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

Roof Rats are here!

Here in the desert, we are accustomed to encountering Rock Squirrels, Packrats, Kangaroo Rats, Harris Antelope Squirrels, and Mice.  Several years ago-as early as early 2000, Phoenix began to find Roof Rats in buildings, consuming citrus and competing with Packrats for dens in attics.  It is speculated that Roof Rats, native of Asia, had arrived in California in shipping containers and had found their way to Phoenix in delivery trucks.  From there, Roof Rats, not a native species in the US, have spread across Arizona and 1st Response Wildlife and others, are finding them in attics and around homes.

 Somewhat smaller than Packrats and, needing only an entry point the size of a quarter, Roof Rats pose a significantly greater threat to our area.  First, they are very active and, when foraging for food or water, will often have a range of 300 yards in searching for fluid in citrus, irrigation tubing, or a water source-such as a dripping air conditioning pipe.  Secondly, while they typically live high off the ground, climb trees and high wire lines to gain access to buildings, in the desert, they will burrow in the ground and live at ground level. This means they can, as they forage for food, be found almost anywhere and, since they are smaller than Packrats, can gain entrance in some areas where, if gnawing through insulation, wood, or drywall is necessary, need smaller holes in order to gain entrance. Thirdly, Roof Rats, unlike Packrats, will have several more babies per litter and, while Packrats usually live, one to a nest, Roof Rats may live in groups of 6-8 in one den and forage together.  What this means, of course, is that if you find one Roof Rat, you probably have several more.  It also means that, while Packrats and Roof Rats may have as many as 5 litters a season, the fact that Packrats usually have 1-2 babies in a littler, Roof Rats, on the other hand, can have 5-8, resulting in a proliferation of Roof Rats quicker than Packrats.

Roof Rats can easily be distinguished from Packrats by their size and the length and composition of their tail.  Their tails lack hair and are typically longer than the rat itself-as seen in the pictures below:

What we now find, is that there is an additional rodent that is trying to establish residence in our area, it is a no-native species and, since it is active and can reproduce rapidly, it is imperative that a homeowner or business retain the services of a Wildlife trapper like 1st Response Wildlife, with experience and strategies to both catch and remove Roof Rats but, also can inspect and seal up points of entry to deter and discourage any rodents from gaining entry to your home, business, storage areas, or property.

For more information on trapping and removing Roof Rats or rodents of any kind by 1st Response Wildlife, give Josh a call at 520-260-9517

Rock Squirrel Families Removed and Area Cleaned Up by 1st Response Wildlife

Rock Squirrels are really busy in the Sonoran Desert during the summer.  They search for food in new areas; they create significant damage burrowing under sheds, patios, hot tub slabs, and foundations.  They also start and raise new families.

One homeowner in Tucson experienced not one but two families of rock squirrels this summer.  The first family moved in, dug their burrows and began raising their family in the back yard.  The burrow seen below is an example of the damage to the area and, as you can see, has exposed an underground pipe which could be a gas line.  Not only is the burrow entrance hole large enough for a pet or a child to step in and possibly break a leg, but it has exposed a pipe. 

1^st Response Wildlife was called and trapped the whole family.  Below, you can see the members of the family peering out of their respective traps.  1^st Response Wildlife trapped and held family members in a protected environment until all of the family had been caught and reunited.  Together, they were moved well over a dozen miles away and released back into the wild as a family unit.

Unfortunately for the homeowner, however, the backyard invasion, for the summer was not over.  Within a short period of time, a rock squirrel scout was observed-probably the male of a new family, and a whole new family moved into the back yard area.  Soon burrowing under a shed revealed a family of rock squirrels again was creating a nuisance.

1^st Response Wildlife was called again and, once again, the entire family was trapped, held until all members were caught and accounted for, reunited, and released back into the wild.

Below are some of the pictures of this new family, one even eating raspberries while being held until all family members were caught.

Here we see the burrow entrance under the shed and then, following the removal of the rock squirrels, the clean up that returns the shed foundation back to normal.

Finally, with the dirt replaced, a cement block over the area, helps and future rock squirrels from choosing this area for burrowing.

 

If you have rock squirrels burrowing in your yard, under foundations, patios, or sheds, please give 1^st Response Wildlife a call to have them removed.  1^st Response Wildlife is experienced in trapping and humanely releasing individual rock squirrels or, as you can see from this and other posts, whole families back into the wild.

Thanks for considering 1st Response Wildlife 

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

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

Cute, but destructive: 1st Response Wildlife Helps a Homeowner with a Nuisance Rock Squirrel Family

1^st Response Wildlife traps and relocates all of the squirrels found here in the Sonoran Desert.  Of the three most commonly found in the greater Tucson, Oro Valley, Catalina, Green Valley and Vail areas, Rock Squirrels are the largest in size and most destructive to foundations, vegetables, sheds, cement slabs, and other areas in and around dwellings and businesses.

The other common squirrels-the Round-Tailed Ground Squirrel and Harris’ Antelope squirrel,  are also destructive, creating extensive burrows and underground tunnels, but they usually dig their entrance holes more in open desert, around plants, or under trees.  Newcomers to the area often mistake the Round Tailed Ground Squirrels as small Prairie Dogs and Harris’ Antelope Ground Squirrel as Chipmunks.

The Rock Squirrel seems to like to create its living space under structures.  1^st Response Wildlife has found entrance tunnels under sheds, hot tubs, garages, large Aloe Verde plants, homes, businesses, and other locations where a Rock Squirrel can create a burrow under extensive overhead structures which are often man made rather than open desert.  Some reports have included pictures of near collapse of a structure due to Rock Squirrels removing significant amounts of dirt from a corner or a large portion of the building.  One recent customer of 1^st Response Wildlife had large amounts of dirt removed from under a foundation, filled it with cement, and this year, Rock Squirrels were back burrowing back under the foundation, just to the side of the new cement!

Recently 1^st Response Wildlife was called by a homeowner who loved animals but realized that what were once one Rock Squirrel, then two, had become a family of Rock Squirrels.  Initially it was fun to watch one or two Rock Squirrels playing around cactus and a foundation wall.  When spring of this year came, however, the homeowner finally realized the two had multiplied and the back yard was now where the Rock Squirrel family was being raised.  When the family number grew to 7, the homeowner realized that these cute Rock Squirrels and their even cuter offspring were destroying the garden, burrowing under plants and areas that would be compromised and one was even observed eating a lizard.   The cute family of Rock Squirrels had transitioned from being cute to becoming a nuisance.

Pictured below is an example of the size of a Rock Squirrel’s burrow entrance.

 

Here on the back of one of 1^st Response Wildlife’s trucks are the traps holding the family of 7 Rock Squirrels-ready for transport

These pictures show an adult and then one of the youngsters who tipped over his water and is still a bit wet.

Once the entire family was captured, they were moved 20 miles away and released in a safe area, complete with water and shelter.  The burrow entrances were filled in and the homeowner was happy to be able to replant some of the vegetables and plants that had been destroyed, was hopeful that the lizard population would return to normal, and was pleased that the family unit was retained-albeit in a distant location.

 If you find that you have a family of Rock Squirrels burrowing around your home or business creating a nuisance, running on your roof or, as 1^st Response Wildlife has already found this year, running loose inside the living room of a home, please give 1^st Response Wildlife a call to discuss safe and humane ways to capture and 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), rock squirrels, 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!

 

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 

Rock Squirrel Damage and Disease Exposed by 1st Response Wildlife

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

 

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

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

 

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

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

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

 

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

 

Thanks for considering 1st Response Wildlife 

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

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

 

1st Response Wildlife 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!

Animal Removal & Relocation ~ Rock Squirrels

Here in greater Tucson and the Sonoran desert, we have a fairly large ground squirrel, the Ground Rock Squirrel (Spermophilus variegatus) Spanish name- ardilla. Weighing up to a pound and equipped with excellent digging claws, the Rock Squirrel can be quite a nuisance and harbor fleas-which are known to spread bubonic plague. 

Rock Squirrels look similar to a tree squirrel but its ears are set farther back on its head and its coloration, as seen in the one pictured here, may be a combination of speckled  grayish brown- with a long bushy tail.  They are good climbers, and although you may see them in trees in springtime feeding on young buds, these squirrels dig and live in burrows underground.

My customers most often call for trapping and removal of Rock Squirrels when they find their landscaping, yard, or surrounding desert has been invaded.  When these squirrels move in, they tend to dig several burrows with holes large enough to cause a child, horse, or even an adult to trip and possibly get injured.  In addition, especially in a landscaped area, the mounds of dirt they excavate when digging their burrow, destroy the contour of the surrounding area and make that area look messy.  I try to also remind my customers that, beyond creating a mess in the yard, Rock Ground Squirrels also can carry disease.  Because ground squirrel’s fur is constantly in contact with the soil, they can harbor fleas, which can be transferred to your pets, your living area, and back yards where your children play.  Fleas have been known to be a source of bubonic plague and, for this reason, I wear gloves when handling any of them-alive or dead.

Rock Squirrels can be seen throughout the year, here in southern Arizona.  On the coldest days of December through to March, they may be seen less because they are spending time in their burrows to stay warm, coming out on the very warmest days for a few hours.  In higher elevations of Arizona, these squirrels will go into hibernation but, this happens less so here in southern Arizona with these animals instead, taking shorter periods of inactivity in their burrows, known as Torpor.  (Torpor is similar to hibernation, in that an animal will reduce its heart rate, drop its temperature and conserve energy.  Rock Squirrels, however, do not stay in this state long, here in southern Arizona-usually 1-4 days).  You can expect Rock Squirrels to emerge from their burrows during the warmest part of the day in winter.

If you find that you have a problem with Rock Squirrels in your yard, surrounding desert, or feel uncomfortable and believe they have become a nuisance, please give 1^st Response Wildlife a call.  Also, if you have a pet who has been injured or you find a Rock Squirrel that you would like removed to a rehab center because it cannot fend for itself, please give me a call for that as well. 

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), 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!

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!