meal, this snake could not move as fast as it would if it did not have that extra weight/girth, so the guidance from 1st Response Wildlife, to the homeowner, was to leave it alone and let it find a winter home. (Gopher snakes are good to have around because they eat rodents throughout the warm season of the year.)

The second picture is a bit more troubling.  It shows 2 diamondback rattlesnakes which 1st Response Wildlife removed from inside a home which they had chosen as a warm place to spend the winter.  (These are only 2 of 4 rattlers that were removed by 1st Response Wildlife in November in response to calls from homeowners.)

These were captured in mid November but, it is not uncommon for calls to come in to 1st Response Wildlife in December-April, from a business or homeowner that has found a rattler behind a container, hidden along a wall, or even under a workbench.  Snakes in sheds, garages, and even in homes, may be a little sluggish during those months but, nevertheless, they are still dangerous.

If you see a snake in or around your home or business, give 1st Response Wildlife a call to come, identify, and if necessary, remove it.

If you would like help with any other nuisance animals, noises, see or hear something in or around your home, business, or property and would like help identifying it, humanely removing it, with the assurance it will be relocated to live in a safe environment, please give 1^st Response Wildlife a call to discuss your options.

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), coyotes, snakes, rattlesnakes (serpiente de cascabel), raccoons (mapache), pack rats, gila monsters (monstruos de gila), rabbits (canejo), owls, bats, hawks, ducks, opossums, squirrels (ardilla), peacocks, coatimundi (gato solo), skunks (mofeta), ringtails, 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!

Whip Snake and Gila Monster Vs Glue Boards – Rescued and Removed by 1st Response Wildlife

If any homeowner or business has had a scorpion, roach, cricket, spider, or any other insect problem, the solution suggested by Do-it-yourself sites on the internet or supplied by Pest Control Companies almost always includes spraying around perimeters as well as glue board leave-behinds.  Glue boards, pictured below, contain sticky long lasting glue that easily catches and holds insects that choose to walk through this container-placed along walls and especially close to garage door openings, and storage closets and where insects have been seen.

 

These glue boards are effective and help control the entrance of insects as well as act as good indicators of whether or not the perimeter spraying has reduced the number of insects around the property.  Having said that, however, the glue that lines the bottom, sides, and top of these little boxes is also strong enough to adhere to and hold snakes and Gila Monsters.

1^st Response Wildlife has been called to homes and businesses on a number of occasions where a snake or Gila Monster has entered a garage or storage area that either had its door left open or, in some cases, a rodent had chewed an entrance hole into a space and the snake entered looking for a meal.

Here we see a Whip Snake that has been rescued from a glue board entanglement that is being rehabilitated by 1^st Response Wildlife before it is returned to the wild.

 

Here is a close up of a Gila Monster that was found in a garage with its head stuck in a glue board box after apparently going after a cricket or some other insect that was stuck in the glue.  This close-up picture clearly shows that all the glue has been removed and it is now being released back into the wild.

 

In both cases, after using a technique that frees the animal, care is taken to hold it in a safe container until all traces of glue are confirmed removed and the animal is fully able to move around and capable of returning to the wild.  Only then is the snake or Gila Monster returned safely back into the wild.

Ultimately, the animal is not permanently impacted by the effects of the glue but, if the business owner or homeowner does not call a Wildlife Service to come, catch, and release the animal, the glue is strong enough that the animal cannot extricate itself and will eventually starve to death.  It is imperative to recognize that these glue board boxes are effective in insect control but also present a danger to animals that can be following their prey and become stuck.  Instructions from a Do-it-yourself site on the internet or a Pest Control Company rarely include guidelines for checking glue boxes routinely for animal capture but, 1^st Response Wildlife would like to suggest that businesses and homeowners keep an eye out for animal activity when glue boxes are placed around and inside one’s property.

If you find that you have an animal stuck in a glue box and would like it humanely removed, rehabilitated, and returned to the wild, please give 1^st Response 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 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!

 

 

Pack rat Removal and Destruction Addressed by 1st Response Wildlife

Pack rats in Arizona are more than a nuisance.  They are destructive, dangerous, and everywhere!  Many believe Javelina are the most destructive because of their size and what they can do to plants, cactus, and property.  Pack rats, however, are even more destructive because they can climb over walls, squeeze into spaces in attics, businesses, sheds, grills, foundations, automobiles, and just about anywhere they can be assured there is darkness and protection from their predators.  Once established, they gnaw wood, wire, PVC, grill or pool covers, and, basically set up shop. Since they can move into people living areas, they also can bring disease into your home or business in a way that external animals, like Javelina, cannot. 

Books have been written by Rodentologists that highlight their success in rat removal in large cities, urban communities, food warehouses, and businesses.  None of them, however have apparently tackled writing about and actually dealing with pack rats that live in Arizona.  Their primary approach is to educate the business or city maintenance workers to remove or reduce a food source and the expected result is to encourage Norway or brown rats to choose other places to live.  Here in Arizona, however, we are surrounded by desert, with unlimited food supplies, shelter material and access to homes, businesses, cactus, and rock outcroppings, and much of the food source and protective material is natural.  There is no way to get rid of all the pack rats which live all around us, so, they just keep coming.

The stories from homeowners and businesses that trap and remove pack rats include repeated nesting and destruction from pack rats that occupy the nests, attics, grills, storage spaces, and the roots of cactus within days of the removal of one rat.  1^st Response Wildlife is called by dozens of business owners, Property Management Companies, and homeowners to consult with them about a pack rat problem.  The key to understanding pack rats and determining what to do about them is to first recognize the damage they can do, then identify where they are living, consider their lifestyle, the conditions that exist in a given location where there is a pack rat problem, and how it can be addressed long term.  

Pest Control companies provide a service to try and keep the numbers of pack rats low but, they really are not in the business of educating the public and addressing the larger pack rat problems that are present when pack rats invade a home, business, or the plants around the property.  True, some number of pack rats will be trapped or even poisoned by a Pest Control service but, once a pack rat finds entry to a home or business, a more specific and long term strategy to get the rats out of the home or business must be employed.  Again, 1^st Response Wildlife works with Pest Control companies to augment their services, actually go into attics, roofs, and homes or businesses and work to immediately remove and make those areas unattractive for future pack rats.  

Pack rats, except when they have and are raising their young, are primarily solitary dwellers.  This means that, unless young are present, there is usually just one pack rat in a nest.   This also means that when the young move on from their mother, they must find their own place to live.  As this happens, and a relatively safe place is found-either an empty nest left by another pack rat, or a new, relatively safe location, the pack rat sets about creating their own abode.  They collect material which, in many cases, includes protective Cholla cactus sections that makes it more difficult for the animals, raptors, and reptiles that feed on them to enter their nest. Snakes-rattlesnakes, king snakes, and gopher snakes, along with Ringtails, Gila Monsters, and Owls, are not easily deterred by those barriers in the wild, however.   Pack rats will, in any event, keep trying to keep as many of their predators away from their "runs," as possible. Below is an example of what a pack rat has done to create a Cholla-lined pathway to its hole which makes it difficult for a bobcat or coyote, feral cat, or even a curious dog to walk up to the hole because of the risk of getting cactus in its feet.

When a pack rat is trapped from a nest, it leaves behind its scent, droppings, urine smell, and its nesting material and, before long, another pack rat moves in and begins to add material to that nest.  Nesting material can be comprised of just about anything.  Here is an example of twigs, mesquite and Palo Verde pods.

Here is more nesting material, rocks, and sticks-filled with natural food-pods from desert trees

Here is a pack rat nest in the base of an Agave.

Here is an example of a pack rat nest that is almost hidden in a pool edge garden of Lantana,

Close by, the nesting material, which includes Cholla cactus sections has spilled out of the Hesperaloe parviflora, with the nesting activity becoming more obvious as winter approaches because of the added material brought in to ensure insulation.

Close by, for protection at night and partially during the day, a pack rat has created entrance and exit holes in a pool cover that gives it shelter from raptors, dogs, and bobcats, while having easy entrance and exits when it is foraging for food and shelter material.

More damage to the pool cover.

Automobiles and trucks are also a favorite nesting area for pack rats.  There are untold numbers of Arizona residents who have left a car/truck outside and discovered, to their dismay, that trying to start it after a period of time results in no response from the engine, or discovering, after lifting the hood, a whole collection of material has filled the engine area.  It may cost thousands of dollars in rewiring and also it is a very time consuming job of removing cactus, pods, and any other material-all the while trying not to get stuck by cactus or other material that is in between wires, battery or engine parts.  The really frustrating part of this situation is that removing the material and trapping the rat which has done the damage does not guarantee that another rat will not take up residence immediately and start bringing in material again, chewing on wires, and leaving its droppings.  (1^st Response Wildlife has worked with a number of these situations to help vehicle owners come up with a strategy to reduce a repeat pack rat infestation.)

Three ideas that many try to prevent pack rat nesting in an outside vehicle are; 1. Leaving the hood up over night with a light in the engine-since pack rats do not like a lot of light and; 2. Buying a gadget called Rid-a-rat that is sold by many hardware stores.  This device has wires that connect to the car battery and then has a light which has a magnet on the back which directs the vehicle owner to attach it to the firewall.  Some swear by this device and others, like the owner of this truck below, where a Rid-a-rat was installed, would tell you that they absolutely do not work, and; 3. There are a number of companies that advertise an electronic device that had an ultra-high sound that a person cannot hear but, supposedly, it is a deterrent for rodents.  Again, research and homeowner’s experience, do not substantiate any significant success with these devices.

And then, of course, there are the homeowners who find that pack rats can climb and, especially, as winter approaches, any easy entrance to an attic, laundry room, shed, or grill, provides an excellent warm and safe-from-predator home for winter habitat and a great location for birthing and raising a whole new family of pack rats-just in time for spring.

1^st Response Wildlife worked with a homeowner who heard noises under the roof and in the attic and, when water started dripping and the inspection of the attic showed significant pack rat droppings, further inspection showed pack rats had chewed PVC water pipes and made a home in the ceiling-ruining the ceiling.  Below, you can see an example of PVC with rat gnawing (in other parts of the water pipe, the pack rats chewed all the way through and the water ruined the ceiling, drywall, piping and the whole area had to be cleaned out in order to be replaced.)

This is the insulation filled with rat feces and nesting material.

Here is the ceiling with the insulation, drywall and insulation removed.

The bottom-line of this whole discussion is that pack rats are here to stay.  They are destructive in many different ways, live as happily in the desert as in and around your house and it is only by understanding their behavior, habitat, and the potential damage they can cause when they get into the wrong places that a business, Property Management Company, or homeowner, can protect their property and vehicles from pack rats choosing the wrong place to call home.  1^st Response Wildlife has helped dozens of homeowners, businesses, and Property Management Companies with their pack rat problems.  1^st Response Wildlife believes that everyone with a pack rat problem needs to get involved in discussing and agreeing on the best way to remove the rats but, everyone should also be involved in looking at the longer term value of participating in a plan to keep future pack rat damage from occurring.

If you have pack rats in and around your property, hear gnawing noises at night in your walls or attics, discover droppings in a closet, shed, grill, or nesting material in a garage, attic, or somewhere it should not be, please consider giving 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 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!

Rowdy Ringtails Identified and Relocated by 1st Response Wildlife

Ringtails, Arizona’s state mammal, are curious, beneficial in that they feed on rodents, insects, and other prey, but they are not often seen because they are nocturnal.  They are a relative of the Coatimundi and Raccoons, also found in and around Tucson and southern Arizona but, their small size and shy nature allow them to live around homes, business, in and around rocky areas, without being observed. If you have not seen Arizona’s state mammal, the Ringtail, then you also are among thousands of Tucson residents who have never seen a Ringtail or may even be unaware that they happily live here in Arizona. 

Ringtails are uniquely equipped for night hunting of mice, insects, bird eggs, and the occasional snake.  Their small and slender bodies also make it easy for them to squeeze into attics, restaurant roofs, commercial businesses, and sheds in search of shelter as well as people food.  1^st Response Wildlife has trapped several Ringtails in commercial buildings where the food left in trash bins in employee break rooms, and/or happily consuming buns and other leftovers in/around fast food restaurants where night time access can offer easy feeding opportunities.  They can climb up the side of a Santa Fe home/wall, trees, and their feet can turn almost 180 degrees.  All which describes a great little mammal; nocturnal hunter, one that can climb and is able to squeeze into small spaces, lives happily in attics, buildings, rock formations, sheltered desert areas, is adaptable, and, as a rodent and insect eater, fills a valuable niche in the desert circle of life.  Also known as “Miner’s cats,” these little guys have a long history, here in Arizona are really beneficial to have around-even if you have never seen one.

1^st Response Wildlife most recently responded to a call from homeowners who had nightly noises in their attic. Night-time flashlight investigation, by the homeowner, around the property and scanning of the roof revealed what looked like a small cat with large eyes and a tail with black rings. At first, it was thought that there were Coatimundi living in and around the home.  However, the fact the noises were at night, the scuffling, and scurrying sounds were not those of a large animal, helped confirm the noises were not being made by a Raccoon, Coatimundi, or birds that somehow had gotten into the attic. When the constant night time noise did not stop, 1^st Response Wildlife was called, consulted, and an effort was launched to identify the intruder(s) and remove/relocate.

1^st Response Wildlife helped the homeowners talk through the possible animal species that they were hearing and, after an inspection, confirmed that, indeed, the homeowners had Ringtails happily living in their attic. In this particular instance, although Ringtails are great to have around, the night time noises and feces left in the attic were regarded as a nuisance and it was requested that they be trapped and relocated safely and humanely.

1^st Response Wildlife trapped a pair of Ringtails and set them up for release in a location that is a favorite haunt for this nocturnal mammal.

In the pictures below, this roudy male and female Ringtail are pictured in traps where they were live-trapped and are being fed while a location, suitable, but far removed from their attic abode is being selected. It should be noted that Ringtails are mostly solitary animals and being able to trap a pair (male and female) in the same transaction is rare. 

First the female. (Note the large eyes, typical of nocturnal animals.)

Then the male:

In the YouTube video, below, you can see both the female(first) and then the male, being released in a rocky outcropping where there is plenty of food (mice, insects, and Kangaroo rats, etc.), and also water close by.  Note that, after a few days of feeding them in preparation for release, both Ringtails are reluctant to leave the protection of their transfer traps and, in fact, it takes a little extra effort to encourage them to leave the comfort and protection where they have been housed. https://youtu.be/c0iGSoNTK6g

If you hear noises in your attic, walls, or see an animal or reptile that you cannot identify and believe it might be bothering you, your family, business associates customers or renters, please give 1^st Response Wildlife a call and let Josh discuss with you what you might have and what could be a good solution for living with, or removing and relocating the animal, reptile, or amphibian.,

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), coyotes, snakes, rattlesnakes (serpiente de cascabel), raccoons (mapache), pack rats, gila monsters (monstruos de gila), rabbits (canejo), owls, bats, hawks, ducks, opossums, squirrels (ardilla), peacocks, coatimundi (gato solo), skunks (mofeta), ringtails, 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!

Rattlesnake Danger Inside Homes!-1st Response Wildlife Responds

Arizona is home to 13 species of rattlesnakes and several dozen subspecies.  In southern Arizona, probably the most prevalent rattlesnake a homeowner, hiker, or rancher encounters is the Western Diamondback.  Rattlesnakes can be observed, starting in the spring, in a whole variety of locations such as crossing the road, on your patio, under a bush, along a wall, or crossing a trail.

1^st Response Wildlife has recently been involved in 2 very dangerous rattlesnake service calls where homeowners encountered Western Diamondbacks inside their homes.

The most serious happened in a home out near the base of the Rincon Mountains.  It seems that a basement, rarely used, had become invaded by packrats.  Over the winter, rattlers had been drawn to that location by the packrats and by the fact that, via an opening to the outside, the dark basement was a perfect place to set up a winter den.  By the time 1^st Response Wildlife had been called, the homeowner had already encountered three Western Diamondback rattlesnakes inside the upstairs area and, by the time a full inspection and property search and monitoring occurred, no fewer than 13 rattlers had been discovered and removed.  While, at present, no more rattlers have been found, the home is being monitored, a trap has been set in a key area of the basement, and everyone involved is on alert. 

Clearly, this is a dangerous and somewhat exceptional situation.  However, since rattlesnakes typically “den up,” for the winter, it is not uncommon to find several rattlesnakes which have been together during the colder months, emerging from their den in the spring in groups.  It is just rare to have a large number of rattlers choose an occupied residence as their place to winter over.

While it is a surprise to find a den of rattlers in a home, it is not uncommon to find that, drawn to an opening or an occasionally open garage door, a homeowner will find a rattlesnake, in the spring, which has spent the winter behind some storage container or box.  If a homeowner also has mice or packrats that have chosen their garage as a place to take up winter residence, this can be a magnet that draws rattlesnakes in initially and then, with the garage door closed, the snake ends up finding a hiding place where it stays until spring.

An extremely dangerous development involving mice and a winter rattler recently resulted in a call to 1^st Response Wildlife.  It seems the rattler had entered the home in the fall from a nearby wash, either taking advantage of an open garage as a potential winter hideaway or because it sensed mice in the garage, followed their presence and then spent the winter and early spring, hidden away well fed and safe.

To answer a question that is sometimes asked, “do snakes climb?” the answer is, yes.  In this case, the homeowner was walking around behind his car on his way to run an errand and, as he neared the back of the garage, he heard a rattle. Somewhat surprised, thankfully, he stopped, looked around and there, about shoulder/neck high, he saw a Western Diamondback female.  She was sitting on top of a weed hoe, apparently trying to get out of the garage and, not finding an exit at ground level, had climbed as high as she could and was attempting to find an exit.  The homeowner backed up, realizing that, in a few more strides he would have possibly been the recipient of a snake bite in the shoulder or neck area.  He took the picture below and called 1^st Response Wildlife.  As you can see, the picture was taken in a garage with only an inside light, which is not very clear but, the rattler is clearly visible, shoulder high, on the weed hoe.

Below is a picture, after the rattler has been removed to a transfer container, showing the rattler’s former location and the path it had to climb to reach the height where the picture was taken.

Here is the female Western Diamondback.

Here is a YouTube of that same rattler being safely relocated back into the wild.

https://youtu.be/618rj06yycw

Rattlesnakes in Arizona are not to be taken lightly.  They provide a great service in rodent control and, left alone, unless they are in your back yard and you have pets or children, will co-exist with people and keep their distance.  If they are in your home, as in the two situations above, however, they can be extremely dangerous, both because, when encountered, they may not have an easy path to escape and, because, a homeowner, child, or pet, may not see them until it is too late.  If you find a rattlesnake on your property, in your home, around your pool or patio and would like it safely removed, 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), coyotes, snakes, rattlesnakes (serpiente de cascabel), raccoons (mapache), pack rats, gila monsters (monstruos de gila), rabbits (canejo), owls, bats, hawks, ducks, opossums, squirrels (ardilla), peacocks, coatimundi (gato solo), skunks (mofeta), ringtails, 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!

Rattlesnake removal in Tucson by 1st Response Wildlife

The rattlesnakes are out and, regardless of whether you are sure if the snake you see is a rattler or not, it is safer to call a professional to discuss the best way to deal with it and, if necessary, to remove it.

A rattlesnake bite is something 1st Response Wildlife has blogged about before and the key thing to remember is to leave handling of a rattler to the professionals.

You may encounter one rattler in the open, or one in your garage that came in looking for mice or a warm spot to spend the winter. 

You may also find more than one.  Here are two rattlers and then, the following picture shows them both being humanely on their way to being relocated to a safe distance from the home.

 

The 1^st Response Wildlife team has years of experience identifying, dealing with, trapping, and relocating reptiles, animals, and birds. They are professional and get the job done.  Recognized as a contributing member to the Arizona Herpetological Association and a member of the National Wildlife Control Operators Association (NWCOA), 1st Response Wildlife is ready to assist you identify, educate you on the best way to deal with, relocate rattlers for you, and possibly help show you how to keep rattlers from coming too close to your children, employees, property, and pets.

Warm weather brings out all kinds of snakes that have been holed up during the cold weather and they are looking for a meal, a mate, and possibly somewhere other than where they have spent the last few months, be it in your garage, under a shed, or sharing a den.

If you hear a rattling, encounter a rattler, or think you may have a snake that you would like to have removed, 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), coyotes, snakes, rattlesnakes (serpiente de cascabel), raccoons (mapache), pack rats, gila monsters (monstruos de gila), rabbits (canejo), owls, bats, hawks, ducks, opossums, squirrels (ardilla), peacocks, coatimundi (gato solo), skunks (mofeta), ringtails, 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!

 

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!

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!

 

SNAKES ALIVE! 1st Response Wildlife Posts to help Homeowners Become Snake-Aware

Spring sun in Arizona warms the ground resulting in the emergence of small wildlife and reptiles.  This explosion, particularly of small rodents (Rabbits, Pack Rats, Round Tailed Ground Squirrels, Harris's Antelope Squirrels-look like an Eastern Chipmunk, and Kangaroo Rats, and Mice), attract one of their strongest natural predators-snakes.

Of particular interest to the homeowner, business owner, and Property Management Company, is the fact that snakes, which, as the ground warms, begin hunting and foraging around foundations, woodpiles, patios, under bushes, and open garages.  In the heat of the summer, snakes are seen well into the night, as they appear on paved roads, patios, and garage cement slabs in order to absorb the heat.  In the spring, however, as the ground warms, they are seen more in the daytime and move to protected areas earlier in the evening because, since they are cold blooded, their activity slows in parallel with the temperature.

Snakes serve a very important role in the cycle of life in the Sonoran Desert because, along with Raptors, Raccoons, Skunks, Coyotes, Ringtails, Bobcats, Gila Monsters, and other rodent predators, snakes help keep these nuisance rodents in check.  Learning to live with snakes, however, is a challenge to some.  The question is how to recognize and accept snakes in close proximity to a home or business and, when to call for help in capture and relocation of those which are determined to be dangerous to family, pets, and visitors.

1^st Response Wildlife helps by working with homeowners, business owners, and Property Management companies to identify, evaluate, educate, and, when necessary, relocate snakes.  There are snakes which are essentially harmless and great to have around and there are others which, after an evaluation and discussion in regard to their proximity and threat to animals and people, should be relocated.

Whether you decide to request a service call by 1^st Response Wildlife to capture and relocate a snake on your property or not, it is probably a good idea to become familiar with a few of the most common snakes seen in and around the greater Tucson area and in the Sonoran Desert-particularly if you hike, have young children, pets, or invite frequent visitors to your home or business. (You can have your dog(s) snake-avoidance trained but, while this may keep your pet safe, if your dog encounters a snake on your property, you still have the dilemma of how to deal with it.)

While Arizona has the largest number of rattlesnakes of any state, and several relatively harmless non-venomous or less venomous snakes, many of the rattlers here are only found in specific regions of the state.  What this means is that in the greater Tucson area and, unless you are hiking or exploring at higher altitudes, the species of rattlers you will see in this area are fairly predictable. Below are 6 of the most commonly seen snakes you may see.  Three are rattlers and three are beneficial to have around.  All consume the rodents, mentioned above, lizards, or even insects.

Most common rattlesnake seen is the Western Diamondback-note the viper shaped head and striped tail

 

Also seen pretty routinely in certain parts of the Sonoran Desert is the Mohave/Mojave Rattlesnake

 

Seen in the flat desert in greater Tucson, Marana, etc., often at night, is the Sidewinder Rattlesnake. In addition to its viper shaped head, Sidewinder Rattlesnakes have what look like distinguishing horns, actually protruding scale formations, above each eye.

 

 

 

Beneficial to have around and an excellent rodent hunter, is the Gopher Snake.

Also beneficial as a rodent hunter as well as a snake predator-to include rattlesnakes, is the King Snake.

Less often see in the daytime, but often seen in the evening or night is the Long Nosed Snake.

 

Note the distinct difference between the poisonous snakes and the beneficial snakes.  The rattlers are all pit vipers, have rattles, and have distinct shapes to their heads.  The beneficial snakes have no rattles, have more pointed and smooth heads and are usually constrictors.

Snakes can be discovered on your property, observed while hiking, or discovered while you are doing some gardening, working in your garage, or playing outdoors with pets or children-essentially any time.  Foraging for prey will take them to search your garage, wood piles, slither under and around bushes, coil up by your planters, and, even cross your property in plain sight. 

If you encounter a snake, are unsure of its classification, the best advice is to leave it alone and quietly back away.  However, if you would like to consider having it removed, 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 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!

Marana’s Founders’ Day Visitors Enjoy Seeing Native Reptiles

March 7^th, Marana’s Heritage Conservancy celebrated its 36^th annual Founders’ Day celebration at Ora Mae Harn Park, 13250 N. Lon Adams Road in Marana.  1^st Response Wildlife had a booth at the park where it exhibited 7 rattlesnakes, two non venomous snakes, a Gila monster and 1^st Response Reptile and Animals of the Sonoran Desert Guide Books for visitors to see.

1^st Response Wildlife’s booth was located in the “kids,” section of the exhibits, nestled between the Martial Arts/Gym exhibits, in front of the climbing wall and next to the snow cone booth.  Families, couples, Firemen, Policemen, and other interested parties took time to view the rattlers in their locked displays, page through the Guide Book's pictures, ask questions and, for those more adventuresome, hold and get their picture taken with one of the non-venomous snakes.

1^st Response Wildlife brought representative examples of 7 of the rattlers, native to Arizona some of which, however, are not found in the immediate area surrounding Tucson or Marana.  The fact that visitors could view and ask about the various reptiles from different parts of Arizona made it more interesting than just seeing the common varieties to the immediate area.  In addition, since 1^st Response Wildlife is in the business of trapping and relocating nuisance animals, as well as reptiles, lizards, and exotics, many visitors commented on finding value in being able to page through the 1^st Response Wildlife Animal Guide Book, which have pictures of a majority of the animals common to Arizona, some not seen either in the area, or rarely seen at all because they are primarily nocturnal.

The exhibit below had the following on display: Venomous snakes-Western Diamondback Rattlesnake, Arizona Black Rattlesnake, Speckled Rattlesnake, Sidewinder Rattlesnake, Black Tail Rattlesnake, Mojave Rattlesnake, and Tiger Rattlesnake.  Venomous Lizard-Gila Monster. Non-venomous-Northern Mountain King Snake and Gopher snake. (Note the venomous snakes have locks on the displays, but to the right, in the front, is a simple glass enclosure with the Gopher snake in it that is secure, but not locked.  This is because this particular Gopher snake is one of the “education,” reptiles and has proven to be gentle. In the back left of the exhibit, you can see the 1st Response Wildlife Guide Books on the table.)

 

 

Several children and some adults asked and were allowed to experience holding and taking pictures with one or more of the non-venomous Gopher and Northern Mountain King Snakes.  These snakes remained friendly and provided visitors with an experience of getting up close to a reptile without fear.  Here we see an adult getting a chance to handle a gopher snake.  The following picture is of a child getting to know a gopher snake.

 

 

All in all, it was a good, but long day for visitors and, certainly there were a number of children who expressed interest in reading this blog to find out more details on reptiles and animals of the Sonoran Desert.

If you have any nuisance animals, reptiles, or even exotics that you find on your property and would like help in understanding what can be done to discourage them, or would like to have them removed, please do not hesitate to 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 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 

1st Response Wildlife Responds to Calls for Winter Rattlers

Winter in the Sonoran Desert of Southern Arizona is considered a time when reptiles, tortoises, and some mammals find, holes, dens, caves, nests, and protected places to hibernate.  This belief, that winter hibernation of dangerous species, such as rattlers, makes the desert safe, results in homeowners, snowbirds, who come to the desert to escape the cold of the north, and others, to possibly let down their guard.  While, for the most part, few rattlers are seen on hiking trails, out in the open, crossing paths, streets, or sunning themselves in the late afternoon on patios, rocks, and the asphalt, homeowners, and business owners, in particular, should remain vigilant.

Since the desert temperatures can fluctuate from below freezing at night to over 75 degrees on a warm winter’s day, it is not uncommon to see some mammals moving around, bees eating from your hummingbird feeder, and droppings from night time visits by mice,and rats. One has to expect that, if it is warm enough for the natural prey of a rattlesnake to have been warmed enough to emerge for short periods of time, there is a likelihood that, from time to time, a rattlesnake could be spotted as well.  The big question is always; where?

Rattlesnakes have interesting habits in the desert and it is important to understand some of their behaviors as the weather turns cold and the mild south western winter progresses.  Rattlesnakes are cold blooded and their metabolism slows down as the temperature cools.  Therefore, they need to take cover for both survival from predators as well as finding a place where, unless the temperature rises, they do not have to consume much energy. 

Rattlesnakes can be found underground, in caves, way back under rocks, in pack rat dens-even sharing a den over winter with a pack rat, and, in your garage,shed, or wood pile!  Garages seem to be a favorite. Often the garage doors are left open for extended periods of time, making it easy for a rattler, following a wall in the late fall, to turn a corner and find a protected area with lots of hiding places for a winter sleep. When a garage is closed, the ratter is protected from direct cold and, if the garage, or even the garage door is insulated, the temperature remains fairly constant-creating an environment very similar in temperature range to a cave, or deep hole. 

1^st Response Wildlife has had several calls for winter rattlers in garages this winter.  Homes where a homeowner has taken the opportunity to work in a garage that is a comfortable 65-70 degrees, seem to be the most common.  Homeowners or business owners find It is much easier to re-organize, clean, and put things away in that temperature range than in the heat of the summer when it can be over 100 degrees outside and 105-115 in that same garage/shed/storage area.

Below are a couple of pictures of a yearling winter rattler that was eventually spotted by a homeowner after a couple of hours moving things around in her garage.  She related that she must have had her hand within inches of this little fellow several times before spotting it and calling 1^st Response Wildlife.  Fortunately, the rattler, which had decided her garage was a perfect place to hibernate-close to birdseed, tools, and any mice that might have come along, was sluggish and really did not strike.

 

Once disturbed, although relatively slow, the yearling rattler began to move along the garage wall.

Winter daytime temperatures in the Sonoran Desert sometimes soar from 50 degrees, to over 80 degrees.  While this is well below a summer time desert temperature of 95 degrees and over, if a rattler happens to be in a spot that is warmed by the sun deep enough into the ground, it may come out and search for and ambush a pack rat, kangaroo rat, round tailed ground squirrel, or mouse which also may have been curious enough to emerge from their topor. (Torpor-temporary period of inactivity for some mammals)

Below is a mature diamondback winter rattler that has emerged next to a brick wall the base of which is set more than 2’ in the ground.  As the sun warmed the wall, heat extended well underground and, on a 75-80 degree day, a winter rattler has emerged. (You will note that the rattler, although out in the open, is well camouflaged against the wall. the gravel in front of the wall, and other small rocks.)

1^st Response Wildlife, when called to collect and relocate winter rattlers, prefers to remove them from a business or homeowner location (garage, shed, wood pile, along a wall, etc.) and hold them until spring, when a release in a safe location will better ensure survival. (With spring time temperatures consistently above 80-90 degrees, one can be sure normal rattlesnake prey will also be out, on the move, and plentiful.)  Winter rattlers are kept in a safe enclosure in a controlled environment and released, in the spring, unharmed, back into the wild.

Based on the number of winter rattlers seen and the calls 1^st Response Wildlife receives in the months from December-April, it is strongly suggested that businesses, HOA management, and homeowners keep their employees and family members educated about the potential of finding rattlers outside in the winter months as well as in garages, storage sheds, in wood piles, behind pots, or other places around their business or home.  While they may be sluggish and slow moving, don’t assume rattlers are any less dangerous.  

For any rattlers, nuisance animals burrowing around your foundations, or other trapping needs, please give 1^st Response 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 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!

Rattlesnakes on your property-Call 1st Response Wildlife to remove them!

1^st Response Wildlife is experienced and ready to help you with any snakes on your property!

This is the season and the temperature is now at a point where homeowners and businesses alike are finding rattlesnakes on their property.  1^st Response Wildlife has 18+ years experience dealing with Snakes in the Sonoran Desert of all types and is particularly adept at helping a homeowner or business identify and relocate the unwanted venomous types.

There have been two alerts this year already, one from a local paper and, this week, from the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) in regards to the appearance of rattlesnakes.  The latest reminder, from AZGFD is for hikers, homeowners, pet owners, families with small children, gardeners, and business owners about the possibility of encountering unwanted animals-due to the fact that Tucson, Catalina, Oro Valley, Saddlebrooke, Vail, and Green Valley are all in a drought situation and reptiles, along with other wild animals will be moving into urban areas looking for food and water. 

1^st Response Wildlife would also like to remind gardeners, landscapers, business owners, families with children and small pets to be alert and careful around shrubs, walking and hiking at dawn and dusk, and looking carefully on patios, porches, and especially before reaching in to retrieve a ball from under a bush or to trim a shrub.  Snakes, especially rattlesnakes blend easily into their surroundings and strike from almost any position-stretched out or coiled. You may encounter them on the prowl for prey, coiled up under a bush or, as some have reported and photgraphed, in a mating dance (see below).  

1^st Response Wildlife is an expert when it comes to rattlesnakes.  If you observe one on your property and would like it humanely captured and removed, please do not bother it but, observe where it is located, make the call to 260-9517 and every effort will be made to work with you as quickly as possible to remove it.

Arizona is blessed to have a wide variety of reptiles, the largest number of different species of rattlesnakes of any state in the union, but, since the state of Arizona values all wildlife, unless you are being threatened by rattlesnakes or any reptiles, it is best to get a professional, like 1^st Response Wildlife involved to help you remove and protect it so that the balance of life in the wild can be maintained.

The most common rattlesnakes you will encounter in the greater Tucson area are the Western Diamondback, the Mojave (also spelled Mohave), the sidewinder, possibly the Black Tail, and, depending on your elevations, even a few of the 13 species of rattlers in AZ.

Below are a few photographs to help you be sure you are dealing with a rattler.  Bottom line, however, it is better to be safe than sorry.  Calling 1^st Response Wildlife will help confirm identification before removal. (Hovering your cursor over the pictures will reveal the identity.)

  

 

If you find a rattler on your property, 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), 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 Customers Sometimes Find Round-Tailed Ground Squirrels to be a Nuisance

Round-Tailed Ground Squirrels seem to be everywhere this year.  You can find more about them, along with dozens of pictures by looking up either Xerospermophilus tereticaudus or Spermophilus tereticaudus, on the web. 1st Response Wildlife has been receiving calls from numerous homeowners and businesses to see if there is anything that can be done about these little smooth-furred squirrels which build extensive underground tunnels and delight in creating endless burrows in the desert.

Left to themselves, unless you are riding a horse through the desert or on your property, chasing a soccer ball, shagging a fly, or just sitting on your back porch hoping to relax without watching your plants getting nibbled, they are kind of cute and remind you of a miniature Prairie Dog.  If, however, they come into your yard, play ground, athletic field, or business, they can really be a nuisance.  

Below, courtesy of "Focus On Nature Tours," is the first of 4 pictures of these little fellows and the entrance to their living quarters..

This little fellow digs holes that are entrances to his underground world and, at other times, he just digs holes. The picture below shows an entrance to his underground set of tunnels.

As the temperature rises, here in the Sonoran desert, you can expect the Round-Tailed Ground Squirrel to emerge from one of its holes a little earlier each week-starting in the spring.  You will also find that they are usually listed as omnivores, which simply means they eat plants and they especially like those which are high in water content. They also, however, will eat ants, crickets, larger insects, like grasshoppers, termites, and other insects and, based on our observation they can be opportunistic feeders as well. What this means is that they have things they would prefer to eat but, provided with the opportunity to feed, you may see them on your bird feeder competing with the song birds, doves, or quail or even, as 1st Response Wildlife has seen, feasting on road kill in the middle of the road.  

These little fellows are pretty fast but, they are routinely snagged and hawks, badgers, snakes, and even coyotes consider them a great catch.  In our experience, since our primary business is not photography but, instead, evaluating animal situations, educating our customers, and, when appropriate, relocating animals here in the greater Tucson area, we typically do not take pictures from a long distance.  If you try to get close to one of these squirrels, they usually have several hidey holes they use as escape routes and, without a long range camera in our bag, we are challenged to get close-up shots. As result, above and below we have relied on photos of the squirrels, for this blog, on other sources.  The second of the two squirrel pictures used herein is from a blog, managed by Judy Hedding in Phoenix.  Pictured after the Round-Tailed Ground Squirrel below, we show an example at a customer site of a problem that is representative of many calls to 1st Response Wildlife-where a back yard, playground, or business was being overrun by ground squirrels. 

 

Below, within a 4' area, there are 5 holes!

 

Underground tunnels and the proliferation and range of these animals can make it difficult to determine, without sitting and watching your property for a significant amount of time, just how many you have living and burrowing in and around you.  If you think you have a problem with these Round-Tailed Ground Squirrels, 1st Response Wildlife would be happy to consult with you and review options you have to reduce their number in your area.  We have helped customers decide how to deal with dozens so far just this year!

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), 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!

Tucson 1st Response Wildlife Gives Back With Educational Sessions

The Arizona Sonoran Desert is recognized world-wide for its diversity of animal and plant life-some only found here in our area.  We are blessed to have the largest number of rattlesnake species, strong populations of amphibians, mammals, and birds, and a supporting climate that allows the species found here to thrive.

While 1st Response Wildlife is focused on the core business of humanely capturing, relocating and, if an animal is orphaned or hurt, working with rehabilitation organizations to bring that animal along, when possible, to a point where it can be released back into the wild, there is another aspect of its mission, which is to educate the public.

It is surprising that so many residents of Tucson, Oro Valley, Green Valley, Marana, Catalina, and Sahuarita live in close proximity to this plethura of animal life and yet, may not ever see, understand, or appreciate those species that live just on the other side of their walls or along the trails they hike.  Some of our animals and reptiles are gorgeous and helpful and others are dangerous.

As a trapper, licensed by the Arizona Game and Fish Department, a key part of the mission of 1st Response Wildlife is to educate the public about how to interact with our wildlife particularly in regards to those that can be harmful and especially the ones that are commonly encountered by you, your children, and pets. Seeing those animals, reptiles, and amphibians in person and hearing the facts relating to the appropriate responses one should employ if they are encountered, helps protect family and pets from harm. While we are blessed to have a place where much of the wildlife in our area can be seen up close-the Arizona-Sonoran Desert Museum, there are still many unanswered questions and thousands of children and residents who would benefit from a more personal educational session that allows for questions and answers and first hand experiences and facts which 1st Response Wildife can provide.

One of the ways 1st Response Wildlife gives back to the community is through educational sessions where either slide shows, accompanied by talks regarding these animals are presented or, sessions, where a few representative specimens, when possible, are brought along, as part of a demonstration to help the public understand their "neighbors."  Being able to identify and understand when and how to respond in a situation where one encounters an animal or reptile, can save a life!

Recently 1st Response Wildife had the opportunity to bring several specimens to a school and conduct two sessions in a safe outdoor setting.  The sessions encompassed demonstrations of non-venomous constrictors (snakes that capture and kill by constricting and suffocting their prey-rather than using venom) of Arizona as well as some venomous reptiles and one amphibian. Children were encouraged to view the dangerous species, safely housed in display cages and, for the non-venomous species, they were encouraged and allowed to inspect, touch, and feel their cool smooth scales. 

Below is a video that takes into account the scene where a Gopher Snake and a Mountain King Snake are held for the children while, on the table, between the two presenters, the venomous species are safely housed for viewing, but not touching.

http://youtu.be/TxVTaRJupfw

Below is a picture of children touching the beautiful Mountain King Snake-a constrictor that eats rats, mice, and even rattlesnakes

 

Children being introduced to a Gopher Snake-another constrictor that eats pack rats, mice, etc.

 

Safely housed in a display case is a Mojave Rattler-its venom contains both neurotoxins and hemotoxins.

 

Beside the Mojave is a Western Diamondback Rattler, probably the most common rattlesnake found around greater Tucson-its venom is a hemotoxin.

Most often seen after a Monsoon rain, the Sonoran Desert Toad (aka Colorado River Toad), is extremely dangerous to pets and can cause allergic reactions in people if handled without gloves.

The Gila Monster lives underground most of the time and eats round tailed squirrels, pack rats, eggs, etc.

 

Along with these demonstrations, 1st Response Wildlife also educates the attendees about the reptiles and amphibian lifestyles, dangers, and what to do if they are encountered.

If you would like to have 1st Response Wildlife come and present to your Home Owner's Association, school, business, or organization, please feel free to give 1st Response Wildlife a call and an educational session can be set up with live specimens or powerpoint slides. Discussions will include habitats, how to react when encountering animals, reptiles, and amphibians, as well as what to do if you, your children, or pets are bitten.

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, squirrels (ardilla), 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 Reviews the Beauty and Reality of Exotics in Greater Tucson

Exotics in Tucson are found in homes, pet shops, and, to the surprise of many citizens, in and around their homes!  Cute, beautiful, and appealing when they are small, exotics grow, in some cases, to become quite large.   Many of the reptiles, which are available for sale, are the product of breeding to create new colors and designs which make owning them a conversation piece and enhances the experience of raising them as a gorgeous pet.

1^st Response Wildlife is called, from time to time, to capture and/or remove an exotic that has either escaped or, in some cases, has been released because it has gotten either too large or too expensive to feed and maintain.   When I get these calls, if no owner is found, after a physical inspection to make sure the exotic is in good health, I work with businesses that accept exotics.

As a licensed animal trapper and licensed-to-hold by Arizona Game and Fish Department educator, I am a customer of the businesses that sell exotics along with food and other supplies for the reptiles and amphibians I use for my seminars.  My relationship with these businesses is symbiotic because, on one hand, our relationship allows visibility to reptiles they keep and sell and which reptiles and amphibians they will accept to fill out their inventory and, on the other hand, if I need an exotic for a seminar, I can “borrow” a specimen for a day for show-and-tell. 

Recently I was visiting one of the shops I work with, Reptile Specialists, and, with the permission of the owners, I took a few pictures of specimens they have for sale and which represent good examples of what I expect are held as pets by the hundreds here in greater Tucson and certainly in Arizona.  As you can see, these guys are beautiful.  I am posting these pictures to help families, considering exotics, to get a sense of how large an enclosure their pet will eventually need and help them consider what questions they need to ask in regards to food, bedding, and proper environments. (If you are interested in knowing the name of the exotic pictured, just hover your cursor over that picture, and the name of the exotic will appear.)

When you visit shops that sell exotics or attend the reptile shows that are held in Tucson or Phoenix, it is important to remember that recently passed regulations which apply to exotics restrict taking many of them across state lines and, in fact, some species can no longer be sold.  It is always a good idea to check with the shop selling exotics or to query an exhibitor at a reptile show in regards to whether what you have or are considering to acquire is on the approved list.

If you see an exotic in your neighborhood that looks out of place and you do not know the owner, or have one of your own that has somehow gotten out, give 1^st Response Wildlife a call and I would be happy to work with you.  If you are looking for an exotic, there are a number of places in Tucson that have a variety of species and sizes to choose from in addition to national chain pet shops.  Reptile Specialists, Ever Evolving Exotics, and Tropical Kingdom Inc. are a few of the shops that specialize.

Since I have three exotics as part of my collection, I am very familiar with these businesses, and I work with the Arizona Herpetology Association and Arizona Game and Fish Department to ensure indigenous and exotics in Tucson are healthy and treated 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), owls, bats, squirrels (ardilla), 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!

Pack Rat Trapping and Removal

Pack Rats are everywhere!  When they create their dens far from homes, cars, and businesses, they happily multiply and live out their lives.  They are, however, a favorite prey of raptors, reptiles, and other predators like Ringtail, Foxes, Skunks, and an occasional Coyote. If they take up residence in close proximity to your home or business, things change and they begin to affect you and they can be a real nuisance.  

The name Pack Rat actually covers a number of different species of “Wood Rats,” which live in the southwest.  These little guys build nests and dens in almost anything-rocks, around the roots of Prickly Pear and Agave cactus, your car engine, your grill, in your shed, in your attic, the walls of your home, or behind a storage bin on your patio.   You often discover them when you come across a debris pile, called midden, that can contain Cholla sections, Prickly Pear “ears,” or when you try to start a car/truck that has sat outside for some time and it refuses to start.   (There are lots of stories in Tucson and surrounding areas of $1000+ expenditures to repair the wires of a truck or car that has had Pack Rat damage, a TV service call to investigate a cable outage, or a sprinkler hose leak-all associated with these "rats.")

One of the interesting things I have learned about Pack Rats, in addition to their behavior, and their destructive/nuisance nature, is their value to botanists who research desert/arid plant life over long time periods.  They are called paleobotanists. Packrats will urinate on their midden.  The urine crystallizes and hardens into a substance called amberat.  The amberat, in its hardened form and with the dry conditions in Arizona, actually creates a historical record which, over time, has allowed paleobotanists to look through the contents of the midden and determine what the vegetation was around the time the den was constructed and material gathered to construct the den-kind of a self contained time capsule, if you will.

For the most part, the majority of my Pack Rat calls are related to customer sites where the Pack Rats have become a nuisance.  What customers report are noises in their attic, piles of debris around the base of cactus, their sheds, and holes under the house stuffed with Cholla sections, etc.  Since Pack Rats are, for the most part, nocturnal, unless you surprise one, you will see their midden, but not the rat.  Here is a little fellow that was curious enough, over night, to find himself in my trap.

 

Here is a picture of where he was living.

 

Here is a picture of the midden that he collected to surround his den.

 

What is almost as annoying as having Pack Rats in and around your business and home, is knowing that trapping and removing a Pack Rat from your property is not the end of the story.  Pack Rats are opportunists and, when a den is vacated-after its resident is trapped, another Pack Rat will happily take up residence in that same den, making it larger and adding its own midden.

The best approach to getting rid of a Pack Rat, and subsequent residents of the den/nest you find, is to give 1^st Response Wildlife a call and, along with my trapping service, I can remove the midden and treat the area so that other Pack Rats are discouraged from taking up residence in the same place.  If I trap Pack Rats in your attic or walls, similarly, the entrance holes must be plugged to keep others out. 

Thanks, Wildman Josh :)

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), 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. 520-260-9517 Thanks!

Tucson 1st Response Wildlife Diamondback Rattlesnake Rescue and Humane Relocation

Diamondback Rattlesnakes are common in Tucson and the surrounding Sonoran desert.  Attracted to dwellings which have an abundance of mice, lizards, and pack rats, homeowners and businesses see them on a frequent basis.  Rattlesnakes, in general are not aggressive if they are left alone.  However, if you bother them, they have just eaten, are close to delivering their young, or as you begin to trim a bush, you reach your hand under a branch and surprise them, a swift reaction, on the part of the rattler usually results in a strike.  In fact, the vast majority of snake bites in Pima County come from person-to-snake contact that has resulted from the snake being surprised, rather than the rattler aggressively pursuing the human.

From time to time, I get calls from homeowners who have set out a garden and, to keep out birds, they have surrounded it with bird netting.  Recently a homeowner called with a medium sized diamondback tangled up in his bird netting-probably while it was in pursuit of a lizard or a mouse.  Left alone, the diamondback would have died because it was so tangled up that the harder it tried to push out of the tangle of nylon bird netting, the tighter the strands became.  There really was no future for the rattler in that situation.  The homeowner did not want the snake killed, so a decision was made to rescue the rattler by stabilizing it and then carefully cutting the nylon netting.  As you can see from the picture below, taken with a phone camera, left alone in the Arizona heat, this diamondback was not going to untangle itself and would probably not have made it another day.

 

After carefully protecting hands and scissor work from the rattler’s head and fangs, the nylon was snipped away and the diamondback was transferred to a holding container to spend a couple of nights resting.  As you can imagine, the diamondback did not really know what was going on and, it was none too happy while it was being held down as part of the process in getting the netting cut off. 

Managing a rescue of this sort puts a great deal of stress on the snake.  When the netting was cut off and the diamondback was transferred to a holding container, I let it rest for two days so it could calm down.  It was inspected and appeared to be in good health, was offered water and was kept out of the heat of the desert while it had time to rest.

Two days later it was released outside the wall of the home where it was found, in the desert, within probably several hundred yards of where I suspected its den should have been.

Rescues of this sort are not easy.  In fact I had an associate help me hold the rattler while I cut away the remaining portion of the netting.  However, it is pleasing to treat a rattler with respect, have it rested and then return it to its natural habitat so it can continue to play a role in the circle of life.

If you find you have a rattler of any kind, not just a diamondback, that is caught or tangled up, like this, one that you determine may be too close to your home or business and would like it removed and relocated, please give 1^st Response Wildlife a call and I would be happy to come and work with you.

Thanks, Wildman Josh :)

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), 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. 520-260-9517 Thanks!

 

Exotic mammals, reptiles, birds, and amphibians capture and removal in the Tucson area

Exotic animals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and arthropods can be found in Tucson and the surrounding areas of Vail, Catalina, Oracle, Marana, Green Valley and Sahuarita by the hundreds, if not thousands in homes, businesses and pet shops.  The business of selling, feeding, gifting, and breeding exotics is quite extensive and I have found that it is just another part of my business to get a call to search for, capture and rescue of exotics. 

While the list of exotics found in the greater Tucson area is quite long, I am called most often to help families, and occasional a retailer in recovering or capturing and escaped boa, python, monitor lizard, iguana,  a large African tortoise, or an injured exotic bird.  Some exotics that have been “adopted,” or brought into Arizona are either no longer legal to sell or legal to have as pets.  

Most reptile breeders and retail stores can tell you which animals, birds, or reptiles are legal and safe to have in your home.  If you have questions about something and are not sure as to whether it is ok to have it in captivity,  you can always look it up on the internet under posted articles that describe and name what is legal in Arizona and what is protected.  Using the following categories and reference numbers, you can easily check before purchasing or acquiring a new addition to your collection or buying one as a pet for a family member.

ARIZ. COMP. ADMIN R. & REGS. R12-4-406 - Restricted Live Wildlife

Article listing "restricted live wildlife" as defined in R12-4-401 is quite exhaustive and names what is restricted and not permitted.

Most of my calls for exotics entail capture of a pet that has escaped and the owner just wants it returned. This does not mean that the owner necessarily knows it has escaped.  Sometimes a neighbor will find a large monitor lizard wandering through their yard, a large African Tortoise walking up their driveway, or a 6’ or larger python hanging around a bird feeder trying to catch its lunch.  Other times, a pet iguana, (shown below) has escaped and, since the owner has raised it from when it was 6” long at the pet store, she just wants her pet back.  

In all of these instances, I am happy to work with the owner, neighbor, or business that has an exotic on their property, has one that has escaped, or found one that is injured.  For the most part, I will return the exotic to its owner, if known but, sometimes a large reptile may have been purposely released or abandoned-especially if it is a 6-9’ python, a 5’+ monitor lizard, or 100lb or more African tortoise.  In cases where no owner can be found, I will try and find a home at one of the rehabilitation organizations I work with, such as, the Desert Museum, or one of the licensed rescue organizations which accept large rescued reptiles, amphibians, and birds.  Please give 1^st Response Wildlife a call if I can help or if you have a question about an exotic that has escaped, one that has shown up on your property or you would like help identifying what it is that may be causing concern in regards to whether it might dangerous to your pets or children.

Thanks, Wildman Josh :)

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), 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. 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!

Mojave Rattlesnake Removal & Relocation in Tucson, Arizona

Mojave rattlesnakes are dangerous.  Most homeowners and hikers classify rattlesnakes as dangerous but, knowing just how dangerous and why one is more dangerous than another is beyond their depth of knowledge.

In my business, I find it is better to treat all rattlesnakes as dangerous and, if one is encountered around your home, business, or in a place where children or pets could be threatened, it is best to stay away from them, not bother them, and consider calling me, Josh, 520-260-9517 to deal with them.

This Mojave rattlesnake, for example, was captured in a garage southwest of Tucson.  It probably came in overnight looking for a warm and dark place to spend a few days hunting for mice in a location where the homeowner too often left the garage door open.  One call to 1st Response Wildlife, resulted in my capturing and relocating it to a location where it will not bother anyone-nor will they bother it.

Mojave Rattlesnakes can easily be confused with a Western Diamond Back Rattler because their markings are similar.  There are three things I always remember about Mojave Rattlers that distinguish them from Western Diamond Backs or other Rattlers.  

The first is the fact that Diamond Back Rattlers grow to be larger, while Mojave rattlesnakes rarely exceed 4’.  Secondly, I have observed that Mojave rattlesnakes, although similar in coloration to Western Diamond Backs, have markings that become whiter as you get closer to their tail and, their rattles often are whiter than the Western Diamond Back-which often has almost a tiger type stripe appearance of black-white-black-white.  The third and most significant difference the Mojave rattlesnakes have from the Western Diamond Backs and other rattlers is that they have two types of venom.  This is very significant because if a person is bit by a Mojave rattlesnake and gets to a hospital ER for treatment with Anti-venom, if the ER physician does not know they are dealing with a Mojave rattlesnake bite, they will probably only administer Anti-venom to treat a hemotoxin bite (venom that destroys your red blood cells-delivered by Western Diamond Backs and most other rattlers), rather than also administering a neurotoxin anti-venom as well. There is a good reason for this because one dose of Anti-Venom can cost as much as $80,000 or more!

Since a Mojave Rattlesnake carries both types of venom, its bite is especially dangerous and, because of this, a Mojave rattlesnake bite is considered 10 times more dangerous than bites by other rattlers.  Yet another reason to call 1st Response Wildlife to deal with any rattlesnake you may find in your yard, shed, business, or home.

My motto in handling any type of snake is, “Make no mistakes with snakes.” - Josh

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 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. 520-260-9517 Thanks!

Pack Rat Removal ~ Common Nuisance Wildlife

The pack rat is one of the most common calls 1st Response Wildlife gets due to several factors. First, they tend to take up living in your attic space and can possibly start chewing on your electrical wires and creating a fire hazard. Second, their feces can be harmful to humans if they happen to nest in your air ducts. Third, if they take up residence in your yard, they can eat all of your beautiful vegetation.  Even if they do not chew up your vegetation, strip bark off of young trees-essentially girdling the tree, they are, after all, as their name implies, pack rats.  To build their nests, they gather cholla, debris, twigs, and anything they can to fill the area around where they live.  This can be around the base of cactus, in your grill, your car engine, and, as mentioned above, your attic.

The pack rat female can have up to four babies per pregnancy and she breeds all year long with about 5 litters, so that is a lot of pack rats! Along with the number of babies, it goes without saying that having pack rats around your property is a magnet for snakes.  While king snakes, bull/gopher snakes, and other non venomous snakes, love to catch pack rats, rattlesnakes are also fond of pack rats.  Bear in mind, then, that the fewer pack rats, the lower the potential of unwanted rattlers.

After they get out on their own, pack rats tend to live by themselves in their own nest.  The challenge you have if you just trap a pack rat without cleaning out and disposing of all the collection of plant material in and around their nest is that, with a week or so, another pack rat will happily move into the now abandoned nest of the one you killed. (I had one customer who had kept track of the pack rats he had caught from 5 nests in the desert around his home.  He had not removed the nesting material, he just kept setting traps. At the time he called me, he had killed over 80 of them over a three year period!  Removing the nesting and treating the area discouraged newcomers.  So, don't let them get settled in or around your home, give 1st Response Wildlife a call at 520-260-9517, and Josh can remove them for you along with the nesting material.

Here's a photo sequence of Josh setting traps and releasing a pack rat:

 

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 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. 520-260-9517 Thanks!

Related articles

Sumatran Blood Python ~ One of the Meanest Snakes on the Planet

This beautiful snake, aSumatran Blood Python which is known to be one of the meanest snakes on the planet and a very difficult snake to raise due to their aggressive nature, has over the last 8 years, grown from this size to over 15'.  It currently resides at Tropical Kingdom Animal, fish, bird, and reptile store on Prince and Campbell here in Tucson.  So far, with the help of an albino python, this girl has laid over 100 eggs which have hatched over 95 live pythons.

If you are in need of removing an exotic snake or lizard or any domestic animal, give Josh a call at 1st Response Wildlife at 520-260-9517 (Hours of Operation 24/7) and he will find a forever home for your reptiles and pets that you can no longer care for and be completely compassionate and understanding.

 

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 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. 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!